What is it like to visit the Carl Larsson farm in Sundborn? This artist's home was a absolutely must during our campervan trip in Dalarna. Here we tell you about the artist couple, the visit and the gems you don't want to miss.
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Carl Larsson farm in Sundborn
The Carl Larsson farm in Sundborn is the home where the artists Carl and Karin Larsson lived and worked. Today, the home is a well-preserved and very popular attraction, both for Swedish and foreign tourists.
The Carl Larsson farm is located in Sundborn, about 14 kilometres northeast of Falun, in eastern Dalarna.
The story of Carl and Karin Larsson
Carl Larsson was born in Old Town in Stockholm in 1853, in a very poor family. His upbringing was tough, but Carl's artistic talent offered a bright spot. He was encouraged to apply to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts via the poor school, and in time he became a good student.
After the Academy, Carl worked as an illustrator for books and newspapers, and he spent several years in Paris without succeeding in establishing himself as an artist. The turning point came in 1882, when he travelled to the Scandinavian artists' colony Grez outside Paris. Here he met his future wife Karin Bergöö, and switched from oil to watercolour.
Karin Bergöö was born in 1859 and grew up in Hallsberg, with a father who was a successful merchant. Karin began studying at the Slöjdskolan in Stockholm, but wanted to go further and went to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts - a journey that was not entirely common for a woman at that time. In Grez she met Carl and fell in love ...
The Carl and Carin Larsson family
Carl and Karin Larsson married in 1883 and had a total of eight children. In 1888, Karin's father gave the family a small house - Lilla Hyttnäs in Sundborn - which became the couple's joint art project.
Karin stopped painting, as Carl didn't want competition, and instead devoted her energy to her large family. However, she did not stop being creative. Karin decorated the home, in a way that was considered very bold at the time. She also created textiles that were colourful, unique and ahead of their time, anticipating abstract textile art.
One of the most famous artists' residences in the world
Lilla Hyttnäs in Sundborn, the Carl Larsson farm, is today one of the world's most famous artists' homes. Carl's beloved watercolours show the free style of the interior and the lively family life, and the paintings have almost become a symbol of Sweden.
Being an artist was a joint project. She created the home, and he depicted it.
Visiting Sundborn in Dalarna
Sundborn is a charming little town, filled with idyllic red wooden houses that are beautifully reflected in the Sundborn River. The small town is characterised by the major attraction, the Carl Larsson farm, and during the high season most people can park in a larger car park about 500 metres from the farm, and then walk.
Visiting the Carl Larsson farm - a guided tour
Visiting the Carl Larsson farm is interesting and fascinating. However, be prepared for this to be a real tourist magnet! During the high season, a guided tour is arranged every 10 minutes and in the small visitor centre, where you will find the ticket office and shop, it felt almost hectic and stressful.
We were gathered by the guide for our timeslot and given rules of behaviour - see but don't touch, no bags (I had to hand in my tiny handbag in exchange for a clothespin) and no photos inside.
During the guided tour, you will see large parts of the house, but not all of it. Part of the house is still a private residence, managed by a family association. Several hundred relatives share the accommodation, and sometimes someone is present.
During the guided tour, we saw the different rooms of the house, admired Karin's textile art and heard anecdotes from the family's life. As photography is not allowed indoors, we show two press photos. You'll see the rest when you visit the Carl Larsson farm yourself!
Visiting the Carl Larsson farm - garden and creative workshop
Carl and Karin Larsson were also committed to their garden, which was depicted in many different works of art. The garden was recreated in 2014, and those who wish can book a specific garden tour.
During the high season, a creative workshop is also organised, where 2- to 16-year-olds are invited to paint together with educators.
Exhibition and portrait collection
A short walk from the Carl Larsson farm is Konsthallen Kvarnen. The exhibition "Mera fröjd af lifvet!", which is included in the ticket price and tells the story of the celebrity couple and their social life, is currently on display here (summer 2024).
A very nice and interesting exhibition it turned out! In addition, there is a portrait collection nearby, which was closed on the day of our visit.
A fascinating part of the exhibition featured a wall showing how important people of the time - artists, writers, entrepreneurs and royalty - were connected to each other, through kinship, love or work.
More to see and do in the neighbourhood
We really found it interesting and well worth visiting the Carl-Larsson farm in Sundborn! If you want to see more in the neighbourhood we can recommend a visit to Falu mine and Falun World Heritage Site. It is also well worth discovering Leksand and Rättvik on the shores of Lake Siljan.
Have you visited the Carl Larsson farm in Sundborn?
Have you visited the Carl Larsson farm in Sundborn? How was your experience? Please share in the form of a comment!
Facts about the Carl Larsson farm in Sundborn
- Landscape: Dalarna
- County: Dalarna County
- Municipality: Falu municipality
- Location: The Carl Larsson farm is located in Sundborn, about 14 kilometres northeast of Falun in eastern Dalarna.
Good to know when visiting the Carl Larsson farm in Sundborn
- Opening hours: The garden is open all year round. The house is only open for guided tours, which are booked on the attraction's website.
- Guided tours: Guided tours are organised all year round, every 10 minutes in high season and less frequently in low season. Guided tours are also available in other languages (English, German, French), as well as children's tours, garden tours and themed tours.
- Price: Guided tours of the building currently (2024) cost SEK 250 for adults, SEK 200 for pensioners and students and SEK 70 for children aged 6-16. In addition, there is a service charge of SEK 10-20 per person.
- Rules: You are not allowed to bring a bag into the house, and you are not allowed to take photos inside the house. Leashed dogs are welcome in the garden, but not inside.
- Service: Museum shop and design shop at Konsthallen Kvarnen (only open in summer). Restaurant and café in Hyttstugan, nearby.
- Parking: During the high season there is parking at the beginning of the village on the right side. During the low season there is parking just above the Carl Larsson farm. Those with a parking permit due to a mobility impairment can park on the right before the entrance.
- Accessibility: The house is a listed building and is not suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs or walkers. The garden can be visited with a walker, wheelchair or pushchair. There is an accessible toilet.
- Read more: You can find more information at carllarsson.se
You might also like:
Trolls in Gamleby - Friends of the Garpe Sculpture Park
Art in Sweden - 12 art experiences
Visiting Zorngården and the Zorn Museum in Mora - fascinating!
Visiting the Falu mine - a Unesco World Heritage Site
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Monica says:
It's fun to see everything there. And we have visited pretty much everything you do on this trip. One thing we've noticed is that the guides have not been exactly top friendly, so to speak. A bit grumpy so people have gone silent and ask no questions. Even at Mårbacka, the experience was almost ruined by it and it was a relief to walk in the garden later. The exception was Hälsingland, where they were nice everywhere. And in Dalsland as well.
Here, they may be incredibly tired of people but then you are not fit for the job.
24 July 2024 - 9:49
Helena says:
Glad you visited most places on this trip, many nice places! Sad with the guides ... We have mostly had fantastic guides, both in Hälsingland and in Dalarna. Here at the Carl Larsson farm, however, I can agree that it felt a bit "stressful". More focus on safety precautions and rules (of course important too) than on nice and happy atmosphere in the group ... Probably so many tourists so it becomes a bit "industry" over it all. However, we only had that experience here, not at Zorngården, Hildasholm or Falu mine. We have not visited Mårbacka ...
25 July 2024 - 7:05
Monica says:
It's great that you've been there - it's on our bucket list! But could the guide (or where does the information come from?) really have said that Karin stopped painting because Carl "didn't want competition"?
All other evidence suggests that this was a completely unanimous decision - that the many children and the innovative creative decoration of the home were important to Karin was their common understanding. She was a remarkably free and independent spirit with a very liberal upbringing for the time - her parents greatly encouraged her artistic talent and allowed her to move to Paris on her own at a very young age to study art. She and Carl had a rare happy marriage and without her (as a critic and inspiration) Carl would never have reached the position of being the foremost Swedish painter of his time. Have you seen the recent programme about the two of them on TV? It's on Play and is well worth watching!
25 July 2024 - 11:32
Helena says:
Hi Monica! Yes, the guide specifically said that Carl "did not want competition within the family". I remember this very well because I reacted to it. But, apart from the fact that the guide said this, I have no source for it, and I myself have no knowledge of how it was.
25 July 2024 - 13:16
Monica says:
I guess I can call myself Monica 2, the first comment is not mine, but the second is!
25 July 2024 - 11:34
Helena says:
Hello again Monica! I (Helena) can see who is commenting because I can see your e-mail addresses (if you choose to give them) but it is not visible to the outside world.
25 July 2024 - 13:17
Monica says:
Here is Monica 1, haha. Well about Karin we have heard this countless times that she had to stand back with her artistry that could surpass Carl's by far. I think she has it written down too. And many art connoisseurs believe that she would have been fantastic if she had continued. But it is not so unusual for women to be affected in this way. Then maybe she thought life was fantastic anyway. Even in the Old Town it is pointed out when walks go to his childhood house there.
There are other Swedish examples where the woman was able to outsmart her husband, so he quickly had her committed to a mental hospital and without recourse.
25 July 2024 - 14:52
Ann-Louise Paulsson says:
I visited Sundborn 19 years ago but even though it's been so long it's still in my top three favourite places in Sweden. We had a fantastic guide and it was so exciting to hear about Carl and Karin's life and to see the inside of the house. Would love to go back.
29 July 2024 - 8:20