The coast of Småland: more than just Västervik
Västervik is the obvious starting point for anyone heading to the sea from Ullevi — but the coast stretches far beyond the town, both north and south, lined with small harbours, quiet bays and places where time noticeably slows down. For anyone in the mood for an exploration tour, there are four rewarding destinations for a relaxed day by the water — each with its own character, each an easy day trip from Ullevi.
Schematic overview of the coastal towns from Ullevi — not to scale
Heading north: Gamleby and Loftahammar
Gamleby, about 60 kilometres or just under an hour's drive from Ullevi, sits at the head of a long sea inlet and greets visitors with a cosy centre of traditional wooden houses. A lovely reason to stop is the sculpture park "Garpes Vänner" on the edge of town: numerous sculptures stand scattered among the trees, and its highest point opens onto a wide view over the bay.
Drive a little further and, after about 85 kilometres in total, you reach Loftahammar — one of the loveliest small harbour towns on the whole coast. The town has its own marina, from which archipelago boats also depart in season, plus a golf course, spa, bakery and several restaurants right by the water. A walk along the quay, a coffee overlooking the first skerries, and the day is made.
Heading south: Blankaholm and Oskarshamn
In the other direction lies Blankaholm, a small, very quiet fishing village with a guest harbour on the southern edge of the Tjust archipelago — about 70 kilometres from Ullevi. There are no major sights here, but exactly the kind of stillness you come to the Swedish coast for: colourful boathouses, a jetty to sit on, gulls over the water.
The bigger sibling further south is Oskarshamn, about 100 kilometres or a good hour and a quarter from Ullevi — for anyone with a whole day to spare. The town has a lively, cosy old town to stroll through, a maritime museum right at the harbour with ship models and stories from the town's shipbuilding tradition, and it's also where the ferries to Gotland and, in summer, Öland depart — as well as the boats to the national park island of Blå Jungfrun.
Planning a coastal exploration tour
The day works best if you pick one direction instead of driving back and forth between north and south: a trip to Gamleby and Loftahammar fills a relaxed day just as well as a drive via Blankaholm to Oskarshamn. If you like, start early, spend the morning at the first stop, have lunch somewhere by the harbour, and let the afternoon wind down at the second, more distant destination before heading comfortably back to Totebo.
- Gamleby (approx. 60 km): wooden-house centre, Garpes Vänner sculpture park
- Loftahammar (approx. 85 km): harbour town with its own archipelago boat traffic, golf, spa
- Blankaholm (approx. 70 km): small, quiet fishing village on the archipelago
- Oskarshamn (approx. 100 km): old town, maritime museum, ferries to Gotland & Öland
- Tip: choose one direction per day — north or south — rather than combining everything in one