To do in Vimmerby
Vimmerby is a charming municipality in northern Småland. Here you will encounter the Småland nature, with many forests, lakes, meadows, winding gravel roads and traditional red cottages and barns, just like in an Astrid Lindgren story. That’s because it was here, in Vimmerby, that Astrid Lindgren was born in 1907. Just a few minutes’ walk from Vimmerby square, on Näs farm, you will find Astrid Lindgren’s childhood home. In addition to a guided tour of her childhood home, there are exhibitions you can visit in the Rectory, gardens and the Pavilion. Much of Vimmerby’s history can be experienced in the alleys and cobbled streets of the old town centre around the square, Storgatan and Båtsmansbacken. The site has been a marketplace since 1604 when Vimmerby regained its town charter from Charles IX. The neighbourhood has since developed into its own vibrant town full of trade, culture and entertainment, which inspired Astrid Lindgren as she wrote many of her stories.
Astrid Lindgren’s World
Meet Pippi Longstocking, Emil in Lönneberga and Ronja the Robber’s Daughter. Visit Cherry Tree Valley and Wild Rose Valley, Junedale and Noisy Village. Here in Vimmerby, in Småland, you can step straight into Astrid Lindgren’s World, a world where children are always at the centre.
Make a visit to Noisy Village
If you are in Vimmerby, a visit to Sevedstorp is a must. It was this place that inspired Astrid Lindgren when she wrote about the children of Noisy Village. Astrid’s father Samuel August grew up on ‘Middle Farm’ and for a time owned some of the farms in Sevedstorp. In her books, she describes her own childhood in the 1920s. When it came time to remaking the films in 1986, there was no better location than Sevedstorp, the ‘real’ Noisy Village.
Småland Film Village
In the Film Village, you can experience the environments from classic children’s films such as Emil in Lönneberga, Seacrow Island and Pippi Longstocking. Step into the world of film in an exhibition created in the spirit of Astrid Lindgren. Here you can see classic studio buildings and original costumes from the films, sing along to the film music, create your own films and experience other interactive environments.
Katthult
Walk around the buildings in Katthult and you will recognise the atmosphere and details from the Emil films. The main building in Katthult, with the flagpole on which Ida was hoisted, is one of the most photographed houses in Sweden. The woodshed is perhaps the heart of Katthult. Here you will find, among other things, Emil’s wooden figures and the stove where he hid his lunch box, which meant that he managed quite well despite sometimes being locked in for long days.
