Eskilstuna is the capital of its own municipality, which is found to the west of the Swedish capital city Stockholm. If you hire a car in Eskilstuna you'll soon find that like much of the region to Stockholm's west, there's almost as much water as land. Eskilstuna stands on the River Eskilstunaån, which runs between two large lakes. So much of the area is scenic despite a strong industrial heritage, particularly in steel making. Drive out to Sigurdsristningen to find the memorable sight of ancient Viking runes carved into huge rocks or up to Lake Mälaren to visit the waterside Sundbyholm Castle.
Hire a car in Eskilstuna to fully explore this interesting town. Start with Gamla Stan, the old medieval town along the banks of the river. Historic red-painted wooden houses stand along the tree-lined cobbled streets. The 11th-century Klosters Church is a notable landmark and, just in front, note the striking iron statue of blacksmiths, marking the town's steel-making history. Further out of town, Parken Zoo is an appealing combination of zoo and theme park, while Munktell Museum and Factory industrial museums are both acclaimed collections of working tractors, steam engines and historic machinery. Even older industrial heritage is displayed at Rademachersmedjorna, an atmospheric collection of wonderful old thatched blacksmiths workshops.
