Sankt Olof: Church, Pilgrimage Trails and Heritage Railway

Sankt Olof brings together sacred history, pilgrimage trails and an unusually varied local history. The Sankt Olof Church is particularly prominent: it dates from the 13th century, was largely built in the 15th century and was the patron church of Bollerup in the Middle Ages. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home will find a place where culture, landscape and various activities are closely connected with the history of the village.

Church, Spring and Historical Discoveries

The Gothic Sankt Olof Church is interesting not only because of its age. Inside are numerous splendid, spiral-designed altars and altarpieces. Beside the church is the Sankt Olof Spring, which has been visited and venerated for centuries. For travellers interested in sacred art, regional traditions and historic sites, this provides a special focus for exploring the village.

The village school also tells the story of a building’s changing functions: it was built in 1810 as a combined school and poorhouse, used as a nursing home between 1910 and 1965, and subsequently converted into a school museum. Sankt Olof also has a prehistoric stone circle. This makes it possible to experience different layers of history during a stay, without reducing the village to just one single building.

Pilgrimage Trails and the Landscape around Sankt Olof

Sankt Olof is connected to two pilgrimage trails. Sankt Olofsvägen runs from Lund to Simrishamn and passes via the Sankt Olof Church and the spring in Sankt Olof. The Sankta Magnhilds väg pilgrimage trail runs from Klippan to Sankt Olof and is approximately 9.65 Swedish miles long. The two routes appeal to different travel plans: one route can be considered through its course between several places, while the other is distinguished by its explicitly stated length.

The surroundings of Sankt Olof are characterised by mixed woodland, small fields, pastureland and paddocks. Those who are not looking exclusively for urban impressions when choosing accommodation can make this landscape an important part of their stay. The pilgrimage trails are also central to planning walks and hikes. For the Bokskogstrailen, the starting point and finish were located on the Kvarnvallen grounds in Sankt Olof.

Heritage Railway, Rail Bike and Outdoor Swimming Pool

The historic development of the village is also reflected in the railway. Sankt Olof railway station, together with the goods shed, engine shed and former dairy and distillery buildings, forms an important element of the village’s development in the 20th century. The Sankt Olof–Brösarp line has been used for heritage train services since 1971 and operates during the summer half of the year. In addition, it is possible to ride a rail bike in Sankt Olof. This allows you to add a railway experience to your travel plans without leaving the village’s cultural focus behind.

For weather-dependent holiday planning, there is Sankt Olofsbadet. The outdoor swimming pool has a 25-metre outdoor pool, a diving board, a three-metre-high diving tower, a children’s pool, a kiosk and a sauna. A swimming school is also offered there in summer. Families can therefore choose between historical discoveries, outdoor exercise and a day at the pool. Those who prefer to be active themselves can play tennis on the tennis court on Kapellgatan, with digital booking available.

Getting There and Choosing Accommodation

Bus services connect Sankt Olof with Brösarp and Simrishamn. This is a relevant point for travel planning if you would like to include other destinations in addition to the village. When looking for a holiday apartment in Sankt Olof, you can therefore consider whether the church and pilgrimage trails, the heritage railway and rail bike, or the outdoor swimming pool and sporting activities should be the main focus of your stay. The choice of accommodation should be based on your preferred holiday focus rather than on a generalised idea of the village.

If you would like to compare other destinations: Hammenhög, Borrby, Kivik, Vik, Vitaby, Simrishamn V, Skillinge and Gärsnäs.

For the overarching travel overview: Simrishamn.