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Archaeological
Discovery of the Viking Island of Öland
ÖLAND FROM SOUTH TO NORTH
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This
archeological tour was specifically designed for bicycle,
history and nature lovers. The Swedish Baltic island of
Oland is characterized by a sunny microclimate, a large
variety of magical landscapes - from seaside cliffs to vast
arid steppes and deep forests - very welcoming people and by
an impressive density of archeological sites, only
comparable to densities found in the Holy Land or the
Etruscan countryside. Öland is also a world-renowned refuge
for rare birds and flower species. The large majority of
archeological sites there date back to the Iron Age and the
Viking times, but the list also includes a few prehistoric
and medieval sites. Öland is actually the best and sunniest
location to study populations who preceded the Vikings,
their religion, ways of life, architecture, agricultural and
military skills and understand the fundamental reasons that
pressed the Nordic people to sail, explore, trade and
plunder in far lands. |
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TOUR KEY STATS
- 7 days, 8 nights
- Guided bicycle tour - Archaeology detection and
study – Natural reserves exploration.
- 282 km total distance covered (175 Miles).
- Min - Max distance per day: 33-48 km (20.5 - 29.8
miles).
- Mostly back-roads, dirt roads and trails.
- Over 110 archeological sites visited, mostly
dating from the Nordic Iron Age and Viking times.
- 9 natural reserves, 4 bird observation reserves, 4
museums (3 history + 1 ornithology) visited.
- Accommodations, dinner and breakfast at hotels of
local charm and comfort.
- Luggage transfer from one hotel to another.
- 2 optional mornings of rest (days 2 & 3)
- Minimum: 4, Maximum: 10 persons per tour. If more
need to be customized.
- Season: April-September.
- Language available: English, Swedish, French,
Italian
- The Tour management reserves the right to modify the
final itinerary if suitable and appropriate to the good
conduct of the Tour.
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Day One
After a typical Swedish breakfast, the shuttle-van takes
us south to the entrance of the King’s natural wildlife
reserve in the southern tip of the island. We ride
across the reserve to reach the Ottenby bird
observatory, one of the best-known bird observation
points in Scandinavia. We then head north to reach the
Royal burial grounds, a magnificent Iron Age burial
ground stretching along the seashores. We stop for lunch
at the Grönhögen windmill and head east toward a number
of Iron Age house grounds and religious sanctuaries to
reach the Eketorp Fort, the most excavated site on the
island although partly reconstructed. The fort hosts a
nice museum and open air exhibits about the island’s
rich past during the Iron Age and life during the Viking
times. We stay at our very charming hotel newly
renovated in the traditional local architectural style.
An evening trip to the beach is an option.
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Day Two
From our hotel, we are heading north and stop on the way
to decipher a number of Viking rune stones. We then
begin to cross the Alvaret, the semi-desert steppes of
the island, famous enough to be listed on the World’s
Heritage List, and populated by sheep and wild horses.
Reaching Kastlösa, there is an option to rest by the
pool or to continue with the guide for an afternoon loop
to detect the remains of Risinge, a Viking harbor that
used to be a city of 2,000. The loop then takes us to a
few bronze age sites and to Stora Dalby, the island’s
most prominent burial ground with nearby traces of an
Iron Age village. The loop ends with the gloomy
detection of an Iron Age burial ground for children,
following epidemics. We spend the night at Kastlösa,
welcomed by the local clergy who happens to host one of
the best accommodations on the island.
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Day Three
From Kastlösa, we are heading
north and stop at a number of very ancient sites and
burial grounds, including Mysinge, a Bronze Age mound
dominating the rest of the island. After a stop to
admire the medieval frescoes of Resmo church, we cross
the Alvaret east and stop at the bird reserve of
Möcklemossen to detect a number of Iron Age house
grounds. After lunch, an optional loop takes us to a
number of burial grounds, to the seaside fort of
Sandbyborg and to a rune deciphering experience at the
church of Sandby. We spend the night at the very
charming Eksgarden with a Viking style dinning hall.
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Day Four
After breakfast in the garden of
Eksgarden, we leave north toward some of the most
impressive sites the island has to offer. We begin by a
stop at Bläsinge’s burial mounds, the harbor and the
beach. We then stop at the magnificent sanctuary and
burial field of Dörby and head north toward Runsten and
the open-air museum of Himmelsberga. We then cross the
main forest to reach the lost Iron Age fortified city of
Ismanstorp, “Odin’s Teeth” and the field of Karum with
“Noah’s Ark”, a boat shaped grave. We continue North
toward Gardlösa and finally reach the beautiful home and
museum of Skedemosse, in the middle of the forest.
Skedemosse offers in option massage and traditional
Swedish Jacuzzi.
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Day Five
After an early morning breakfast
in the beautiful garden of Skedemosse, the road leads us
to the Baltic Coast and to visit the remains of the
seaside medieval monastery of Kappelluden and the
“polish grave”. We then head North-West toward a ring
fort at Hasselby and a few burial ground and even will
see a camel farm on the way to the Western cliffs. We
ride the cliff’s road along the sea and have a late
beach stop at Djupvik. On the way we will detect a
number of house and burial grounds. We finally reach the
magnificent gardens of Lofta where we spend the night at
a luxurious ****hotel with the best restaurant on the
island.
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Day Six
We continue North toward a
natural reserve for early morning observation and then a
coffee stop at the Sandvik harbour. We leave the coast
at Jordhamn, where a number of Viking fishing sites are
still visible to go inland toward the Baltic coast. On
our way to the Baltic we stop at the sanctuary of Alvar
and then to the early medieval church of Kalla. Picnic
lunch at a fishery on the Baltic before heading North
toward the inner lake of Horn, a lost monastery, the
very strange geological cliffs of Byxerum and our hotel
by the lake’s shores with tennis, boating and a swimming
pool.
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Day Seven
After breakfast we cross the
Northern forest toward a number of house ground sites
and an open-air museum dedicated to life in the Iron
Age. We then head for the magnificent beach of Boda,
where we are having lunch and rest prior to the crossing
of the very strange “Forest of the Trolls” and the
detection of a few Viking sites, including a protected
harbor. Having reached the Northern tip of the island,
we head South along the seashore Viking graveyards and
flower reserve of Neptuni Akar and then to the fishing
harbor of Byxelkrok, where we are having dinner before
the shuttle bring us back to Färjestaden to be able to
board train/planes the next day.
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PRICE AND RESERVATIONS
- Price info available on
request via e-mail:
booking@alma-adventures.com, or you can use our
request form here.
- Price varies with dates and attendance
- Reservations two months prior to starting dates
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