Kalmar cruise port guide

Arrival & Getting Ashore

Getting to the centre: Figures use Elevatorkajen cruise quay to the Kvarnholmen centre; the designated tender quay is closer.

• Distance: 0.3 km, Elevatorkajen to the centre; 0.2 km from the tender quay.

Sources: Cruise Baltic port profile, Destination Kalmar city map.

Orientation, not a walking route

Kalmar provides both an alongside cruise quay at Elevatorkajen and a designated tender landing for ships at anchor. The port's Cruise Baltic profile gives about 300 metres from the cruise quay and 200 metres from the tender quay to the centre. Those are distances to the centre, not to the castle.

Temporary port security arrangements apply during calls. Follow the marked exit, and for a tender arrival record the return landing and last boat.

About this port

Kalmar is a practical port for choosing one substantial indoor visit and a town walk. The Kronan exhibition is on the Kvarnholmen side of the centre; the castle and the medieval Old Town form a different cluster. Decide which interests you most before adding an excursion across to Öland.

Getting Around

For a short call, stay in Kalmar and link your chosen museum with the surrounding streets. The castle's own directions place it approximately 750 metres from the central bus and railway station, at Kungsgatan 1.

The passenger boat Dessi links Elevatorkajen with Färjestaden on Öland, but it is seasonal. Consult Kalmar Länstrafik's Dessi page for the operating period and return departures. A boat ticket to Färjestaden does not take you to Borgholm or the southern World Heritage landscape; either requires onward planning.

Things to Do

• Kronan at Kalmar County Museum: use the recovered objects to explore life aboard a 17th-century warship. The museum confirms that Kronan sank in 1676 and the wreck was discovered in 1980. Do not expect every recovered object to be exhibited.
• Castle and Old Town: the castle's royal apartments reflect its 16th-century rebuilding. The municipal tourism board places the medieval Old Town beside the castle; it should not be confused with the later centre on Kvarnholmen. Choose an interior visit or an exterior walk according to your available time.
• Kvarnholmen: a useful city option around a museum visit. Keep the remaining time flexible for a meal and the return to the quay, rather than committing to another transfer.

Getting back to your ship

Temporary port security arrangements apply during calls. Follow the marked exit, and for a tender arrival record the return landing and last boat.

Practical Information

Currency: Swedish krona (SEK). Carry a payment card. Call 112 in an emergency.

Kalmar Castle is cash-free, and not all its public rooms are wheelchair accessible. Consult its detailed accessibility and opening pages before choosing it. Museum and castle opening hours are separate from the ship's time in port.

Frequently asked

Can you walk from Kalmar cruise quay into the centre? Yes. Elevatorkajen is 0.3 km from the Kvarnholmen centre, and the port provides a signed route from the quay.

How far is Kalmar's tender landing from the centre? About 0.2 km. The designated tender quay is in the city centre.

Do cruise ships dock or tender in Kalmar? Either arrangement may be used. The port maintains Elevatorkajen for alongside calls and a designated tender landing for ships at anchor; available sources do not establish one as the normal pattern.