Serving as the capital of Södermanland County, Nyköping lies along the Stadsfjärden inlet to the south-west of Stockholm. It was originally known as “Aros” before the name “Nyköping” appeared on coins in 1230. By the 14th century, Nyköping was home to the strongest fortress in the Kingdom of Sweden.
Things to do in Nyköping
One of the town’s most important architectural landmarks is the Nyköping Castle, which lies where the Nyköpingsån flows into the Baltic Sea. It is instantly recognisable due to its white tower and black roof. The castle dates back to the 13th-century rule of Birger Jarl and is famed as the setting of the 1317 Nyköping Banquet. This notorious dinner ended in Dukes Valdemar and Eric being starved to death in the castle’s dungeon.
Nearby is the Sörmland Museum, which explores the cultural heritage of the area. Originally housed within the Nyköping Castle, it now occupies a purpose-built facility that includes a cafe and a children’s playground. Learn about the furniture manufactured in the city and how its urban environment has changed since medieval times before getting hands-on in the “Be a Child” exhibit.
Nyköping serves as an ideal base for exploring the Sörmlandsleden, a network of around 1,000 kilometres of hiking trails and paths. They take in nature reserves, coastal cliffs and cultural landscapes, with log cabins and rest shelters dotting the routes. Suspension bridges connect the picturesque islands of the Stendörren Nature Reserve.
Getting around Nyköping
Nyköping is just over an hour’s drive from Stockholm and 10 minutes’ drive from Stockholm Skavsta Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. The much larger Stockholm Arlanda Airport is 1.5 hours away. Regular trains connect to the Nyköping Central railway station and buses travel throughout the city.