Travel, taste, experience: Discover the south of Sweden with Hanna Stefansson
Nestled on the shoreline in the south of Sweden you’ll find Österlen – a hidden gem with a vibrant art scene, charming local life and serene landscapes. Hanna Stefansson spent a weekend here with her family, in a lovingly restored vicarage turned creative retreat amidst lush gardens and open meadows. In this article, she shares her favourite experiences with you.
Everyday life often moves at a pace that’s difficult to keep up with, but Hanna tries her best to enjoy every day and not rush towards weekends and holidays. While she admits her motto ‘carpe diem’ might sound a bit cheesy, it brings her life joy in even the smallest of moments.
But even though she cherishes her day-to-day life, she also loves the quality time that a getaway far away from the city gives her with her little family. Hanna and Frederik, who is a photographer and producer, and their two boys Arne and Ole (4 and 2 years old) packed their car and drove to Österlen in the south of Sweden where they stayed at Josefin’s enchanting farm, nestled in the quiet countryside. Here, they welcomed her mother in law Ulla and their friends Ida and Toge and spent their days exploring, having breakfasts in the garden and just slowing down and spending time together.
Plan your summer getaway here.
What were the most important qualities you looked for when choosing a house for your getaway?
A mix of location and beautiful aesthetics. That's what I love about Landfolk – you can try living in incredible dream homes. Travelling, and experiencing new places and people, always really inspires me.
What were the 3 best things about the summer house?
It was honestly one of the best getaways in my life, and it's hard to choose just three. I’m still super inspired by the house and the decor. I love that there was plenty of space for so many people (5 bedrooms, 2 kitchens and 2 bathrooms) and I would love to visit again soon with a bunch of friends. I also loved that everything was so nice – down to even the smallest details in every room. The soap in the bathroom, the plates in the kitchen, the power plugs, everything.
Where did you drink your morning coffee?
We were really lucky with the weather and had our coffee and breakfast in the garden. For years, I’ve had a very clear image in my dreams: Frederik and I sitting at a white table in our pyjamas with breakfast and coffee on the table and two children running around us on the grass in their pyjamas. That dream was suddenly real and I felt immense happiness in that moment.
Is there anything you would like to highlight about booking through Landfolk?
Firstly, that each and every beautiful house is carefully selected, and secondly, that we have experienced such hospitality from everyone we have booked with. They have made us feel so welcome and instantly at home.
Where do you dream about travelling next?
It’s impossible to choose just one destination. I have found a fantastic house in the Stockholm archipelago that I dream of visiting with our friends who live in the area. Frederik also loves skiing, so we have been looking at this cabin for a winter getaway, but we are always looking for hidden gems in northwestern Skåne and Gothenburg, where I have friends and family. A weekend getaway to a holiday home is such a nice way to get quality time together. I like both this and this in the area that I grew up in.
Taste
Hanna loves Österlen and has visited many times before. The house they visited is right smack in the middle of all of her favourite spots and just 10 min away from the most beautiful beach. Here are her best recommendations on what to taste when you visit: ‘Fika’ and bread from Olof Viktors Pizza at Örum 119 Pastafabriken just 100 m from the house for the best pasta
Experience
Exploring the local area and doing things together as a family is a great way to spend time together in the summer, with no place to be, and not needing to keep track of the time. Here are some of Hanna’s favourites in the local area:
Sandhammaren is one of the nicest beaches in all of Sweden, if you ask Hanna. They visited Ystad Djurpark, which the boys loved. “Sitting in the hay petting the hamsters might have been the very best part of it”, she says. Enjoying the house and the garden – because sometimes, the smallest things can bring the biggest experiences.
One of the things about going away like this is the calm that both Frederik and I feel. Being able to just open the door and let the boys play outside in the garden is really wonderful for us, and is a welcome contrast to life in an apartment,” Hanna underlines.
Here are some of the loveliest handpicked holiday homes in the south of Sweden
Visit this charming country holiday home
- Enjoy the lush garden and beautiful aesthetics of this wonderful house
- Vacation in this serene house that radiates warmth and charm
- Get an authentic Swedish experience in this Scania street house with an idyllic garden
Your summer starts now.
Travel
If you are dreaming of serenity, beautiful meadows, ocean swims and hiding away with your family or friends in a secluded retreat far away from everyday life, Österlen in the south of Sweden might be just the place. Being as easily accessible as it is makes it a wonderful destination to drive to, even if you have little ones in the car.
Hanna Stefansson and her family travelled to Österlen in the south of Sweden from Copenhagen, which is just a short 1,5 hour drive away. This makes it the perfect weekend getaway, even with small kids.
If you are travelling from Norway you can drive through Sweden and visit the charming archipelago on the west coast on your way there.
If you are driving from Germany you can sail from Rostock to Gedser and make a stop in Lolland-Falster and the southern part of Zealand or drive straight to Österlen.
Explore available holiday homes for your summer vacation 2025 and let the countdown begin.
