This small museum is housed in a building long associated with Christopher Columbus, who is believed to have lived here after marrying Filipa de Moniz, the daughter of Porto Santo’s first captain. Step inside to explore exhibits on Columbus and his family, the age of Atlantic exploration, and the Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch maritime empires. Highlights include a surviving 16th-century stone wall with Gothic windows, offering a glimpse into the house’s earliest days.

Along the coast, the archipelago turns into sandy beaches by the time you reach the western corner of the county. Instead of an archipelago, it has beaches—many long ones with beautiful fine sand. In Sölvesborg, there is a beach for every day of the week and even more. Some of them are full of life and offer kiosks, restaurants, and playgrounds, while others are quiet and hidden.

When Västervik was founded at its current location in 1433 by Eric of Pomerania, the inhabitants were granted four tax-free years, the first of which was to build a church. Services were held here for nearly 500 years, with the last high mass on the Feast of Christ the King (Domssöndagen) in 1905. The new church, St Peter's, was consecrated on the first Advent of the same year. Since then, St Gertrud's was used for various purposes, including for grain storage during the First World War. Eventually, the idea to restore the church as a place of worship emerged, and St Gertrud's was re-consecrated on 18th June 1933. The church's original tower, destroyed by lightning during a service in 1762, was replaced in the 1780s by the current one, designed by the renowned architect Carl-Fredrik Adelcratz. Among the church's many valuable artefacts is a Wistenius organ from 1743, considered one of Sweden's most precious organs.

Take a boat trip or a hike through the lush, airy Xixi Wetland Park as part of a tour or on your own. Explore the abundant vegetation and wildlife, absorb the tranquility and grab a bite at one of the food stands in the compact shopping area next to the boat docks.