The southern Swedish town of Katrineholm owes its existence to the railway junction here. A hamlet was transformed into a thriving town after the Stockholm-to-Gothenburg and Stockholm-to-Malmö railway lines were joined. Today Katrineholm Central Station is a neat period whitewashed building facing the Stationsplan Square, which has parking and a small leafy park. If you hire a car at Katrineholm Station you'll find it's right in the heart of the town too: the Storgatan main street runs along the far edge of Stationsplan. If you want to drive further afield, Storgatan leads straight to the R57 national highway and a good road network covering the whole region.
If you collect a hire car at Katrineholm's Central Station, it's easy to explore the town and the picturesque countryside of Sörmland around it. The main tourist sights here are Ericsberg Castle and Stora Djulo Manor. Ericsberg is one of Sweden's best baroque palaces and stands in a vast landscaped estate that includes a hedge maze. The 18th-century Stora Djulö Manor stands on a lake-shore with an open-air café, gardens and orchards. Elsewhere in the town, look out for the lively modern Ängeln Arts Centre, beautiful Broderi Gardens (with its outdoor cinema) and the open air Museum of Agriculture, with an acclaimed café.
