Leave the capital city for Västerås, a coastal city located in Central Sweden on the shores of Lake Mälaren with its cobbled streets, tiny old houses, and flower gardens that offer tourists traditional historical spots and attractions. Nicknamed as the Cucumber city, in swedish Gurkstaden, discover the city that was once known to grow cucumbers in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Located in the city center, Djäkneberget is a park that offers views overlooking the city, Västerås Cathedral and Lake Mälaren. See where Church Hill lies and take a scenic walk along the site and visit the Västerås Cathedral designed in Brick Gothic style where King Eric XIV of Sweden is buried.
Explore Frösåkers Brygga museum where you can learn all about the life of Vikings or travel back in time at one of the oldest open-air museums in Sweden. You will find Västmanland's county museum at Västerås Castle and the place where King Eric XIV was imprisoned for a year over concerns for his mental health.
Vallby open air museum founded in 1921 is one of Sweden's largest museums with around 50 buildings that have been moved from all over the Västmanland county. It also has a live exhibition with animals and plants that were typically found from these environments.
Västerås is also the place where the retailer H&M was founded, explore the history of this Swedish retail shop that is now found worldwide.