Summer in Roslagen

Head out into the archipelago, join a guided tour, visit a castle or an ironworks environment, discover art and handicrafts, or choose among concerts, festivals, markets and local traditions. Here we have gathered some of Roslagen's recurring highlights and excursions – you will find more in event calendar.

Out in the archipelago

Travel with Northern boat line from Norrtälje out towards Lidö and Arholma, among other places, or follow North/South line through the archipelago and hop off along the way. During the summer there are more opportunities to travel between the mainland and the islands and to discover new parts of the Roslagen archipelago.

Choose between regular archipelago traffic, passenger boats and smaller tour boats, book a water taxi or a guided boat tour – or hire a boat and find your own way among islands, islets and skerries.

Take a trip to one of the archipelago's islands. Here you will find everything from village shops, cafés and seaside taverns to swimming, nature, walking trails, guest harbours and small events. During the summer, art exhibitions, food experiences, guided tours and other events are also organised out on the islands.

Art, culture & historical environments

Discover art and craft at art halls, galleries, studios and temporary exhibition spaces around Roslagen. During the summer, exhibitions pop up in everything from old industrial settings and ironworks to local heritage centres, castles and islands in the archipelago.

Visit Österbybruk, Forsmark, Wira bruk and Roslagen's other historical ironworks environments. Join a guided tour, see forges and industrial heritage, or combine your visit with art, theatre, music and other events that take place in the old surroundings. Wira Bruk, for example, is a living ironworks environment with a museum, exhibitions and guided tours.

Come along on palace tours, cultural-historical tours and nature guides, or visit museums and art galleries around Roslagen. Many places have an extended programme during the summer with tours, lectures, concerts and activities.

Drop by a local heritage centre. In many places, local heritage societies open up during the summer with cafés, exhibitions, music, Midsummer celebrations, markets and other local events – often in settings that tell the story of life in Roslagen in days gone by.

Events & traditions

Summer is full of concerts, art exhibitions, theatre, opera, festivals and town festivals. Larger events share space with smaller gigs, exhibitions and performances in industrial heritage settings, gardens, churches, local heritage centres and out on the islands.

Keep an eye out for recurring summer events such as The Boat Week in Öregrund, Seaside Resort Day, Channel Day, the Wira Play and other local festivities and traditions. In various places, classic vehicle meets, races, markets, food and harvest festivals, and other events are also organised during the summer months.

Even the smaller places and islands have their summer days. Art, music, food, flea markets, fairs and local events provide reasons to make a detour far beyond the major destinations. Art events at the archipelago's heritage centres are an example of that kind of small-scale summer offering.

More ways to fill the summer days

• Swim from sandy beaches, cliffs and piers, or find pools and other swimming spots for hot days.

• Walk or cycle through nature reserves, along the coast and in the countryside. Follow a longer trail or choose a shorter walk with swimming, a fika or a place of interest along the way.

• Go on a day trip with the children to animals, museums, historical environments, swimming and other activities around Roslagen.

• Follow the backroads through the countryside and stop at car boot sales, farm shops, cafés and local producers along the way.

• Stay for a few days and explore more. Around Roslagen, there are plenty of charming hotels, guesthouses, hostels, cottages, campsites, motorhome pitches and guest harbours for those who want to make more than a day trip.