Sigtuna: Discover History, Nature and Water

Sigtuna is Sweden’s first town and was founded in 980 AD by Erik the Victorious. Stora Gatan still follows the route of the original main street. There are 30 significant rune stones within the town.

History and Townscape

Sigtuna’s historic centre preserves an attractive and well-preserved collection of wooden houses from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Notable historic sites include the ruin of S:t Per, with the remains of a church built in the 12th century that was intended to serve as a cathedral, and the ruin of S:t Olof, the remains of an early Romanesque church from the late 11th century.

Mariakyrkan is the only church in Sigtuna to have survived the Reformation. It is also considered Sweden’s earliest monumental brick building. Lundströmska gården is a preserved bourgeois residence and a small general store dating from around 1900.

Museums and Historic Sites

Sigtuna Museum presents the town’s history and hosts temporary exhibitions. The Vikingasilvret exhibition explains how silver reached Sigtuna during the Viking Age and covers mining, coin minting and long-distance trade.

Sigtuna Rådhus was completed in 1744 and is one of Sweden’s smallest town halls. The building preserves the council chamber and an exhibition about the history of the town hall and the people associated with it. Drakegården is a 300-year-old house associated with people who lived and worked in Sigtuna. The garden at Drakegården is open to all visitors year-round; in one room, the permanent exhibition Sigtunahistorier continues.

Borgmästargården has an outdoor exhibition that can be visited year-round, presenting the architecture of the house and the various styles represented by its objects.

Guided Tours and Living History

Guided walking tours in Sigtuna present the town’s thousand-year history and may include a visit to Mariakyrkan. The Ruinen blommar project makes the layout of the former S:t Lars kyrka visible with tens of thousands of spring starflowers. Ruinen blommar is an annual event celebrated with a spring festival.

Nature and Trails

Near Sigtuna and Märsta lies Rävsta Nature Reserve, a municipal protected area and local recreational area with a bathing area, outdoor fitness course and riding facility. The Upplandsleden trail passes through Rävsta Nature Reserve between Sigtuna and Märsta.

Sigtuna has hiking trails and paths through nature reserves and beech forests, along the shores of Lake Mälaren, through old forests and across open meadows. Ten nature reserves encompass different habitats and natural values. Two stages of the Ingegerdsleden lead to Sigtuna stad: stage four from Rosersberg and stage five from Odensala kyrka.

For a public art walk, Sigtuna has a map guide with walking routes that include Sigtuna. Destination Sigtuna also provides a walking map for exploring Sigtuna stad independently.

Water on Lake Mälaren

Sjudargårdsbadet is a bathing area west of central Sigtuna on Lake Mälaren, with a jetty, barbecue area, toilets and showers. An unmanned Kayakomat station in Sigtuna rents kayaks and SUP boards for excursions on Sigtunafjärden.

Getting There and Local Connections

The local navigation leads to the places Arlanda, Märsta and Sigtuna. Sigtuna can be reached from central Stockholm by train, bus or boat.

More Destinations

More places at the same destination:

Sundbyberg, Boo, Nynäshamn, Upplands-Bro.

To the higher-level travel overview: Stockholm.