Sigtuna
Founded Around 980 And Often Called Sweden'S Oldest Town: A Wooden High Street On The Medieval Line, Stone Church Ruins And More Rune Stones Than Anywhere Else In The Country · Sigtuna, Stockholm County
Sigtuna is a small lakeside town on a bay of Lake Malaren, founded around 980 and often called Sweden's oldest town. There are rival claims - Birka was older but vanished, and other towns argue their case - yet Sigtuna has a strong one: it was a royal centre where Sweden's first coins were struck around 995, and its main street, Stora gatan, is said to still follow its original line from the Viking Age. Today it is a pretty, low-rise place of painted wooden houses, a brick medieval church, St Mary's, the roofless stone ruins of St Per, St Olof and St Lars, a tiny eighteenth-century town hall, and more rune stones than almost anywhere in Sweden, many standing where they were raised a thousand years ago. It is only about 15 km from Arlanda airport, so it makes an easy half day on a layover or before a flight. The honest caveat: it is small, and after a two- or three-hour stroll you have seen most of it; outside summer many cafes and shops keep short hours, and the town museum and town hall have limited seasons.
Stora gatan and the lake-shore of Malaren, Sigtuna, about 45 km north of Stockholm and 15 km from Arlanda, Sigtuna, Stockholm County, Sweden
The streets, lakeshore, church ruins and rune stones are outdoors and free, open at all hours all year. St Mary's church is usually open during the day, longer in summer, but closes for services, weddings and funerals - confirm locally. Sigtuna museum is open most days in summer and on fewer days with shorter hours in winter, often closed on Mondays - check the current schedule. The little town hall is usually open only in summer, if at all - confirm it is open. Cafes and shops on Stora gatan keep long summer hours and shorter ones from October to April. Getting there: from Stockholm take the SL commuter train to Marsta, then an SL bus to Sigtuna, about an hour in all; from Arlanda, buses run to Marsta and on to Sigtuna, about 30-40 minutes with a change. Driving takes 40-50 minutes from Stockholm. Summer boats on Malaren link Sigtuna with Stockholm and Skokloster on set days - confirm the timetable. Nothing needs booking except a summer boat or a guided walk.