Sweden Guide
The southeast
Jönköping
Perched at the southernmost tip of Lake Vättern, JÖNKÖPING (pronounced "Yun-shu-ping") is one of the oldest medieval trading centres in the country, having won its town charter in 1284. It's famous for being the home of the matchstick, the nineteenth-century manufacture and worldwide distribution of which made the town wealthy. In 1932, the town's match magnate, Ivar Kruger, shot himself rather than face bankruptcy, bringing a swift end to the industry here. A match museum now stands in the biggest of the town's match factories. Despite the town's unspectacular centre, Jönköping's location and accommodation and eating possibilities make it a viable base for touring the lake.
The train and bus stations are next to each other on Lake Vättern's edge. Just across the highway southeast of the centre, the new A6 Vandrarhemyouth hostel at Bataljonsgatan 10 ( 
036/34 00 41, 
a6vandrarhem@hotmail.com; dorm beds from 150kr) can be reached by bus #3 or 26.
For style, value and atmosphere, the best hotel is the classic Victoria at F.E. Elmgrens gata 5 ( 036/71 28 00, 
www.victoriahome.com ; Price: Kr1200-1500), which includes afternoon tea and a buffet supper in its price and even boasts its own radio and match museums in the corridors. The comfortable city-centre Scandic Portalen is a few minutes walk from the train station at Barnarpsgatan 6 ( 036/585 42 00, www.scandic-hotels.com ; Price: Kr1200-1500). Another good bet is the Familjen Ericsson's City Hotel, just three minutes from the station at Västra Storgatan 25 ( 036/71 92 80, www.cityhotel.nu ; Price: Kr900-1200 ).
The best café is Mackmakeriet, five minutes' walk east of the station at Smedjegatan 26. In a lovely eighteenth-century building with an original painted ceiling, this place survived a huge fire in 2000 that devastated much of the area. The fresh-filled baguettes (45kr) and cakes are delicious and served in a thoroughly friendly atmosphere.
Bernard's at Östra Storgatan 12 is a konditori with great cakes and an ideal summer terrace for people-watching. On the main shopping street on the west side of the centre, Johan's Coffee & Shop at Barnarpsgatan 16 offers superb salads and home-baked pies as well as excellent-value lunches at 69kr. Among the town's restaurants, try Anna-Gretas Matsal, in a former market traders' café on Västra Torget, for its eclectic and frequently changing menu, or splash out at the excellent Svarta Börsen Krogen at Kyrkogatan 4 ( 036/71 22 22), which serves creative dishes with lamb, game and fish at 110–325kr.
Many of the town's bars also serve food: Hemma, Smedjegatan 36, is the most popular venue for laid-back live music, with very friendly service and a wide-ranging menu that includes some vegetarian options. Karlsonn's, Västra Storgatan 9, gets very busy and has a good cheap bar menu (up to 100kr); its rooftop terrace, På Taket, is very popular on warm nights. Jönköping's pier has a lively waterside run of summer bars and restaurants; the Saltkråkan ship at the end ( 036/12 53 53) serves great seafood and has a fine whisky bar, too.