I had one full week in Öland, so I knew I would have ample time to fully explore and comprehend this somewhat elusive WHS. My ancestors are from 2 small villages Northeast of Borholm. Moreover, since this was Midsummer, one of the most important holidays in Sweden, I was fairly busy meeting relatives, celebrating the holiday, visiting grave sites, and exploring the Northern portion of the Island via my cousins car.

Late June gave me nearly 18 hours of daylight, and at 8am I left Borholm for a truly all-day trip to every key portion of the inscribed area of Southern Öland. This took much research, including reading the vague nomination file, which rarely identifies specific sites and the pictures are hardly visible (captions). Here is a list of key places to help the would be traveller; there are indeed many more, but these are the major sites I visited.

Iron Age landscapes

- Gettlinge Grave Field

- Mysinge Grave Field

- Eketorp Fortress (reconstructed above foundations)

Viking Age

- Karlevi Runestone

Middle Ages

- Resmo Church

- Line Villages (Southeastern Öland, Nasby to Kvinneby)

- Gammalsby Coastlands (Sjomark)

Royal Hunting Reserve (17th Century)

- King Karl X Gustav 's Wall (1653)

- Ottenbylund (hunting reserve)

Industrial Age (18-19th Century)

- Alum Works in Degerhamn (Södra Bruket)

- Långe Jan Lighthouse

Stora Alvaret (Hike)

- Möckelmossen

Ramsar Sites

- Öland, eastern coastal areas (Gammalsby)

- Ottenby

This day trip lasted until about 10pm. My fellow travelers did not find the Line Villages as fascinating as me, so I only stopped a handful of times between Kvinneby and Nasby and in which there are numerous line villages (mostly private). I did receive some curious looks as I stepped out the car! The pictures I took were of a well-preserved and authentic line village that exemplifies many of the features outlined in the nomination file. 1) The Stora Alvaret plains to the right and the coastal land/pastures to the left (heading South) 2) The layout abuts the street, and the buildings form a courtyard 3) Cattle-yard in the center, barns form a rectangular perimeter.

The Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland

"It preserves abundant traces of its long settlement history and continues to demonstrate human ingenuity and resourcefulness in utilizing a physical landscape and environment that are not at first sight favorable to human settlement and exploitation." - nomination file

Visiting the listed sites above, the holistic experience better enabled me to understand the OUV of Öland. I would encourage visitors to change their route. Everyone seems to take the Western road South to Ottenby, as did I. However, the Line Villages are on the Eastern coastline, and so is the stunning Gammalsby Coastlands, which has (faint) but viewable traces of ancient settlements (camping is available). Some of the Line Villages have been rebuilt, renovated, yet many authentic village clusters remain. While the vast majority are private and cannot be accessed, one can witness the layout rather well from the exterior. If you begin your trip on the Eastern coastline, you will be rewarded with opportunities to best explore the line villages, visit art galleries (some in old barns), hike coastal lands and/or the Stora Alvaret, and enjoy a small cafe or fica before you reach the Southern tip of Öland. On your return to either Borholm or Kalmar, enjoy the Iron Age burial sites, which you don't have to worry in regards to timing.