This municipality north of Stockholm has a 12th-century medieval church and remains of ancient Viking settlements. Its modern shopping center draws visitors from across the region.
Sollentuna sits 15 kilometers north of Stockholm, where frozen lakes become ice-skating routes in winter. You'll find 18th-century rococo buildings next to modern shopping centers like Sollentuna Centrum. Four nature reserves contain trails through pine forests and along Baltic Sea inlets. Direct trains connect to Stockholm Central Station in 19 minutes and Arlanda Airport in 14 minutes. Explore 15th-century church frescoes, summer canoe rentals on Norrviken Lake, and castle concerts at Edsberg.
Year-Round Lake Access
Norrviken and Edsviken lakes freeze solid from December to March, creating 15 kilometers of maintained ice-skating paths. Workers clear snow daily so you can skate past pine groves and waterfront properties. Between June and August, rent canoes from Sollentuna Kanot near Tureberg station for 150 SEK hourly. Swim from wooden platforms on Edsviken's Thorn Forest shoreline or camp overnight at Rösjö Nature Reserve's designated sites. Fish for pike and perch using ice drills in February or cast lines from docks in July.
Historical Sites to Visit
Sollentuna Church displays 15th-century frescoes painted in red and yellow ochre on its vaulted ceilings. Take a 35-minute guided tour at Edsberg Castle to see original 1760s rococo furniture and silk wall coverings. Three Viking Age rune stones stand along Järvafältet's hiking trails, their inscriptions naming local chieftains. Archaeologists have mapped 350 ancient sites including Bronze Age burial mounds visible near Rotebro station. Every June 6th, families gather at the castle park for Swedish flag-raising ceremonies and folk music performances.
Sports Facilities
Sollentuna Vallen sports complex maintains two full-sized fields: one with artificial turf for winter bandy matches, another with rubberized tracks for school athletics meets. Practice tricks at the concrete skatepark's quarter pipes or test balance on the asphalt pumptrack. Seven free outdoor gyms operate dawn to dusk, including Malmparken's elliptical machines overlooking Edsviken Bay. When snow falls, Väsjöbacken hill opens a 300-meter ski slope with electric lifts and floodlights for night skiing. Check municipal bulletin boards for orienteering events in Järvafältet's forests.
Shopping Areas
Sollentuna Centrum mall contains 85 stores across three floors, with H&M Home and Stadium sports shop as anchor tenants. Ride the Pendeltåg southbound for 12 minutes to reach Westfield Mall of Scandinavia's 224 stores, including Finnish design store Marimekko. New apartment buildings near Tureberg station have ground-floor Espresso House cafes and ICA supermarkets. Construction cranes dot the skyline as workers build 500 new homes yearly, prioritizing areas within 800 meters of train stations.
Public Transportation
Red commuter trains leave Sollentuna station every 7-15 minutes, reaching Stockholm's city center by the third stop. Buy an SL Access card to ride bus 515 to Kista's tech offices in 10 minutes or cycle north to Upplands Väsby on converted rail trails. Walkers follow Edsviken's western shoreline boardwalks to Solna in 45 minutes, passing under E4 highway bridges. Taxis charge fixed 495 SEK fares to Stockholm but cost triple the train price during rush hours.
Government Services
Four political parties form Sollentuna's ruling coalition, holding public council meetings every second Tuesday at Tureberg civic hall. Eleven specialized committees handle issues from recycling programs to school expansions, streaming discussions on the municipal website. Sollentunahem AB manages 12,000 rental apartments, with waiting lists averaging 9 months for waterfront units. District heating comes from biofuel plants burning recycled wood chips, reducing fossil fuel use by 78% since 2010. Submit policy suggestions during monthly public forums or via the council's online portal.
Population Details
76,790 people live in Sollentuna as of 2023, with 17,662 residents under age 18 attending schools that teach in Swedish and English. Syrian-made sesame bars and Iraqi date syrup fill shelves at Rotebro's Middle Eastern markets, serving 15,300 foreign-born residents. More men than women reside here (38,768 vs 38,022), particularly in apartment-heavy Tureberg district. Over 7,000 EU citizens work at Arlanda Airport or Kista's IBM offices, often renting furnished studios near transit hubs. Retirees occupy 12 senior housing complexes with lake views, averaging 74 years old.
