Nydala

Nydala combines Swedish monastic history with trails through a diverse landscape. Nydala Monastery is located on Lake Rusken and forms the cultural centre for days when you want to combine historical impressions, walks and longer tours. When choosing a holiday apartment in Nydala, it is therefore especially relevant whether you want to focus on culture, hiking, cycling or a combination of these experiences.

Monastery, church and monastery garden

Nydala Monastery was founded in 1143. For 400 years, French Cistercian monks lived and worked there. Today, it is one of Sweden’s oldest surviving Cistercian monasteries. The complex also includes Bondkyrkan, the only surviving gate or entrance chapel in Sweden. This feature makes a visit particularly interesting if you are interested in sacred buildings and the history of medieval monasteries.

The monastery garden shows what a medieval herb and spice garden at a Nordic Cistercian monastery might have looked like. Its layout is based on an eighth-century monastery plan from St. Gall Abbey in Switzerland. This means that your stay can include not only a tour of the monastery church but also a look at historical garden culture. In summer, guided tours are offered in the monastery church and garden; audio guides are also available in the church.

Hiking and cycling around Nydala

The Munkaleden trail is 40 kilometres long and follows the route that, according to tradition, the monks of Nydala Monastery took when visiting the nunnery in Byarum. Cycling is permitted on the Munkaleden. Along the route, you will find information boards about nature and historical sites, as well as meditation spots. This allows you to plan a longer tour or incorporate individual themed stops into your day without focusing your stay exclusively on the monastery complex.

Further options are provided by the Nydalaleden and Västra Sigfridsleden trails. The Nydalaleden ends at Nydala Monastery Church, where it joins a larger network of pilgrimage trails. The Västra Sigfridsleden also ends at Nydala Monastery Church in Värnamo Municipality. If you are planning a longer hike, you can combine the Munkagårdsleden with the Munkaleden to create a circular hike of approximately 90 kilometres, starting and ending at Nydala Monastery.

For cycling, the signposted Rusken runt cycle route is a good option from Nydala. It is approximately 60 kilometres long and partly hilly. If members of your travel group have different interests, you can weigh up cultural visits, a hike and a bike tour.

Getting there and visiting hours

Nydala Monastery Church is located on Road 127 between Värnamo and Vrigstad. Brown-and-white signs point the way from the road. The church is open daily from 1 April to 30 September, from 09:00 to 18:00. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Nydala, you can take these opening hours into account when planning your cultural day and then decide whether to allow additional time for the monastery garden, the Munkaleden or the Rusken runt cycle route.

Other places in the destination area

For further orientation, you can also view the pages on Långshult, Värnamo, Gällaryd, Horda, Bredaryd, Dannäs, Tallberga and Forsheda.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Värnamo.