It’s a morning in May, and we’ve parked the car at Källvik’s pier. We’re standing and enjoying the sun; the water is perfectly calm, completely still, and we’re admiring the beautiful view out towards the sea. We’re standing here waiting for Janne, who will soon pick us up by boat to take us across the strait to the island of Sävö. Sävö has been a nature reserve since 1987, and here you’ll find hiking trails, STF hostels, cafes, and the opportunity to rent cottages via Airbnb
Now we see Janne approaching. It only takes a couple of minutes to cross the strait, and we can already see him when he starts his boat over there on the other side. Janne and Karin live at Sävö gård and manage the nature reserve on the island, which is owned by the County Administrative Board. We’ve arranged to meet them to learn more about the island, which has so much to offer and is conveniently located a short distance from Trosa town. It’s about a 30-minute drive through beautiful landscapes to Källvik’s pier. You can book a boat trip to the island through Sävö Gård, Sörmlandstrafiken or the hostel (links open in a new window).
Stay for one night or several
We make our way to the island, and once ashore, we are greeted by a beautiful old building with an incredibly picturesque thatched roof. Janne shows us the first cottage available for rent, Boholmsstugan. It’s a simpler cottage with space for 7 people. There is another cottage about 100 meters north on the island, near the campsite, which is a bit more sheltered. Both are rented out via Airbnb.
We walk towards the actual farm and follow the Sörmland trail over a mountain with an incredibly beautiful view out over the sea sparkling in the sun. Up on the mountain is the protective mantle Madonna Stella Maris. She stands there to protect the Baltic Sea. For a long time, the Baltic Sea was a sea of war, where different countries fought for dominance. In addition to the Sörmland trail, another trail has also been created, the Sävö trail.
The walk continues through the forest, and after a short walk, we reach Sävö gård in the middle of the island. Here, there are several buildings, and the guesthouse can also be rented via Airbnb. Janne continues to show us around, and we get to meet several of their animals (cute lambs, chickens, and cats, for example). Karin joins us, and they show us further to the hostel on the island.
Sävö Hostel & Café
The hostel and café have been run by Maaike and Ingo since 2021, and here you can stay practically all year round. There are seven cozy rooms, each unique and of different sizes, ranging from rooms with a double bed to larger family rooms with bunk beds. The houses where the rooms are located were built in 1870 and used to accommodate the pilots.
The café is located in the house called Lotsen, and you can choose to sit inside the cozily decorated dining room or outside in the lush garden.
Then we continue to the old pilot station in Sävsundet – which is now a museum. The walk around the island offers us plenty of beautiful views over both sea and land. It’s truly delightful to wander in this cultural landscape where trees are pollarded, the land is grazed by animals, and the meadows grow lushly.
Café in the garden
Back at the farm, Karin shows us Sävö Gårdscafé. Previous owners Ewald and Märta were very interested in plants and created an impressive garden (so nothing castle-like, but something that fits well into the farm environment), where you can enjoy your coffee.
We feel so welcome here on the island. What a luxury it is to come out to the archipelago in this way. Both Sävö Gård and the hostel with its associated cafes shine with hospitality. This is a place we can recommend you to visit and one we want to come back to.
