A cultural journey through Dalarna

What do Carl Larsson, Anders Zorn and the world-famous Dala horse have in common? They are all part of Dalarna Culture Route, a captivating journey on which you will visit places that have played an important role in Swedish history.

With the Culture Pass, you get a map of nine of Dalarna’s most unique and iconic cultural hotspots. Head off on a round-trip and stop off at places that reveal fascinating aspects of Sweden’s history, experience authentic cultural landscapes and hear stories about people who left an indelible mark on the area. Pop into artists’ homes, global heritage sites, historical industrial areas and gardens, and absorb all the lively stories there are to tell about both Dalarna and Sweden.

Don’t forget to also experience Dalarna’s varied and beautiful landscape along the way, with everything from small farm shops, cafes and restaurants, to viewpoints, hiking routes and cycle paths. Not to mention the landscape itself, with everything from farmland to dense forests, lakes, bluish hills and tall mountains.

The Culture Route includes nine visitor’s spots

1. Avesta Art, Avesta.
   Experience a magical mix of history, art and modern technology. This old ironworks, built in 1874 AD and made of shimmering stone, has been turned from a heavy, sooty, noisy industrial environment into a new meeting space: Verket (or The Works). The doors to Re: Avesta Art 2021 opened on 15 May with a repeat of last year’s successful exhibition “Aquanauts – Exhibition to the Siljan Ring 1897”.
2. Zorn museum, Mora.
   One of Sweden’s best-loved art galleries with the word’s largest collection of works by painter Anders Zorn. In the summer of 2021, Zorn’s own piece will be joined by works from such greats as Manet, Monet, Gauguin and Cézanne in the most exciting exhibition Dalarna has ever seen. Open all-year round.
3. Carl Larsson-gården, Sundborn.
   Welcome to the home of Carl and Karin Larsson. Come in to discover more about this world-famous artist couple and the wild lives they led. Carl Larsson-gården, in Sundborn just outside of Falun, is an icon of Swedish interior design and family life. Open all-year round.
4. Falu Coppermine, Falun.
   Find yourself in the heart of Världsarvet Falun, a place with a thousand years of history. Take a trip underground and follow the trail of centuries of mining in large chambers, winding passageways and deep shafts. New for this year is the opportunity to visit the underground on your own. Open all-year round.
5. Hildasholm, Leksand.
   Hildasholm was doctor and writer Axel Munthe’s gift to his wife Hilda on their wedding day and is now a magical house full of hidden surprises and gardens. Take a guided tour around the house or explore the park. In the summer, the two-hectare nature park is in full bloom with load of fantastical garden spaces all around the house.
6. Ornässtugan, Borlänge.
   Ornässtugan is wonderfully situated on a piece of headland in Lake Runn between Borlänge and Falun. The loft wast built in the early 1500s and perhaps its most famous visitor was King Gustav Eriksson Vasa – who fled from here via the privy.
7. Porfyr- och Hagströmmuseet, Älvdalen.
   At this museum, you’ll find objects that were created to delight both the ears and the eyes. Enjoy the unique collections of artwork made from porphyry or the instruments created by Hagström. In other words, a unique combination of local industry and cultural heritage which exports both porphyry and music to the entire world – to greats such as Elvis Presley, Frank Zappa, Paul McCartney and David Bowie. Open all-year round.
8. Dalarna Museum, Falun.
   Come and learn about Dalarna’s rich history in permanent exhibitions that include the world’s largest collection of Dalecarlian horses and Selma Lagerlöf’s workspace, and much more. There are also temporary art, cultural and historical exhibitions all-year round on a number of ever-changing topics. Open all-year round.
9. Nils Olsson Dalahästar, Nusnäs.
   The village of Nusnäs, outside of Mora, is where they manufacture perhaps the most well-known horse of all – the Dalecarlian horse. Here, at the Dala horse-works, you can get up close and personal with the entire process, from block of wood to painted horse. And why not try painting your own horse too! Open all-year round.

Collect the stamps in the pass to get a unique Dala horse

The Culture Pass costs SEK 125 and is available at these nine tourist locations and at visitdalarna.se/kulturresan. The Pass gives the holder special benefits at each location. When using one of these benefits, the holder gets a stamp in the Culture Pass. Visiting all nine locations will be rewarded with a special Dala horse as a gift.

Please remember that opening hours and time slots for guided tours and so on may vary. Pre-booking is often required. Always check the latest information with the location before visiting.