Take inspiration from the farmland landscapes and history between Motala and Uppgränna. Stop in Gränna to refuel with polkagris candy canes. Grab lunch in Jönköping. Admire the harbour in Hjo — the town everyone loves. Storm the fortress in Karlsborg, or simply take it in from the saddle. Turn right in Askersund and enjoy the final kilometres back down to Motala.

As you can tell, the route is packed with fantastic little gems and charming places to discover. The entire ride is on paved roads and includes 2,001 metres of elevation gain. But here is the real challenge: the distance.

Vätternrundan is one of Sweden’s most iconic cycling routes and can be experienced in different ways. Choose to enjoy the beauty of the lake on a solo ride, taking in the peace, quiet and nature. Or sign up for the official Vätternrundan event and experience Lake Vättern together with tens of thousands of cyclists from all over the world. Feel the adrenaline rise as you flow through the course alongside some of Sweden’s happiest riders in a truly unforgettable cycling event.

Our Vätternrundan starts on an early December morning from Motala’s beautiful church, built in the late 18th century – the same era in which the bicycle was invented. So it is no surprise that Motala breathes cycling from every street corner. 😉

Leaving Motala’s paved streets behind, we head south with the splendour of Lake Vättern on our right-hand side. After just 15 km, we arrive in Vadstena — another town rich in history, home to landmarks such as Vadstena Castle and Vadstena Abbey Church. Take a short detour and you can admire these historic buildings directly from the saddle.

Between Vadstena and Ödeshög, we pass Omberg – a true feast for the eyes with its rich and varied plant life. From the saddle, you are treated to nature’s full colour palette blending together into one beautiful landscape.

After a right-hand turn in Ödeshög, with around 60 kilometres in the legs, we reach one of the highlights of the route: Uppgrenna. 🥰

Iit is time to get back on the bike and continue down towards Jönköping. But do not start pedalling too hard too soon – enjoy the descent from Uppgrenna, take in the view of Visingsö, and look out for Brahehus, sitting iconically on the hillside to your left shortly after leaving the nature house.

And if, against all odds, you did not stop at Uppgrenna, you have probably saved yourself for a sweet treat in Gränna – Sweden’s candy capital. 🍭😋

Here, you will find more than just classic polkagris candy canes. There are polka sticks, polka ice cream, polka sweets, polka laces, polka chewing gum, polka beets, polka dancing, polka soda and polka brittle.

The stretch through Gränna also serves up a slightly different surface than smooth tarmac: cobblestones.

So if you are not stopping in Gränna, we recommend taking on this section just like world champion Peter Sagan would:

Fly over it!

Once we have landed again and climbed out of Gränna, we have covered around 80 kilometres of the route.

We leave a little space between ourselves and Lake Vättern, trading lakeside views for open farmland, fully recharged after our feed stops.

If you take on this challenge during Cykelveckan and ride the official Vätternrundan event, this is where you will reach one of our favourite depots: Ölmstad. It is not necessarily a spectacular stop – there is no hot meal, for example – but what makes it so special is the feeling you get as you roll past or pull into the depot: pure joy, community and the kind of togetherness that sport can create.

That gives you an extra boost of energy. Suddenly, the first 80 kilometres barely feel like they happened, and you are ready to take on the kilometres ahead with a smile on your face.

Bring it on!

Down to Huskvarna and Jönköping, before turning north and heading back towards home. The stretch between Jönköping and Hjo can feel like the toughest part of this demanding route.

There are 60 kilometres to cover, with a few testing climbs along the way – but luckily, there are also plenty of things to look out for.

Take a short detour in Munkaskog and say hello to the bison at Bisonfarmen in Gate, or enjoy the views by the church in Norra Fågelås.

Help each other through this section, and before long you will have made it all the way to Hjo – around 170 kilometres in, with more than half the route completed.

Take a look around Hjo harbour, and why not refuel with a sourdough pizza at Vete & Råg to top up your energy stores for the second half? The classic lasagne is also a perfectly good alternative to the pizza. 😉

Let the food and energy settle into your body, and as you leave Hjo, take the chance to look out over the open fields sloping down towards Lake Vättern.

Hopefully, the sun is shining, Vättern lies calm and flat beside you, your legs feel better than ever, and your mind is set on the finish.

At 200 kilometres, you roll onto the waterfront promenade in Karlsborg. On the opposite side of the lake, the finish line – and Motala – are waiting for you.

And if you want to take a closer look at Karlsborg, we warmly recommend Karlsborg Fortress, which happens to be Sweden’s largest and best-preserved fortress – and our reserve capital.

A little more than a third of the route remains as we leave Karlsborg and head back into the forested landscape. Long, beautiful avenues of trees on both sides guide us back towards the blue vastness of Lake Vättern and its northern section, dotted with small islets and islands.

By now, you may start to feel that it is time for a short break – and this is the perfect place for it, with a stunning view out over Vättern.

The route continues up towards Askersund, and with that, the western roads of Lake Vättern are complete. Fantastic work!

The area around Askersund is shaped by a series of smaller lakes and waterways – yet another reminder of nature’s own beauty, and once again proof of just how stunning this route can be when you take the time to enjoy everything it has to offer.

Not long after passing Askersund, we reach Åmmeberg. The waterways still surround us, even as we once again begin to move away from our great lake. Beautiful brick buildings, flowing water and a varied landscape frame the ride as we speed along on our road bikes.

The stretch between Åmmeberg and Godegård is by no means easy. It rises and falls like a rollercoaster, with rolling climbs and fast descents. But what makes this section so special is, once again, the beautiful nature and the sights along the way.

We ride through Johanneslund, where small red houses sit close to the road on both sides. The road narrows here, creating a wonderfully cosy feeling. Johanneslund almost takes you back to the stories of Astrid Lindgren – to Emil in Lönneberga, Katthult and The Children of Noisy Village.

Turn right at Zinkgruvan and enjoy 5 kilometres of beautiful downhill – a proper chance to recover as you glide along the narrow paved road with forest on both sides.

We leave Örebro County behind and reach Godegård, where we once again take one of our right-hand turns. On our route around Lake Vättern, we counted 15 right turns and 6 left turns in total.

From Godegård to the finish in Motala, it is just over 30 fast kilometres to go.

And then comes that incredible feeling of being back in Motala. The feeling of having ridden around Sweden’s second-largest lake under your own power. Proud from head to toe, with goosebumps all over.

Take this moment in. You have truly earned it – and enjoy every last metre along Vätterpromenaden all the way to the finish line.