October 15, 2024, 9:21 am | Read time: 6 minutes

Dreams come true at the “Astrid Lindgrens Värld” theme park. Childhood heroes such as Pippi Longstocking, Emil in Lönneberga or Ronja the Robber’s Daughter are brought to life and fascinate with elaborate theater performances. A paradise that will not only make children’s eyes light up. TRAVELBOOK author Fiona Wink visited the park with her daughter and reports on her experiences.

After a few minutes, we reach a small, inconspicuous platform just outside a small town in southern Sweden. Apart from a few trees, all we see is a long queue of people. It stretches like an ant trail from the stationary train across a large parking lot to yellow flags waving in the wind. We follow the stream of people. A short time later, we are standing in front of the entrance to the popular amusement park. The yellow flags, which, on closer inspection, turn out to be flags with Pippi Longstocking’s big face on them, adorn both sides of the entrance gate.

We pay 870 crowns (375 for children aged between three and 14, 495 for people aged 15 and over), i.e., around 75 euros, for a day at the theme park. Admission for two or three days starts at around 90 euros for an adult and a child. And you can also spend the night in the children’s paradise – close to your childhood heroes. The price per night is between 119 and 320 euros for houses that can accommodate up to 13 people. If you come with your own motorhome, you can sleep more cheaply. For around 17 euros per night, there are pitches just 150 meters from the park entrance.

Children’s dreams come true in Astrid Lindgren’s Värld

Although the park only opened a few minutes ago, baby carriages are already bustling around behind the entrance. The summer sun bathes us in warmth as we embark on our adventure. Armed with an arsenal of sun cream and our trusty sun hats, we set off towards the whimsical Villa Villekulla. When we reach the large arena, in the middle of which stands the brightly colored Villa Villekulla, one of my daughter’s long-awaited dreams comes true. We see Pippi Longstocking.

Together with Tommy and Anika, she jumps around the colorful house, feeds the horse “Little Uncle”, who stands relaxed on the veranda, and sings “Hey Pippi Longstocking”. The play unfolds in a whirlwind of action and laughter. Clumsy burglars are chased away by Pippi in a charmingly funny way. The strict teacher tries in vain to get Pippi to go to school. The audience erupts in delight, thoroughly captivated by the performance. When Pippi runs through the rows of seats and begins to play with the children, the children’s joy knows no bounds. Laughing, they follow the actress around every corner, down every slide, clap their hands and seem to forget everything else around them. There is an expedition to the pirate ship “Hoppetosse”, guessing games, and a lively game of tag and hide-and-seek.

Noisy Village and the Mattis’ Castle from Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter

The general rule in the park is to use fantasy instead of technology. There are deliberately no rides in Astrid Lindgrens Värld. The focus is solely on the book characters created by Astrid Lindgren. In addition to a lovingly designed Noisy Village landscape, you can also marvel at the spooky Mattis’ Castle from “Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter”. Ronja’s bed, the cooking area, the dungeon in the cellar – everything is close enough to touch. During the regular performances, the backdrop is transformed into a magical place that brings the Swedish author’s stories to life. The exciting adventures of the robber’s daughter, who has to face various mythical creatures, are shown. When the wild druids scream from the castle tower or Lovis, Ronja’s mother, sings the “wolf song”, emotions run high for many viewers.

Lots of laughs, great music and impressive dancing you see at Katthult Farm, the home of Emil in Lönneberga. When Ida, Emil’s little sister, dangles from the flagpole or the bowl of soup just won’t go come off Emil’s head, the children’s eyes grow wide. Mardie (Madicken) and her little sister Lisbet also get up to all sorts of mischief in the idyllic Swedish countryside during the show in Junedale.

The performance of the Brothers Lionheart, who bravely fight against the evil tyrant Tengil, is also spectacular. The famous Potmaker Street (or Troublemaker Street), where Lotta lives, Brenda Brave’s house, and a miniature Swedish town complete the Astrid Lindgren experience. Children can play and run around to their hearts’ content. They can cook in small play kitchens, and re-enact the lives of their favorite characters. There is also a play barn with lots of hay, slides and playgrounds. As well as small rafts that can be pulled across a stream. It seems almost impossible to uncover all the park’s hidden treasures in just one visit.

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Delicious snacks and numerous souvenirs

In addition to the impressive performances, there are all kinds of delicacies to buy in the amusement park. From the candy shop’s sugary delights to the savory waffles and hearty meals served in cozy restaurants, there’s a treat to satisfy every craving. The selection is just as plentiful in the many small stores. In those, you can buy the Astrid Lindgren books in several languages, as well as numerous other souvenir items.

As the day draws to a close, filled with the memory of spectacular performances, the sweet taste of candies and cinnamon buns, and the unique flavor of licorice ice cream, my daughter and I make our way back to the twinkling lights of Vimmerby’s town center. It is already dark, she is tired and at the same time full of euphoria after all the impressions. We weren’t able to explore everything in “Astrid Lindgrens Värld” during the long day. So we immediately agree: this was not our last visit to this magical children’s paradise.