Birka The Viking City Trip

Birka The Viking City Trip

We'll set off from the Stockholm port at 9:30 am and enjoy a pleasant boat ride around the islands of Lake Mälaren.

After two hours we'll reach the island of Björkö. On this island is the archaeological site of Birka, Sweden's oldest city. It was founded by the Vikings in the 8th century and was Scandinavia's main trading centre until the 10th century.

We'll visit the museum and learn about how the ancient Vikings lived. We'll get to see archaeological remains such as weapons, utensils and even jewellery of Arab origin that will give us an idea of how far the trade routes spread at the time.

Then you'll have two hours of free time to walk around the hills and enjoy the island of Björkö at your leisure. The ruins of Birka are in the middle of a stunning natural landscape where you'll be able to admire the views of Lake Mälaren and the birches on the horizon.

At the top of the island, you'll come across the magnificent Ansgar cross. This monument was erected to commemorate a thousand years since the arrival of the first missionary in Sweden. Weather permitting, you can go for a swim on a small beach and enjoy the lake water. Near the Birka site, there's a restaurant where you can have some lunch to grab a bite to eat (lunch not included).

In the afternoon we'll make our way back to Stockholm, arriving around 5 pm.