Cycling meets coffee culture on the Swedish Fika Route, a scenic and slightly hilly trail through West Sweden where idyllic cafés and sweet traditions await.
Fika – the cherished Swedish ritual of taking a break with coffee and something sweet – is an essential part of daily life here. Along this 62-kilometre route, cyclists can pause for a well-earned rest and sample everything from cinnamon buns to royal-level patisserie.
The trail starts in Hulu and climbs steadily to its highest point at Kalvhestre, rewarding riders with sweeping views over forests and meadows. From there, it’s a rolling ride through beautiful countryside and lakeside stretches, with plenty of inviting pitstops along the way. Top fika spots include Älvåker Café & Skafferi in Varnum, Ådalens Café in Nitta, and Günthers Brödstuga in Ulricehamn – where the owner once created the wedding cake for Crown Princess Victoria.
The route ends along the peaceful shores of Lake Åsunden, and a downloadable GPX file is available for easy navigation.
This is a ride for active travellers who want to combine local flavour with cultural insights. And because this is Sweden, even coffee has its stories:
- A second cup – or påtår – is often included, free of charge.
- The word fika has mysterious origins, likely linked to Swedish slang from early 20th century peddlers. It is assumed that the Swedish word for coffee, ‘kaffe’ or dialectally ‘kaffi’, is hidden in it and it thus became ‘fika’.
- Office fika at 3pm is practically sacred in many Swedish workplaces.
- Swedes are among the world’s top coffee drinkers – averaging 3.4 cups per day.
- The average Swede spends 11 days per year enjoying fika. West Swedes take the longest breaks – and who can blame them?