(18)Day Eighteen: The Art of Sundborn, Silvberg's Blue Lake, and Avesta's Giant Dalahorse - A Day Among Sweden's Treasures in Dalarna

In the morning, after a quick pack-up and freshening up the accommodation, we set off for Sundborn around 10:30 AM. Our destination was the Carl Larsson Garden, a mecca for art lovers.

Sundborn itself is a true little gem, as if it had stepped straight out of a Swedish folk tale. This is where Carl Larsson and his wife, Karin, realized their dreams, lived, and created, and the entire place seems to exude an atmosphere of creativity and art.

As soon as you arrive, you immediately notice that every building here almost begins to tell a story of Sweden's past. But Sundborn's true gem is Lilla Hyttnäs – the little house that Karin's father, Adolf Bergöö, gifted to them in 1888, which has since become one of the world's most famous artist homes. Lilla Hyttnäs was originally built in 1837 and served as a true home for the Larssons, where they blended Swedish folk traditions with elements of modern style. It’s as if the house and garden have intertwined with the love and care Carl and Karin poured into them.

The interior of the Larsson house is like a living gallery. Karin's handmade textiles and unique pieces of furniture are everywhere, and Carl immortalized every corner and nook with his paintings, allowing visitors to almost see the everyday life of the family. Carl's watercolors made Lilla Hyttnäs famous worldwide. These paintings not only depict scenes from the family's life but also paint an idealized yet real picture of Swedish rural life.

As the dialogue between nature and art radiates from the paintings and the house's interiors, one can almost feel the cool freshness of the Swedish forests and hear the rustling of the trees.

But it's not just the inside of the house that's special; the garden is also full of life. Karin grew flowers and vegetables in the garden, and the scent and atmosphere of bygone times can still be felt in every corner. You can find plants that were blooming at the end of the 19th century, along with French legumes that Karin brought back from her artist village, Grez-sur-Loing. And yes, those garden furniture pieces they designed and painted in bright colors have been back in place since 2014. The garden, where Carl and Karin spent so much time, still preserves the romance of the past and the spirit of art, as if a scene from an old Swedish fairy tale had come to life.

The harmonious relationship between the house and nature was always present in the Larsson family's life. Large windows and natural materials are found everywhere, and the light, airy interior seamlessly merges with the surrounding landscape as if it had always been there. For Carl and Karin, nature was not just a backdrop but a central part of their life and art.

Here, art and nature walk hand in hand, creating a home that still serves as an inspiration for both design and the love of life. The Larsson family's life reflected respect for nature, the family home, and traditions, making this little house one of the forerunners of modern Scandinavian design.

Unfortunately, we couldn't get into the house in person, but there is a mobile app where I took a virtual tour of Lilla Hyttnäs and found a ton of additional information about the Larsson family in English and Swedish for a few euros. It's fantastic! Link HERE.

I also brought a few brochures about the Larssons because the pictures on them are so beautiful, and I love the graphic design as well. :)

Due to time constraints, we had time to really explore only Carl and Karin's garden, but we didn't want to rush. A garden like this invites you to sit down, enjoy the silence, and reflect on what life might have been like here a hundred years ago.

We encountered many more charming gardens and houses in the area, one of the most important being Stora Hyttnäs. This house has been home to many people since the Middle Ages. Thanks to a donation from the most recent owner, Bengt Linderdahl, the Linderdahl Foundation was established in 1984 with the aim of preserving the estate for the residents of Sundborn and others. The estate comprises a complete upper-middle-class home that reflects the style of the turn of the century. The house is of cultural and historical significance and also houses the local library (Bibliotek). During the summer months, guides show visitors around, while the park is always open to visitors.

After a long walk, we sat down at a nearby pizzeria. We ordered one pizza for the two of us, thinking it would be just enough. The server brought it out cut into two separate plates; they were very kind and attentive. I have to mention (because, for example, I often hear the opposite about Italy) that in the small towns of Sweden and Norway, we always encountered friendly service from immigrant workers in the eateries.

We continued towards Avesta to see the world's largest dalaorse, but before that, we stopped by the famous turquoise lake near Säter, at the Östra Silvberg mine. The road there? Well, let's just say we got to experience Sweden's "off-road adventure." The path was full of rocks and bumps. But we also saw a retro vehicle in the parking lot, which we, of course, photographed. :)

Our visit to the Östra Silvberg mine was like a little time travel. The mine was already flourishing in the 1400s when a significant amount of silver was extracted here. It was permanently closed in 1967, and now only silence and nature reign over the site. The turquoise lake forms a magical contrast with the reddish soil and the remains of old buildings surrounding it.

The lake is located in the middle of the old mining area and is well known for its crystal-clear blue water, which formed due to the minerals dissolved during mining activities. Its depth is 25-30 meters. As we continued walking, we found a small wooded area surrounded by stone walls, filled with blueberries. Once, a chapel stood here with a cemetery, where the ancestors of the Silvberg community now rest. Here, you can somehow feel the spirit and history of the place. We also walked down to Lake Gruvsjön, which appeared quite calm.

After this, we continued our journey toward Avesta to see the iconic symbol of the Dalarna region. And this Dala horse is indeed impressive. It's over 13 meters high and weighs 67 tons—definitely not a tiny souvenir! The Swedes were lining up to take pictures with it, enthusiastically taking selfies in front of their giant horse. We didn't miss the opportunity either. :) This was our last stop in Dalarna County.

At the end of the day, we headed toward Järlåsa. On the way, we passed by a moose park, but unfortunately, it was closed. Our accommodation was a small cottage behind the host family's house, in the middle of a beautifully maintained, large, wooded garden. And when I say beautiful, I'm not exaggerating; one of them is a landscape architect, and it shows. The cottage was full of owl decorations, everything sparkled with cleanliness, and the lighting was expertly designed. Every little detail was in place, creating such a homely feeling that we wished we could stay there forever.

Moreover, they treated us to a homemade breakfast (my favorite was the lime-strawberry marmalade). And it wasn't just some quick meal but real delicacies, including homemade cardamom granola! Although we stayed for only two nights, they took care of us as if we had come for at least a week.

And what counts as a rare treasure in Sweden: this was not a self-cleaning accommodation! We didn't have to worry about cleaning up perfectly after ourselves. Of course, we tidied up everything, especially since they were so kind. They also had a small fish pond full of koi—truly a little wonderland where we would return anytime! And if that weren't enough, the cabin was full of garden design books, which we unfortunately didn't have time to go through, but I flipped through the illustrated books about Scandinavian gods and creatures, which were real gems. I loved every single moment we spent here, I only wish we had more time in this place. The only bad thing was that the water here had a rather strange smell and taste. Sulfuric, iron-like, unpleasant, but the locals must have gotten used to it by now. We had to switch from tap water to bottled water again. This was our accommodation closest to Stockholm, but we didn't plan to visit the Swedish capital—this trip was not about that. However, we wanted to see Uppsala, especially Gamla Uppsala, but that’s a story for another time.