Overview of the
Trip overview
Type
Self-guided
Difficulty
Beginner
Accommodation
3 nights
Cycling
90 km
This is a self-guided beginner-friendly cycling holiday. The cycling takes place on both asphalt and gravel in a relatively safe traffic environment.
Book with Sweden by Bike
Why book with us
- No extra fees - you pay the organizer's price
- Accident insurance for everyone registered in the booking
- Free 1-year membership (value 199 kr)
- 20% discount in our webshop (single-use coupon)
- Personal support throughout your booking
Do you have questions about this cycling holiday? Email us.
Photos
Photos from the trip
Practical Info
Before you book
Accommodation
- Hotel
- Alsterbro Minihotell, Alsterbro
- Orrefors Hotel & Restaurant, Orrefors
- Målerås Bed & Breakfast, Målerås
Season
1 Apr - 30 Sep Type of cycling
Leisure Surface
Asphalt and Gravel
The cycling takes place in a relatively safe traffic environment and that it is fine for adults to cycle along the route.
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CultureExplore art, historical sites and local traditions - a perfect mix of cycling and cultural experiences.
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RetreatUnwind with peace and quiet - here you'll find cycling tours that combine the soothing power of nature with relaxing accommodation.
We speak
English, Swedish and German
Take a step away from everyday life and straight into the deep forests and rich cultural heritage of the Glass Kingdom. This bike package is for you who want to discover nature at your own pace, but also follow the traces of one of Småland's most important industries, the glassworks. The tour starts and ends in Målerås and goes via Alstermo and Fröseke to Alsterbro and on to Orrefors. It can be booked during spring and fall, when everything is a little calmer, a little quieter and perhaps even more atmospheric.
You cycle through landscapes that once pulsated with glowing furnaces and crafts. Alsterbro used to be home to Alsterbro Glassworks, where everyday glass was once produced in abundance. In Orrefors you will find the place where Swedish glass art became world famous, and even though the factory is closed, exhibitions and stories remain. In Målerås, the glass furnaces are still hot. Here you can see skilled craftsmen breathing new life into the tradition, at one of the most vibrant glassworks still in existence.
The accommodations along the way have their own stories: a former police station in Alsterbro, a classic hotel in Orrefors, and a charming old railway hotel from 1890 in Målerås. The tour runs on both asphalt and gravel roads in mixed traffic, and is suitable for those who want to cycle at a leisurely pace - with time to stop, breathe and take in both nature and history. There are some rooms where you can bring your dog, more information will be given when you make your booking.
Included
- One night at Alsterbro Minihotell (shared double room, private bathroom and toilet outside each cell)
- One night at Orrefors Hotel & Restaurant (part in double room)
- One night at Målerås Bed & Breakfast (shared double room, shower and toilet in the corridor)
- 3 x breakfast
- 3 x lunch pack
- 3 x evening meal incl. light drink and coffee
- Women's bicycle with 3 gears, bicycle basket and bicycle bag
- Maps & directions
Add-on Extras
- Extra nights, the package is easily supplemented with one or two days
- Single room supplement; Alsterbro Minihotell 250 SEK, Målerås Vandrarhem B&B 100 SEK, Orrefors Hotell 455 SEK
- Cabin herring: 295 kr per person
- Try glassblowing and leatherwork in Målerås
- Guided tours (Målerås Glasbruk, Målerås Leather)
Day 1 - Arrival and cycling to Alsterbro
Alsterbro Minihotell, Alsterbro
Packed lunch and evening meal
About 35 km
Your cycling experience in Glasriket starts with a quiet first day. After arriving in Målerås, a shorter stage of about 35 km awaits, where you roll through quiet Småland forests, past glades and sparkling small lakes. The journey is mostly on smaller gravel roads and asphalt in low-traffic areas.
You'll arrive in the small community of Alsterbro, where you'll check into the personal and charming Alsterbro Minihotell, housed in an old police station.
Here you can rest in a peaceful environment, and if you want to stretch your legs, there is a walking path that leads you to the site where the old Alsterbro glassworks once stood. Alsterbro Glasbruk is the oldest preserved wooden hut in the Glass Kingdom and glass was produced here until 1969 (for 98 years). There is a very good swimming area a few minutes from the hotel at Stora Hindsjön.
Day 2 - Cycling from Alsterbro to Orrefors
Orrefors Hotel & Restaurant, Orrefors
Breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal
About 30 km
After breakfast, you cycle on towards Orrefors, a distance of about 30 km through a varied landscape of forests, lakes and farms. You pass small villages where glassworks once flourished - places that today are quieter, but still breathe mill culture in buildings and environments.
Once in Orrefors, you'll have the chance to learn more about one of the Kingdom's most iconic names. This used to be the site of the Orrefors glassworks, known worldwide for its art glass and designers. The factory closed in 2013, but the visitor center, artistic activities and a living history remain. A new cabin was established in 2017 under the name Orranäs Glassworks in Orrefors Park, where you have the opportunity to see how the masters shape the glass mass into their designed products. In the Creperiet you can take the opportunity to have coffee.
Another tip is to visit Hammarsmedjan, where the water wheel, blowing machine and smelting hammer have been recreated after 100 years in hibernation. You stay at Orrefors Hotell, a classic Småland hotel close to nature and history.
Day 3 - Orrefors to Målerås - the glass lives on
Målerås Bed & Breakfast, Målerås
Breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal
About 25 km
Today you cycle through the heart of the Glasriket. The roads wind through quiet spruce forests, open fields and past lakes that reflect the sky. The cycling between Orrefors and Målerås can be varied, you get maps showing alternative routes.
An alternative is to cycle to Gullaskruv, another old glassmaking community where you can visit Carlo's studio glassworks.
The final destination of the day is Målerås, a mill town where glass is still alive. Here is Målerås Glassworks, one of the few major factories that are active today. You have the opportunity to see the glass craftsmanship up close, from kiln to finished work of art, or browse in the shop where modern design meets tradition. At Målerås Läder you will find unique Swedish crafts, well worth a visit. Accommodation is at Målerås Bed & Breakfast, a charming and newly renovated railway hotel from 1890, with its own history worth discovering.
Day 4 - Quiet morning in Målerås and return journey
Breakfast
The last day starts at a leisurely pace. You can choose to take a short bike ride in the surroundings, or just enjoy the tranquility and a good breakfast. Maybe a hike "In the footsteps of the ice age through Gråstensmon" 7 km with the center of the Glass Kingdom or "Trollstigen" 2 km around Målerås bathing lake Långegöl.
When you feel ready, round off your journey through the Glasriket - full of impressions from both nature and culture, with three quiet cycling days in the luggage.
Travel
Getting Here
- Nearest airport: Kalmar or Växjö
- Nearest train station: Alvesta or Växjö and from both locations you take the train to Nybro
- Buses take you from Nybro to Målerås
- Nearest train station: Alvesta or Växjö and from both locations you take the train to Nybro
- Buses take you from Nybro to Målerås
Booking Information
Payment & Cancellation
Payment
Confirmation and invoice will be sent directly from the local organizer. No payment is made to Sweden by Bike.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Cancellations or changes can be made at least 3 days before arrival free of charge. If canceled later or in case of no-show, the full amount will be charged.
