Follow in the footsteps of the Vikings in Stockholm
Publish date: 3 September 2024
Get to know the infamous seafarers better, through excursions, exhibitions, and guided tours. Here's where you'll learn more about Vikings in Stockholm!
The Vikings were infamous seafarers and pirates during the late Iron Age. Hailing from Northern Europe the Vikings raided and traded with settlements in the European countries, from the British Isles to the Mediterranean coasts. Their exploration even took them to North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Traces of settlements have even been found in North America.
The Vikings - quick facts
- Vikings was a term used for pirates and raiders from present-day Scandinavia; Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
- The Viking Age – i.e. the time in history when Viking raids were most common – lasted from about A.D. 796 to A.D. 1066.
- Some important Viking settlements were Birka and Sigtuna (in Sweden); Roskilde and Viborg (in Denmark); Sarpsborh and Oslo (in Norway).
- Famously skilled sailors, Vikings voyaged not only over Europe, but North Africa, Greenland, and modern-day Canada as well.
- One common myth is that Vikings wore horned helmets, which har turned out to be a 19th-century embellishment as Vikings started to pop up in literature and art.
There are plenty of attractions offering history buffs a glimpse into the history of the Vikings in Stockholm. You can cruise along Lake Mälaren to the archeological dig site of Birka or experience the interactive exhibition of Vikingaliv. There are also many runestones to be found in the surrounding areas of Stockholm.
4 Viking Attractions in Stockholm
- The Viking Museum – The Viking Museum is located on Djurgården and is a great place to start if you're new to Viking history. The exhibition tells their history and origins, dispels some myths, and shows the Vikings's everyday life. The museum also features the "Ragnfrids Saga" ride; an exciting adventure through 10th-century Europe.
- Birka – One of Stockholm's three UNESCO World Heritage sites, Birka is a Viking settlement on Björkö in Lake Mälaren. Birka was an important trade hub during the age of the Vikings but was abandoned for unknown reasons in the late 900s. Today, Birka is still an active archeological excavation with a museum and visitors center. Birka is open to visitors from April to September, with regular ferries departing from central Stockholm.
- The Swedish History Museum – The best place for your Swedish History 101 lesson. The Swedish History Museum retells Sweden's history, from prehistoric to modern times. The museum has the largest collection of Viking artifacts in the world, many of which are displayed in the permanent exhibition "The Viking World".
- Runriket (in Vallentuna/Täby) – The forest surrounding Lake Vallentuna (a couple of miles North of Stockholm) is called Runriket ("the kingdom of runestones"), due to the many ancient runestones found here. The forest is accessible for all to visit freely, but there's also the possibility of booking a knowledgeable personal guide (page in Swedish, but the tours are available in several other languages) for an in-depth tour.
Find more Viking-related things to see and do in the list below.
Want to learn more about Swedish history? Check out our guides on museums of history and castles in the Stockholm region for more tips.