Visingso
A long island in Lake Vattern with two castle ruins, an oak forest planted for the navy, and no cars for visitors.
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Visingso is about fourteen kilometres long and three wide, sitting in the middle of Vattern, and it was the seat of the Brahe family, who ran it as a county in the seventeenth century - Visingsborg's ruined castle from that period stands near the harbour, and Nas, the older royal castle at the southern tip, is a fragment on the shore. The oak forest in the middle was planted from 1831 for naval timber, by which time the navy had moved to iron, so a hundred and fifty years of oaks stand there with no purpose but themselves. Most people cycle or take one of the horse-drawn carts that meet the ferry.
What you actually see
- Visingsborg castle ruin - the Brahe seat, near the harbour.
- Nas castle fragment - the older royal site at the south end.
- An oak forest planted for the navy - from 1831, never used.
- Bicycles and horse carts - how the island is crossed.
When to go
May to September. A full day.
Honest expectations
The ferry queues in July with cars. The island is long - walking it is a serious day. Facilities are seasonal. The castle ruins are fragmentary.
Nearby
Granna is on the mainland; Jonkoping is south.
What to pack for Visingso
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
