SuZan Klassen

Välkommen to the tiny town of Lindsborg, Kansas, nicknamed, “Little Sweden.” Every few years, my husband and I enjoy staying at the Swedish Country Inn.
We return because the inn holds charm for us, as does the town and its residents.

We first stayed there about twenty years ago when the inn was newly decorated with light-colored northern pine furniture from Sweden—all of it in traditional folk style. Beautiful quilts covered every bed and hand-painted cabinets hung in every room.

Another reason we keep coming back to this inn is for the yummy breakfast. The main attraction is the Swedish Tea Ring or Cardamon Bread (as I was taught to call it). Delicious!

After our underbar breakfast we stopped at one of the nearby coffee shops. Another thing I love about small towns. Friends and neighbors gather to socialize. The shop we chose was full when we entered.

Not far from the coffee shop, we discovered this charming inn for sale. Word around town—the interior of this Victorian matches the exterior. “Gorgeous,” is what I heard.

Travel Tips
Plan to spend at least one full day and night to enjoy this town
Rent a Quad Cycle and tour while you exercise.
Consider these places to visit:
• Bethany College Campus
• 1904 World’s Fair Swedish Pavilion
• Historic Bethany Lutheran Church
• Old Mill Museum
• Art Galleries and Studios
• Coffee Shops (at least 2, Swedes LOVE their coffee)
• Shops, Bakeries, and Restaurants
See Lindsborg’s Convention & Visitors’ Bureau website for more information.

Travel Light Humor
Ordinarily we’d stay longer, but on this trip we only spent the night. We contented ourselves with an evening stroll around the main area of town. The shops were all closed of course, but we enjoyed ourselves since we caught sight of some Wild Dala Horses grazing on Main Street.

What is a dala horse? So glad you asked. The Dala Horse is recognized as an unofficial symbol of Sweden throughout Swedish-America. The name comes from its home province of origin, Dalarna, in central Sweden.

Most horses are painted the traditional reddish color (see featured photo) with the flower-patterned saddle, but blue, black, and natural are also seen.

However, these wild “beauties” bear resemblance in shape only to their domesticated cousins. Unlike the ethnic handicraft, they are painted in unconventional ways. The herd roams free throughout Lindsborg. The Lindsborg Convention & Visitors’ Bureau offers a guide to help you locate each one.
 
By the way, my favorite wild Dala (so far, we didn’t see them all) is the one on the bottom left. Which one is your favorite?

Until next time…Travel Light,
SuZan
© 2016 SuZan Klassen