Villas in Blekinge

Olofström and Holmsjö have forest-lake cottages, while Karlshamn, Ronneby and Jämjö put you near Blekinge's island-dotted coast. Blekinge is one of Sweden's smallest provinces, so nothing is far: Karlskrona is under an hour from most cottages. Copenhagen airport is around two to three hours away.

Where

Villas: 51
From, per week: £177
Cheapest month: October
Nearest airports: Copenhagen, around two hours from London, is two to three hours by car over the Öresund bridge, depending on how far east you stay. Ronneby airport has flights from Stockholm, so it works with a change. Driving from the UK through Denmark is a long day, but many people do it.

Where to stay in Blekinge

Olofström and Kyrkhult (north-west)

Olofström has the most of our Blekinge cottages. It is an industrial town, home to a large Volvo plant, set among long lakes such as Halen, with beaches and canoe routes north into the forest. Kyrkhult is a village a short drive west, near the border with Skåne. Karlshamn is about 40 minutes away, and Copenhagen airport is roughly two hours by car.

Best for: Lake swimming, canoeing and walking in beech and spruce forest

Not for you if: You want the sea outside the door: the coast is around 40 minutes south.

Holmsjö, Eringsboda and Backaryd (inland lakes)

This is the forested middle of Blekinge, north of Ronneby and Karlskrona, with small lakes, gravel roads and moose in the woods. Holmsjö has several cottages close to the water, and Eringsboda, Backaryd and Fågelmara are scattered hamlets. Ronneby is around half an hour away, Karlskrona about 40 minutes. Fishing licences for the local lakes are sold by the day or week.

Best for: Remote lake cottages with a rowing boat and few neighbours

Not for you if: You want shops nearby: the villages have little more than a store.

Karlshamn, Asarum and Mörrum (west coast)

Karlshamn is a harbour town with an old centre and, in summer, boats out to the Kastellet fortress on an island in the archipelago. Mörrum and Svängsta sit on the Mörrumsån, one of Sweden's best-known salmon rivers, with permits sold by the day. Asarum runs into Karlshamn from the north. Hällevik, a fishing village on the Listerlandet peninsula, is around half an hour west.

Best for: Salmon fishing, harbour town evenings and island boats

Not for you if: You want long sandy beaches: the shore here is mostly rock with small bathing spots.

Ronneby and Bräkne-Hoby (central coast)

Ronneby has a riverside old town and Brunnsparken, a 19th-century spa park with gardens and walking trails. Summer boats run out to islands such as Karön from the harbour. Bräkne-Hoby, Listerby and Johannishus are villages along the main road between Ronneby and Karlshamn, with farmland and forest on one side and the coast on the other. Ronneby airport is about ten minutes from town.

Best for: Easy access to Ronneby airport and the archipelago

Not for you if: You want a quiet airfield: Ronneby is also an air force base.

Jämjö, Nättraby and Tving (around Karlskrona)

Karlskrona, the naval base town built on islands, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a large naval museum and summer boats through the archipelago. Nättraby is about ten minutes west, and Jämjö a similar distance east, near the old walled village of Kristianopel. Tving is inland, among woods and lakes. Ronneby airport is around 20 to 30 minutes away.

Best for: Archipelago boat trips and the old naval town

Not for you if: You want lake swimming: these cottages are near the sea or in farmland.

When to go to Blekinge

June to August is the season, when island boats and harbour cafes run and the Baltic is warm enough for a swim, usually from July. Swedish families holiday from Midsummer through July, so book early for that stretch. Salmon fishing on the Mörrumsån runs from spring into autumn. September is quiet and good for walking, cycling and mushrooms, but most archipelago boats stop. Winters are mild for Sweden, grey and damp, with unreliable snow.