Luxury Saturday in the world's best city!

It's always a pleasure when people who have left the municipality return, either as visitors or as "returnees" who have moved back with new impressions and perspectives. Most discover a completely new city — and become enthusiastic ambassadors.

For example, freelance reporter Johan Wangström, who has found his way back to Jönköping after living in other places in Sweden and abroad for a long time.

"It may sound exaggerated, but I'm sticking my neck out — having moved back to Jönköping after many years in Stockholm and long periods of work in New York, I firmly claim: Jönköping is one of the best places in the world.

Jönköping — one of the most beautiful Cities in the World

Sure, the list of things Jönköping lacks compared to Berlin, Paris, or Los Angeles can be made as long as you like. But, if you weigh together a lot of factors, my choice is quite simple. Sweden is one of the world's best countries, and in this country, Jönköping is in many ways one of the best places (even measured in numbers). And moreover, among the most beautiful. "Sweden's Como," as the successful author Andrew Walden put it.

So, plan a visit to form your own opinion about my somewhat provocative statement above. Everything is close, so you have time.

Feel free to come for a weekend and try my guide to a successful luxury Saturday — in the world's best city!"

It's Saturday morning, and the bakeries open early. Freshly baked rolls of various kinds crowd the shelves at Wallentins Konditori, STUK, and Annie Johanssons, among others. If you're really an early bird and it's still locked, you can knock on Hedda Gretas' misty window and get a heavy sourdough bread that's so warm you have to switch hands now and then.

Freshly baked bread and small talk with the baker are life quality that reminds of old times when bakeries and milk shops were in nearly every neighbourhood in Jönköping — but it also gives a sense of food culture and big city and is a great start to the day.

The market! It is truly a gem and an experience in many ways. A visit to one of the fish carts is a high priority, and you have to be a bit flexible here because suddenly there's a great price on a fish you didn't expect or on nets of mussels, probably depending on availability and how close it is to closing time — you get it: a bit of classic market trading simply. Bargain or not, some white flatfish will likely come home with you along with fresh shrimp and make an exquisite lunch in a bit of Danish style. If you plan a bit, you can shop for the whole week at the market, with really good quality and prices. At the market, you will also find many local producers selling their products. Once a month, Lysing is here with their gluten-free bread.

Time to get moving. There are plenty of opportunities in and around Jönköping. Many choose a lap on the central walkway around Lake Munksjön, whose surroundings are constantly changing as the city grows. But don't miss the forest, which is very accessible.

A bit more adventurous at Dumme Mosse, or more classic in the area around Axamo. It's an extra "gentle" environment for the runner, with soft and above all flat ground. For those who want to push a bit more, Hallbyspåret nearby is recommended, or one of the other heavily hilly running tracks in the municipality. For example, at IKHP and Öxnegården on the heights in Huskvarna.

Trained and showered, it's time for a beer in town. The range is large, but Idlewild stands out. The Australian immigrant Damien Linsley has created a personal little regular pub in the Tändsticksområdet, where he also brews his own beer range. For example, the lager Ivar, which is a (very stylish!) tribute to the match king Ivar Kruger, whose industry was once located here.

At Idlewild, there are several own beers on tap — check the board on the wall for the current range. Pescadores just next door is also worth a beer visit (besides having a nice restaurant with a marine theme). They serve Czech beer in a stein. The stein seems to have had a little renaissance in Jönköping — at least four pubs serve beer this way, according to a highly unscientific survey by the undersigned.

It's getting evening, and the question approaching is: social or sofa? To avoid the text becoming too navel-gazing, we choose the first option. A nice meeting place is the large and glittering Brasserie Park. Very centrally located, with generous opening hours and a classic menu in the French direction with the opportunity to slurp oysters and drink bubbly.

The range of pubs and nightlife is large, but a summer evening with nice weather, the sunset seen from Vätterstranden with a little something to eat and drink, perhaps from the market, is a fantastic experience and a nice way to round off a Saturday.

And one doesn't have to exclude the other — in the world's best city!