Schwedenfest in Wismar, Germany

Every year on the penultimate weekend of August, the town of Wismar celebrates, with much fanfare, that it was once part of Sweden. We're here in 2018, 16-19 August, along with ten other motorhomes to take part in the festivities.

Last Saturday it was time for the whole gang at the campsite (we were 22 people!) to take us to Schwedenfest in Wismar by bus. It was a day in charming Wismar, with carolines, horses, "shots" from muskets, hanging out on outdoor terraces, a lot of rain ... and nice socialising!

Table of contents

From the campsite to Wismar

We are 11 Swedish motorhomes at Ostsee camping travelling together, with a total of 22 happy motorhomers. Saturday morning started with some unstable weather and small rain showers, but that didn't dampen our spirits. At 13:30 we took the bus from the campsite into town.

The bus leaves right at the entrance and only takes 20 minutes, but it should be said that there are very few bus times per day to choose from ... Alternatives include hiring a bike (about a mile to cycle) or taking a taxi, which is barely more expensive than a bus if four people share. Some of the participants are stuck in the pictures below.

Stig och Else-Britt — Stig (in his nice hat) and Else-Britt a moment before departure.

Wismar camping — Some of the gang are ready for the bus journey to Schwedenfest in Wismar.

Cykel Wismar — Ann-Sofie and Åke chose to rent a bike and cycle into town.

READ MORE: Things to see and do in the Hanseatic City of Wismar
READ MORE: Ostsee camping in northern Germany - and party with the gang

Schwedenfest in Wismar

At three o'clock it was time for a historical spectacle in front of the town hall on the Marktplatz in the centre of town. Although it was a bit difficult to follow in German, we understood that some important historical events were being played out. Swedish soldiers dressed in beautiful uniforms from the time Wismar belonged to Sweden. Many actors participate during the days to show what it was like during the Swedish era.

Swedish flags fly around the city, people dress up like in the past, cannons and muskets are fired. All the beautiful buildings built by the Swedes around the town are an attraction, beer, sausages and crayfish discs all at the same time. Live bands and fireworks, yes a real Schwedenfest in Wismar with lots of joy. This is the biggest Swedish party outside Sweden's borders.

Wismar rådhuset — In front of the town hall in Wismar ...

Then it was time for the infantry and cavalry! Now things got a little more lively, and instead of chatter the square began to resound with galloping horse hooves and rifle shots, while the area was ringed in smoke.The Carolinians came from the Swedish association Bohus Elfsborgs Caroliner in Gothenburg. From time to time you could hear orders in Swedish such as "Hatt av" and "Hatt på" ...

Wismar hästar — Horses patrol the streets of Wismar ...

Swedes and Wismar

Wismar is a harbour town and the capital of the Baltic Sea, which the Swedes found ideal for trade many centuries ago. The town became Swedish in 1648 and remained so until 1903. King Gustaf IV Adolf of Sweden needed money and in 1803 he pledged Wismar to Grand Duke Friedrich Franz I of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

It was a bit of a crisis because Gustaf IV Adolf was engaged to the Grand Duke's daughter Luise Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Schwerin but did not want to marry her. Friedrich Franz I got a bit angry and agreed to a loan of 1.25 million riksdalar to get rid of the rude king. The loan was to be repaid after a hundred years, but it was never repaid and Wismar became German again on 20 June 1903.

Karoliner Wismar — Carolinians with the flag flying at Schwedenfest in Wismar

READ MORE: Sweden in Germany - 12 places with a Swedish connection
READ MORE: Holidays in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania - 8 things to do

UNESCO World Heritage List

Since 27 June 2002, the old town of Wismar and Stralsund has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and we Swedes should be happy about this because it is part of our history. Wismar was founded in 1229 and in 1280 during the Middle Ages it became a Hanseatic city with Wismar, Lubeck, Hamburg and Rostock. For a short time during the Scanian War, Wismar was ruled by the Danes but they were beaten by the Swedes.

Schweden fest Tyskland — Attack!!! Sooo cool done at Schwedenfest in Wismar

Attractions in Wismar

Of course, there are sights in Wismar to check out. The Market Square is actually the largest square in northern Germany, and the Alter Schwede restaurant is located here in the oldest building in Wismar. It also houses the Schabbelhaus museum and the Vismarer wasserkunst, which was a water reservoir for the town's breweries.

There are quite a few old brick houses and one of them is the Furstenhof, which is beautifully decorated in terracotta. There are also several impressive churches, such as St Mary's Church and St George's Church.

Wismar kanon — The cannon will be on the cobblestone streets ...

READ MORE: What to do in Germany - 26 experiences and attractions

Continued festivities

Wismar is not a very big town, but everywhere in the small centre it was obvious that there were festivities going on. All the outdoor cafes were open until late and the town was full of stalls selling beer, sausages, trinkets, clothes and various knick-knacks. Every shop and every small stand was flying Swedish flags so it almost felt a bit "home" ... A real schwedenfest in Wismar simply.

Schwenkgrill ("swinging grill") decorated with Swedish flags

Schweden fest Wismar — Micke, Peter, Kenneth, Helena and Christina

Karoliner — Even the carolinas get tired and need to rest

READ MORE: Beer in Germany - 6 beer-themed experiences
READ MORE: Festivals in Germany - now the festival season begins

Night in Wismar

We hung out at some of the outdoor cafes by the square, and in the evening we had breaded pike-perch at a simple fish restaurant by the harbour (Old Hansa Harbour). The evening ended with a really beautiful fireworks display at 11pm. Or ended and ended ... Christina's husband (who could not come earlier due to work) arrived in Wismar by plane and train at 01:00 at night, and a small party therefore waited until late at night.

Don't miss out on the blog again, as we will of course tell you more, including about the town of Wismar and the campsite. You can also take a look at the blog Adventures with Xoe and Oliviawritten by Arne and Benita, who are also travelling with us. There you will find further reports!

Video for those who want to join the Schwedenfest in Wismar!

Facts about Wismar and Schwedenfest

Country: Germany
Language: German (some also speak English)
Currency: Euro
Price mode: A bit cheaper than Sweden
Residents: Wismar 43 000 (2018)
Time difference: None
Emergency number: 112
Religion: Christianity
El: Like Sweden
Water: Drinking beard
Tourist OfficeLübsche Str. 23a

Travelling to Wismar

Flight: Flights from Stockholm to Hamburg and there are direct flights every day that take 1 hour 35 minutes. Rent a car at Hamburg Airport and drive via A1 and A20 which takes 1.5 hours (134 km) to Wismar.
Car/caravan: Ferry Gothenburg-Kiel with Stena Line (car from Kiel via A20 takes 1 h 40 min), ferry Trelleborg-Rostock with Stena Line (car from Rostock via A20 takes 50 min) or ferry Trelleborg-Sassnitz with Stena Line (car from Sassnitz via A20 takes 2 h 20 min).

Food and drink in Wismar

Old Swede at Am Markt 22 is located on the square and is the oldest building in Wismar.
Restaurant and café Schwedenwache at Am Markt 9 is also located on the main square.

Accommodation in Wismar

Hotel: There are many different hotels in Wismar. Search for example on Hotels.com. The Steigenberger Hotel Stadt Hamburg at Am Markt 24 is located in the centre of the square in Wismar.
Camping: Ostsee camping Zierow on Strandstr. 19 c we stayed at during our stay. Drive via Lübsche Str towards Wismar and it takes 15 minutes and is 8.8 km.
Parking space: Wohnmobilpark Westhafen in Wismar at Schiffbauerdamm 12 is a caravan park.

Helena

20 August 2017 6:00

Germany

festival, history, Motorhome holiday Germany, experiences in Europe

Helena

Administrator

34 Comments

Add yours →

Mr Steve says:

Nice party, but a bit too belligerent. But that's how it was in those days.

20 August 2017 - 9:49

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It was probably like that back then ... much nicer today! 😉
  
  20 August 2017 - 14:23
  
  Reply
4000mil says:

It looks really nice, that one. I like history, and I know German, so I think I would have enjoyed it! 🙂

20 August 2017 - 10:09

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  I think you would do that! And German definitely helps 🙂
  
  20 August 2017 - 14:24
  
  Reply
Husis blog says:

How nice that the owners can enjoy the city again, but in a different way and, above all, with a completely different theme.

20 August 2017 - 10:36

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  A completely different theme this weekend ... fun to be part of! 🙂
  
  20 August 2017 - 14:32
  
  Reply
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Well, now you know all about the Swedes' wild ride in Europe. But you must have had fun

20 August 2017 - 10:43

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It is hopeless to keep up with all the tours back and forth through history, I think, but you learn a little more each time! 🙂
  
  20 August 2017 - 14:33
  
  Reply
Ditte says:

What fun to be part of this. And it's great to be in the centre of history.
Stay well!

20 August 2017 - 11:33

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It's like being in the middle of a theatre performance 🙂.
  
  20 August 2017 - 15:49
  
  Reply
Lena & Jan says:

Does the celebration prove that the Swedes did not behave too badly after all, as it is celebrated, or do I misunderstand that it is instead celebrated because the Swedes gave back the area?

20 August 2017 - 13:32

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It is said that they celebrate to remember the years Wismar belonged to Sweden. The Swedes built a lot, among other things, and there is a Swedish history here that is celebrated. On the other hand, the celebrations are always close to the date when Mecklenburg retook the town.
  
  20 August 2017 - 15:52
  
  Reply
Snows says:

What a great feeling to be at the centre of this historic celebration! Sweden has been very involved in these areas.

Happy Sunday!

20 August 2017 - 15:13

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Really! Nice to be part of Swedish history outside of Sweden 🙂 ðŸ™'
  
  20 August 2017 - 15:52
  
  Reply
Matts Torebring says:

Nice and historical, to move on former old Swedish lands.

20 August 2017 - 16:31

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  At times it felt like a very historic weekend! 🙂
  
  20 August 2017 - 23:58
  
  Reply
Åsa says:

Haha! Schwedenfest! That doesn't sound entirely clean these days, does it? 😉

20 August 2017 - 18:12

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Haha, well, I see nothing wrong with celebrating historical events (as long as you don't have a dubious agenda) 😉.
  
  21 August 2017 - 0:01
  
  Reply
LinizTravel says:

What a nice trip! You barely got home 😉 hope to see you soon?! Hugs

20 August 2017 - 19:47

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  I managed to work three days between Switzerland and Germany ... 😉 Guess the "event season" starts soon, so I'll probably see you then 😉 .
  
  21 August 2017 - 0:02
  
  Reply
BP says:

Wismar really seems to be a cosy town. Also, I spontaneously thought of the Carolinians whose holding of the weapons was not very organised;-)
I recognise that grill from the food festival at Sergels Torg. You see - history is not my thing;-)

20 August 2017 - 20:07

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It is skilful to find other things to focus on in the pictures when you are not interested in history 😉 .
  
  21 August 2017 - 0:03
  
  Reply
Dryden - Traveller's Edition says:

Go Sweden fresh mood!

20 August 2017 - 23:03

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Haha, right? 😉
  
  21 August 2017 - 0:03
  
  Reply
Kjell/Dessan says:

We were there a few years ago, and there was also a Swedish party ?great little town?

21 August 2017 - 6:03

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  How nice that you were there at the same event 🙂 .
  
  22 August 2017 - 7:45
  
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Veiken says:

Sweden advances! Fun with a bit of history. Imagine celebrating Sweden in this way in Wismar!

21 August 2017 - 8:18

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, but isn't it? We were very surprised when we first heard about it!
  
  22 August 2017 - 7:45
  
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Motorhome Helge says:

Lovely party in old Swedish parts. Always fun with historical elements, no matter what type, when travelling. In addition, Wismar has so many buildings with exciting history.

21 August 2017 - 11:18

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Agreed! Wismar is a nice and interesting city in itself!
  
  22 August 2017 - 7:46
  
  Reply
Christina & Måns says:

Thank you very much for a nice stay at the campsite in Otsee and in Wismar. Almost forgot the trips across the Baltic Sea and the Boarder shop... We defied the rain and kept our spirits up? Big hug to all of you who were on this trip ? Hope to see you again on new adventures❤.

21 August 2017 - 19:10

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Thank you! So much fun that you wanted to come along and you really contributed to a nice and happy atmosphere with the mood on top, despite all the rain! Have a great time! Hugs
  
  22 August 2017 - 7:47
  
  Reply
Johan Persson says:

Such a fun thing! Must go there next year:)

23 August 2017 - 22:43

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Lots of other stuff and some concrete says:

So fun to travel so many together! You seem to have had a great time!

Greetings Agneta

25 August 2017 - 11:21

Reply

Schwedenfest in Wismar, Germany

From the campsite to Wismar

Schwedenfest in Wismar

Swedes and Wismar

UNESCO World Heritage List

Attractions in Wismar

Continued festivities

Night in Wismar

Facts about Wismar and Schwedenfest

Travelling to Wismar

Food and drink in Wismar

Accommodation in Wismar

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34 Comments

Mr Steve says:

Helena says:

4000mil says:

Helena says:

Husis blog says:

Helena says:

Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Helena says:

Ditte says:

Helena says:

Lena & Jan says:

Helena says:

Snows says:

Helena says:

Matts Torebring says:

Helena says:

Åsa says:

Helena says:

LinizTravel says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Dryden - Traveller's Edition says:

Helena says:

Kjell/Dessan says:

Helena says:

Veiken says:

Helena says:

Motorhome Helge says:

Helena says:

Christina & Måns says:

Helena says:

Johan Persson says:

Lots of other stuff and some concrete says:

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