Never heard of Lidköping? Neither had we until we had the opportunity to visit Sweden with our friend and stay with his family in this southwestern countryside haven.

A quick instagram search will show you that there are an abundance of beautiful places to see in Sweden that are more well known but if you plan to go to this part of the country, you should definitely check out Lidköping.

For a relatively small town there is so much going on in and around it to keep you intrigued for more than a few days. But it’s proper countryside territory and feels a world away from the capital city of Stockholm.

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Maybe one of the reasons we loved it so much was that pretty much the whole time we were there, we were outside exploring. We were so lucky with the weather and daytime blue skies were accompanied with the most gloriously clear nights decorated with millions of stars.

There is zero light pollution in Lidköping, there’s nature all around and the landscapes are teeming with wildlife such as deer, hares and badgers. The place is ridiculously peaceful.

And we meet some seriously generous and welcoming people that didn’t once laugh at us for our terrible Swedish – well at least to our faces!

Here’s our top recommendations of what to do in Lidköping Sweden:

Walk Out on Hindens Rev

From the name you’d have no clue what a trip here entails and even though our friend explained it to us and insisted it was one of the best things to in Lidköping, we still didn’t know what to expect when we set off into the pines. But what an adventure!

You see Hindens Rev is this obscure, really thin strip of land that juts out into the massive Lake Vänern. When I say narrow, I mean narrow, it can’t be more than 5m wide in some places and gradually gets thinner as you make your way out to the tip.

It’s a beautiful walk and takes around a couple of hours. Just make sure you stay on the path if you’re nervous of snakes!

Take in Lake Vänern

When I say massive, this lake is 5,655 km2 and is not only the largest lake in Sweden but the largest lake in the European Union. Coupled with having beaches and waves, unless you actually take a look on google maps you’d be forgiven for disputing that it isn’t in fact the sea.

Lake Vänern is crazy huge and a must see in Lidköping. You can’t see the other side and people that have ventured into the middle told us that once there you can’t actually see any land. There’s so many amazing walks and wonderful spots to just chill out and admire the beauty.

Explore Lidköping

For a place with a population of less than 26,000 there’s plenty to keep you occupied in the town centre itself. The grand town hall which houses the tourist information centre and the square around it are really visually stunning. From residential houses to the old water tower and St Nicolai church, there’s lots of lovely architecture.

A wander around the pretty buildings in the old town is particularly fascinating. One of the best things to do in Lidköping is take a stroll down the attractively tranquil river Liden and marvel at the majestic ships.

Indulge in Fika

We’d never heard of fika either until we were in Sweden, but we loved it so much that we’ve now adopted it into our everyday life. We got so excited about it that we even wrote a whole blog about fika. Put simply it’s akin to what we would call in England a coffee break, or I guess just a snack anywhere else in the world.

But it’s more than that and the only rule is that you indulge in some treats and enjoy it. They might be sweet or savoury, or likely both and it can be enjoyed anytime throughout the day. The best place to try fika in Lidköping is either Cafe Bella Me or Henry’s. In the spirit of fika why not try both!

Step Back in Time at Sparrestugan

We were treated to a really special experience with our visit to the Sparrestugan in Rackeby, just outside Lidköping. This 100 year old cottage and windmill has been preserved in pristine condition and offered us a real glimpse of how the Swedes in Lidköping lived a century ago.

From open wood stoves and a tiny sleeping quarter for all the family to keep warm, to genuine wooden clogs and handmade ice blades attachments to turn shoes into ice skates, there are dozens of fascinating original artefacts. Then there’s gorgeous buildings themselves. Contact the Rackeby Fornminnesförening to see if you can be treated to a tour.

Hike Around Kinnekulle

Pronounced shin-uh-kul-uh, I’d just about got my head around how to say this by the time we left Sweden. I don’t claim to be particularly good at languages but seriously, my attempts at speaking Swedish were a whole nother level. Anyway regardless of that – this place is absolutely stunning.

We spent a few hours hiking around and stopping for fika but we could have spent days here. It’s a flat topped mountain covered in pine woods with more nature than you can shake a stick at. And the views. OMG, those views, with a piece of cake in one hand and cup of tea in the other. Pure bliss.

Feel the Magic at Läckö Slott

Being from England I’ve seen my fair share of medieval castles, but Läckö Slott is really special. The contrast of the crisp white castle atop the verdant green mount surrounded by clear blue waters is so picturesque.

Unfortunately we missed being able to venture inside because Läckö Slott is only open to visitors May 1st – September 30th but you can probably guess by my description of the external view we think it’s worthy of the 9 best things to do in Lidköping regardless.

If you do get a peek inside, let us know what it’s like!

Take A Trip to Spikken

We really dropped on with our trip out to Spikken because it was easter weekend and so there was an extra special market going on. There were so many delicious food tasters on offer, I thought I was literally going to have to drag James out of the cheese and salami tent at one stage. Saying that he probably felt the same way about me and the jewelry stall!

But even with the busy event it was clear how much charm this quaint little spot holds on any day. Relaxing in one of the waterside restaurants watching the sea eagles gliding over the lake and tucking into a freshly caught fish dish makes for the perfect afternoon here.

Be Wowed at Lake Hornburga

This last recommendation for top things to do in Lidköping comes with a seasonal caveat unfortunately. Blame the birds! You see, what’s special about Lake Hornburga is that every year between mid March and early April, 10,000 cranes stop off at these magnificent wetlands on their migration path from Spain to the north of Sweden.

You’ve probably never imagined what that many cranes look like, but trust me it’s a glorious sight. And they even dance! It’s estimated that around 150,000 spectators descend on the area each year which gives you some understanding of this natural phenomenon’s popularity.

And there you have it, the 9 best things to do in Lidköping Sweden. Please let us know what you think if you go (which you totally should) and if you find any more gems that we didn’t discover.