Camping on Öland

Öland is one of Sweden's classic camping islands. It's a flat island with around 300 km of coastline, fine sandy beaches and roughly 25 campsites, most of them squarely family-oriented. The emphasis here isn't on wilderness or wild camping but on well-equipped sites with pools and a resort feel. This guide covers the main sites, motorhome pitches, the season and the rules worth knowing before you set off.

Why Öland is a camping island

The decisive advantage starts with getting there. Unlike Gotland (ferry only) or Bornholm (Baltic Sea ferry), Öland is reached directly and without any ferry cost via the Öland Bridge (Ölandsbron). That makes the approach simpler, more spontaneous and generally cheaper, if you decide to go at short notice, there's no ferry crossing to book.

On the island itself, the camping culture plays to its strengths. The flat landscape is easy to explore on foot or by bike, and the Ölandsleden and Horns Kustväg long-distance trails run almost the length of the island. Some of Sweden's best-known sights lie within easy reach of the campsites: the UNESCO World Heritage Stora Alvaret in the south, the castle ruin in Borgholm, the royal residence of Solliden, and Långe Jan, the country's tallest lighthouse. Travelling with children, you'll find an above-average number of sites with water parks, playgrounds and organised activities.

The north, around Böda

The densest concentration of campsites is in the north around Böda, a long sandy beach, pine forest and a cluster of family-focused sites make this the camping hub of the island. Böda Sand, Böda Hamns, Böda Riviera and Bödagården sit one after another here.

By far the largest site is Kronocamping Böda Sand (Bödasandsallén 11, Löttorp). With around 1,350 pitches and 125 rental cabins, it's the largest campsite in Sweden and holds a five-star classification for 2026, the top grade in the Swedish camping system. The site sits in a pine forest directly on a roughly 20 km white sand beach. Most of the 1,350 pitches have electricity (10/16 A) and TV hook-up, and around 1,100 also have water and drainage; there are pitches without power, with power only, and with power and water. Pitches are graded by length into five categories, from S (up to 5 m) for a small tent through M, L and XL up to XXL (10-12 m, electricity only) for large motorhomes.

Böda Sand feels less like a campsite and more like a full holiday village: a water park with a pool, spa and sauna area, several restaurants, a pub and after-beach bar, a bakery, an ICA supermarket, a hairdresser, an amusement arcade, a snack bar and a pizzeria, free Wi-Fi and playgrounds. On top there's tennis, badminton, fitness trails, a football pitch, a 9-hole golf course (par 58), bike hire, an adventure and disc golf course, pedal boats and watersports. If you're after peace and quiet, this isn't the place; if you want a fully organised family holiday village, there's nothing bigger on Öland.

A little more low-key and distinctly dog-friendly is Böda Hamns Camping by Böda harbour, with its own dog shower, dog pool and agility area, plus bike hire. In 2026 the site opens on 30 April and closes after the harvest festival on 28 September. If you're travelling with a dog, more tips are in the guide to Öland with dogs.

Near the bridge, in Borgholm and in the south

Coming from the bridge, the first large site you reach is Saxnäs Camping (Kronocamping, Södra Saxnäs near Färjestaden). It sits right on the water with a view of the Öland Bridge, only around 15 minutes from Kalmar, ideal if you don't want to drive the length of the island first. There are around 480 pitches (120 of them long-stay) and 43 cabins of 16 to 40 m² sleeping up to five. Facilities include a 25-metre pool plus a children's pool (summer, weeks 24-35), a restaurant with an outdoor terrace and café, site-wide Wi-Fi, a laundry, kids' club, playground, mini-golf, BMX track, bouncy castle, wood-fired sauna and massage. Dogs are welcome. The 2026 season runs from 17 April to 27 September.

Close to town and a practical choice for many is Kapelludden Camping (Sandgatan 27, Borgholm), one of the largest and oldest sites on the island, right on a sandy beach and just a few hundred metres from Borgholm's centre. It has two service buildings, a large pool with a pool bar, free Wi-Fi, its own small sandy beach, a playground and barbecue areas; right next door is Borgholm Badhus with a gym and swimming pool. From here, the castle ruin and Solliden are within walking or cycling distance.

In the south, shaped by Stora Alvaret and quieter beaches, is Ölands Camping Resort (Skansgatan 5, Mörbylånga), right on the water, with 200 pitches (plus four long-stay) and 13 rental units, a service building, kiosk, restaurant, watersports and its own beach. Tent and motorhome hire is available.

Operators mostly don't publish fixed daily rates but price by date through their online booking systems. In peak season, roughly the summer holiday weeks from late June to early August, sites fill up well in advance, so booking ahead is strongly advised.

Motorhomes and pitches

Motorhome travellers on Öland have two options: the fully equipped campsites, almost all of which offer XXL pitches for large vehicles, or the official motorhome pitches (ställplatser). The tourism site oland.se lists these pitches alongside the campsites, as well as day and overnight car parks; the Öland Tourist Centre can advise on 0485-88 800.

A well-used example is the Sunset Ställplats in Borgholm, an official pitch right on the water in the town centre with 33 spaces, all with electricity. Payment is cashless via app (AIMO), there's no reception, and the daily rate runs from 13:01 to 13:00 the following day. The site is usable year-round (except when snow-covered), though the full service with toilets, showers and fresh water only runs from 1 April to 30 September. As a price guide, in 2025 a night cost 275 to 472 SEK depending on the season; check the exact 2026 rates on site via the app.

Unlike Gotland, Öland has no central municipal list of all pitches with space counts, most are run privately or by the campsites themselves. If you're travelling flexibly, it's best to plan overnight stops via oland.se or a ställplats app.

Driving over the Öland Bridge

Every campsite is reachable via the Öland Bridge (Ölandsbron). At 6,072 metres it's the only fixed link between Öland and the mainland, running from Svinö north of Kalmar to Färjestaden, with a connection to the E22. There's no regular car ferry, only a small seasonal service, the Ölandsfärjan, runs from June to August between Oskarshamn and Byxelkrok (around 2 hours 20 minutes, room for 30 cars).

For motorhome travellers, in practice that means: the E22 to Kalmar, then over the bridge to Färjestaden. The first large site right after the bridge is Saxnäs Camping; heading north to Böda, follow the route via Borgholm and Löttorp.

One point belongs in honest planning, the bridge can be restricted in strong wind. There's no height or weight limit, only wind-related ones. At around 27 m/s the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) advises wind-sensitive vehicles such as caravans, motorhomes and trailers against crossing; at around 28 m/s the bridge is closed to these vehicles, and at around 32 m/s (hurricane force) to all traffic. The carriageway between the edge posts is 12.8 metres wide. If you're driving a tall vehicle, it's worth checking the current situation before setting off in stormy weather. More on getting to the island overall is in the Getting to Öland guide.

Wild camping and the Right to Roam

Sweden's Right to Roam (Allemansrätten) allows simple tent camping for one to two nights in the countryside, at a reasonable distance from houses. As a rule of thumb, keep out of the hemfridszon, out of sight and earshot, roughly 70 metres. The Right to Roam explicitly does not cover caravans and motorhomes: only designated pitches and car parks are allowed, and driving or parking off-road, on the beach, on the alvar, in the forest, is banned under Sweden's off-road driving law.

Öland adds a few extra rules of its own, since the island has around 85 nature reserves where the Right to Roam is restricted or doesn't apply. Some of these have tent bans, designated camping spots, or a one-night limit. In Stora Alvaret you may only camp one night in the same spot, and open fires are banned across the whole area. In the Trollskogen nature reserve at the north-east tip (266 ha), driving off existing roads is prohibited.

In practice, that means a single night with a tent is easy to find almost anywhere on Öland, as long as you respect the protected areas and private land. If you're travelling by camper or caravan, head for a campsite or a designated ställplats, wild parking isn't an option. If you'd rather have something more permanent, see the overview of Places to stay on Öland and the guide to holiday homes.