A CITY in Europe has been compared to Manchester because of its “thriving cultural scene” and similar history.
The city in the north west of the UK has a rich industrial heritage, which has left an indelible mark, despite it becoming much more of a cultural hotspot in recent decades.
Norrköping in Sweden is not unlike Manchester in that respect, with its museums and galleries drawing very close comparisons.
It’s been hailed as a great city break destination by those who have been, with music and arts events adding to the great number of reasons that tourists should visit.
Among those singing its praises are brothers Mattis and Niklas, who created luxury luggage brand Carl Friedrik, who are based in the “stylish” city.
Mattis told Suitcase Magazine why he believes it’s worth a visit.
He said: “Dubbed ‘the Manchester of Sweden,’ Norrköping was once a
thriving industrial hub, but today the city has a much calmer and
quieter attitude.
“With three postcard-worthy promenades and the Motala cutting through the centre of the city, it makes for a great long-weekend destination.
“The city also has a thriving cultural scene, with music and arts events taking place year-round.”
Unlike most holiday destinations, Mattis recommends visiting in the winter instead of the summer, describing its frozen river as “almost surreal and blissfully beautiful”.
He claims that everyone should experience “Swedish winter’s tranquillity”.
It’s not just people from the city recommending a visit either, with The Telegraph also apparently big fans.
In their opinion, an exploration of Norrköping’s industrial past, as well as its exciting cultural future.
They wrote: “Wander around the weir and footbridges of Industrilandskapet – the preserved factory district from the 1850s and 1920s – which is now inhabited by up-and-coming restaurants, an art school and cultural hangouts.
“It also worth dipping into the Konstmuseum (Museum of Art) focusing on modernism.”
Outside of the factories and museums, there’s greenery and ancient history to explore, in the form of the Abackarna, a walking trail along the riverbank that leads to the Himmelstalund rock carvings.
What are the passport rules?
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot has explained exactly what Brits need to know.
“Travellers used to be able to roll over up to nine unused months from their old passport onto a new one.
“But post-Brexit, anyone wanting to travel to the EU can no longer rely on those extra months.
“In order to travel to the EU, all passports must be no more than 10 years old on the day you arrive in your European destination.
“And you’ll need at least three months on your passport on the day you head back to the UK.
“Figures have shown up to 100,000 holidaymakers a year face being turned away at airports if their passport is more than 10 years old.
“The 10-year rule only applies to countries in the European Union but every country may have different rules on what is accepted – some countries like South Africa, for example, insist you have at least six months left on your passport when you travel and a full clear page.”
They are considered to be the most important Bronze Age rock carvings in Sweden and date back to between 1,800 – 500BCE.
The Telegraph continued: “follow the rhododendron-lined Abackarna walking route from the city centre to Himmelstalund, a green space west of the city centre that is the unlikely location for 1,600 prehistoric petroglyphs etched into the rocks.”
Getting to Norrköping from the UK isn’t simple, sadly, with no direct flights.
However, it can be reached by train from Stockholm or Linkoping, both of which do have direct flights to London.
A night for two in the city can be booked from around £31.
Meanwhile, this city break destination has cheap flights, music festivals and pretty beaches.
And this is the best value city break in Europe for 2024.