Växjö in One Day: Airport Bus, Cathedral, Lakes and a Six-Hour Layover in Sweden

I needed to get from Alicante back to London on a bank holiday weekend, when a direct one-way ticket was quoting around £400–$500. Instead I flew Alicante–Växjö–London for a fraction of that and spent six hours in the Swedish city of Växjö — airport bus, cathedral, lakes and a long sunny wander. Here is the film:

Land at Växjö Småland Airport

Växjö Småland Airport — small enough that Swedish hospitality still feels personal.

Växjö Småland Airport (VXO) is a tiny regional terminal about eight kilometres from the centre. I landed, got an unlimited-refill coffee, charged a dead phone, and asked at the information desk where I could leave my bag. Camila behind the desk offered to look after it herself. That would not happen at a big English airport. The bus into town — Länstrafiken Kronoberg line 4 — was leaving often enough that missing one did not matter; when I filmed, buses ran about every 20 minutes. I paid 30 kronor for the ride into town. Fares move: as of early 2026 an adult single on the self-service channel is around 34 kronor, with the same city rules as the rest of Växjö. The ride takes roughly 20–25 minutes to Stortorget and the Resecentrum.

The Skyscanner 'anywhere' trick

The reason I was here at all was a flexible search. On Skyscanner I set London (or Alicante) to 'Everywhere', picked a month rather than a fixed date when I could, and looked for cheap one-ways. Then from that city I searched to Everywhere again. Chain enough cheap hops and you can cross a continent for less than one 'sensible' ticket. My Alicante–Växjö–London pair cost about £25 for both flights instead of £400 for the direct. You need time — I had six hours on the ground — and you will end up in places you never planned to visit. That is the point.

Vikingagatan to the centre

I got off a couple of stops early at Vikingagatan and walked the rest. The outskirts look like any small Swedish city: car showrooms, retail sheds, then wooden houses that reminded me of living in Norway. Växjö is also known for the Swedish Emigrant Institute / House of Emigrants, which tells the story of Swedes who left for America — a useful stop if you have a longer layover than I did.

Tegnérkyrkogården and the bell tower

Tegnérkyrkogården, a green historic cemetery in the middle of Växjö.

I have a fondness for graveyards, and Tegnérkyrkogården is a beauty: a leafy burial ground about 500 metres west of the cathedral, opened in the early nineteenth century when burials moved away from the churchyard. On a blue-sky day it is one of the loveliest short walks in town. Nearby I also found the freestanding bell tower — a striking wooden structure that photographs well and sits in the same historic fabric as the cathedral quarter.

Växjö Cathedral, gardens and lakes

Växjö Cathedral — twin copper spires and the city's landmark profile.

The cathedral's twin copper spires give Växjö its skyline. The first stone church here goes back to the late twelfth century, linked in legend to Saint Sigfrid; the building has been rebuilt after fires and heavily restored in the twentieth century, with a lot of modern glass art inside. It stands in Linnéparken, close to Växjösjön. The city's name is usually explained from words for road and lake — a route over the frozen lake to the old marketplace. On a sunny Sunday the centre was quiet because locals head to the water; I zigzagged the cobbled streets, passed cafés on the main drag, and kept walking.

One of the lakes around Växjö — the city is built among them.

The parkland around the cathedral and down toward the lakes is the best part of a short stop: shade, water, and the kind of long northern summer light that makes even a layover feel intentional. I had lunch in town, browsed a supermarket before heading back, and still made my onward flight without hanging around the terminal.

My verdict

Six hours is enough to see that Växjö is worth more than a transit stamp. If your 'anywhere' search drops you here, take the line 4 bus, leave the bag if the desk will have it, walk Vikingagatan into the centre, and give the cathedral and the lakes the middle of the day. I would stay longer next time.

Changing money at the airport? Check Money Maps first

Sweden uses the krona, and if you are bringing pounds or euros to change, airport bureaux usually give the worst rates. Compare before you change cash at Växjö Småland Airport. Money Maps compares bureau de change and online exchange rates near you, on a map and in a list, and its 'You get' calculator shows what you would actually receive after fees. With Capture the Board you can snap a bureau's rate board to earn points towards prizes, and you can report wrong rates too. It is free on the App Store, and an Android version is coming.

Download Money Maps on the App Store

Stay connected on arrival

Sort your data before you fly, because you will want maps and bookings working the moment you land. I recommend Roamless for an eSIM you can set up at home. Use code ENGLISHMAN50 for 50% off.

Where to stay in Växjö

Use the map below to compare places to stay in Växjö, or browse hotels on Booking.com and Airbnb:

Things to do in Växjö

Browse tours and activities near Växjö on Viator:

Plan your trip

• Hotels: Booking.com

• Apartments: Airbnb

• Tours and activities: Viator

• Private transfer: GetTransfer

• eSIM: Roamless (code ENGLISHMAN50 for 50% off)

Flights

Flying in? Compare fares to Växjö or Stockholm below.

Sources: my six-hour layover in Växjö on film (September 2022), including the airport hospitality, bus ride and Skyscanner routing; airport bus line 4 and current fare guidance from Småland Airport and Länstrafiken Kronoberg (checked November 2026); cathedral and Tegnérkyrkogården from Visit Växjö / Church of Sweden and Wikipedia's Växjö Cathedral article. I left out unverified crime and arson claims from the film. Fares and times change, so check before you travel.

Photos: Småland Airport by Skistar (CC BY-SA 3.0); Tegnérkyrkogården by Lesnydzban (CC BY 4.0); Växjö Cathedral by AleWi (CC BY-SA 4.0); lake near Växjö by Jacek Lesniowski (CC BY-SA 3.0); all via Wikimedia Commons.

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Safe travels, The Wondering Englishman