Öland has been inhabited since 8,000 BCE by Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers, who crossed the ice that sometimes forms on the Kalmar Straight. As a result, it feels old but tamed in a way much of Sweden does not. Its smaller landmass and heavily farmed spaces make it feel a little like the English countryside. Still, then occasionally you travel past standing stones in a farmers field, giving you a brief glimpse into its uniquely Scandinavian history.

Kalmar gets its name from the word "kalm", a collection of stones, something found in large quantities on both the land and waters around Kalmar. It is first mentioned in writings from the beginning of the 13th century. However, archaeological evidence of a city wall, monastery, Church and courthouse from the 12th Century show it was a thriving community.

A small island, a short distance off the southern tip of Karlskrona, Aspö is part of the archipelago and home to under five hundred, though this population swells in the summer months. With an hourly car ferry from the mainland, Aspö is well served. A single ICA sits on the island offering basic necessities year-round with a few cafes, a restaurant in the Fortress and many artist's galleries opening in the summer months.

Hidden in a field behind a shopping outlet, Lyckå Slottsruin is a small but impressive reminder of a Danish border castle. The ruin was renovated in 2014 to prevent further decay, although the renovations are somewhat obnoxiously modern.

Karlskrona is the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 66,675 inhabitants in 2018. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's remaining naval base and the headquarters of the Swedish Coast Guard.

Norrköping is industrial. It's a city built around industry and that still shows, the river runs through the center and was clearly for canal transport, factory buildings still dot the skyline. Even so, many places are closed for weekend so it can, in certain areas, feel quite lifeless.

A small city reasonably close to Stockholm and twinned with Norrkopping a short 20 minute train ride away, Lindköping is a surprisingly English spot. There are several English style pubs as well as a traditional chippy.

Sitting between Uppsala and Umea, Gävle is an old port city. It is the oldest city in historical Norrland, receiving its charter in 1446 from Christopher of Bavaria. With approximately 100,000 residents its one of Sweden's larger cities and is primary known for Gävlebocken, the Gävle Christmas Goat.

Vãsterås is Sweden's sixth largest city, sitting on the banks of a lake, filled with small islands Vãsterås comes alive during the summer months when boats and ferries run regularly out to the islands and water-sports are common. During the colder months, the town goes into hibernation. Many restaurants are closed on Sundays and the streets are empty during the morning.

During the summer Gotland comes alive as vacationing swedes come for their summer holidays on this small island off the coast of Stockholm. During the first week of August, the city is taken over by the Medieval Week, as events, demonstrations and tourists all pack the city, dressed in medieval garb and eating like their ancestors.

Once a refuge for outlaws during the Middle Ages, Tiveden National Park is now a sanctuary for nature lovers. Whether you're drawn to the towering 15-metre boulder known as the Junker Jägare's stone or the serene forest trails, Tiveden offers a unique blend of history and natural beauty.

The town seems much larger than it is when you first start looking around, partly because it is so tourist focused and so there are a lot of bars, restaurants and cafes squeezed into a few blocks by the ferry terminal, and partly because everything in the town is centred around the ferry.

Tucked away in the bay of Skälderviken, in the north-western corner of Scania, Sweden, you'll find the quaint locality of Arild. With a population of just over 500, Arild is a gem of a place that's steeped in history and natural beauty. The village is nestled on the mountainous shoreline of the Kullen peninsula, offering breathtaking views and a unique coastal charm. The heart of Arild beats around its small harbour and the Arilds Chapel, both of which date back centuries. The village is also a haven for artists, with its picturesque landscapes serving as the perfect muse.

The Höga Kusten guide book describes Ullånger thus: "The section ends in Ullånger where you can find a wide selection of services. There is a grocery store, café, specialist shops and handicrafts." This is technically true, but highly misleading.

Örnsköldsvik, often shortened to just Övik, is a charming locality in Västernorrland County, Sweden. Known for its natural harbour and archipelago in the Gulf of Bothnia, it's a place where nature and industry coexist. The city is renowned as an exporter of pulp and paper products and heavy machinery goods, but also for its strong environmental record. It's a place where you can feel the pulse of industry, yet also find tranquillity in the surrounding nature. The city's history is rich, with traces of human activity dating back to the Nordic Bronze Age.

I stopped in Katrineholms for a few hours in between connections to Gothenburg. I'd originally planned to only have thirty minutes there, but once I'd finished at the Parken Zoo in Eskilstuna, there wasn't much keeping me there, so I thought I'd see a bit more of Katrineholms.

Tuna is a tiny place outside of Eskilstuna (which was itself originally called just Tuna) and is a retail park, the Zoo and amusement park and an ancient castle. Tuna itself has a population of under three hundred people.

Not the famous Mora of Sweden where the knives are made, this tiny town in Södermanland has an ancient rune stone.

There is iron everywhere in Eskilstuna. In the soul of the city. Full of swords and steel. Nicknamed Stålstaden, there are traces of the dying smelting and manufacturing everywhere. The city guideposts for tourists are constructed of curved steel, the curbs in the Munktel factory area are all metal beams riveted to the street. Everywhere you look, there are subtle and not-so-subtle signs of the cities pride in its smelting history.

Älmhult is a peculiar place. As the birthplace of IKEA, it has slowly been subsumed but the company it created. The town is not very big any more, but the Ikea campus on the other side of the train tracks (and the huge Stena factory) dominate the landscape.