The stone circles gave Smålandsstenar its name. At Västbo hembygdsgård in Smålandsstenar, twenty upright stones form a burial ground; each stone is about 2,500 years old. The area around the town is also unusually rich in Stone Age finds compared with other parts of Småland. This connects a specific place with a regional perspective on prehistory.

Stone Graves and Ancient Routes

At Skäppekullen, the stone circles lie northeast of Smålandsstenar, by the Nissan River and the old Nissastigen route. You can walk among the stone burial structures there. When finding your way, it is important to distinguish between the locations: the stone circles at Västbo hembygdsgård are in Smålandsstenar, while those at Skäppekullen are northeast of the town.

Nissastigen is a very old road through Smålandsstenar and already existed as a bridle path in pre-Christian times. Archaeological remains at named locations thus meet a long history of routes.

Local History and Cultural Landscape

Villstads hembygdsgård is northeast of Smålandsstenar and is one of Sweden’s oldest local history museums. The grounds include seven relocated buildings. The Röshultsstugan on the grounds dates from 1778 and is set up as a home and museum.

Nearby Villstad kyrkby has a marked 2–3 kilometre trail, a car park and bus connections. It is about a 350-metre walk from the bus stop to the church. The open agricultural landscape, old oaks and avenues of trees there are of significant nature conservation value.

Walking and Cycling Routes

The Nissanleden is an approximately 8-kilometre walking route along the Nissan River between Smålandsstenar and Skeppshult. It runs from the power station at Ågårdsfors in the north to Skeppshult’s illuminated exercise trail in the south. Villstad kyrkby’s trail is shorter than the Nissanleden, at 2–3 kilometres.

The exercise trails of Motionsspår Smålandsstenar are intended for running and walking; cycling and horse riding are not permitted there. The red Smålandsstenar mountain bike trail is a separate 1.6-kilometre route. It starts at the OK Vivill clubhouse by the illuminated exercise trail. Both route length and intended use are therefore important when choosing.

Out and About on the Nissan River

For the Nissan canoe route, you can rent canoes and equipment at Hörsjöns camping in Smålandsstenar. The providers also offer pickup or transport to the starting or finishing point. These service details may change; check rental and transport options before making plans.

Hörsjöbadet in Smålandsstenar is the municipal outdoor swimming pool. It operates seasonally. If you are planning a visit, check the current opening times for your travel dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Gislaved, Bosebo, Reftele, Burseryd, Skeppshult, Broaryd, Hestra, Anderstorp.

Go to the main travel overview: Gislaved.