Mjölby brings together river scenery, marked trails and local history. The Svartån flows through the town, connecting natural landscapes with the urban surroundings. There are also walking trails in the town and in the nature reserve, as well as activities on the water. If you’re looking for a hotel for your stay, these different options can help you plan: would you mainly like to go for walks, explore a landscape shaped by the Ice Age, or visit historic sites?

Trails along the river and in the nature reserve

Hälsans stig is a 4.5-kilometre walking trail in Mjölby, with each kilometre marked. The route follows the banks of the Svartån, passes through parks in the town centre and continues through natural areas close to town with large oak trees. The trail therefore combines sections by the water and in green surroundings; the markers make it easy to follow the route kilometre by kilometre.

You can experience a different landscape on Istidsspåret. The three-kilometre blue-marked trail is in the Skogssjön nature reserve. Information boards explain glacial landforms as well as the reserve’s flora and fauna. The terrain is very hilly and was shaped by the melting of the inland ice sheet 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Skogssjön lies in a hollow; west of the lake is a prominent glacial ridge. Compared with the two trails, Istidsspåret is shorter, while Hälsans stig follows the riverbank and parks in the town centre.

Water, swimming and exercise

You can go canoeing on the Svartån: canoes are available for hire at Lundbybadet. As booking details may change, it’s a good idea to check the rental information before your trip. Lundbybadet also offers water aerobics classes in its 25-metre pool, including interval, pulse and Tabata sessions.

Lundbybadet’s outdoor pool includes a 50-metre swimming pool with eight lanes and a five-metre diving tower. This is quite different from the 25-metre pool where water aerobics is held. If you’re planning to visit the outdoor pool, check the opening dates for your chosen period.

Local history and art around town

Mjölby Hembygdsgård is on a small island in the Svartån in the centre of Mjölby. Its buildings and collections showcase local history from the 18th century to the present day. They include an inlaid wood collection connected to Mjölby’s industrial history. The focus is therefore both on the town’s development over several centuries and on a specific link to local industrial history.

Mjölby kyrka also brings together different historical periods. It was originally built in the early Middle Ages; parts of the medieval tower remain. The stained-glass windows were created in 1968 based on designs by Charles Crodel and made by the Franz Mayer company. The church thus brings together medieval architectural elements and a much later interior design.

Artworks around town include a mural by Judith de Leeuw from 2020 on the Kvarnen building near Mjölby’s main railway station. Potatisen at Viringerondellen depicts a King Edward potato. The two works feature different subjects: a mural on the station building and a depiction of a potato variety at a roundabout.

Getting here and finding your way

Mjölby is easy to reach by rail and thanks to its proximity to the E4. Östgötaleden also has a named connection to the town: the Lundbyvallen–Skogssjön section has a 1.4-kilometre link through Mjölby to Mjölby Resecentrum via Burensköldsvägen. Together with the marked walking trails, the river and the historic sites, this gives you a choice of different themes for your stay, without every activity having to focus on the same thing.

Discover more destinations: Mantorp, Väderstad, Hogstad, Skänninge.

Go to the main travel overview: Mjölby.