Karlskrona

Karlskrona is a "floating" city built on 33 islands. It’s also the capital of Blekinge County in Sweden and it is known as the country’s only baroque city. On Ferryhopper, you can find useful information about must-see places, local delicacies, and ferries to Karlskrona and book your tickets easily and quickly!

Colorful traditional houses in Karlskrona

Vacation in Karlskrona

Karlskrona is a charming city with several restaurants, cute cafes, impressive architecture, and museums. It is located in Sweden’s southernmost archipelago spreading over 33 islands surrounded by water and nature. The vast verdant forest glimmering in the sun is the finishing touch to the magical scenery.

The best time to visit Karlskrona is between June and September when temperatures are mild. During the winter, temperatures can drop to -2°C so if you are planning to travel to Sweden between December and February, make sure to bring warm clothes.

How to get to Karlskrona

You can travel to Karlskrona by plane, train, or ferry. There is no airport in Karlskrona. However, you can book a flight to Gothenburg, Malmö, or Stockholm and continue your journey by train to Karlskrona.

Alternatively, you can take a connecting flight to Ronneby Airport in Blekinge which is about a 35-minute drive from Karlskrona.

Also, you can reach the city by train from major Swedish cities such as Gothenburg, Malmö, and Stockholm or from Copenhagen in Denmark taking around 3.5 hours. However, depending on the point of your departure, you can get to Karlskrona by ferry from Gdynia in Poland.

You can also book a cabin for a comfortable trip while enjoying the fascinating crossing and the breathtaking views from the ferry’s dock. Therefore, if you're planning to travel by ferry you can find more information about ferry routes and schedules to Stockholm below.

What to do in Karlskrona

Karlskrona is an amazing city with baroque churches, grand squares, wide streets, and museums. It hosts the largest naval base that was founded in 1680 by Karl XI. Therefore, it is a city with an eventful past and an exciting present! 

Take a walk through the city center and then find a cozy cafe near the impressively large square (Stortorget) that is located on Trossö island to enjoy a cup of coffee. Also, in Karlskrona’s streets, you will see impressive buildings in a baroque style including the Holy Trinity Church, Fredrik Church, and the Town Hall.

Then, follow the road leading to the two main pedestrian streets of Ronnebygatan and Borgmästaregatan and go shopping! With over 200 shops, from well-known brands to local shops with handmade souvenirs, restaurants, and cute cafes, you can enjoy a pleasant afternoon there.

Alternatively, you can visit the Naval museum to fully experience Swedish naval history. After spending an hour exploring old battleships and contemplating figureheads and maps from the 18th century, you can go to Bryggareberget for stunning views of the city of Karlskrona and the archipelago. 

The imposing Lighthouse of Karlskrona

Sightseeing in Karlskrona

Karlskrona is a welcoming city full of historical buildings balanced with impressive baroque churches, colorful markets, and charming natural landscapes. The city offers many options from exploring historical sites and visiting museums to walking along the promenade parallel to the sea.

Here you can find a list of the top sightseeing in Karlskrona: 

• The Karlskrona Naval Museum, with exhibitions about the Swedish naval history
• The Fredrik Church (Fredrikskyrkan), designed in 1720 by the famous architect Nicodemus Tessin
• The Holy Trinity Church (Trefaldighetskyrkan), built in the style of the Pantheon in Rome 
• The Stortorget Square, the main square of Karlskrona
• The City Hall, an emblematic and historic building since the 17th century
• The Kungsholm Fortress, one of the oldest fortifications in the city
• The Drottningskars Citadel, a historic fortification located on the island of Aspö 
• The Statue of King Karl XI, opposite Fredrik Church

The impressive Fredrik Church in Karlskrona

Nightlife in Karlskrona

Karlskrona has a vibrant nightlife and charming places with live music and unique bars. You can go to a traditional pub to try a local beer or get a tour of a microbrewery. Besides the pubs and bars, you can also go to one of the nightclubs at Östra Piren street and enjoy dancing until late with stunning sea views.

However, during summer, bars on the seafront are the best option to have fun with your friends while drinking colorful cocktails.  

Food in Karlskrona

Karlskrona’s cuisine offers plenty of varieties of seafood and fresh fish. Here are some of the most finger-licking local delicacies to try during your stay in Karlskrona:

• pickled herring 
• smoked salmon
• köttbullar (meatballs)
• kanelbullar (cardamom-scented cinnamon buns) 
• kålpudding (cabbage pudding) 
• smörgåstårta (sandwich cake with light rye bread, creamy fillings, and fish)
• tjälknöl (reindeer fillet with stirred lingonberries and pickled mushrooms)

Delicious Swedish cinnamon buns 

Tips

Here are 4 tips for your stay in Karlskrona: 

1. While there, experience fika, the Swedish coffee break ritual starting at around 15:00 until 17:00. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee and delicious cardamon-scented pastries sprinkled with crunchy pearl sugar with friends or family.
2. In Karlskrona, they eat their dinner relatively early so keep in mind that most local restaurants serve dinner until 19:00. 
3. If you happen to be there during Christmas time, the city transforms into a winter wonderland with many markets and dashing decorations. While there, visit the charming Christmas market in Wämöparken.
4. Sweden’s currency is the krona SEK and you can pay by card or cash. However, cards are preferred in Karlskrona so make sure that you have your cards with you at all times. Make sure to exchange money at banks or currency exchange offices.

Useful information about Karlskrona 

Karlskrona is the capital of Blekinge County in Sweden offering many services and activities for visitors all year round.

As for the accommodation, you can find many options depending on your budget. If you want to go sightseeing, the best area to stay is near Stortorget Square and the City Hall.

In relation to the hospitals, there are several options in the center of Karlskrona and the suburbs in case of emergency.

Important phone numbers for your stay in Karlskrona

Here are some useful contacts for your trip to Karlskrona: 

• Karlskrona Port Authority: +46455303000
• Karlskrona Police Department: +46771141400
• Karlskrona Hospital: +46455731000
• Ronneby (RNB) Airport: +46101095400
• European emergency number: 112

Transportation in Karlskrona

Karlskrona has a great public transport network. You can easily move around the city by bus and ferry. Buses connect Karlskrona center with other regions and the ticket price starts from 20 SEK for adults.

To hop on and off the 33 islands of the archipelago, you should take a boat or a ferry to comfortably move around Karlskrona. Also, during the summer you can book a cruise across the archipelago for about 1 hour.

Ports in Karlskrona 

The port of Karlskrona is on Sweden's southeast coast and is easily accessible via motorway by car, taxi or bus. There are 2 passenger ferry terminals in Karlskrona: Handelshamnen and Verkö. Handelshamnen terminal is close to the city center while Verkö is around 10 kilometers away situated on another peninsula. 

You can reach it by car by taking the E22 motorway and following the signs for Karlskrona. The ferry to Gdynia departs from the Stena Line ferry terminal. The terminal is located in Verkö, which is approximately 10 kilometers from Karlskrona city center.

If you are traveling by train, the nearest train station is Karlskrona Railway Station, only a few minutes from the city center. You will then need to take a taxi or bus to the ferry terminal. Alternatively, you can take a bus to reach the ferry terminal in about 25 minutes from Kungsplan to Karlskrona.

Karlskrona ferry: schedules and tickets

The port of Karlskrona can be reached by ferry from the port of Gdynia in Poland. The company that operates the connections is Stena Line. Here you can find more information on the ferry connection between Gdynia and Karlskrona:

• Karlskrona - Gdynia ferry: the ferry connection between Karlskrona and Gdynia is operated by Stena Line with 3 daily crossings all year round. The crossings can last about 9.5 hours. 

A sailboat near the port of Karlskrona in Sweden

Where to book ferry tickets to Karlskrona online

On Ferryhopper, you can find all available ferry routes to and from Karlskrona on our Map of ferries, compare prices, departure times and book cheap ferry tickets to Karlskrona online at no extra cost.