In 970, the legendary king Eric VI the Victorious decided to found a new city on the shores of Lake Mälaren. Very quickly, the settlement became the most important political, economic and cultural center of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Those glorious times are long gone, and today’s Sigtuna is a cozy suburb of Stockholm, which is called the city in a snuffbox for its characteristic architecture. But among the colorful wooden houses with craft workshops and cozy cafes, artifacts from the harsh Viking Age are hidden to this day.
How to get to Sigtuna
Sigtuna is located 40 km from Stockholm, so it is wise to make your way here through the Swedish capital. See ANDYEDUCATION for education and training in Sweden.
The city is located next to the main metropolitan airport Arlanda (16 km) and is connected to it by bus route number 579. The trip lasts 35 minutes, and you don’t even need to stop by Stockholm. Traveling from the airport by taxi will cost 290-360 SEK and take 15 minutes. The prices on the page are for February 2021.
Transport
Sigtuna is a small town that can be explored on foot. A trip within the town by taxi will cost 150 SEK. Parking in the city is free, but only for a limited period of time. Parking clocks can be bought at the town hall or at the train station.
Sigtuna is perfectly adapted for cyclists. Bikes can be rented at rental offices, hotels and hostels.
Sigtuna Hotels
There are few hotels in the city, mostly family hotels. You can spend the night in such a guesthouse for 700 SEK for two (with breakfast), while a night in the “four” will cost 1200-1400 SEK (with breakfast).
You can stay in a hostel for 300 SEK acceptable for Sweden per bed per night. An apartment for a day costs about 800 SEK.
Cuisine and restaurants
Restaurants with cuisine from all over the world work in Sigtuna: Asian, Italian, Lebanese, Swedish. And the city is also popular among coffee lovers and tea lovers – they say that many Stockholmers even come here on weekends for “fika” – a traditional Swedish coffee break with a bun.
The restaurants are focused on modern Swedish cuisine with the maximum use of local seasonal products. Citizens quote dishes from asparagus, mushrooms, farm meat. The average check for two persons in a good restaurant with alcohol will be about 800 SEK. You can have a bite of a burger with fries and soda for 100 SEK.
Sights of Sigtuna
The most famous landmark of the city is the numerous rune stones scattered around Sigtuna and its environs. There are 150 of these medieval artifacts here.
Also in the city are the ruins of three churches: St. Olaf, St. Pera and St. Lars. Today’s main temple of the city is a small church of St. Mary (Olofsgatan, 4), located next to the medieval remains, is one of the clearest examples of the brick Gothic style.
Sigtuna has the oldest town hall in Sweden, built in 1720, it also has the status of the smallest in the kingdom (Stora Torget, 4D).
The main place for the townspeople to walk is the central street of Eric VI the Victorious, the first pedestrian artery of Sweden, surrounded by wooden houses with shops, restaurants and cafes.
