Sturkö: Nature, Archipelago Landscape and Maritime History

Sturkö combines diverse natural surroundings with an impressive island history. In the south, Uttorp Nature Reserve and extensive wetlands await you. There is also a distinctive cultural landscape, a Viking Age rune stone, a historic fishing harbour and a wreck cemetery in the Djupasund strait. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home on Sturkö, you can therefore tailor your stay to the interests of your group, balancing nature, culture, water and active excursions.

Nature experiences among heathland, coastal meadows and wetlands

Uttorp Nature Reserve is part of a large, easily accessible open-air area in the south of Sturkö. The nature reserve contains Staggenheide, heathland and coastal meadows, as well as marked paths. The areas continue to be grazed, helping to preserve the landscape's distinctive character. For your daily itinerary, this means you can include a hike through an open, varied environment and experience different types of landscape without focusing on a single natural feature.

The extensive wetland complex in the south of Sturkö includes coastal meadows, wet heaths, vegetated ponds, shallow bogs and swamp forests. There is a car park and information facilities at the nature reserve. If you are travelling with children, you will also find a family-friendly bathing area on Sturkö with a playground and barbecue facilities. This allows you to complement time outdoors with a day of swimming or a shared meal.

Rune stone, church and traces of the island's history

The Sturkö rune stone is the only surviving Viking Age rune stone in Blekinge. Its inscription means approximately: “Gudes the seaman erected … the stone.” This detail makes the stone a special point of interest for anyone interested in early island history and historical artefacts.

Sturkö kyrka is also part of the island's cultural heritage. It was built in 1878 on the site of an older sacrificial church dedicated to Saint Gertrude. Another landmark is Sturkö Kvarn, which was completed in 1901. The mill offers a beautiful view across the island and the archipelago. In summer, it operates as a café and restaurant, so you can combine a visit with a break.

You can encounter maritime history at the wreck cemetery near Sturkö. It comprises around 20 ships from the period between approximately 1550 and 1650, which were deliberately sunk as a barrier towards Karlskrona in the late 17th century. Most of the wrecks can now be seen while diving. The historic fishing harbour of Ekenabben on the western side of Sturkö is also home to the open-air exhibition “Världsarvets vrak”.

Cycling, hiking and routes through the archipelago

Sturkö offers well-marked cycling loops through the archipelago landscape. The island is a central hub on ARK56. This interconnected network of kayaking, cycling, hiking and sailing routes connects the entire Blekinge Archipelago. This gives you different ways to plan your trip: Choose a cycling loop, devote a day to hiking or explore the maritime side of the region via kayaking and sailing routes. The available options can be considered as individual excursion destinations, without any particular route or distance needing to be inferred from them.

Getting there and choosing your accommodation

Sturkö can be reached via Sturkövägen. The road crosses fixed road bridges over Senoren and Skällö. When searching for a holiday apartment or holiday home, you can therefore first consider which focus should shape your stay: the natural areas in the south, the cultural and historical sites such as the rune stone and Sturkö kyrka, or the maritime history around Ekenabben and the wreck cemetery. Accommodation on the island is particularly suitable for your plans if you would like to discover these different facets of Sturkö for yourself.

If you would like to compare other destinations in addition to Sturkö, you can find Jämjö, Rödeby, Nättraby, Karlskrona, Holmsjö, Drottningskär, Lyckeby and Tving here.

To the overview of the wider destination: Karlskrona.