Aerial view over the centre of Arvika in winter light, with forest on the horizon

Staden

Arvika, 1.5 km from the door

A craft town on the water

Arvika took its present name in 1821 and became a town in 1911. The Rackstad Colony, painters who settled by Lake Racken around 1900, drew craftspeople after them, and potters worked the local clay. Ingesund's music school gives concerts through the year.

From the house it is 1.5 km to the centre, and the station on the Värmland Line has SJ trains to Stockholm via Karlstad and to Oslo via Kongsvinger.

Rackstadmuseet seen across its lawn, with a sculpture in the grass

Culture · Kultur

Painters, potters and weavers

  • Rackstadmuseet, art and craft of the Rackstad Colony, permanent exhibition The Nordic LightKungsvägen 11, Tue–Sun 11–17
  • Oppstuhage, home and studio of the sculptor Christian Eriksson, beside the museumKungsvägen 11
  • Sculpture walk, more than 20 works in town, including Christian Eriksson and Liv DueFrom Storgatan 22
  • Arvika Fordonsmuseum, vintage cars, rally cars and motorcycles in a restored 1923 foundryThermiavägen 2

The Filmhuset Palladium cinema screens current films, and the Sågudden open-air museum keeps old houses in the centre.

Rackstadmuseet, Tue–Sun 11–17

Tornhuset, a turreted brick building on a street corner in central Arvika

Craft shops · Hantverk

Made in and around Arvika

  • Arvika Konsthantverk, run collectively by local craftspeople, with ceramics, textiles, woodwork, glass, leather, ironwork and jewellery; described by Visit Värmland as Sweden's oldest handicraft shopKyrkogatan 17B
  • Rackstadmuseet shop, handicraft by local craftspeople and artistsKungsvägen 11
  • Urban and James Eriksson, woodcarvers who make the Taserudsstaken candlestick, a symbol of Arvika, along with lamps, mirrors and clocks; visits by arrangementMor Stinas väg 17
  • Schützers Tenn- och silversmide, jewellery in silver and tin with hand-cut stonesHungvik, road 175, Klässbol
  • Klässbols Linneväveri, weaving linen for the Royal Court, Sweden's embassies and the Nobel banquet; walk among the looms and buy at the mill shopDamastvägen 5, Klässbol

Traders set up a market on the square on Västra Torggatan every Wednesday and Saturday morning.

Arvika Konsthantverk, Kyrkogatan 17B

Cinnamon buns on a garden table with a jug of juice

Food · Mat

Restaurants, cheese and fika

  • Silverräven, the Olsson brothers' neighbourhood restaurant and bar with a seasonal menu, wine and cocktails, open Tuesday to SaturdayKyrkogatan 37
  • Brie & Bekanta, a cheese and delicatessen shop with 60 to 70 cheeses at the counter, charcuterie, crackers and preserves, and Brie Bar, its wine bar, on Friday and Saturday eveningsKyrkogatan 33A
  • Nordells Konditori, an old-fashioned café and patisserieÖstra Torggatan 4
  • Elins Bakgård, café and bakeryMagasinsgatan 4
  • City Konditoriet, a long-established caféStorgatan 37
  • Rackstadmuseet restaurant, lunch and home-baked bread, garden seating under old apple treesKungsvägen 11
  • Gate Gästgiveri, Swedish dishes and lunch in one of Arvika's oldest housesGate 61
  • Kaffekvarnen, coffee and lunch from local produce in an old millSöderborgsvägen 36, Klässbol, summer

In summer the harbour restaurants open on the water, with music at Olssons Brygga.

Silverräven, Tuesday to Saturday