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Sydostleden Bike Tour

6 days / 5 nights

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Cycle from the lakes of Småland to the Baltic and on to Ystad: forest roads, the Blekinge coast and Österlen's orchard hills on Sweden's second national route.

Starting Point

Växjö

Finish Point

Ystad

Activity Level

2/5

Season

From May to September

Bike Type

Trekking Bike / E-Bike

Accommodation Level

Comfort

Daily Distance

33 – 40 mi

Daily Elevation

919 ft

Highlights

  • Reach Lake Åsnen, a national park since 2018, at the end of the first day
  • Sleep in Karlshamn, a 17th-century harbour town with a fortress island in its bay
  • Cross the 756-metre cycle bridge over the bay at Sölvesborg
  • Visit the visitor centre built out over the river in Kristianstad's wetlands
  • Climb the Brösarp hills into apple country and sleep by the harbour in Kivik
  • Finish in Ystad, whose half-timbered lanes were Wallander's beat
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What’s included in the price?

Accommodation levelComfort

Carefully selected 3- and 4-star hotels, guesthouses, and B&Bs, all with private en-suite rooms and breakfast included. Expect comfortable, well-appointed rooms with attentive hospitality, typically in convenient and scenic locations — some properties also offer on-site dining.

Sweden's second national cycle route has an unusual shape: it starts in the middle of a forest and ends on a beach. From Växjö, among the lakes of Småland, the Sydostleden runs south to the Baltic at Karlshamn, then west along the Blekinge coast and down into Skåne. Our version finishes in Ystad, five riding days and 267 km later.

Three landscapes, one after the other. Lake and forest first: Åsnen's islands, small roads where the traffic is a tractor. Then the coast: Karlshamn's island fortress, the salmon river Mörrum, the long bridge at Sölvesborg, oak woods running down to inlets. Finally Österlen, the corner of Sweden that painters and cooks moved to: apple orchards, rolling hills at Brösarp, fishing villages at Vitemölla and Kivik.

The riding stays flat for the first three days, on cycle paths, old railway beds and quiet lanes; the hills of Österlen arrive on the last two, and none of them is long. A trekking bike is enough, and an e-bike flattens them.

Everything except the pedalling is arranged: hotels, luggage transfer, the bike and the route on your phone.

Ystad is also the first night of the Sydkustleden, so the two routes can be joined: ride the Sydostleden to Ystad, then carry on west along the south coast to Helsingborg.

It is the quietest of our five Swedish routes, and the one to choose if you want forest before you want sea.

Frequently Asked Questions

The route is planned, the hotels are booked and your bag is moved every day, but no group and no guide sets the pace. You leave when you like, stop where you like and ride each stage on your own schedule.

What we do sits out of sight: the accommodation, the daily luggage transfer, the GPS route in the navigation app and a support line that is open around the clock. The freedom of a trip you planned yourself, without the planning.

Every tour carries a fitness rating from 1 to 5:

  1. Short, flat days on cycle paths, fine for anyone who rides now and then

  2. Flat to gently rolling, 50–70 km a day, comfortable for regular leisure riders

  3. Longer days or some hills, best with a little training

  4. Sustained distance and climbing for fit cyclists

  5. Mountain terrain for experienced riders

Sweden sits at the easy end. The Sydkustleden is rated 1; the Kattegattleden, Sydostleden and Vänerleden are rated 2 for one or two longer days, and so is the Göta Canal tour, for its two days round Lake Vättern. An e-bike softens any of them.

Swedish coastal hotels are small and sell out early, so we book from a vetted list in each town instead of promising one property months ahead. You get the exact names the moment your booking is confirmed.

Our routes mix asphalt cycle paths, gravel towpaths and quiet country roads, so:

  • Trekking bike: the ideal machine, with wider tyres, mudguards and a rack

  • E-bike: suits all our routes and takes the sting out of coastal headwinds

  • Leave road and mountain bikes home; the first struggles on the canal gravel, the second is more than you need

Bringing your own? Fit tyres of 35 mm or wider.

Yes. E-bikes and comfortable trekking bikes come from local partners, brought to your first hotel and picked up at your last, so a one-way route costs you no extra logistics. Each bike has a lock, a pannier and a repair kit; helmets and child seats on request. Tell us your height at booking and the bike is sized before you arrive.

Sweden is an easy country for special diets: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free options are standard at hotel breakfasts and clearly labelled in shops, and restaurants must tell you which allergens a dish contains. Give us the details when you book and every hotel on your route hears about them.

Mid-May to late September. June brings the longest days and the quietest paths; July is the warmest month and the busiest on the coast; late August and September bring warm sea water, ripe orchards and empty beaches.

If you are choosing between the first and last weeks of the season, take the canal: its towpaths dry out fastest.

Showers pass quickly on the Swedish coast and shelter is never far. A light rain jacket and mudguards cover a normal day. If the wind or rain is more than that, one call to our support line and we shorten the stage or find another way to your next hotel.

Hassle-Free

We handle itineraries, accommodations, and anything else you prefer not to deal with, so you can enjoy a carefree holiday.

Tried & Tested Adventures

Our cycling routes are hand-picked & tested, to ensure breathtaking landscapes, smooth roads, and maximum safety - giving you the perfect ride every day.

Unbeatable Support

Our 24/7 customer support is where we show our passion, ensuring your cycling holiday runs smoothly and your well-being is always our top priority.

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We are a financially protected company, fully bonded and insured, keeping your money safe and allowing you to travel with confidence.