Hälsingegården Gästgivars
World Heritage farmstead in Vallsta with a festive building from the 1840s, Jonas Wallström's stencil paintings, guided tours, a café, a shop and Barnens Gästgivars (Children's Gästgivars).
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Gästgivars in Vallsta is one of the seven Hälsingegårdar included in UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2012. The farm got its name because during the 17th and 18th centuries it functioned as a posting inn (gästgiveri), and a district court (tingsrätt) was held here between 1709 and 1768. When the last innkeeper died in 1766, the duty to provide horses for travellers (skjutsskyldighet) was moved to another farm.
The Herrstugan (main hall), the farm's festive building, was built around 1838–1840. Hälsingland farmers often built whole houses for weddings and other celebrations, and here the festive hall is decorated with stencil paintings by Jonas Wallström from the 1840s. Wallström came from Vallsta. The decoration later served as a model for a wallpaper sold under the name Gästgivarstapeten (the Gästgivars wallpaper).
The house was heavily renovated in the 1950s, and a local heritage society used it from 1952. Gästgivars has been a listed building since 2010. The farm was sold in 2018, and since 2019 the new owners have run a restaurant, a shop and guided tours.
Highlights
- The festive building from 1840 with Jonas Wallström's stencil paintings
- Guided tours of the World Heritage farmstead
- Farm café and restaurant in the old barn
- Barnens Gästgivars (Children's Gästgivars) with sheep, cows, hens and rabbits
- Farm shop and garden
Permanent exhibition
- Festbyggnaden och världsarvsgården – Guided tour of the festive building from 1840 with Jonas Wallström's stencil paintings, the story of Gästgivars and life on the large Hälsingegårdar in the 19th century.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | SEK 200 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Children up to 15 years accompany a guardian free of charge. |
| Groups (31+ people) | SEK 150 per personFor groups of more than 30 people; the regular price is SEK 200. |
| Annual pass for guided tours | SEK 250Unlimited number of guided tours during one season. |
The price of SEK 200 applies to a guided tour of the festive building (about one hour).
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 15 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Playground / play area
Barnens Gästgivars is a small animal park run together with Nytorps naturbruksgymnasium (Nytorp Agricultural Upper Secondary School), with sheep, cows, hens and rabbits; new play areas were planned for summer 2026.
Getting there & parking
The farm lies in Vallsta in Bollnäs municipality.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
Café and restaurant in the old barn (Mimmis Mat och Äventyr), with simple meals, sandwiches, pastries and Hälsingeostkaka (Hälsinge cheesecake), with seating indoors and outdoors. Farm shop with local crafts, textiles and its own wallpaper collection.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
Weddings and conferences are held on the farm; see the website.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours take about one hour. Group bookings via info@gastgivars.se or 0278-757353. |
