Discover Malmköping: History, Nature and Special Experiences

Malmköping combines an unusually rich local history with experiences in nature and special excursions. As a regimental and trading town, it preserves a town-like grid plan, well-preserved buildings, as well as a street network and urban layout dating from 1790. This creates an appealing mix for planning your trip: you can explore historical traces, visit museums, spend time by the water or plan walks in the surrounding area.

Discover Historic Malmköping

The town’s history is particularly evident in today’s settlement structure. Malmköping became a köping, or market town, in 1784 and still preserves the character of a systematically planned trading town. The military-historical cultural landscape includes Malma hed and Plevnahöjden. Malma hed was a drill field; the Kungliga Södermanlands regemente was stationed there for 147 years. At Plevnahöjden, trenches and embankments can still be seen; they are based on trenches modelled on those at Plevna next to Malmahed.

The Hembygdsgården also brings the past to life. Among the old buildings, you can gain an impression of how people might have lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. The site includes a textile museum and a photography museum with around 20,000 photographs from Malmköping and the surrounding area. A soldiers’ register is dedicated to the soldiers assigned to the Sörmland Regiment. For a trip centred on everyday history, regional heritage and the military past, this part of Malmköping offers several different ways to explore the area.

Museums with Unusual Themes

One particularly distinctive attraction is the Strykjärnsmuseet in Malmköping, Sweden’s only iron museum. The collection includes irons from 25 countries, with pieces dating from the 17th century to the present day. Visits are arranged by advance booking, so you should include this stop in your daily plans early on. The collection is therefore more than a brief diversion: it shows how an everyday object can be collected and viewed across centuries and national borders.

Nature, Water and Trails in the Surrounding Area

The Malma nature reserve lies north of Malmköping in the nearby area. It covers an approximately 2-kilometre stretch of Strömsholmsåsen and borders Lake Sundbysjön, which has a rich birdlife. The Sörmlandsleden trail runs along the ridge of the nature reserve, and the area is also suitable for walks. If you would like to combine nature with sightseeing in the town, you can choose between historical destinations in Malmköping and time spent in the reserve during the day.

For access to the Malmköping nature reserve, there are car parks by the cemetery, along Landsvägsgatan and within the town of Malmköping. The Landsvägsgatan bus stop is located directly beside the nature reserve. Fishing is possible at Lake Hosjön with a fishing permit, which is sold at the campsite. Another way to combine the landscape with history is the Museispårvägen: in summer, the historic tram runs along part of the route formerly operated by Mellersta Sörmlands Järnväg and offers a scenic journey along Lake Hosjön.

Special Events and Regional Treats

Malmamarken takes place at Heden on the last weekend of July. More than 300 traders and tens of thousands of visitors make this event what it is. If you schedule your stay for this date, an exceptionally large market will become the focus of your trip planning. Grinda Gårdsglass adds a different local touch: the ice cream is made with milk from the neighbouring organic farm Fräkentorp and with hand-whisked eggs from Björkvik.

The area around Malmköping is also home to a significant coastal Stone Age settlement of the Vrå culture dating from around 3000 BC. It adds a far-reaching archaeological perspective to the more recent history of the town and the regiment.

Which Type of Accommodation Suits Your Trip?

A holiday apartment or holiday home in Malmköping can be a suitable base if you would like to combine historical sightseeing with nature, activities on the water and a seasonal excursion. Plan the focus of your trip: for museums, local history and the Hembygdsgården, the cultural character takes centre stage; for walks, birdwatching or fishing, the Malma nature reserve, Lake Sundbysjön and Lake Hosjön become the main attractions. The summer journeys of the Museispårvägen and Malmamarken add further seasonal highlights.

If you would like to extend your search beyond Malmköping, you can also include Flen, Sparreholm, Hälleforsnäs, Mellösa and Bettna in your further travel planning.

Return to the higher-level travel overview: Flen.