Northern suburbs of Stockholm

The northern suburbs of Stockholm, Norrort [ˈnɔrˈuʈ], consist of several municipalities, separate from Stockholm: Danderyd, Täby, Vallentuna, Sollentuna, Upplands-Väsby, Upplands-Bro and Järfälla. To the west they border Västerort (the western suburbs) and Western Uppland; to the north is Sigtuna, and to the east Roslagen and Stockholm archipelago. The inner suburbs, Solna and Sundbyberg, are autonomous towns, usually regarded as part of Norrort.

Understand

During the Viking Age and Middle Ages, the area was known as Attundaland, an entity surviving only with the fire brigade Brandkåren Attunda and the courthouse Attunda Tingsrätt.

During the 20th century, the area between Sigtuna and Stockholm transformed from farms to suburbs. Helenelund and Danderyd are affluent garden cities.

While Stockholm's northern suburbs have fewer cultural attractions than the inner city, they have good opportunities for sport and outdoor life.

Get in

• 1 Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN ^IATA) is by far Sweden's busiest airport, and a hub for Scandinavian Airlines. See Sigtuna for airport amenities. From the airport, the northern suburbs are easy to reach by car, by taxi, or by commuter rail.
• SL line 80 calls at Djursholm.

Many regional trains call at Upplands Väsby.

Get around

See also: Public transport in Stockholm County

Commuter trains cover most of the region. Some long-distance trains call at Upplands Väsby.

• Roslagsbanan is a narrow-gauge commuter railroad running through Danderyd, Täby and Vallentuna, worn down and noisy, but more quaint than regular railroads.

See

Edsberg Palace.

Stockholm's northern defenses are an array of fortifications and military buildings north of the city.

• 1 Edsbergs slott. A 17th-century palace, today mainly used by the Royal College of Music.  
• 2 Edsvik konsthall. An art gallery.  
• 3 Bögs gård. A farm in Sollentuna for displaying traditional agriculture. The farm has been featured twice at American The Amazing Race.  
• 4 MC Collection Museum. Has a collection of more than a hundred motorcycles.  
• 5 Cedergrenska Tornet. Kungsvägen 2, Stocksund, is an interesting tower in Danderyd conceived by Albert Gotthard Nestor Cedergren in the early 20th century. Half built in 1908 it then stood unfinished until completed in 1995. The tower is now used for conferences and parties but is open to the public for Sunday brunches. Apart from the tower the surrounding park is worth a visit in its own right. The tower is a 1-km walk from Stocksund Station along Roslagsbanan and there is also a bus from the bus terminal at Danderyds Sjukhus that gets you a bit closer.  
• 6 Gunnes gård, Ryttargatan 270. A reconstructed Viking Age farm, mostly open during summer. The surroundings have many runestones, graves and other genuine artifacts from the Viking Age and earlier. A market fair is held annually in early autumn.  
• 7 Jarlabanke bridge (Runriket) (Täby). An 11th century road in a district with plenty of runestones, and the site of an annual Viking festival.  

Do

• Several beaches for open-water swimming, especially at Järfälla and Sollentuna.
• Hiking, cycling, fishing and bathing during summer. Ice-skating and cross-country skiing during winter.
• 1 Väsjöbacken, Väsjön, Sollentuna. Open daily when weather allows. Alpine skiing during winter, with six ski-lifts and a designated snowboard park. Equipment rental on site. 
• 2 Brukets skidbacke. In Järfälla, alpine skiing and snowboarding during winter. 

Buy

Sollentuna Centrum, an indoor mall opened in 2010, with a tropical-themed interior.

• 1 Stockholm Quality Outlet, Majorsvägen 2-4, Järfälla (Commuter train to Jakobsberg and then bus 567). Open M-F 11:00-20:00, Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 11:00-17:00. Close to one of Stockholm's two IKEA stores, in the suburb Barkarby, rather far out northwest of the city center, you will find a factory outlet village that claims to be the first and biggest in the Nordic countries, and promises prices 30 to 60 percent lower than in the city center stores. 
• 2 Mörby centrum. A shopping mall with 90 stores. 
• 3 IKEA Barkarby. Metropolitan Stockholm's second IKEA store, newer and slightly smaller than the one in Kungens kurva. 
• 4 Täby Centrum (Roslagsbanan Täby Centrum). Open daily 10:00-19:00. 
• 5 Sollentuna Centrum (Commuter train Sollentuna). M-F 10:00-20:00, Sa Su 10:00-18:00. 
• 6 Väsby Centrum. A shopping mall 800 metres from the rail station. 
• 7 Arninge. An outdoor shopping center.  

Eat

The suburban centres have low-end diners.

Budget

• 1 IKEA Barkarby. While the IKEA stores are similar around the world, the diners are the cheapest in Sweden, with a two-sandwich breakfast for 10 kr, and a full meal for 45 kr. 

Splurge

• 2 Edsbacka Wärdshus, Sollentunavägen 220 (Commuter train to Sollentuna, buses 607, 627 to Edsbacka), ☏ +46 8 96 33 00. 15 km north of central Stockholm, Sollentuna’s rather traditionalist Edsbacka Krog used to be the only Swedish restaurant with two stars in the Michelin Guide Rouge. Extensive wine list. Mains 370-420 kr, menus 750-1200 kr. 
• 3 Riddersvik. Has Sunday brunches and à la carte on Friday evenings. 

Drink

As most residents venture to central Stockholm for nightlife, the suburbs mostly contain local hangouts and hotel bars.

• 1 Magasinet, Upplands Väsby station. A sport bar, and one of the few nightclubs in the area, in a railroad warehouse. 

Sleep

Mid-range

• 1 Scandic Star Sollentuna, Aniaraplatsen 8. Right by Sollentuna Centrum and the railstation. 
• 2 Scandic InfraCity, Kanalvägen 10. 320 rooms. 

Splurge

• 3 Näsby slott, Djurholmsvägen 30. In Täby, a 17th-century manor, rebuilt in 1902. 

Stay healthy

• 1 Danderyds sjukhus. An emergency hospital in Danderyd. 

Stay safe

These districts are generally safe. As with the rest of Sweden, nightlife brawls are a major risk factor.

Go next

Routes through Northern suburbs of Stockholm

Sundsvall ← Uppsala ← Arlanda Airport ←

N  S

→ Solna → Central Stockholm