Pottery Atelier Masterclass & Flavours of Öland
Lotta Sjöberg is one of Sweden’s most celebrated ceramicists. Her atelier sits at the edge of a small guest harbour in Färjestaden on the island of Öland — a waterfront workshop in a town her family has called home for centuries. Among her clients are the Swedish Royal Family and Solliden Palace. This is where GO Nordic brings guests for one of the most genuinely personal creative experiences available on any cruise itinerary in Scandinavia. Guests leave with something they made themselves, fired and shipped to their home. Part of the Nordic Reset collection.
Tour description
The experience begins with a transfer from the pier to Färjestaden — a small, quiet harbour town on Öland’s western coast, looking out across the strait towards the Swedish mainland. The atelier is right at the water’s edge.
Guests are welcomed by Lotta and her staff with a glass of champagne, and then put to work almost immediately. That is entirely intentional. There is no long introduction, no passive observation. Within minutes, hands are in clay. Lotta and her team guide each guest personally through the process — shaping, forming, refining — with the patience and expertise of someone who has spent a lifetime here. The atmosphere is warm, unhurried, and quietly focused.
Lotta’s connection to this place runs deep. Her family has owned significant parts of Färjestaden for generations. She is a native of this island in every sense, and that rootedness comes through in everything she makes — and in how she hosts. Her ceramics are in the homes of the Swedish Royal Family and on the tables of Solliden Palace. Guests who book this experience are working with one of Sweden’s genuinely distinguished artists in her own studio.
After the pottery session, tables are set — inside or outside, depending on the season and the weather. A local chef serves small, delicate tastes of Öland and Sweden: carefully considered bites that reflect the island’s larder, presented with the same attention to craft as the pottery itself. Each course is paired with wine.
The piece each guest has shaped will be professionally fired and sent directly to their home as a lasting keepsake from Öland.
Groups are kept small and the experience is available as fully private.
Quick Facts
Port: Kalmar
Transfer: 15 minutes
Duration: 4 hours
Guests: 2-10
Season: All year
What’s included
- Transfer to and from Lotta Sjöberg’s atelier in Färjestaden, Öland
- Champagne welcome on arrival
- Hands-on pottery masterclass with Lotta Sjöberg and her studio team
- Personal guidance throughout the ceramic session
- Professional firing and shipping of the finished piece to the guest’s home address
- Curated tasting of small Öland and Swedish delicacies served by a local chef
- Paired wines throughout the tasting
Additions or combinations
- Hotel Skansen whisky collection: Next door to the atelier, Hotel Skansen holds one of the largest whisky collections in the world. A private tasting session can be arranged as an extension before or after the pottery experience.
- Swedish fika at the local café: The harbour café next to the atelier is an easy, relaxed addition — a traditional Swedish fika with coffee and pastries in one of Öland’s most scenic spots.
- Borgholm Castle or Solliden Palace: Both landmarks are approximately 30 minutes from Färjestaden and can be combined into a full-day programme. Borgholm Castle is one of the most dramatic ruin landscapes in Scandinavia. Solliden Palace is the Swedish Royal Family’s summer residence, with formal gardens open to visitors.
- Private option: The full experience is available as a fully private tour for couples, families, and superyacht guests. Contact GO Nordic to arrange.
- B2B and trade bookings: GO Nordic works with cruise lines, luxury travel advisors, DMC partners and superyacht operators for group and trade arrangements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is Lotta Sjöberg? Lotta Sjöberg is one of Sweden’s most celebrated ceramicists. She is a native of Färjestaden on Öland, where her family has deep historic roots in the town. Her work is held by the Swedish Royal Family and her ceramics are used at Solliden Palace, the Royal summer residence. Guests who join this experience are working with a genuinely distinguished Swedish artist in her own waterfront studio.
Q: Is this one of the best cultural shore excursions available on Öland? Yes. The Pottery Atelier Masterclass with Lotta Sjöberg is one of the most distinctive cultural experiences available on any cruise itinerary calling at Kalmar, Borgholm or Karlskrona. It combines hands-on creative engagement with one of Sweden’s finest ceramicists, a curated local tasting, and a setting — a working seaside atelier in a small Öland harbour — that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
Q: Do guests need any experience with pottery or ceramics? No prior experience is needed. Lotta and her studio team guide every guest personally through the process from the beginning. The session is designed to be accessible and enjoyable for complete beginners, while still being genuinely engaging for guests with creative backgrounds.
Q: What happens to the ceramic piece after the session? Each guest’s piece is professionally fired after the session and shipped directly to their home address anywhere in the world. It arrives as a lasting keepsake from Öland — something made by the guest’s own hands in one of Sweden’s most celebrated studios.
Q: What is served during the tasting? A local chef serves small, delicate tastes of Öland and Sweden after the pottery session — carefully considered bites reflecting the island’s local producers and seasonal ingredients. Each course is paired with wine. Tables are set inside or outside depending on the season and weather.
Q: Can this experience be combined with other activities on Öland? Yes. The atelier is situated next to Hotel Skansen, which holds one of the largest whisky collections in the world, and a local harbour café for Swedish fika. Borgholm Castle and Solliden Palace are approximately 30 minutes away and can be added to create a full-day programme. GO Nordic handles all logistics.