This Lesser-Known Town Full Of European Charm Is Best Known As America's Little Sweden

You may be surprised to discover a Little Sweden almost smack dab in the middle of Kansas. The brightly colored Lindsborg is still very deeply rooted in its Swedish heritage, as evidenced by the town's aesthetic as well as its myriad events like Svensk Hyllningsfest and Våffeldagen (International Waffle Day). The city was founded in 1869 by (you guessed it) Swedish immigrants, and Little Sweden has done its thing ever since. 

A city like this will make you feel like you're in Europe — with no passport required. Lindsborg isn't your typical lazy, heritage-centered city. You won't find one or two token Swedish eateries; there are a whole bunch to try, and six of its eight Swedish eateries are on Main Street. You could start with a Swedish breakfast at Dröm Sött, enjoy a lunch at the Blacksmith Coffee Shop & Roastery, and end the day with Swedish meatballs (or köttbullar) at the Crown & Rye Restaurant.

While you're here, get to know a little bit more about Swedish culture and the city's history at Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum. Alternatively, embrace artistic inspiration at the Red Barn Studio Museum and the Clara Hatton Center. For a petite city of just under 4,000 residents, there's a lot to do in Lindsborg. 

Dala horses are as synonymous with Sweden as lingonberries. These charming wooden horses date back to the 17th century in Dalarna, a town in central Sweden, when craftspeople made them for children. The horses are known for their bright colors and simplistic shape — and you will see them all over Lindsborg. Large wooden Dala — horses known as the Wild Dala Herd — are scattered throughout the city, and there are 31 to find.

Dala horse painter Shirley Malm, who works at a gift shop called Hemslöjd, told the Salina Journal that when she and other artists were asked to design the Wild Dala Herd, she thought it was silly. "I honestly thought it was the silliest idea I had ever heard of," Malm told the outlet. "So I threw my letter away and didn't think any more about it." She went on to design and paint a dozen of the Wild Dala.

The Dala horses are all painted in different colors, although red is a traditional color — a nod to the typical color of a home in the Swedish countryside. The horses are considered good luck, so it makes sense that you see them just about everywhere. Lindsborg even has them on the side of their police cars.

Outside the purview of Lindsborg's Swedish aesthetics is a Medieval Europe-style castle just 5 miles north of the city. Its rough-hewn look would likely intrigue castle aficionado Rick Steves and anyone else interested in imposing European fortifications. Known as Coronado Heights (not to be confused with San Diego's Coronado Island), the Works Progress Administration built the castle in 1936 out of sandstone after locals found old Spanish armor, coins, and other artifacts in the area. Not quite medieval, but still impressive.

It is believed that Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado visited the land where the castle now stands during the 16th century, which explains why it is named Coronado. Researchers believe Coronado came through the area while looking for the Seven Cities of Gold in the 1540s. In fact, it's posited that the spot where the castle stands is where Coronado gave up looking for the city and decided to go home. 

Despite the lack of gold, the site is now a popular tourist attraction. Its vantage point on the bluff of the Smoky Hills makes for excellent photos, though visitors can also picnic and go hiking or biking on the land. This castle, inspired by a Spanish explorer, is a fascinating companion for a city inspired by Swedish culture. Did you expect north and south Europe to collide in the heart of Kansas?