Activities

Uppsala

Uppsala is Sweden’s 4th largest city and is located just a 18-minute train ride from Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport and a 40min train ride from Stockholm.

The Fyris river divides the city into two parts. The historic part, which holds historic sights such as the Uppsala Castle (Slottet) and its Botanic Garden and museums, Uppsala Cathedral (Domkyrka), and Uppsala University, which was founded in 1477 and is the oldest university in Scandinavia. The modern part of Uppsala holds the administrative, commercial and residential areas of Uppsala.

Uppsala dates back more than 2000 years, it was one of the main Viking settlements, the residence of the kings of the legendary Yngling dynasty and an important religious, economic and political center in Scandinavia. It was founded in 1286, but today is a modern, innovative and progressive city.

Given its scientific and academic heritage, Uppsala is a research and biotech hub, but also aims to be a leading sports city, with its several sports arenas for outdoor and indoor sports and sports clubs. Due to being a university city, Uppsala has a great restaurant and bar scene, and a wide range of hotel options for you and your family to have a great stay for GFNY Uppsala.

Uppsala Tourism Map

Download the Uppsala Tourism Map here

Activities Map Uppsala

Culture

Uppsala has a rich and inspiring array of cultural sights, like Uppsala Castle (Slottet) and its Botanic Garden and museums, Uppsala Cathedral (Domkyrka), Uppsala University, Uppland County Museum (Upplandsmuseet), Carolina Rediviva (universitetsbibliotek) university library, Museum of Evolution (Evolutionsmuseet), Tropical Greenhouse (Tropiska Växthuset), Biotopia, the City Garden, and the Linnaeus Garden & museum.

Use the tourism map and explore the city and its history at your own pace and preference.

Or, book a guided tour to follow in the footsteps of powerful Vikings, scientist Carl Linnaeus or the filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. There are guide companies offering regular city walks during summer months, some with themed tours linked to the Vikings and the Middle Ages but also about art and architecture.

Learn more about Uppsala guided tours here

Discover the Uppsala of Carl Linnaeus

Follow the steps of Carl Linnaeus

Old Uppsala (Gamla Uppsala)

Old Uppsala is the original settlement of Uppsala and is one of the most intriguing Viking sites in Scandinavia. Set in the Uppsala countryside just 5km north of the city, it holds the ancient burial site, Mounds of the Kings, and a modern museum which displays artifacts found at this historic site by archaeologists. Shrouded in myths and heroic tales, Old Uppsala was famed throughout the Viking world.

Restaurants & Cafes

Fika (coffee break) has become a social institution in Sweden, no matter what time of day. Uppsala’s many cafes serve fantastic cakes, pies and pastries to compliment your coffee. Take a break and indulge while enjoying the scenery and atmosphere of this exciting city.

Here are some fantastic Uppsala Cafes.

With its beautiful location below the cathedral and right next to Fyrisån River, Uppsala market hall (Saluhallen) has long had a central place in town. The Market Hall holds several restaurants, bakeries and specialty stores.

Uppsala’s restaurants will delight you! Besides traditional Swedish cuisine, you can enjoy other cuisines, like seafood, tapas, Italian, Japanese, French, Indian, Chinese, Thai and more.

The best restaurants in Uppsala guide

Cafes and Restaurants

Shopping

Located on the east side of Fyris river, Uppsala's Stora Torget (Big Square) is the center of the modern Uppsala. Stroll through the nearby streets off the square to check out shopping, dining, bars and cafes.

Åhlens Uppsala department store offers a large selection of shoes, toys, makeup, clothes, furniture and furnishings from well-known brands. Nearby, you’ll find several outdoor dining options to enjoy.

Godsmagasinet is a store and gallery space owned and operated by twenty artisans selling utensils, art, design, crafts, furnishings, jewelry and clothing. The onsite Broström's Café serves breakfast, coffee and lunch.

7km north of Uppsala is the beautiful Ulva Kvarn, a craft village built around a mill house dating from the 14th century. Visit the craft village to check out several artisan shops and enjoy the tranquil nature of the Uppsala countryside.

Stockholm

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden (and arguably of Scandinavia) and one of the coolest cities on earth. You should definitely reserve a day or a few after the race to check out Stockholm.

If you have limited time but still want to check out Stockholm as part of your GFNY Uppsala experience, consider keeping your Uppsala accommodation and make Stockholm a day trip. Many Uppsala residents work in Stockholm, it’s a 40-minute train ride, so you can maximize your limited time on sightseeing and not on moving hotels and packing-repacking.