Photo: Krister Sune Jakobsson / EAA
Upon arrival in Sweden, everything here might seem new and exotic. But once you’ve settled in, you might want to find something else than just having fika to do with your friends. On this page, we outline different activities, when you can do them, where and how much it will cost you. If you’re looking for something to dedicate a full day on, please see our page “To do near Linköping“.
Badminton
Where: Linköping University, Campushallen
Requires: Badminton rackets and balls
Costs: 40 ~ 130 SEK per court
Badminton is a great way to both exercise and have fun! Go there with your friends and work up a sweat. You can rent rackets at the reception for 20 SEK per time and buy balls, but if you plan on doing it regularly buying your own racket and ball is generally cheaper. Note that it is cheaper if you book the court online than in their reception.
See our page on buying things in Linköping to find out where you can buy cheap sports equipment.
Homepage: http://www.campushallen.se/en
Bowling
Where: Various places downtown, see links below
Requires: Nothing, the store provides you with bowling shoes and balls. You should book a court in advance to be safe.
Costs: 150 ~ 300 SEK to use 1 lane for 1 hour (max 6 people on 1 lane), note that both places offers student discounts certain hours.
Bowling is a lot of fun and if you split 2 hours of bowling on 6 people day-time it’s only around 70 SEK per person (with student discount). Note that the price difference is very big between day-time bowling (generally before 6 pm) and bowling in the evening (after 6 pm).
Citybowl: http://www.citybowl.se/pages/priser.html, phone number 013-13 45 55
Sporthallens Bowling: http://www.sporthallensbowling.se/, phone number 013-145002
Cue-sports through FRRyd
Where: Ryd, Rydsvägen 254
Requires: Borrowing a key from FRRyd and then book the billiard room online. Note that even if you book the room you can’t access it without the key.
Costs: Free, but to get the key you have to leave a 100 SEK deposit.
FR Ryd provides a billiard table that anyone living in Ryd can borrow for free. It’s an great evening pass-time and lots of fun!
Homepage: http://www.frryd.se/?lang=en
Cue-sports through Studentbostäder
Where: Ryd, Alsättergatan 32
Requires: Booking the room through Studentbostäders booking system online
Costs: Free, but you need to have an apartment with studentbostäder.
Studentbostäder provides a billiard table that anyone living with them can borrow for free. It’s an great evening pass-time and lots of fun!
To book the billiard room, simply log in online and book it through the booking system at their homepage. Don’t forget to collect the appropriate key at Studentbostäders office the day before you use it, or if you book it during the weekend, the Friday before!
Homepage: http://www.studentbostader.se/en
Climbing wall
Where: Ryd, Hangaren @ Rydsvägen 5
Requires: Nothing
Costs: 50~70 SEK
Climbing walls challenges both physical and mental strength. Go there with your friends and work up a sweat!
Homepage: http://www.hangaren.org
Gamla Linköping
Where: Linköping, 1 km from Ryd
Requires: Nothing
Costs: Free, but they have a lots of souvenirs for sale
Gamla is Swedish for “old”, and that’s just what Gamla Linköping is. It’s the old city of Linköping preserved for hundreds of years. It’s positioned right next to the university, only a few minutes walking distance, and hosts tons of shops selling everything from hand-made wooden art to cute keychains, almost everything hand-made by the people who own the stores. During special holidays like Christmas and Easter they host special activities intended to promote Swedish culture and heritage, and often host markets with tons of stands.
Go-kart
Where: Linköping, 9 km from Ryd
Requires: Nothing
Costs: Varying, but at least 120 SEK per person for 6 minutes
Go-kart is lots of fun for everyone, the only draw-back is the price. Try to beat your friends by getting the lowest lap time, or book a 5 people grand prix and see who is truly the greatest go-kart driver.
Homepage: http://www.magp.se/index.php?sida=12
Laserdome/Lasergame
Where: Linköping, 4 km from Ryd
Requires: Nothing
Costs: Varying, but at least 80 SEK per person for 20 minutes
Laserdome is a game based on a battle simulator developed by the American military in the early 80s. The game is a simple war-simulator where two or three teams tries to shoot each other as many times as possible. All players are equipped with a laser-gun and a west, when hit by an enemy laser weapon one will be unable to shoot for a few seconds and the enemy player gains points. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. The game is played in an special made arena with lots of obstacles and dim lighting.
Homepage: http://www.laserdome-linkoping.se
Table tennis
Where: Ryd, Björnkärrsgatan 12
Requires: Table tennis rackets and balls
Costs: Free
To book the table tennis room you need an account at studentbostäder. Since most Asian exchange students get their apartments through the university, you might not have an account. If that is the case, please ask a Swedish friend or someone else with an account to book it for you. Don’t forget to collect the appropriate key at Studentbostäders office!
See our page on buying things in Linköping to find out where you can buy cheap sports equipment.
Homepage: http://www.studentbostader.se/en
Sauna
Where: Ryd, Björnkärrsgatan 1, 12 and 13, Rydsvägen 248 and 260, Ryds Alle 9
Requires: Nothing
Costs: Free
All tenants can book one of the many saunas in Ryd. There are two ways to book it.
To book one of the saunas at Björnkärrsgatan 12 or Björnkärrsgatan 13 you simply log in to their homepage online and book it electronically. The tag to your apartment will then be able to open the doors to the sauna.
To book one of the saunas at Rydsvägen 248, Rydsvägen 260, Ryds Alle 9 or Björnkärrsgatan 1 you have to go to Studentbostäders office in Ryd and book a time by writing down your name on a booking list. You can collect the key the same day, or if it’s booked during the weekend, the Friday before that weekend at their office. Their office is open weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm.
Homepage: http://www.studentbostader.se/en
Map to Studentbostäders office: http://goo.gl/maps/RpqZg
Winter only
Ice-skating at the university
Where: Linköping University, Ice oval behind Campushallen
Requires: Ice skates
Costs: Free
In Sweden, most ice skating rinks are owned and maintained by the government and are free to use for anyone. The only catch is that they do not rent ice skates. So you need to borrow or buy a pair, though a new pair only costs around 300 SEK at cheapest. At Linköping University, there is an ice oval behind Campushallen that is open if the weather allows, which is very close and convenients. If you go downtown to Cloetta Center there is an indoor ice skating rink that is always open, regardless of weather, that you can also use for free.
See our page on buying things in Linköping to find out where you can buy cheap sports equipment.
Summer only
BBQ
Where: Ryd, various places
Requires: Something to throw on the grill, charcoal, matches and beer
Costs: Nothing
There are tons of grills placed around Ryd, use them as much as you’d like! Some might argue you don’t need beer to enjoy a BBQ, we understand that. But in Sweden, a BBQ is never complete without a few beers! This is probably one of the most common summer passtimes in Sweden, so do it a lot!
Basketball
Where: Ryd, the playground close to the forest
Requires: Basketball
Costs: Nothing
There is a basketball court close to the playground in Ryd. As far as we know, there is no booking system to use these, so first person there gets to use it. Note that day-time there will be lots of school kids there since it’s right next to the school.
See our page on buying things in Linköping to find out where you can buy cheap sports equipment.
Disc golf
Where: Ryd forest
Requires: At least one frisbee per player
Costs: Free
Disc-golf is a up and coming sport that mixes disc throwing with golf. You have hoops that you want your frisbee to enter, and you play on a pre-set court. For a complete court map, she Linköping Frisbee association’s homepage below. For complete rules of the game, see http://www.pdga.com/rules.
See our page on buying things in Linköping to find out where you can buy cheap sports equipment.
Homepage: http://discgolf.linkopingfrisbee.se/
Volleyball
Where: Ryd
Requires: A beach volleyball
Costs: Free
To book the volleyball court in Ryd you simply log in to studentbostäder’s homepage and book it online.
See our page on buying things in Linköping to find out where you can buy cheap sports equipment.
Homepage: http://www.studentbostader.se/en
Miniature golf
Where: Various, we list the 2 placest closest to Ryd
Requires: Nothing
Costs: 40 ~ 60 SEK per person
Miniature golf is a golf game that focuses solemnly on the putting aspect of golf. You put your way through a pre-made court and the person that needs the fewest puts total wins. A very relaxing activity that’s good for sunny days while eating an ice cream and talking. Note that the court at Ryttargården is simpler, but in return it’s positioned right next to the university (50 meters from C-building). Äventyrsgolf city’s court is more advanced, but it’s located closer to city.
Homepage Ryttargården: http://www.ryttargardskyrkan.se/ryttargarden/
Homepage Äventyrsgolf city: http://www.aventyrsgolfcity.se/linkoping
Soccer
Where: Ryd, various soccer fields
Requires: Soccer ball
Costs: Nothing
Throughout Ryd there are several soccer fields, these are free to use for anyone. As far as we know, there is no booking system to use these, so first person there gets to use it!
See our page on buying things in Linköping to find out where you can buy cheap sports equipment.
Tennis
Where: Ryd, various places
Requires: Tennis rackets and balls
Costs: Free
To book one of the tennis courts in Ryd you need an account at studentbostäders homepage. Since most Asian exchange students get their apartments through the university, you might not have an account. If that is the case, please ask a Swedish friend or someone else with an account to book it for you.
See our page on buying things in Linköping to find out where you can buy cheap sports equipment.
Homepage: http://www.studentbostader.se/en