Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Ten Destinations to Visit in Sweden in 2022
Photo: Paul Björkman
The capital of fika – with a whole lot more to offer Alingsås is a small town in the western part of Sweden, about 45 kilometres east of Gothenburg, and is known to the rest of the world as the capital of fika. The town has a long fika and café history, which is still prominent in the town’s traditions and ways of living. The concept ‘shop and fika’, meaning that you stop for some coffee or tea and, for example, a cinnamon bun when you are out doing your shopping, is still a common and popular thing. By Hanna Andersson
“The fika tradition started in the 18th century. Alingsås was industrialised early, and women had to go and work in the factories. They didn’t have time to stay at home and bake for the men anymore, and a number of local bakeries opened up, creating this long-standing tradition,” says Frida Rydenskog, tourism coordinator in Alingsås. The Fika Tour Because of the town’s many cafés and love of fika, the Alingsås Tourism 72 | Issue 138 | January 2022
Association has created the very popular ‘Fika Tour’. On this tour, the participants are taken on a guided walk through the town, visiting popular cafés and hearing about the history. The tour includes, among other things, a visit to the oldest café in town, which is still up and running, as well as a sit-down fika session at Grand Hotel. The baked goods you’ll enjoy during the tour include classics such as cinnamon buns, a Swedish smörgåsbord, and ‘sju sorters kakor’ – or ‘seven kinds of biscuits’ – a tradition from the late 19th
century, which indicates how many different biscuits it was considered appropriate to offer your guests. “The pastries are made by local bakeries, which guarantees a high quality. Three of the cafés you visit on the tour are listed in the White Guide, and the common thread is definitely Sweden: Swedish classics and Swedish craftsmanship. After the tour, you’ll have not just tasted some delicious pastries, but also learnt a lot about the Swedish way of life,” says Rydenskog. “If you want to learn even more about the Swedes, there’s a concept called ‘meet a local’, where you can meet up with one of the locals and join them for a hike with their dog, maybe cook some typical Swedish food, or just have a chat over a fika,” she adds. “It’s a lovely way of sharing our culture and traditions.”
