Budget Friendly Tips to Explore Like a Local
While studying abroad, finding things to enjoy in your local area – whether that be a specialty coffee shop, a beautiful view, or a favorite hiking trail – can quickly make your new neighborhood feel more like home.
Sollentuna is a municipality north of central Stockholm, and an easy Pendeltåg train ride from the central station (T-Centralen). With its proximity to beautiful nature, DIS students who live in Sollentuna often spend time outside of class hiking, ice skating, or picnicking by the lake. Whether you are living in Sollentuna and looking to learn more about your local area, or simply seeking experiences outside of the city center, read on to discover the wide array of things to do in the area!
What to see, do, and experience in Sollentuna:
Embrace the Outdoors
One of the best things about Sollentuna is the easy access to nature; there is a lake just a short walk from DIS housing! Being so close to the lake makes it easy to take a break from homework – or the busyness of the city – to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. You can also pack a picnic and eat by the water (if weather permits!).
There are also four different nature reserves in Sollentuna, each with its own unique feel. At Järvafältet and Rösjö forest, there are many different kinds of trails to walk, hike, or bike. The Thorn Forest offers a hillier hiking option and Tegelhagen, along with hiking trails, gives visitors the opportunity to walk along the Edsviken beach and jump in the water!
There are also canoe and kayaking options for students who want to explore Sollentuna by water. Sollentuna Kanot offers visitors a way to explore the lakes around Sollentuna. Rent canoes for solo or group expeditions starting at 150 SEK/hour.
Stay Active
People in Stockholm love to be active, and living in Sollentuna makes staying active easy! Sollentuna has many outdoor gyms that residents can use whenever they want. Take advantage of good weather in Stockholm (and take in as much sunshine as possible) by exercising at Malmparken, overlooking Edsviken, at the Rösjö track, on Strandvägen, at the Viby track, or in Sjöberg. Visit this website to get details on each location and whether each location is lit (if you will be working out at night).
At Sollentuna Vallen, residents can also enjoy a variety of activities and facilities. Check out the pumptrack, the skatepark, ice skating, hockey and more. Many students have expressed how fun it is to get together with a group and go ice skating on free evenings, and also enjoy watching hockey teams practice or compete!
Art and Culture
Sollentuna has many different ancient ruins and monuments that tell stories of people living, trading on, and cultivating the land for more than 3500 years. The Sollentuna Kommun website lists where each ancient monument is located and can easily be visited by foot. Try mapping out a few sites and creating your own neighborhood ruins tour!
Sollentuna also has a church, Sollentuna Kyrka, which originates back to the late 1100s. The interior of the church is decorated with murals that date back to the 1400s as well as other items and scripture that go back to the 1200s.
Edsberg Castle, located by the bay of Edsviken, is described as the “cultural heart” of Sollentuna. Furnished with items from the time period it was erected, Edsberg paints a picture of what it looked like to live there almost 200 years ago. Aside from visiting the castle, Edsviken also holds different exhibitions and events that are free to the public. Also, neighborhood residents can take advantage of the view and area surrounding Edsviken all year round! Throw a Frisbee, have a picnic, go on a run, or just bring a book and take in the amazing view. Be sure to check the opening days and hours online (entry is free).
Shopping
Students living in Sollentuna are close to two different malls – which can be a great way to spend an afternoon on a cold or rainy day. The first one, Sollentuna Centrum, is a short 5-minute walk from DIS housing. At the mall, there are many different stores, restaurants and coffee shops for you to enjoy! Students will sometimes stop by at the mall to grab a fika, not just to go shopping.
The Westfield Mall of Scandinavia is another shopping option that DIS students frequent, and is just a 10-15 minute Pendeltåg ride away from DIS housing. Inaugurated in 2015, it is the second largest mall in the Nordic countries (with over 224 stores!). Whether you visit to shop at Swedish brands, fika with friends, or just walk around and window shop, the Westfield Mall of Scandinavia can be a fun place to explore.
Looking for more budget friendly tips to exploring different neighborhoods in Copenhagen and Stockholm?
>> Neighborhood Guide: Årsta, Sweden
>> Neighborhood Guide: Södermalm, Sweden
Matt is a DIS Stockholm alum from 2017 in the Gender, Equality & Sexuality Core Course, and is the current Academics, Housing & Student Affairs Assistant at DIS Stockholm. He is also a 2019 Graduate of The College of Wooster with a B.A. in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies. In between traveling, watching reality television and attempting to reach his goal of reading 50 books this year, Matt trains for 5Ks in the hopes of running a marathon in the coming year!