The guide to Linköping: what not to miss

A longing for the wild forms the basis of the restaurant Jord. Food is harvested, hunted, and prepared with a true passion for what can be found in our beautiful nature. Creativity flows freely in the kitchen here so the tasting menu varies. The menu is also a secret to the guests, creating a culinary experience with delightful surprises.

On famous Ågatan in central Linköping you'll find the restaurant and bar Cioccolata Bistro. Ingredients of the highest quality are the order of the day here, and the kitchen prepares everything from Swedish home cooking to flavourful Italian dishes. Drop in for a cup of coffee, brunch, lunch, dinner, after-work, or shopping buffet (served on Saturdays). Most of the items on the menu can also be made gluten- and lactose-free.

On Tanneforsgatan, right next to Stora torget, this French-flavoured brasserie also serves international dishes. As well as precision in the kitchen, there's also a strong focus on their wine selection, as it's important that food and drink pair well. The courtyard can be enjoyed year-round, but the light, airy indoor space is also a lovely place to gather friends and colleagues. Lunch, dinner, or post-work drink with well-shaken cocktails are all on offer at Brasserie Bouquet.

Looking for a nice pub that serves grilled food along with craft beer and good music? Then Överste Mörner is a sure bet. It's a popular spot for lunch, dinner or after-work drinks, as the opening hours are generous. Every Friday and Saturday, rock music from the 80s, 90s, and 00s is played, creating a lovely atmosphere as darkness descends over Stora torget.

On Platensgatan, this Lebanese restaurant offers a long menu filled with cold and hot small dishes, grilled items and tasting menus. There are also plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, as well as a children's menu. The drinks list is impressive, and staff are more than happy to assist in pairing food and drinks. On weekdays, a lunch buffet is served, and on Saturdays, a shopping buffet. Merwah also invites you to post-work happy hour hangouts on weekdays with generous prices.

Elite Stora Hotellet is housed in an impressive building on Stora torget, offering 117 rooms, some with views over the medieval market square. From here, you're close to shopping streets, attractions, and the nightlife in Linköping. If it's time to book a conference, there are three conference rooms in the hotel with a capacity for 130 people. Right next to the hotel entrance, there's a restaurant and bar for anyone who doesn't want to venture too far. 

146 modern hotel rooms, a gym, a popular rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi and sauna, cold baths, a restaurant and bar. If this ticks all your boxes, then Clarion by Slottsparken is the right choice for you. As a guest, breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner are included in the room rate. The hotel also has four venues available for conferences and meetings. The location is perfect as well – the cathedral is just around the corner, along with shopping, restaurants and other attractions.

Business travellers and other tourists enjoy staying at this hotel on Storgatan. Just a short walk away, you'll find park areas, shopping streets, and delightful restaurants. The hotel features 151 rooms with all conceivable amenities. There's also a restaurant, lounge and bar, conference rooms, as well as a gym and sauna.

Sleep well at Ekoxen right next to the Trädgårdsföreningen garden society. From here, everything is within easy reach, and the hotel is just as suitable for families as it is for business travellers, even though the hotel markets itself as a conference hotel. There are 13 flexible conference rooms that can accommodate up to 130 people. In the same building as the hotel, there's a relaxation area with a spa and pool – perfect for when relaxation is on the agenda.

Just a block away from the shopping streets of central Linköping lies this hotel which features 260 hotel rooms spread across five floors. The hotel is accessible and dog-friendly, with separate rooms available to book. It offers facilities such as a gym and relaxation area, as well as a restaurant and terrace. It's also possible to book in your company for a conference here, as the hotel offers a total of 16 meeting rooms of various sizes.

As the name suggests, playful and quirky shots are the name of the game at Shotluckan on Ågatan. Shots are served in a variety of flavours and styles, alongside beer and non-alcoholic options. The menu features Asian dishes and plenty of small bites to pair with your shots. Stay the whole evening, or just drop by for a shot or two.

Just a few steps away from Linköping's busiest streets lies The Bishops Arms – an authentic gastropub where the focus is on craftsmanship and carefully selected food and drinks for all tastes. Guests will always find an exciting and unique selection of beer, whisky and wine here, alongside classic pub grub.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing". This is the guiding principle at Kappa Bar, where in addition to a wide range of food and drink, there's also a wholehearted commitment to gaming and e-sports. Many of the tables are equipped with consoles to offer an unforgettable experience filled with laughter. Kappa serves a large selection of beers, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as classic cocktails. If you prefer to try something exciting, the exclusive cocktail menu is recommended, featuring influences and tributes to the gaming world in every glass.

Strandgatan två, named after its address, is a large entertainment centre in Linköping. Come here to eat and drink, as well as to bowl, play billiards, sing karaoke or play shuffleboard. It also houses Linköping's largest sports bar that shows the biggest sports events and the best matches, served with several package deals on food and a comprehensive à la carte menu.

The name The Horse & Hound is a warm nod to the romantic film “Notting Hill”. At this pub on Storgatan, you can choose from a wide selection of beers, both on tap and in bottles. The collection of whiskey varieties is also impressive, and both whiskey and beer tastings are offered. Every weekday, you can also pop by for a nice post-work drink with friends, colleagues, or your dog (who is, naturally, welcome too).

At the heart of the open-air museum Old Linköping lies cosy Dahlbergs Café – a traditional old-fashioned café serving classic pastries such as Budapest cakes, Paris waffles, and raspberry marzipans. As well as baked goods, you can also enjoy a sandwich with various toppings, such as meatballs with beetroot salad or prawns. Children usually enjoy the pancakes with jam and cream.

On a small back street, one of Linköping's oldest, you'll find Babette's Café & Bakery in a turn-of-the-last century building. Every day, the premises are filled with guests, the aroma of coffee, and the scent of freshly baked goods from the in-house bakery in the basement. Enjoy music, discussions, and literature on the café's cultural evenings. All cooking and baking is done from scratch using real ingredients, with extra consideration given to the environment. One flight down from Babette's café is the craft bakery and bread shop.

Coffee takes centre stage at Simons Rosteri & Bageri on Storgatan. That's why they take responsibility for the whole process; from the farmers on the mountainsides to the barista handing you your coffee cup. The coffee is roasted on-site in their own roastery in the countryside outside Linköping. Every morning, all the bread and pastries are baked from scratch, and they mill 80 per cent of the grain themselves. Come here for breakfast, fika or a lunch consisting of salads, sandwiches and toasted sandwiches. They also hold coffee tastings and courses in roasting and sourdough baking.

Right on the Kinda Canal/Stångån river, Slusscaféet ('the Lock Café') is open from May to September. The outdoor seating area has been voted the cosiest in Linköping, which says quite a lot. On a sunny day, you'll want to settle down here to enjoy a coffee or summer buffet for lunch, with a view that's truly special. Throughout the summer, seafood evenings are also organised, which are particularly lovely to book.

Settle down for lunch or a snack in leafy surroundings at the Palm House, where everything served is baked and prepared from scratch. You can also find homemade ice cream made according to the flavours of the season. In the Botanical Gardens park, there is a beehive, where all the honey used for cooking and baking is sourced. They offer catering for cakes and meals, and for those who want to make things a bit cozier, you can purchase a picnic for two to enjoy somewhere in the verdant park.

The Outdoor Museum of Old Linköping is one of Östergötland's absolutely largest attractions and also one of Sweden's most visited museums, attracting nearly 450,000 visitors each year. History comes alive as you can experience the town, countryside, and forest as they were 100 years ago. There are plenty of activities and experiences for both young and old, and you can also find shops, cafés, and restaurants. Don't miss visiting Cloetta's 1950s style shop, where you can explore a full range of all their products.

West of Linköping, at the military airfield Malmen in Malmslätt, lies the Swedish Air Force Museum. If you're interested in the development of military aviation from the early 20th century to the present day, this is a perfect place to visit. The museum showcases aircraft from the pioneering era up to today's JAS 39 Gripen, and several of the museum's aircraft are unique in the world. There is also a science centre, Flyglabbet, where you can learn more about aviation technology and aerodynamics, as well as try out a JAS 39 Gripen flight simulator. Fun for the whole family!

Trädgårdsföreningen - The Garden Society in Linköping consists of a 13-hectare large green and park area. The park contains both open grassy areas and more hilly sections. Inside the park, there's a playground, a stage, a nursery, the observation tower Belvederen at the top of Kjettilberget, a tropical house, and a nature centre. The Garden Society offers a plethora of activities for both young and old. Among other things, there are three beach volleyball courts, park golf, and a petanque court. If you're planning a romantic date, or a wedding for that matter, we suggest a visit to the “The Golden Love Pavilion”.

The cathedral is one of Linköping's most famous landmarks and is Sweden's second largest church building, after the cathedral in Uppsala. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Wander around for a while and admire the architecture, windows, textiles, weather vanes, the cathedral's bells, the tree of life, and several secret rooms...

The Kinda Canal is an 80-kilometre long area that offers beauty, tranquility, and a variety of natural experiences. The canal stretches from Linköping in the north to Horn and Hycklinge in the south. Each lock is unique, and some locks are within walking distance of central Linköping. The locks have been transporting people for almost 150 years, and the knowledge that they still operate in almost exactly the same way today enhances the experience.

At Escape House, you and your teammates are locked in an unfamiliar room filled with mysterious messages and objects. Your job is to manage to break out before time runs out… You'll be forced to collaborate to successfully find the clues, crack the codes, and use the room's resources to escape back to freedom. This activity is perfect for team building, stag parties, hen dos, and birthday celebrations.

Adventure Golf City is exactly as it sounds, right in the city. Twelve courses are offered in a natural green valley, each with its own unique challenge suitable for both children and adults. Before or after the round of golf, you can visit the café for a snack, have an ice cream or grab a coffee. Adventure Golf is open from the beginning of May to the end of August.

Whatever the weather, it's always a good idea to head to Tinnerbäcksbadet, which is one of Sweden's most modern swimming facilities. You'll find a 50-metre pool and a 25-metre pool, as well as a diving pool with trampolines at 1, 3, and 5 metres. Younger children can enjoy the children's pool and wave pool, as well as the three different water slides. If you want to relax and take it easy for a while, you can sink into the hot tub or sweat it out in the steam room and dry sauna. Take a break from swimming with a visit to the café or the outdoor sun terrace.

City Escape Games in Linköping is an exciting urban adventure where you can solve tricky challenges alone or in teams to discover the city. With a mobile app, you navigate your way through 25 missions over approximately three kilometres, from interesting facts to fun puzzles. Perfect for those who want to explore the city in an entertaining way. The game is suitable for everyone, whether you're visiting the city for the first time or think you know all its nooks and crannies.

High up among the treetops at HaMa Adventures, you can navigate through various obstacles. You'll find ziplines, jump pads, climbing nets, balance beams and many other challenges. With a total of 74 climbing stations at heights ranging from 2.5 to 15 metres, there's a wide selection with varying levels of difficulty. In addition to the high ropes course, there is a climbing tree with a free-fall jump. Experienced instructors are on-site. The high ropes course is suitable for children aged 6 and above.

At LasseMaja's Detective House in Old Linköping, the whole family can get involved in solving mysteries for Lasse and Maja. Mysterious things are happening at the campsite, the train, and the castle… If you're brave, quick-witted, and cooperative, it is definitely worth a visit to Valleby. The activity is suitable for children aged 4–14, but older ones will certainly have fun here too. Enjoy a treat at the café and visit the shop afterwards.