Holiday apartment in Adelsön: World Heritage, hiking trails and Lake Mälaren

Adelsön combines two Birka and Hovgården World Heritage sites: Hovgården on Adelsö and Birka on the neighboring island of Björkö. There are also traces from the Middle Ages and the Viking Age, a protected woodland area, marked trails and places by the water.

Culture and history

Adelsö Church was originally built as a nave with a narrower and lower chancel to the east, ending in a semicircular apse. Its roots date back to the early 12th century. Three large burial mounds north of the church indicate that a royal estate was located here at an early date.

Hovgården on Adelsö was regarded as a center of power with an aristocratic residence. From there, a king controlled, among other things, the nearby Viking Age trading center of Birka. In the 13th century, Magnus Ladulås and Valdemar Birgersson built the medieval palace Alsnö hus on the grounds of Hovgården. Visible archaeological elements of the royal estate include monumental burial mounds, a burial ground, a harbor, a runestone and the foundations of Alsnö hus.

The Adelsö local heritage center houses a museum about Hovgården. It provides information about the archaeological remains, the medieval buildings and life during the Viking Age. Adelsö Cemetery can also be explored independently: At selected gravesites, pre-recorded tours and QR codes enable visitors to take a self-guided tour.

Skopintull is a large burial mound in the burial complex at Adelsö Church. Based on the finds, the grave of Skopintull is dated to the first half of the 10th century. The ruins of the medieval palace Alsnö hus also lie on the grounds of Hovgården, approximately 100 meters due east of the so-called royal mounds.

Nature and trails

The Adelsö-Sättra area is characterized by old coniferous forest of varying ages, with spruce and pine, and has very high natural value. The nature reserve protects a special and now threatened type of spruce forest on naturally nutrient-rich sandy soils; the rare occurrence of the bomb murkla fungus is evidence of this.

The Adelsö-Sättra nature reserve has a swimming area, a fire pit, public transport, parking, a rest area and a hiking trail. The nature reserve parking area is approximately one kilometer from the Sättravägen stop. From there, a woodland path of approximately 400 meters leads to the reserve boundary and the fire pit.

The Adelsö Hiking Day traditionally opens the Adelsö hiking trail every year on Ascension Day between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The trail passes through coniferous and deciduous forests, over burial mounds and hillforts, and along shores, fields and meadows. It is marked in blue on trees and stones and is considered easy to follow.

At Kunstaberget, the lookout tower stands at Adelsö’s highest point, 54 meters above sea level, and offers views over Lake Mälaren. Another historic landmark is Skansberget hillfort, measuring 110 × 80 meters. Behind the 500-meter-long stone wall at Stenby there is also an Iron Age burial ground dating from the Migration Period to the Viking Age.

Water and local traditions

Adelsöbadet is located next to the Hovgården World Heritage site below Adelsö’s sports field. The swimming area includes a sandy beach and a bathing jetty. During the annual Adelsö Hiking Day, local associations serve mead at the burial mounds near Kunsta and sell fish soup at Sättra.

Getting there

The Adelsöleden road ferry connects Munsö and Adelsö across a 1,000-meter route. The crossing takes six minutes and is free of charge. Bus route 312 runs from Brommaplan via the ferry to Adelsö and stops at the Hembygdsgården stop.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Adelsön, you can take your time comparing the offers on the respective pages. The price components and the applicable booking and cancellation conditions are equally important. Afterwards, use the offer pages to compare the fields relevant to your stay directly. Pay attention to the specific entries for each accommodation. The individual details may differ from one offer to another.

Other places: Skå, Färentuna, Stenhamra, Munsö, Ekerö

To the higher-level travel overview: Ekerö.