This suburban district south of Stockholm has a 13th-century stone church and a railway station connecting to the capital. The area includes residential neighborhoods and forest trails.
Västerhaninge sits 22 kilometers south of Stockholm, reachable by a 30-minute train ride. Visit the Stockholm Sweden Temple, a white granite structure built in 1985, or explore Häringe Castle, a 17th-century estate with gardens. Walk among the 170 Iron Age burial mounds at Jordbro Grave Field, or time your trip for Berga Land Management School’s Mountain Days event. The Hanveden forest has trails for summer hikes and winter skiing. With trains departing four times an hour, the town works well as a base for trips to Stockholm and nearby coastal areas.
Train Connections and Local Transport
Take Commuter Line 35 from Västerhaninge Station to reach Stockholm Central Station in 30 minutes; trains depart every 15 minutes during peak hours. Heading south, the same line takes you to Nynäshamn’s harbor in under half an hour. The station’s 1990s renovation added a pedestrian tunnel linking both sides of the town, along with covered waiting areas and a bus stop. Bike racks near the station entrance let you switch to cycling, and paved paths connect neighborhoods to the town center. For local trips, buses run every 20 minutes to areas like Jordbro and Tungelsta.
Forests, Parks, and Sports Facilities
Walk or ski on the trails in Hanveden forest, which starts just north of Västerhaninge. The forest’s eastern edge meets Hanveden Sports Ground, where you’ll find a 400-meter running track, two soccer fields, and an ice rink operating from November to March. Head south to Häringe Castle’s grounds, open daily for walks through geometric gardens and oak woodlands. Nearby Almås Conference, a former manor, has paths winding through fields and past small lakes. Local schools open their soccer pitches and basketball courts to the public after 5 PM on weekdays and all day weekends.
Ancient Burial Sites and Historic Buildings
Jordbro Grave Field, a 4-hectare site 5 kilometers east of town, holds one of Scandinavia’s largest collections of Iron Age burial mounds. Archaeologists excavated parts of the site in the 1970s, uncovering tools and pottery now displayed at Stockholm’s History Museum. Häringe Castle, rebuilt in the 1730s after a fire, gives guided tours of its Baroque-era staterooms on summer weekends. Almås Conference, constructed in 1905, occupies land once used for forging iron during the 1600s. Don’t miss Västerhaninge Parish Church, a stone building from the 13th century with medieval frescoes visible during guided tours.
Festivals and Seasonal Activities
Berga Land Management School opens its barns and pastures during Mountain Days in September, where you can watch sheep-shearing demonstrations and try traditional rye bread. In June, join locals at Ekeby Lodge’s Midsummer event to dance around a flower-covered maypole and eat pickled herring. The sports ground hosts regional track-and-field competitions in May and August, with free entry for spectators. Check the bulletin board outside the library for dates of school theater productions, which often adapt Swedish children’s books. A Christmas market pops up in the church square every December, selling handmade candles and saffron buns.
Religious Buildings and Public Access
The Stockholm Sweden Temple, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, allows visitors to walk its landscaped grounds but restricts interior access to members. Västerhaninge Parish Church holds Lutheran services every Sunday at 11 AM, with occasional organ concerts advertised on its website. The churchyard contains graves from the 1800s, including a section with iron crosses marking sailors’ burial plots. Tungelsta Chapel, a wooden building 3 kilometers west, opens for evening prayers on the first Friday of each month. A community center near the station rents meeting rooms to local clubs and hosts free yoga classes on Tuesdays.
