Things to do in Uppsala
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Ofvandahls
Something of an Uppsala institution, this classy konditori (bakery-cafe) dates back to the 19th century and is a cut above your average coffee-and-bun shop. It’s endorsed by no less a personage than the king, and radiates old-world charm; somehow those faded red-striped awnings just get cuter every year.
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Grave Mounds
The seat of Western culture, according to Olof Rudbeck’s 1679 book Atlantica, was Sweden: specifically, Gamla Uppsala. Rudbeck (1630–1702), a scientist, writer and all-around colourful character, amassed copious evidence proving that Gamla Uppsala was, in fact, the mythical lost city of Atlantis. In retrospect, this seems unlikely. But the spot, 4km north of the modern city, is a fascinating attraction nevertheless. One of Sweden’s largest and most important burial sites, Gamla Uppsala contains around 300 mounds from the 6th to 12th centuries. The earliest and most impressive are three huge grave mounds. Legend has it they contain the pre-Viking kings Aun, Egil and Adils…
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Uppsala Slott
Pink and ponderous, Uppsala Slott was built by Gustav Vasa in the 1550s. It contains the state hall where kings were enthroned, and where Queen Kristina abdicated. It was also the scene of a brutal murder in 1567, when crazy King Erik XIV and his guards killed Nils Sture and his two sons, Erik and Svante, after accusing them of high treason. The castle burned down in 1702, but was rebuilt and took on its present form in 1757. In the dungeon below the castle’s south tower is the Peace Museum, with displays on various world conflicts and atrocities, as well as Sweden’s long record of neutrality and the achievements of former UN secretary general Dag Hammarskjöld. At the cas…
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Museum Gustavianum
A wondercabinet of wondercabinets, the Museum Gustavianum rewards appreciation of the weird and well organised. The shelves in the pleasantly musty building hold case after case of obsolete tools and preserved oddities, like Joseph Cornell shadowboxes gone wrong: stuffed birds, astrolabes, alligator mummies, exotic stones and dried sea creatures. Holding wider appeal is the 17th-century Augsburg Art Cabinet and its thousand ingenious trinkets. Don’t miss Olof Rudbeck’s vertiginous anatomical theatre, where executed criminals were dissected.
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Carolina Rediviva
Rare-book fiends should go directly to Carolina Rediviva, the university library. In a small, dark display room, glass cases hold precious maps and manuscripts, including some illuminated Ethiopian texts and the first book ever printed in Sweden. Occupying its own glowing VIP nook is the surviving half of the Codex Argentus (AD 520), aka the Silver Bible, written in gold and silver ink on purple vellum; aside from being pretty, it’s also linguistically important as the most complete existing document written in the Gothic language.
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M/S Kung Carl Gustaf
Slow the pace with a boat cruise to the baroque castle of Skokloster. M/S Kung Carl Gustaf, a 19th-century ex-steamship, sails Tuesday to Sunday from mid-May to mid-August. Tours (adult/child Skr200/100) leave Islandsbron at 11am and return at 4.15pm, allowing about two hours at Skokloster. There are also evening river cruises at 7pm Tuesday to Saturday from mid-May to mid-September; the cruise plus buffet and entertainment costs Skr350 per person.
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Gamla Uppsala Church
According to reports from the medieval chronicler Adam of Bremen (who was never actually here), a vast golden temple graced Gamla Uppsala in the 10th century. Outside, dog, horse and human sacrifices were strung up in a sacred grove. Thor, Odin and the other Viking gods were displaced when Christianity arrived in 1090, and from 1164, the archbishop of Uppsala had his seat in a cathedral on the site of the present Church.
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Eko Caféet
This funky little place with retro and mismatched furniture serves some of the best coffee in town. It does Italian-style whole food, turns into a tapas bar on Wednesday to Saturday evenings, and frequently hosts live jazz and folk, as well as changing art exhibits and general studenty goings-on. Things quieten down somewhat in the summer, when it just opens for lunch Monday to Friday.
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Treasury
Gustav’s funerary sword, silver crown and shiny golden buttons are kept in the treasury in Domkyrka’s north tower, along with a great display of medieval textiles. Particularly fine are the clothes worn by the three noblemen who were murdered in the castle: they’re the only example of 16th-century Swedish high fashion still in existence.
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Upplandsmuseet
Upplandsmuseet, in an 18th-century watermill, houses county collections on folk art, music and the history of Uppsala from the Middle Ages onwards, as well as more modern displays. (A recent installation presented photographs from the life of author Astrid Lindgren.) Kids particularly will find the inventive dioramas and reconstructions engrossing.
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Gamla Uppsala Museum
Gamla Uppsala Museum contains finds from the cremation mounds, a poignant mix of charred and melted beads, bones and buckles. More intact pieces come from various boat graves in and around the site. The museum is arranged as a timeline – useful for recreating the history of the area.
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Katalin and All That Jazz
Katalin, in a former warehouse behind the train station, hosts regular live jazz and blues, with occasional rock and pop bands. There’s a good restaurant too, and in summer the sun-splashed back patio is jammed with great-looking people acting like they’re not checking each other out.
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Linnémuseet
No matter how many times the brochures refer to Linné’s ‘sexual system’ of classification, the excitement to be had at Linnémuseet is primarily intellectual; still, botanists and vegetarians will enjoy a visit to the pioneering scientist’s home and workshop.
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Lennakatten
You can ride the narrow-gauge steam train Lennakatten 33km into the Uppland countryside. Schedules vary, so check online for updates. The trains depart from the Uppsala Östra museum station, in Bergsbrunnaparken, about 1km east of Uppsala Central Station.
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Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens, below the castle hill, show off more than 10,000 different species and are pleasant to wander through. Attractions include the 200-year-old Linnaeum Orangery (open 9am-3pm Mon-Fri May-Sep, 9am-2pm Mon-Fri Oct-Apr) and a tropical greenhouse (Skr40).
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Linnéträdgården
Adjoining Linnémuseet is Linnéträdgården, which is a reconstructed version of Sweden’s oldest botanical garden – Linné’s playground – with more than 1300 species arranged according to the system he invented.
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Hambergs Fisk
No need to ask at the tourist office about where to eat: if you’re there, you’ll be close enough to smell the aromas of dill and seafood tempting you into this excellent fish restaurant. Self-caterers should check out the fresh fish counter inside.
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Peace Museum
In the dungeon below Uppsala Slott’s south tower is the Peace Museum, with displays on various world conflicts and atrocities, as well as Sweden’s long record of neutrality and the achievements of former UN secretary general Dag Hammarskjöld.
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Tzatziki
Tzatziki will supply all your moussaka and souvlaki needs. There’s cosy seating in the 16th-century interior, and in summer the outside tables by the riverside thrum with diners. Service is fast, the food tasty and there are several veggie options.
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Odinsborg
Next to the unexcavated flat-topped moun called Tingshögen (Court Mound), at Gamla Uppsala, is Odinsborg, a restaurant known for its horns of mead and Viking feasts (although daintier refreshments are offered at the summer cafe downstairs).
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Domtrappkällaren
Once a prison, this is now a top-notch restaurant set in an atmospheric cellar (lunch is served upstairs) at the foot of the cathedral. It specialises in gamey dishes and Swedish cooking, such as venison, reindeer and cloudberry soufflé.
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Disagården
Follow signs from the grave mounds to Disagården, a 19th-century farming village turned open-air museum consisting of 26 timber buildings and a platform stage that serves as the focal point for Uppsala’s Midsummer celebrations.
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Amazing Thai
This small, family-friendly spot is popular for lunch thanks to its great-value buffet (from Skr65). The evening menu features a good selection of fragrant stir-fries, noodle dishes and curries, as well as a set menu (Skr139).
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Saluhallen
Stock up on meat, fresh fish, cheeses and fancy chocolates at this indoor market, or hit one of the restaurant corners for a bite; a couple stay open late for dinner, with pleasant terrace bars available in summer.
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Kung Krål
In the heart of town, this is perfect for summer lunchtimes, when the umbrella'd seating on Gamla Torget fills with hungry punters. The extensive menu includes burgers, pasta, reindeer, salads and seafood dishes.
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