Weekend in Arvika in 48 Hours: Our Local Plan

48 hours in Arvika is a strange unit of time. It is too long to just "quickly drive around and see the town centre" but too short to fit in Glaskogen, Klässbol, Selma Lagerlöf's Mårbacka and Karlstad in the same weekend. We have lived in Sulvik for several years and seen guests try everything. This is the plan we follow ourselves when friends come to visit for a weekend.

Before You Leave

• Book your cottage or hotel early. Summer weekends often fill up months in advance. For accommodation tips, see our guide to renting a cottage in Arvika.
• Fuel up. There are petrol stations along the E18 but opening hours vary. Do not count on 24/7 at every station. Fill up before arriving in Arvika if you are coming late.
• Grocery shopping. Maxi ICA Stormarknad (Långvaksvägen 4), Stora Coop Palmviken (Palmviksgatan 10) and Stora Coop Styckåsen (Styckåsgatan 37) generally have long opening hours. Check current times before arriving late.

Friday Evening: Arrival Without Ambitions

The idea is not for Friday evening to produce Instagram photos. The idea is to unpack, eat, take a first walk, sleep.

• 18-19: Arrive, unpack. Most cottages have check-in from 15.
• 19-21: Dinner. Options:
  • Restaurant in Arvika: favourites tend to include The Oven (Kyrkogatan 20), Hello India Restaurang & Bar (Kyrkogatan 35), La Vita (Järnvägsgatan 27) and Anno 1815 (Torggatan 9). Check opening hours and availability on Google before heading out.
  • Takeaway to the cottage: Sawadee Thai (Storgatan 33), Kokoro Sushi Poke Ramen (Magasinsgatan 8A) or Paradiso Pizzeria (Rosendalsvägen 15) usually work well.
  • Cooking at the cottage is our favourite. Shop on the way.
• 21-22: A short walk near the cottage. Glaskogen and the silence are best experienced at this hour, not in the middle of the day.

Sleep early. Värmland demands mornings.

Saturday: Day Trip with Focus

Saturday is the day for one thing. Not three things, not five. One thing done properly beats five things done halfway. Two options depending on what you want:

Option A: Glaskogen Nature Reserve

Our favourite. 25 minutes by car from Sulvik. 300 km of hiking trails through Värmland's largest nature reserve.

• 08-09: Breakfast at the cottage. Sandwiches, coffee.
• 09-10: Drive to the Lenungshammar entrance, pack lunch.
• 10-15: Hiking and lunch at one of the reserve's shelters. Length and difficulty depend on your legs.
• 15-17: Back, afternoon coffee at the cottage.
• 17-19: Relaxing by the lake. A swim in summer, coffee on the deck otherwise.
• 19-21: Dinner, either at the cottage or out in Arvika town centre (see restaurants above).

Detailed trail guide: Glaskogen trails.

Option B: Klässbol and a Cultural Day

If hiking is not your thing, swap it for culture.

• 09-10: Drive to Klässbols Linneväveri (Damastvägen 5, Klässbol, klassbols.se). Linen weaving mill with a shop and production tours. Check opening hours and tour times on their website before you go.
• 10-12: Tour and shop.
• 12-13.30: Lunch in Klässbol or drive into Arvika.
• 14-16: Rackstadmuseet (Kungsvägen 11, Arvika). Art museum featuring Värmland modernists in a beautiful park. Note: according to Google the museum is currently listed as temporarily closed. Verify before visiting.
• 16-17.30: Coffee in Arvika. Nordells Bageri & Konditori (Östra Torggatan 4) is the classic choice. Elin's Backyard (Magasinsgatan 4) or Carli på Sågudden are lovely alternatives.
• 17.30-19: Back to the cottage, relax.
• 19-21: Dinner as above.

Sunday: A Calm Finish

Sunday is travel day for most people. The idea is not to load the morning with ambitions that clash with check-out at 11.

• 08-09: Breakfast at the cottage. Treat yourself to extra coffee and a newspaper.
• 09-10: One last thing, depending on what you did on Saturday:
  • If Glaskogen on Saturday: drive into Arvika town centre for a short stroll.
  • If culture on Saturday: a short walk along the shore of Glafsfjorden.
• 10-11: Pack, tidy up, leave the cottage.
• 11-13: Lunch on the way home.

Skip List: What You Do NOT Need to Squeeze In

People coming from Stockholm often also want to see Mårbacka (Selma Lagerlöf's home), Karlstad, or Falun. Skip them on a weekend. The distances shrink Värmland.

• Mårbacka is about 1.5 hours from Sulvik. The round trip steals an entire day.
• Karlstad is roughly 1 hour away. A nice city but needs half a day to be worth it.
• Falun is 2.5 hours or more. It takes the whole weekend.

Save them for the next trip. Värmland is better taken slowly than rushed.

Practical Information

• Car: required for most things outside Arvika town centre.
• Money: cash is barely used. Swish and card work everywhere except a few farm shops that sometimes only take cash. More about the farm shops here.
• Mobile signal: coverage is generally good in Arvika and around Glafsfjorden but can be patchy deep inside Glaskogen. Expect dead zones on some trails.
• Pharmacy: there is a pharmacy in Arvika town centre with standard weekday opening hours. Check current times before you go.

Want to Book a Cottage for the Weekend?

Our cottage in Sulvik works well as a base for this kind of weekend: lakeside but close to Arvika. Read more on the home page or book via Airbnb.