Uppsala.
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Overview

Uppsala is a university city in Sweden. While Uppsala sometimes stands in the shade of Stockholm it maintains a sophisticated identity of its own. Compared to the Swedish capital, Uppsala is less frantic, with more of a small-town atmosphere, influenced by the student culture and academic traditions of Uppsala University. It has a 16th-century castle, a 15th-century Gothic cathedral, and 11th-century rune stones. It is the country's fourth-largest city.

Understand

Uppsala is the capital of Uppsala County, and had a population of 167,000 in the city (2020) and a total population of 241,000 in Uppsala Municipality (2022).

It was once the political and religious centre of Viking-era Sweden, became seat of the Church of Sweden, and is the home of the largest church in the Nordic Countries, the Uppsala Cathedral. Uppsala University was founded in 1477 as the first Nordic university.

Uppsala is north of Stockholm, on the Fyris River (Fyrisån) that flows south into Lake Mälaren. The name "Uppsala" is derived from the words "Up", as in "upstream", and "Sal", which means "hall", and was archaically spelt Upsala. Historically, Uppsala has been divided between "townies and gownies", with burghers residing on the eastern side of the river, while clergy, academia and royalty have resided on its western shore. To some extent, this division still exists, as the main shopping area is in the eastern part of the city centre, while most university campuses, student nations, and historic landmarks are on its western side.

In 1643, Uppsala adopted its first city plan and got the rectangular street grid it still has. The city limits were set to Kungsgatan, Strandbodgatan, Kyrkogårdsgatan and Skolgatan; it didn't expand past these limits until the latter part of the 19th century. Uppsala's city centre still fairly accurately coincides with this city square; it's rather small relative to the size of Uppsala's population. Due to its regular street patterns and its highly visible landmarks, orientation in Uppsala is rather easy.

The Uppsala area is very flat except for Uppsalaåsen — an esker which stretches across Uppland in a north-south direction. Uppsala Castle is strategically positioned at the top of the esker. Due to the flat terrain Uppsala's silhouette with the characteristic Castle and Cathedral towers can be seen from a great distance. In order to preserve this skyline, most other buildings in Uppsala are quite short.

Many famous Swedish authors have resided in Uppsala, often as students at the university. Notable examples include the playwright August Strindberg, the poets Gustaf Fröding and Karin Boye, and the Nobel Prize laureates Erik Axel Karlfeldt and Pär Lagerkvist. Most Swedish children recognise Uppsala as the city of Pelle Svanslös (Peter-No-Tail), a tailless cat whose life and adventures in Uppsala are described in a series of children’s books by author Gösta Knutsson. Cinema lovers will recognise the area surrounding St Erik's square from the movie Fanny & Alexander by Uppsala native Ingmar Bergman. Uppsala is also one of the main stops on Nils Holgersson's Journey Across Sweden.

Since the Ice Age, the Scandinavian landmass has been rising from the sea. The Uppsala plains were below sea level until around 1500 BC. The country's youngest land became the cradle of the Swedish nation, and soon after its emergence from the sea Håga, some south west of Uppsala, became the centre of Bronze Age Sweden. In the area you can still find remnants of the hillfort Predikstolen, as well as Håga burial mound, the gold-richest Bronze Age burial mound found in the Nordic countries.

In the 5th century, Old Uppsala (Gamla Uppsala), some north of today’s city centre, became the political and religious centre of Sweden. According to legend, it was founded by the pagan fertility god Freyr, from whom the first Swedish kings claimed to descend. The site housed a famous pagan temple, a royal hall, and three monumental burial mounds which can still be seen. It maintained its position as the most important place in Sweden throughout the Viking Age. In the 11th century, Sweden was Christianised, and the temple at Uppsala was destroyed. Instead, Old Uppsala became the archbishopric of Sweden.

Today's Uppsala was founded as a port-city of Old Uppsala called Aros. According to legend, the Swedish king Erik Jedvardsson was killed in battle in Aros in 1160. From his corpse sprung a well of fresh water, which remains as a pump on St Erik’s square north of the Cathedral. Although never canonised by the pope, the Swedes considered "Erik the Holy" their patron saint, and his relics can still be seen inside the Cathedral. Aros eventually came to eclipse its mother city and, in 1273, overtook Old Uppsala's role as an archbishopric, at the same time overtaking the name Uppsala. The same year, the construction of the Uppsala Cathedral began. The Cathedral was inaugurated more than a century and a half later, in 1435. In 1477, Uppsala University was founded, as the first university in the Nordic countries.

In 1527, the Protestant Reformation began in Sweden, and much power and wealth moved from the church in Uppsala to the king in Stockholm. Consequently, Uppsala declined during the 16th century. During this era, Uppsala Castle was constructed, partly in order to check Uppsala clergymen who disliked the reformation. In 1567, the new castle became a scene for the "Sture Murders": during a fit of madness, the Swedish King Eric XIV had six nobles thrown into the castle dungeons and massacred. The wars of the 17th century (including the Thirty Years War) established the Swedish Empire. The city and its university experienced a revival, and Uppsala became something of a second capital of Sweden. Much of the city burnt down in 1702. This did not prevent Uppsala from rising as a scientific stronghold during the Age of Liberty (frihetstiden) in the 18th century, with world-famous scientists such as Carl von Linné, founder of taxonomic biology, and Anders Celsius, inventor of the Celsius temperature scale.

During the early 19th century, professors and students at the university were heavily influenced by romanticism. Many of Uppsala's strong student traditions can be traced to this era, including the archetype of the typical Uppsala student as a sorrowless, punch-drinking and serenade-singing youngling in a tailcoat and a student cap. This "student uniform" can still be seen at formal occasions and gasques (student dinner parties). Throughout the 20th century Uppsala and Uppsala University grew rapidly. During the tenure of the principal Torgny T:son Segerstedt between 1955–1978, more students were admitted to the university than during its entire previous history! In the 20th century, the eastern half of the city experienced an extensive urban renewal. The western half was, however, spared from most of the demolition due to its proximity to the cathedral and university, and has therefore preserved more of its historical character.

Uppsala has a humid continental climate and is on the 60th latitude north, comparable to southern Greenland and Saint Petersburg, Russia. Because of its northerly position, Uppsala receives less than 6 hours of visible sunlight during the winter solstice, and more than 18 hours during the summer solstice. Due to the Gulf Stream, which brings warm water from the Caribbean to the North Sea, Uppsala is not as cold as other places on similar latitudes. For example, during January, Uppsala's daily mean temperature is . Spring normally arrives around the middle of March. Summer usually starts in the middle of May and lasts until late September. Autumn typically continues until late November, when winter arrives.

Uppsala Tourist Centre. Has eight staffed "InfoPoints" scattered around town. These provide basic maps and brochures and can be found at Uppsala University Hospital (Entrance 70), Godsmagasinet (Roslagsgatan 1), Fullerö Handel ( north of Uppsala), Fyrishov Stugby & Camping (Idrottsgatan 2), Gamla Uppsala Museum (Disavägen), City Library (Svartbäcksgatan 17), Uppsala Konsert & Kongress (Vaksala Torg 1) and Uppsala Art Museum (Uppsala Castle, Entrance E).

Get in

By plane With no commercial airport of its own, Uppsala is served by the same airports as Stockholm. Indeed, the main airport, Arlanda, is closer to Uppsala than to Stockholm. Stockholm-Arlanda Airport , south of Uppsala on the main road and railway route to Stockholm, is by far the largest aircraft hub in Sweden. To reach Uppsala the main options are trains, buses, car rental and taxis. By train SL commuter train or pendeltåg and Mälartåg run every 30–60 min between 05:00 and 01:00 and take 18 min to Uppsala Central. Attempts to exit at Arlanda with a ticket to Stockholm are surcharged). The trains have low floors and wide doors for easy access by passengers with wheelchairs or bulky luggage. All trains for Uppsala depart from Arlanda Central station ("Arlanda-C") within the airport Sky City — don't go to Arlanda South or North as these only serve express trains to Stockholm city. You must buy your ticket before boarding. There is a ticket counter and machines at the station. By bus UL bus 801 (daytime) SL bus and 593 (at night) run from the stations beneath terminals 2, 4 and 5 to bus terminal C at Uppsala Central Station. They run every 30 min, taking 30 min. The night bus might be your only transport option between midnight and 05:00. You can travel on line 593 on a SL-ticket the whole way to Uppsala for 39 kr with the disadvantage of not including local busses in Uppsala, more info at UL. Flexibus run budget buses between Arlanda's Terminal 5 and Uppsala. At 30–60 kr these are significantly cheaper than UL's buses, but with departures about once every third hour they are also significantly less frequent. Taxis are available in front of terminals 2, 4 and 5. They offer fixed prices to Uppsala, usually indicated by a large Fast Pris Uppsala-Arlanda or Arlanda-Uppsala sign near the back of the car. The major car rental companies have desks in the arrivals halls. Highway E4 will take you from Arlanda to Uppsala in about 30 minutes. Stockholm-Bromma Airport in Western Stockholm is served by domestic and short-range flights. Skavsta Airport , is in Nyköping, about south of Uppsala. It is served by several budget carriers such as Ryanair and Wizzair. From the airport, take local bus 515 to Nyköping Central Station and change to a regional train for Stockholm Central, where you can change to a train towards Uppsala. For 140 kr you can also take the 80 minute air coach Flygbussarna from the airport to central Stockholm where you can change to a train towards Uppsala. Västerås Airport is in Västerås, west of Uppsala. It is served by Ryanair, which offers flights from a handful of cities in Britain and Spain. Your cheapest and fastest bet is to take a local bus from the airport to downtown Västerås, then change to the regional bus 774 or 773 to Uppsala.

The national railway SJ operates regional express trains from Stockholm every half hour. All trains from Norrland also call here, including the Sundsvall express and the night trains from Luleå and Narvik. From anywhere west of Stockholm or south of Linköping, it’s usually necessary to change at Stockholm Central.

Regional commuter trains (pendeltåg) also run the route Älvsjö–Stockholm–Uppsala twice an hour. Aside from Stockholm C the trains also stop at Arlanda Airport, Solna, Odenplan in Vasastan, Södermalm and Älvsjö in Söderort. As Uppsala and Stockholm belong to different counties ordinary local Stockholm tickets and passes are not sufficient to reach Uppsala. Commuter trains do not have a toilet on board.

A few private travel companies also serve Uppsala. Snälltåget's night trains between the northern ski resort Åre and the southern city of Malmö pass through Uppsala.

By bus Travelling to Uppsala by bus is often considerably cheaper than going by train, but departures are also considerably less frequent. They also run budget buses between Uppsala and Gothenburg, Borås, Jönköping, Kalmar, Linköping, Norrköping, Södertälje, Gävle, Umeå, Härjedalen and Arlanda. Ybuss carry passengers from Stockholm northwards along to coast of Norrland to Umeå, stopping at Arlanda and Uppsala on the way. While tickets to Stockholm and Arlanda are rather expensive at 110 kr, they might be a good option for travellers coming to Uppsala from northern Sweden. Tapanis Buss has a route going from Stockholm to Tornio, Finland stopping at Uppsala.

The local public transport company UL operates services to Västerås and Sala. Tickets are 148 kr if bought on board, 120 kr if pre-purchased and 92 kr if bought with a travel fund. See the section Get around below for details on UL tickets.

By car The north-south highway E4 passes east of the city and stretches south to Stockholm, Norrköping, and all the way to Helsingborg in southern Sweden. In the other direction it continues north past Sundsvall and Umeå to the Finnish border at Haparanda. Road 55 carry traffic to Enköping and continues to Norrköping where it reconnects with the E4. Even though it is some 10 minutes slower it might be a preferable alternative to E4 since it is more scenic and avoids Stockholm, thereby skipping tolls and minimising the risk of traffic jams. In Enköping route 55 crosses the highway E18 which continues westward towards Västerås, Örebro, Karlstad and Oslo, or from Örebro towards Gothenburg as highway E20. The smaller national roads 72 and 288 carry traffic to Sala and Östhammar.

Get around

Town maps are available from the tourist office "InfoPoints", scattered around town.

Most tourist sights are within the central area of Uppsala and can easily be reached on foot. A walk across the entire city centre takes no more than 20 minutes. However, to reach points of interest outside of the city centre, such as Gamla Uppsala or Linnés Hammarby, you will need some other means of transportation — or some really good walking shoes.

A good way to travel in Uppsala is by bike, especially if you plan on leaving the city centre and visit Uppsala's peripheral districts or Uppsala countryside. As any visitor will notice, there are a lot of cyclists here, enough for the city to earn the nickname "Bike Town." There are paths parallel to nearly every road, and many places to store bikes outside. As the terrain surrounding Uppsala is rather flat, it is easy to bike, even for inexperienced biciclysts.

The cheapest way to rent a bike is via the local bike sharing company EU-Bike. You rent one of their easily recognisable green bikes by acquiring their smartphone app, and scanning the bike's QR-code. In a similar manner, electrical scooters can be rented via the local companies Voi. There are also several conventional bike rental places in Uppsala (listed in the section on Sports).

As a side note, locals have a saying that everyone who lives there has had a bike stolen at some point in their lives. While this is not entirely true (it's more a reflection on the popularity of biking than any level of crime), it's probably a good idea to lock your bike.

By bus Uppsala boasts an excellent bus system, operated by the regional company UL, where the closest bus stop is never more than a few hundred metres away. Local buses, also called "Stadstrafiken", are green and numbered 1–31 while regional buses are yellow and numbered 100 and above. Most local bus lines pass by either the central station, city hall or the main square, all within a few hundred metres of each other, making it easy to transfer between different bus lines. A map of the city-traffic network can be found here.

Contactless payment might be introduced but mobile and travelcard tickets will remain. You will also be able to go all the way to Gävle and Sala by Mälartåg regional trains, due to the validity for the whole county and UL-busses in other counties.

Tickets can be bought in advance at machines at the central station. Tickets can also be bought by credit card on the bus. Cash is not accepted on board. Travel fund cards can be bought and charged in the train station or at one of UL's ~60 sales agents, marked out with yellow UL-flags. A list and map of sales agents can also be found here.

By taxi If you would like to travel by taxi, use the three major taxi companies: Uppsala Taxi , Taxi Kurir and Taxi 020 . There are also a lot of smaller companies, but they might have their own view on what you should pay and might also have less geographical knowledge.

See

No fewer than 38 rune stones have been found in Uppsala, and many of them can still be seen . On the lawn just east and south of the Cathedral you can find 7 rune stones, and in the University Park, between the University Hall and Gustavianum, you will find another 9. In general, these were written during the 11th century, showing both pagan and Christian motifs, usually commemorating some deceased relative. A notable exception to this rule is the stone U 1011, today standing in the University Park, reading the inscription "Vigmund had the stone carved for himself, the cleverest of men. God help the soul of Vigmund the ships' captain!"

Uppsala Castle. This major Uppsala landmark is stocked with large halls, paintings, and older remnants of the 16th-century castle built by the Vasa dynasty as a royal residence and a military fortification. As the castle was damaged in the 1702 city fire, the current building is smaller than it was in the 17th century, but is nevertheless built in the same style. It is the official residence of the governor of Uppsala county, and houses several museums. Due to its location on the top of Uppsalaåsen the Castle area offer some of the best views of Uppsala.

Fredens Hus. A museum housing exhibitions concerning peace, conflict and human rights. Has a permanent exhibition about the life of the former secretary-general of the UN, Dag Hammarskjöld, who grew up in the castle. While the permanent exhibition feature information in English, some temporary exhibitions only feature information in Swedish.

Uppsala Konstmuseum. A local art museum with contemporary Swedish and international art. Has plenty of Uppsala ceramics and temporary exhibitions.

Roof Walk. Offer guided tours on the roof of Uppsala Castle. The tour takes about 90 minutes.

Vasaborgen. The 16th-century parts of Uppsala castle damaged in the 1702 fire. Among other things the ruins contain the dungeons where the 1567 "Sture murders" took place. Guided tours at 14:00 F–M are included in the entry fee.

Uppsala Cathedral. Gothic cathedral, which took a century and a half (1272 - 1435) to build, in the is one of the focal points of Uppsala and it dominates the city skyline. It is simultaneously the largest church in the Nordic countries, the burial site of many Swedish royals, and the seat of the Church of Sweden. Here you can see relics of Eric the Holy and Saint Bridget, and in the far end of the cathedral you will find "Vasakoret" – the royal crypt of Gustav I Vasa, "father of the Swedish nation". The walls of the crypt are covered in national romantic frescoes depicting Vasa's reign and his war for Swedish independence. Other notable burials include the 17th-century polymath Olaus Rudbeck, the 18th-century botanist Carl Linnaeus, the 18th-century mystic Emanuel Swedenborg and the theologian, archbishop and Nobel peace prize laureate Nathan Söderblom. It shouldn't be missed, but given its towering size, how could you? Free English language guided tours are held at 12:30 on the first Saturday of every month and daily late Jun–late Aug, M–Sa 10:00 and 15:00, and Su 15:00.

Skattkammaren. In its northern tower, the Uppsala Cathedral exhibit highlights from its collection. The collections include plenty of royal regalia used in the many coronations which took place in the Cathedral. They also exhibit one of the finest collections of historic textiles in the world, including the world's only preserved medieval feast dress, used by Queen Margaret of the Kalmar Union. Another exceptional, but somewhat gruesome exhibit, is the clothing worn by three members of the Sture noble family when they were massacred by the insane King Eric XIV in Uppsala in 1567. Despite being covered with visible stab-wounds and blood stains, these are the best-preserved 16th-century male feast dresses in the world.

Uppsala Gamla Kyrkogård. The largest cemetery in Uppsala is a beautiful place for a walk. Notable burials include the national romantic poet and historian Erik Gustaf Geijer; the poet Gustaf Fröding; artists Olof Thunman and Bruno Liljefors; Nobel laureates Kai Siegbahn, Arne Tiselius, Svante Arrhenius and the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dag Hammarskjöld, who died under mysterious circumstances during his tenure as secretary general of the UN.

Helga Trefaldighets kyrka. King Erik "the Holy" was killed in battle in or by the church in 1160. The current church building was erected in the latter part of the 13th century, making it older than Uppsala Cathedral. The interior is decorated by Sweden's most famous medieval church painter, Albertus Pictor. Architecture buffs can compare its Roman architecture to the Gothic style of the cathedral.

Medicinhistoriska museet. A museum concerning health and sickness in body and mind throughout history. In the 19th and 20th centuries the area was used a psychiatric hospital called Ulleråker, and many of objects used at Ulleråker are exhibited at the museum.

Mora Stenar. The place where Swedish kings were elected from the 13th to the 15th centuries, comparable to the more famous Scottish Stone of Scone. The stones can be seen in a small inconspicuous hut by the road side.

Upplandsmuseet. The official regional museum of Uppsala County can be found in an old building that used to serve as water mill. Extensive permanent exhibitions regarding the pre-history and history of Uppsala and Uppsala County, covering not only political and building developments, but also people's everyday life. In addition, they always exhibit some temporary exhibition. Most exhibitions feature information in English.

Art and galleries While Uppsala's largest art establishment is Uppsala Art Museum (in Uppsala Castle, listed above) there are also several other smaller art venues in the city.

Bror Hjorths Hus. The home and studio of the 20th-century sculptor and painter Bror Hjorth is now a museum dedicated to his life and art. Especially interesting for those who like nativist paintings.

Galleri 1. A gallery operated by Uppsala Konstnärsklubb, an association of Uppsala based artists, exhibiting works made by their members.

Galleri Upsala. A small gallery which is rented by different artists who exhibit and sell their own works in person. The opening hours are irregular as they depend on the schedule of the artist using the gallery.

Mollbrinks konst. A family-owned gallery selling and exhibiting Scandinavian fine art from the 19th century and onward. They specialise in works by the Swedish 19th century artist Anders Zorn.

north of Uppsala. Bus 2 and the hike "Eriksleden" (which starts at the cathedral) calls here. By car: Follow Svartbäcksgatan 4.5 km north, then take a right turn onto Ärnavägen and follow it another 1.5 km.

This was the political and religious centre of Viking-era Sweden, with a royal estate, the "Thing of all Swedes" (political assembly) and a renowned pagan temple. The Viking heritage can still be seen in the landscape due to the three monumental burial mounds, historically attributed to the gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. In modern times it has become a centre for Norse Neopaganism, hosting a major blót sacrifice each spring! If you get hungry there is a nearby restaurant and café called ( M–F 10:00–16:00, Sa Su 10:00–18:00) which brew its own mead. Groups of 20 or more can book Viking feasts with traditional clothing and food.

With the help of augmented reality technology, you can also see what the site would have looked like at its historical peak in 650 AD. When looking at site through your smartphone, the app Augmented History: Gamla Uppsala adds an additional layer to reality, which contains all the different structures archaeologists have discovered on the site, including the old Temple at Uppsala and the Royal hall, enabling you to see and even interact with the Viking settlement. As of 2018, the app is only available on iOS. If you don't have your own equipment, visitors to Gamla Uppsala museum can borrow iPads for up to 30 minutes without any extra charge. The iPads are available between 15:00–16:00 during weekdays and 11:00–13:30 during weekends, and are booked at the museum counter.

Disagården. This open-air museum consists of an old preserved farm, and provides a picture of what life in Uppland's countryside was like in the 19th century. The house interiors are only accessible during the daily guided tour at 13:00, the daily children's tour at 14:00, and the open house hour between 15:00 and 16:00 daily.

Gamla Uppsala kyrka. This 12th-century church, said to be on the site of the long-destroyed pagan Uppsala temple, was the seat of the archbishop of Sweden between 1164 and 1273. It is also known as the final resting place of Anders Celsius, inventor of the Celsius thermometer.

Gamla Uppsala museum. Tell the history of Uppsala's Viking heritage and exhibit many of the archaeological findings discovered in Gamla Uppsala. In the summer, there are daily guided tours in English at 12:30 and 15:30.

Valsgärde. At the bank of Fyris River, there is a small moraine hill which does not look like much to the eye. However, it covers one of the most important Viking-era archaeological sites ever excavated. Between the 5th and 11th centuries AD, this site was used as a burial site. Archaeologists have discovered some 90 graves, including 15 lavish boat burials. Since the same site was used continuously for such a long time period, archaeologists use its findings to compare how the same culture developed over time. There are no noticeable remnants at the site. These can be found at the University museum Gustavianum, in central Uppsala. However, you can still visit Valsgärde to appreciate its beautiful landscape and historical atmosphere.

Biotopia. A museum of Uppland's geology and biology, with dioramas of stuffed animals in their natural environment. Appropriate for families — children can discover and experience nature. It is in a beautiful park and has a nice café in the same building.

Botaniska trädgården. The main garden at the university consists of the Baroque garden, the Orangery and the Tropical Greenhouse. It was planted in 1664 as a castle garden, but, in 1787, it was donated to the university.

Evolutionsmuseet. A natural history museum containing the largest fossil collection in Scandinavia. The museum is divided into palaeontological and zoological sections, housed in separate buildings on the same block. Many of the exhibited objects were collected by Linnaeus' apprentices as they travelled around the world. It also exhibits the largest collection of Chinese dinosaurs outside of China.

Linnés Hammarby. The Linnaeus family's summer residence is about southeast of Uppsala. It is a museum about the family, and 18th-century biology and farming. The main building can only be accessed during guided tours which are held at 12:30 in English and 11:30, 14:30 and 15:30 in Swedish on every open day. Even if you don't speak Swedish, you can join one of the Swedish-language tours in order to see the house interior. Is part of the proposed Linnaean UNESCO World Heritage. Café Sara Lisa is in the same building as the museum gift shop and offers fika and lunch.

Linnés Sävja. Another farm which was owned by Linné. While Hammarby was used for work and social relations Sävja was his refuge. The main building is a museum with a café. Throughout the season the site houses several events such as art exhibitions and concerts. Guided tours are held Sa 14:00, or on request for companies of at least two persons.

Linnéträdgården & Linnémuseet. The botanical garden was first planted by Olof Rudbeck in 1655, making it the oldest in Sweden. After a period of decline, it was restored and maintained by Carl von Linné and became a major attraction during Linnaeus' own lifetime. In the garden orangery, you can find exhibitions about Linnaeus' successors and disciples. The building in the southern corner of the garden served as the residence of the Linnaeus family between 1743 and 1778. It is a museum dedicated to Linnaeus' professional and personal life. Is part of the proposed Linnaean UNESCO World Heritage.

Uppsala University was established in 1477, making it the oldest university in the Nordic countries. It is associated with 8 Nobel Prize laureates and is frequently ranked among the best 100 universities in the world. University campuses are scattered around the western part of the city centre. If you want to experience the student life at Uppsala you should go to one of the 13 Student Nations (see infobox under section Drink).

Carolina Rediviva. The University library; and an enormous one at that, with over 5 million volumes. The upper floors are accessible via an elevator and will provide you with a great view of Uppsala. The library has a gift shop and a museum department which exhibits prized examples, including original prints of milestone scientific achievements, such as Newton's Principia, Darwin's Origin of Species, and Linnaeus' Systema Naturae; the fantastic 16th century map Carta Marina; and the famed 6th century Silver Bible (Codex argenteus) – the best-preserved text written in the extinct Gothic language, named a UNESCO Memory of the World in 2011.

Gustavianum. Gustavianum is the oldest standing structure of the university and exhibits a selection of the most interesting objects from the university collections. Of course this includes a comprehensive history of science and of Uppsala University, with items such as an original Celsius thermometer, lecture notes from 1477, and instruments used during the scientific revolution of the 19th century. The museum also contains two archaeological exhibitions with Egyptian artifacts, mummies and sarcophagus, and findings from the Viking era boat burials in Valsgärde. The two main attractions of the museum is however the old anatomical theatre from the 17th century, where human bodies were dissected to educate medical students, and the Augsburg Art Cabinet, the world's best-preserved 17th-century curiosity cabinet. It contains some 1,000 different artifacts, and when it was built in 1632 the cabinet costed about as much as a palace or a smaller principality. The cabinet can also be viewed online for free.

Universitetshuset. Constructed in Italian renaissance Beaux-Arts style and was completed in 1887. Here major university events and occasional public concerts take place. In the hall you will find a café, a shop and a small exhibition about the history of Uppsala University. In the main hall you can also find Uppsala University's comprehensive coin cabinet, but it is only open to the public on special occasions. The controversial aphorism "Tänka fritt är stort men tänka rätt är större" (which translates into "Thinking free is great, but thinking right is greater"), attributed to the 18th century philosophy professor Thomas Thorild, are engraved at the auditorium entrance. The phrase "think right" has been misunderstood as "think as the authorities do". Thorild was however a radical for his time; his aphorism should be read as "think reasonably".

Do

Boat-trip. Go on a boat-trip on the river Fyrisån that takes you to the lake Ekoln, a part of Mälaren. Continue to the castle Skokloster or Sigtuna. The main shipping companies are:.

M/S Kung Carl Gustaf. The ship M/S Kung Carl Gustaf was constructed in 1892.

Strömma. The ship, M/S Enköping, was constructed in 1868 making her the oldest operating passenger ship in the world, according to Lloyds Register.

Fyrishov. A combined arena and recreational swimming hall-complex. The swimming hall houses both a tropical water park, Olympic-sized indoor pools, child pools, and two outdoor pools. The outdoor pools are open May–Aug. The facilities also include restaurants, relax areas, saunas and a spa & massage area. Aside from bathing Fyrishov also has a bowling alley, mini golf courses and drop in zumba classes.

Lennakatten. A heritage railway which stretches from Uppsala Central Station and east into the Uppsala countryside.

Leo's lekland. A kids-oriented play land with slides, trampolines, ball pools and sports arenas.

Pelle Svanslös lekplats. A Pelle Svanslös-themed children's playground. The small playground has swings, slides, and a bicycle carousel, and looks like a miniature version of Uppsala.

Uppsala Segelflygklubb. Offer glide flying across Uppsala County. Experience Uppsala from a height of 1000 m and try to operate the glider yourself!

Turbo Sport Zone & Adventure. A sport and training centre (or as some would call it; playground for adults) with a multisport area, "Ninja Warrior", trampolines, an AirTrack, climbing walls, and a parkour zone.

Filmstaden and Spegeln. Two neighbouring cinemas, both operated by Sweden's biggest cinema group, which also called Filmstaden. Spegeln is one of few remaining single salon theatres, but with 325 seats their one salon is the largest in Uppsala. Filmstaden, with its 12 salons, is the largest cinema in Uppsala.

Fyrisbiografen. Started in 1911 and is Sweden’s oldest cinema still in business. They mainly focus on world cinema and independent movies. In 2018 it became the first cinema to be awarded the "Europa Cinemas Innovation Prize" at Venice film festival — probably the closest thing to "Golden Lion" that a cinema can receive.

Parksnäckan. An open-air guest stage in the city park. They are only open during summer, when they offer a busy and varied schedule, mostly of musical concerts. A bar at the premise offer hot and cold drinks, fika and food.

Reginateatern. One of Uppsala's largest guest stages. They don't produce any shows of their own, but rather invite guest performers, many of which are international acts performing in English. The schedule include plays, musical shows, stand-up and dance performances. Every fall in late September or early October they organise Uppsala's international poetry festival Ordspråk, with plenty of poetry readings and spoken word performances in English.

Slottsbiografen. This cinema was built in 1914 and has preserved its decor and atmosphere since. It is famous as the cinema of Ingmar Bergman, who grew up in the neighbourhood and saw his first movies here as a child. He also frequented it as an adult and had his own designated seat. It is only open during special events, such as Uppsala International Short Film Festival, Uppsala French Film Festival, and the sound-only cinema Ljudbio.

Uppsala Stadsteater. Uppsala's main theatre. Produces and presents theatre, dance performances, musical concerts and guest performances. Occasionally they feature plays in English.

Uppsala Konsert & Kongress. Uppsala's main concert hall was inaugurated in 2007. By then discussions of building a concert hall had been going on for a hundred years! Since then the building and its modernist design has kept on creating controversy. The concert hall has a varied calendar which includes orchestras, dance performances, modern music as well as conferences and seminars. From the top floor you get a great panoramic view of Uppsala.

Outdoor life Public baths While Fyris River crosses the city, there are no official bathing areas within walking distance of the city centre. In effect, this means that there are no official, regular controls of the water quality in the river. However, occasional tests have indicated that the water is fully safe to bathe in. Generally, the water quality is better north of Uppsala, before the south-flowing water has crossed the city centre. In the part of the river north of the city centre, there are also several bridges with rescue ladders which can be used for bathing.

Fjällnora naturistbad. A recreation area with two beaches in lakes Trehörningen and Ramsen. Besides bathing, you can also fish, go kayaking or bike or hike on the trails scattered around the area. In winter, it is possible to go skiing on the trails or skating on the lakes.

Hammarskogsbadet. A recreation area some south west of central Uppsala. You can fish, bathe, or skate on lake Mälaren, or hike or ski around the local tracks. The site is also popular among ornithologists.

Go Adventure "Adventure course". A web of ropeways, nets and suspension bridges among the treetops.

The old Hammarskog mansion. Built in the 14th century, it has been rebuilt into a café.

Lyssnaängsbadet. A public bathing area in Lake Mälaren by the southern outskirts of Uppsala, some from the city centre.

Storvadsbadet. A public bathing area in Fyris River, some north of the city centre. The site is handicap-accessible and offers public restrooms, and has an adjacent area where you can bathe your dog.

Wikbadet. A bathing area in the beautiful area of Wiks slott, equipped with a bridge, diving tower and a café.

Hiking, biking & jogging trails As the terrain around Uppsala is very flat, none of these hikes are very difficult, and could therefore be performed by inexperienced hikers or cyclists. For information about bike rentals, see section "Get around". Eriksleden is a 6-km hike between Uppsala Cathedral and Old Uppsala Church. During the medieval era, Saint Erik was revered as the patron saint of Sweden, and his relics was carried in procession between these two destinations every year. The Linnaeus Trails are eight different hikes which were created by Carl Linnaeus as biological excursions for his students. The trails measure from to one way, and are marked up by blue signposts. 7 of the hikes start at the old city entrances, in today’s city centre, while the last one starts in the village of Jumkil. The trails are part of the proposed Linnaean UNESCO World Heritage. The Yellow trail is a 10-km path which stretches through a continuous green belt within the urban area. The scenery include a 300-year-old pine tree forest as well as pastures. The trail starts by Studenternas sports stadium south of the city centre and leads down to the shores of Lake Mälaren by the southern suburbs of Uppsala. Upplandsleden is an alternative for those who desire a longer hike. It stretches through the province of Uppland, from Lake Mälaren in the south to the Dal River in the north, and passes through the southern part of Uppsala. It is marked up with orange signposts.

Fiby Urskog. An 87-hectare (215-acre) natural reserve and ancient woodland, virtually untouched by humans since the 18th century. It has become a habitat for many unusual species of birds, insects and fungi. A hiking trail will take you across the woodlands and make sure that you don't get lost.

Hågadalen-Nåsten. A 1,700-hectare (4,200-acre) natural reserve within walking distance from the city centre. One of the main sights in the reserve is (aka Kung Björns hög), a bronze age burial mound. It held the most gold of any Bronze Age tomb in Scandinavia and contained about a third of all the Bronze Age gold objects ever found in Sweden! Dating from around 1000 BC, it is twice as old as the more famous Old Uppsala burial mounds. Some south of the mound you can find remnants of the Bronze Age hillfort . The natural reserve is part of the proposed Linnaean UNESCO World Heritage.

Stadsskogen. Stadsskogen, which literally means "The Town Forest", is a 108-hectare (267-acre) forested park and natural reserve. It is filled with small paths and trails, making it a great recreational area for hiking, biking, skiing and jogging. The forest had been used as a stone quarry and military practice field, and remains from these activities can still be seen. One section of the forest known as "Trollskogen" (The Trolls' Woods) developed freely, untouched by human intervention, for the last 50 years.

Sports Football: IK Sirius play soccer in Allsvenskan, the top tier, at Studenternas IP (capacity 10,000). The playing season is Apr-Nov. is a multi-sports stadium at Ulleråkersvägen 6, on the west shore of the river just south of City Gardens. As well as soccer, IK Sirius play the winter sport of bandy in Sweden’s top divisions. The men's Uppsala Basket and women's Sallén Basket play in Sweden’s top tier. Uppsala 86ers play American football here in the top tier Superserien. Cross country skiing – There are several pre-plowed tracks for skiing around Uppsala. Major tracks include: King Björn's track and the Hammarskog-track, which starts by "King Björn's mound" in Håga west of Uppsala centre. Lunsen is a natural reserve with several tracks. You can start by "Planstskolan", next to road 255 south of the city, where you can find booklets with suitable tracks. Tracks can also be found by Sunnerstabacken (see below by "Downhill Snowsports"). The safest bet for snow is the rather short kap-track, south of Studenternas IP, as excess snow is brought here from the sports stadium. Curling

Curlingcompaniet. Accept groups from 4 to 10 people, though a group of 8 is recommended.

Sunnerstabacken. The largest slopes in Uppsala, with a heights of about 40 m. The main slope has both jumps and rails.

Söderby Golf. A family-owned golf club which offers one par-73 18-hole track and one par-60 9-hole track. They also offer accommodation.

Upsala Golfklubb. The oldest golf club in Uppsala, and, with some 2,000 members, it is one of the largest in Sweden. They offer one 18-hole track, par 72, and two 9-hole tracks, par 35 and 31.

Ice skating – Gränby ishallar (Råbyvägen 71) and the next door Relitahallen, northeast of the city centre are the main indoor skating arenas. Studenternas IP and Svandammen ("The Swan Pond", between Uppsala Castle and Fyris River) are often open for ice-skating in the winter. Natural ices can usually be found by Ekoln, a part of Mälaren south of the city centre, and Fjällnora, east of the city. Natural ice can be dangerous and should be avoided without proper equipment, training and company. Vikingarännet is the world's largest annual ice-skating race, from Uppsala to Stockholm. It is held in February, but the precise date is often decided on short notice depending on weather conditions. Some years the race has been cancelled all together due to poor ice conditions.

Aktivt uteliv. A sports equipment store and rental place.

Fritidsbanken. Lends donated used equipment free of charge up to 14 days.

Sunnerstabacken cabin. Near by the ski slopes "Sunnerstabacken". Rent out snowsport equipment during winter and kayaking equipment during summer. They also have a café where you can warm yourself and get a bite.

Ski Total. A sports equipment store that also rents out equipment. They have two facilities on the same street: one specialising in bikes and the other in skiing equipment. They are the largest and most centrally-located rental place in Uppsala.

Uppsala's tourist office has a calendar on their website listing various cultural and entertainment events.

Uppsala Beer & Whisky Festival. Held one weekend in late February. The festival is attended by some 10,000 people and more than 80 different international and local beverage companies. For those 20 years and older.

Svenska bandyfinalen. Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, similar to ice hockey, which is very popular in Sweden. The final of the Swedish bandy championship is held in Uppsala every year, regardless of which teams play in the final.

Valborg. Held on the last of April. Valborg began as a pagan spring feast but became particularly popular among Swedish students in the 19th century, thus earning a special place in the Uppsala calendar. During the day, tens of thousands of people are out on the streets and parks. Lots of champagne is consumed (or sprayed) and the whole town is like one big festival. At 10:00, students riding decorated rafts race down the Fyris River, usually crashing in the two waterfalls. At 15:00, lots of people gather below Carolina Rediviva and put on their white student caps at a signal, and the masses rejoice. At 21:00, a choir is singing an ode to spring by the castle, and as the day turns to night bonfires are lit all around the city. While Valborg proper is celebrated on April 30, this does not keep the most dedicated students from also partying on "Skvalborg" (April 28), "Kvalborg" (April 29) and "Finalborg" (May 1).

Kulturernas Karneval. A two-day carnival parade and festival with concerts, dance performances, theatre, foods and crafts, held one weekend in May. The event is intended to celebrate and highlight the diversity of cultures in Uppsala. The main festival area is in Engelska parken behind the University library Carolina Rediviva.

Birdie. The oldest, and one of the largest, LAN-parties in Sweden is organised in Uppsala every year during the weekend of the Feast of the Ascension. Aside from the LAN itself the event also include a retro video game fair, "nerd quizzes", music concerts and the board game festival BirdieCon.

Museinatten i Uppsala. On the first Saturday of June most Uppsala museums stay open between 20:00 and 24:00, many of them organising special tours and events for the occasion.

Uppsala Reggae Festival. Scandinavia's largest and oldest reggae festival has made Uppsala known as the “Reggae Mecca of the North”. Run two days in August, hosting both Swedish and international acts.

Uppsala Krönikespel. A reenactment of the history of Uppsala, from its mythological foundation until today. While the play is acted in Swedish, you can get an English language plot summary to follow the story. Held from 20.30 to 22.00 during several nights in late August or early September.

Kulturnatten. On the second Saturday of September, most people working in culture in Uppsala show their talents downtown to masses of people walking around. The program consists of more than 600 cultural activities ranging from musical concerts to dance shows; from food tastings to beer brewing; from fire shows to jousting; and from try out qigong to try out pole dance. While there are many similar Culture Nights organised around Sweden, Uppsala's edition is estimated to be visited by some 175,000 people, making it the largest in the country.

Uppsala Pride. Uppsala's largest LGBT event takes place during one weekend in September. The festival contains a busy schedule of workshops, lectures, movie screenings, and parties, and culminates in a Pride parade through Uppsala's city centre. In particular the festival focus on the conditions of newly arrived LGBT immigrants and refugees.

Uppsala International Guitar Festival. Scandinavia's largest guitar event occurs during half a week in mid October. The festival includes seminars, workshops, a guitar fair, and concerts by some 300 performers.

Uppsala International Short Film Festival. A festival usually held during one week in the latter part of October. More than 300 short films from around the world are showed together with lectures and seminars. All films have English dialogue or English subtitles.

Allt Ljus på Uppsala. During November Uppsala boasts neither much sunshine, nor much snowfall, making it one of the darkest periods of the year. To bright things up, Uppsala is illuminated by a number of light installations, turning the city centre into a beautiful outdoors art museum. The festival starts in early November and lasts some two weeks.

Christmas at Uplands Nation. Every Christmas Uplands Nation arranges a free traditional Swedish julbord (Christmas buffet). It began as a dinner for students who were unable to get home for the holidays, but today it attracts all kinds of people. Nation card is not required — everyone is welcome. The event is alcohol- and drug-free and done on a completely volunteer basis, with the food being donated by local shops and restaurants. If you're lucky you might even get a gift from Santa!

Learn

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The second and less well-known university in Uppsala. SLU campuses are scattered around Sweden, but most of the administration and the faculties of "Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences" and "Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science" can be found in Ultuna south of Uppsala.

Uppsala University. Founded in 1477 it is the oldest university in the Nordic countries, and one of the largest in Sweden. It offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in humanities and arts, social sciences, law, business, sciences, engineering, and medicine. Campuses are scattered around the western part of Uppsala. It has about 40,000 students, and some 6,000 employees.

Buy

Typical opening hours in Uppsala are 10:00–18:00 or 19:00 from Monday to Friday and 10:00–16:00 or 17:00 on Saturdays. On Sundays larger venues are typically open from 11:00 or 12:00–16:00 while many smaller shops, cafés and restaurants are closed, making the city rather quiet. The main shopping street is a pedestrian street which runs parallel to the river, one blocks East of the river and two blocks West of the train station. On it lays the main square Stora torget. The street is popularly simply referred to as "Gågatan" (The Pedestrian Street), but its official name is Svartbäcksgatan for the part North of the main square and Kungsängsgatan for the part South of it. Svavagallerian (Dragarbrunnsgatan 50), Forumgallerian (Dragarbrunnsgatan 43–45) and S:t Per-gallerian (Svartbäcksgatan 7–11) are three central shopping malls. They can't compare to the malls in Stockholm though.

Boländerna. The biggest district for buying "not everyday stuff" (electronics, furniture, bikes) in Uppsala. This is where you find the second biggest IKEA in Sweden, MediaMarkt, Bauhaus, Elgiganten and so on. It can park nearly 8,000 vehicles, which makes this one of the biggest concrete jungles in Sweden.

Gränbystaden. With 9 million visitors annually, 140 shops, 25 restaurants, and a floor space of , this is the biggest mall in Uppsala.

Bookstores Pressbyrån is a well-stocked magazine store chain with lots of international and Swedish magazines, which can be found at several locations in the city.

Akademibokhandeln. The largest and most well-stocked book-store in Uppsala, part of Sweden's largest bookstore chain. The chain has an additional store in the mall Gränbystaden.

Läslusen. A children's bookstore. While they only offer a few selected works in English it is a great place to find literature in simple Swedish.

Omnikvariatet. A second-hand bookshop and art gallery, often hosting different cultural events.

Röda rummet. Uppsala's largest second-hand bookshop, named after a novel by the Swedish author August Strindberg.

Seriezonen. Uppsala's only comic book store, and is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in Sweden. Each spring they organise the event Uppsala Comix, with workshops and presentations by international and Swedish comic book creators and publishers.

Uppsala Bokhandel. An independent bookstore with helpful staff and a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction books.

The Uppsala English Bookshop. Has all kinds of books in English, with particularly well sorted shelves of fantasy and science fiction literature. In 2018 it was awarded the title "International Excellence bookstore of the year" (or in plain English "Best bookshop in the world") at the London Book Fair.

Many international and national fashion warehouse chains such as Zara, H&M and New Yorker can be found on the main shopping street Svartbäcksgatan.

Agatha Sax. A tailor specialising in high quality shoes. Also offers furnishings, accessories and clothing.

Bergmans Konfektion. Men's and women's clothing. Offer products by several but not only Swedish brands.

Herta. A small family-owned women's fashion store. Aside from clothing they also sell furnishings, jewellery and handbags. Mostly offer French, Italian and American brands.

Jaber. A family owned fashion warehouse. The beautiful building was once a hotel called "Gillet".

Rådhuset. Once used as the town hall of Uppsala, this building has now been renovated into a fashion department store. Even though the clothes are pricey it is free to enter the building to enjoy its architecture. You can also book guided tours about the history of the building.

Flea markets, second hand and auctions

Uppsala Auktionskammare. Founded in 1731, it is one of the oldest auction chambers in the world. Items include furniture and antiques from the 17th century and onwards, Asian objects, jewellery and fine arts from both old masters, and contemporary artists. Auctions are held about once every month and is divided into three categories. The most valuable goods are sold during "important sales" weeks in early June and early December every year. Smaller "decorative sales" auctions are held about six times a year. "Special auctions" are organised on occasions when the chamber is entrusted some comprehensive prestigious collection.

Erikshjälpen. A nationwide children's rights charity organisation. Around Sweden they have several second hand stores, staffed by volunteers selling donated goods. The profit is used to help children around the world out of poverty.

Fyris Park. Run by a local dance association. In summer it turns into a car boot sale.

Loppis Poppis. Rent out some 200 sales booths were sellers can exhibit their own second hand goods. As Loppis Poppis sales clerks handle all the sales, the sellers themselves do not have to monitor their sales booth.

Ulva kvarn. An old mill turned into a small mall, with a café and several handicraft studios and stores. In summer they host a large car boot sale. The season ends with a major crafts fair and autumn market in early September. A Christmas market is held in the last weekend before Advent Sunday.

Vaksala torg. A central traditional flea market. Sellers include professional antiques dealers, private persons and school classes. The annual "Disting" market have been held in Uppsala since pre-historical times, originally in conjunction with the blóts (sacrifices) at Uppsala temple. In modern times the market is held at Vaksala square on the first Monday and Tuesday in February.

Gifts and souvenirs Many museums, including the Cathedral, Upplandsmuseet and The Linnaean Garden have gift shops with general Uppsala souvenirs as well as souvenirs more closely related to their exhibitions. The best place to find Uppsala University themed merchandise are the gift shops in the University Museum Gustavianum and the University Main Hall.

Fullerö Handel. A store selling gifts, furnishings and garden accessories. They also have a café.

Godsmagasinet. A small design and craft mall inside the old train station warehouse. It consists of the craftsmen cooperative Kaleido, the café Broströms Kafé, and Stickspåret who sell clothing, accessories, furnishings and gifts by Nordic designers.

Mamsell K. A cramped but cozy store, maybe most known for their hand-made Uppsala themed Christmas baubles.

Öster om ån. A craft cooperative operated by some 20 Uppsala craftsmen who sell their own goods in the store.

Eat

Uppsala, being a university town, is not a city that is big on fine dining. There are a number of good restaurants to be found, however, and most of them are not far from the main landmarks in town. Lunch options are generally cheaper than dining options.

If you are interested in something lighter, most cafés mentioned below offer dishes like sandwiches, quiche, lasagna or salad. Likewise, most pubs at least offer simple pub food like burgers, and some of them, like Bierhuis and Bryggeriet Ångkvarn, are full-fledged gastropubs. Many hotels have good restaurants of their own, including the Manhattan-themed Kitchen & Table at Clarion Hotel Gillet, the Asian-Scandinavian restaurant and rooftop bar Miss Voon at Elite Hotel Academia, and the Nordic fine dining restaurant Villa Anna in the hotel with the same name. If you plan to cook for yourself, the market hall (S:t Eriks Torg 8, M–Th 10:00–18:00; F 10:00–19:00; Sa 10:00–16:00) offers various types of expensive, quality ingredients like seafood and cheese.

Most days, at least one of the 13 Nations (see infobox under section Drink) serve simple, yet well-cooked meals. Unbeknownst to most locals, lunches are also open for non-students. If you have a nation guest card, you can also dine at the Nations. To know which nations are open any given day, check the calendar at Nationsguiden. Prices range around 50 kr for lunch and 70 kr for dinner.

Virtually all restaurants in Uppsala have at least one ovo-lacto vegetarian dish on the menu. Uppsala is also a rather vegan-friendly city. Many restaurants have some vegan dish on the menu, and even those which do not can usually serve something vegan if you ask the waiter.

Budget-priced food trucks selling fast food like hot dogs and falafel can be found on the main shopping street Svartbäcksgatan, the square Vaksala torg and at Sankt Eriks square just north of the Cathedral. One falafel goes for about 50 kr. Typically they open around 11:00 and stay open until 20:00 on weekdays and significantly later on weekends (around 04:00 — late enough to serve drunk students on their way home from the bars).

Ahaan Thai. Serves delicious, genuine, inexpensive, Thai food. Also offers takeaway. Has vegan options.

Dog Bar. A "hot dog bar" serving beer, champagne and hot dogs!

Dylan's Grill. A burger joint, appreciated more for its tasty burgers than for its plain furnishings. They also have a food truck parked at Råbyvägen 97, some NE of the city centre, where the seating options are even worse, but the burgers are even better! Has vegan options.

Jalla Kebab. Serves big portions of tasty "junk food", such as kebab, hamburgers, salads and pizzas in a fast food milieu.

Luthagens Kök & Bar. A neighbourhood restaurant that serves pizzas and à la carte, and does it well.

Munin Salladsbar. A salad bar. They offer a wide range of different ingredients and let you choose for yourself how to mix them.

Rosa Pantern. A night-open convenience store with a barbecue and buffet restaurant, specialising in kebab. Among students, it is a popular stop-over for a drunken night snack on the way home from nations or bars. Only takeaway, except for a few bar stools.

Yukikos sushi. "Yucko-chan, what do you want to be when you grow up?" the teacher asked. "I can do anything, as long as I don't have to work with fish. It smells too bad", answered the girl. Well, life doesn't always turn out the way you expected, and today Yukiko Willebrand operates one of Uppsala's most celebrated sushi and dumpling parlours. They also offer takeaway and have vegan sushi.

Aaltos. An Italian restaurant with a large outdoor seating area in the summer. The restaurant is on the ground floor of Västmanland-Dala Nation, and is named after its architect, the renowned Finnish modernist designer and architect Alvar Aalto.

Crêperie Lemoni. A cozy restaurant that specialises in French pancake-dishes, like crêpes and galettes. Occasionally, they have live music concerts.

Golden China. While many Asian restaurants in Sweden serve food adjusted to western tastes in overly-oriental milieux, this Chinese restaurant has taken the opposite direction, specialising in more traditional Chinese cuisine served in a rather plain setting. Has vegan options.

Il Forno Italiano. Tuscan cuisine and atmosphere with an impressive assortment of high quality Italian wines.

Koh Phangan. Thai restaurant offering good food in a fun and kitschy atmosphere. (Read colourful light strands, plastic palm trees, sounds of the rainforest, and occasional strobe light thunderstorms!)

Messob African Restaurant. A family-owned restaurant with good Ethiopian and Eritrean food and very friendly staff. Has a lot of vegan options.

Holmes' English Pub. A small British pub and restaurant, serving well-cooked British and Anglo-Indian pub food. Has vegan options.

Tzatziki. Greek restaurant in a beautiful environment just by the Fyris River and below the Cathedral. Their outdoor seating area, within arms-length of the river, is arguably the best in Uppsala.

Domtrappkällaren. Fancy restaurant with a long history and tasty Swedish cuisine. The building dates back to the 13th century and was once a student prison! Next door, they also have a pub called "Domcraft", specialising in beer and gin & tonics. Have several vegan options.

Dryck och Mat. At Dryck och Mat, which literally translates into "Drinks and Food" they serve... well... drinks and food. However, out of the two, it is the drinks which take central stage, and their menus are composed to fit the beverages rather than the other way around. While the food gives an impression of fine dining the atmosphere is rather that of a relaxed hangout with your buddies.

Hambergs. Originally a seafood store which has developed into a family-owned restaurant. Except for desserts, they serve nothing but seafood. They also have an impressive assortment of French wines. Their store can be found in the same location, selling seafood and local delicacies.

Hodja. Turkish cuisine in an inviting setting. It is divided into the "Bar room," with a cloud-like fabric roof and hanging lights, the "Love room," with small tables for two, and the "Glass room," with a removable glass ceiling. Named after the legendary 13th-century humorist and wise man Nasreddin Hodja.

Jay Fu's. East meets West in this "Amasian" steakhouse, serving a crossover of American grilled stakes, and eastern Asian specialties. Their name is an homage to the kung-fu master and stuntman Jay Fu who operated a similarly themed Asian-American restaurant in the Californian deserts in the 1960s and 70s. Has vegan options.

Peppar Peppar. Swedish and French cuisine served in a rustic and elegant setting in one of Uppsala's oldest industrial buildings.

Stationen. In 2011, the new station building of Uppsala Central Station was inaugurated. The beautiful old 19th century station building was instead turned into one of Uppsala's largest restaurants. Their cuisine and atmosphere is inspired by the European continent and especially by European train stations. The restaurant is part brasserie, bar and café, inspired by Paris, London and Rome, respectively.

Drink

As in the rest of Sweden, the government-owned chain of liquor stores (Dragarbrunnsgatan 48A, M–F 09:00–19:00, Sa 09:00–15:00) is the only retail store allowed to sell alcoholic beverages that contain more than 3.5% alcohol. Additional Systembolaget stores can be found at Vaksalagatan 30 and by major shopping malls in the more peripheral districts of the city.

Uppsala has a long history of brewing, and there are four active breweries in Uppsala. Uppsala Brygghus is the largest in the region, and the one you are most likely to find in stock at Systembolaget; Jackdaw Brewery, specialises in Belgian-style beers; Tempel Brygghus, focusing on sour beer and Bryggeriet Ångkvarn, which was named "best brewery" at Stockholm Beer and Whiskey festival 2017. Punsch is a traditional Swedish arrak-based liqueur, holding a special place in Uppsala's student culture.

Bars and clubs in Uppsala are obliged to close no later than 03:00. Most student nations close at 01:00 unless there is a special event.

Cafés While coffeehouse chains are not unheard of, cozy traditional independent cafés are abundant in Uppsala. Daytime in the weekends many of the student nations have cafés, which always have prices significantly below those of ordinary cafés. Both students and non-students are welcome. To know which nations are open any given day check the calendar at Nationsguiden. If you are looking for a more high-end kind of fika, you should check out the "afternoon tea" seatings held at the restaurant and hotel Villa Anna, Saturdays at 12.00 and 14.15

Lindvalls kaffe is a local family owned brand of coffee. Blåbärsprinsess is a blueberry sponge cake topped with marzipan which was invented in Uppsala, and Studentska is a local pastry made from shortcrust, chocolate truffle and icing. The name means "female student" since the pastries, just like the female students, are green and innocent on the outside but black as sin on the inside.

Bageri Brantingstorg. Somewhat "off the beaten path", this family owned neighbourhood café has preserved an atmosphere of the Swedish "Folkhem"-era of the 1950s and 60s. It is the birthplace of their signature cake Blåbärsprinsess, and, according to the local newspaper UNT, their semlor (a traditional Swedish sweet rolls usually served at lent) are the best in town.

Konditori Fågelsången. Founded in 1954, this café still preserves its 1950s aesthetics. They serve sandwiches as well as traditional Swedish cookies and cakes. In the summer they have a large outdoors seating area facing the pretty Swan's pond.

Güntherska Hovkonditori & Schweizeri. An elegant café and sourdough bakery, with a large outdoor seating area on the eastern bank of Fyris river. In addition to pastries, they also serve hot and cold meals, and, unlike most Swedish cafés, a wide range of alcoholic beverages.

Katedralkaféet. A café operated by the Church of Sweden, in co-operation with a local charity organisation. The building was the seat of Uppsala University's board, from its construction in the 1750s to the inauguration of the current University Hall in 1887.

Café Linné Konstantina and Café Linné Hörnan. These two cozy cafes are often used as a meeting place for various clubs or political groups. Confusingly enough, they are both commonly simply referred to as Café Linné. However, you do not need to worry about taking "the wrong one," as they are both great cafés.

Ofvandahls Hovkonditori. A traditional old cafe. Founded in 1878, this is one of the oldest operating cafés in Uppsala. It quickly became a popular place among Uppsala's students and cultural circles. It is the birthplace of the local Uppsala pastry "Studentska". They sometimes have poetry slam contests and other poetry readings, but they are mostly in Swedish.

Kafferummet Storken. A cozy café on the second floor with rather anonymous entrance towards the main square.

Café Tar. Italian coffee bar. Excellent espresso served between spartan walls decorated with paintings by local artists. Aside from coffee they also serve Italian pastries, beers, wines, focaccia sandwiches, and delicious gelato ice cream.

Café Årummet. Offer a wide choice of quiche, cakes and smaller sweets. Aside from hot drinks they also serve beers and wines. Sit down in one of the large couches in their baroque-themed interior, or have a seat in the riverside park Gotlandsparken, right on their doorstep. They always serve a lot of fresh fruit with their cakes.

Bierhuis Ölcafé. A Belgian beer café in an elegant setting. Aside from 24 kinds of drafted and hundreds of kinds of bottled Belgian beers, the menu also offers traditional Belgian cuisine, such as waffles, moules-frites and cheese with mustard.

Bryggeriet Ångkvarn. Uppsala's only brewpub, with the brewery fully visible behind the bar. In 2017 Ångkvarn won the title of "best brewery" and four other titles at the Stockholm Beer and Whiskey festival, the second largest beer festival in the world.

Le Parc. A day-time restaurant and night-time bar in a beautiful garden. Huge outdoor seating is open from April to September. On Friday and Saturday nights, there is a dancefloor playing hits from the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

O'Connor's. Opened in 1993, this "Irish" bar and restaurant is Syrian-owned and run. This place has a great selection of Irish, Belgian and Swedish beers. Live music is performed every Monday–Saturday night, with "Amazing Chris" playing on the weekdays and different bands playing on the weekends. Coats must be handed in at the cloakroom on busy nights (for example, on Saturday nights and when there is music).

O’Neill’s. An authentic Irish pub opened in 2007. Occasionally features live music. Good food and a nice selection of Irish, English, Belgian and Swedish beers. Multicultural-friendly staff from the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden.

Palermo. A daytime pizzeria which, by night, turns into one of Uppsala's most popular watering holes. It gets especially crowded around 01:00, when the surrounding nations close. It is something of a dive bar, and at 40 kr their beers are among the cheapest in non-nation Uppsala.

Shotluckan. The lively and youthful Shotluckan (literally "The Shot Hatch") offer a large range of different shots under the motto "life is too short to sip drinks." Many shots have some adventurous twist – like being on fire.

Vinbaren. Vinbaren, which literally translates into "the wine bar", is the wine bar in Uppsala! They offer some 100 different wines complemented with charcuteries and cheeses. Suitable to experienced and inexperienced wine drinkers alike.

William's pub. British-themed pub with a welcoming interior and helpful staff. They regularly organise themed evenings, with events such as live music or pub quizzes.

Birger Jarl. Great if you're into shots and house music. Three dancefloors and five bars, with a large outdoors seating area. Occasionally they organise themed club nights. Despite a 23-year age limit on Saturdays, it mostly attracts youths. Some Fridays 17:00–22:00, they host the 1970s themed club Soul Train, attracting a more mature crowd than usual.

Flustret. This garden pavilion was constructed in 1842, making it one of the oldest nightlife venues in Uppsala. It is operated as a nightclub with plenty of events and concerts. On Saturdays, they have three dancefloors, playing house, radio hits, and hits from the 1970s, 80s & 90s, but, on Fridays, only the house dancefloor is open. Compared to other local clubs, they target (and attract) a somewhat more mature audience from ages 23 and upwards.

Interpool. A sports bar with activities such as shuffleboard, dart, table tennis, flipper and billiards. Club nights on Fridays and Saturdays from 22:00.

Katalin And All That Jazz. A nice place with an active calendar of international and national touring acts, ranging from jazz to metal to comedy clubs. Jazz-sessions every Sa 15:00–17:00. Aside from drinks they also serve dinner.

Sleep

Fyrishov Stugby och Camping. The only camping site within walking distance of Uppsala offer sites for RVs and trailers, plots for tents, and chalets with four beds, a small kitchen and a shower. The camping area offers boule, beach volleyball, mini-golf, football and rental canoes. The max stay duration is seven days.

CityStay Hotell Uppsala. Offer free wi-fi, guest computers, laundry facilities, self-catering kitchen, and lighter meals. Breakfast is available for purchase for budget rooms and included in standard rooms.

Hotell Centralstation. Hostel with 24-hour open front desk, a great breakfast buffet and free Wi-Fi. Shared kitchen and bathroom.

Hotell Kungsängstorg. A hotel and hostel set in a 19th century rectory. Breakfast and wi-fi is included. Pets are allowed for a 100 kr fee.

Hågadalens Hostel & Vandrarhem. Set in the scenic "Hågadalen-Nåsten" natural reserve. Free parking and Wi-Fi.

Park Inn by Radisson Uppsala. Reliable 3-star chain, and sister hotel of the nearby Radisson Blu. The hotel includes a gym and a sauna, a restaurant and a lobby bar. Breakfast buffet and Wi-Fi is included. Pets are allowed for a 350 kr fee.

Selmas Hytt & Salong. Selma is a barge built as a floating hostel! They have a lounge which offer hot and cold drinks and lighter meals. Breakfast is available for an extra fee. Shared WC and showers. Free wi-fi. Pets are allowed in some cabins.

Sunnersta Herrgård. An old manor in a scenic natural environment, which has been turned into a conference centre, hostel and bed & breakfast. Good communications to the town centre by bus, taxi or bicycle, and if you have a car of your own they offer free parking. Their reception is open 07:30–10:00 daily.

Uppsala City Hostel. Free Wi-Fi. Separate ladies and gentlemen's dormitories. Well equipped kitchen without window, sofa room with windows. The reception is open 08:00–23:00 daily.

Akademihotellet. 3-star hotel in a 1930s setting. Free access to wifi, breakfast, sauna, kitchenettes & laundry facilities. Their reception is open 07.00–22.00 daily, but it is possible to check in after 22:00 if you contact them in advance.

Arenahotellet. With 620 beds, it is the largest hotel in Uppsala. Its niche is active athletes. It is near some of Uppsala's largest sports stadiums and has rooms with larger beds for parasport athletes.

Best Western Hotel Svava. Comfortable four-star hotel inside a modernised historic building, attached to the Svava shopping centre. Pets are allowed for a 100 kr fee.

Clarion Hotel Gillet. Central 4-star hotel. Free gym, spa, breakfast and wi-fi. On their top floor you will find Top Floor, one of Uppsala's few rooftop bars, and like other Clarion Hotels they have a Manhattan themed Kitchen & Table restaurant. Pets are allowed for a 250 kr fee.

Elite Hotel Academia. This former post office was considered ultramodern when constructed in the 1960s. They offer free gym, sauna, breakfast and Wi-Fi. On their 11th floor you will find the Asian restaurant and rooftop bar Miss Voon. Pets are allowed for a 200 kr fee.

Grand Hotell Hörnan. A grand old hotel in neo-Baroque style. When it was built in 1907 it was the largest and most exclusive hotel in Uppsala. They have a lounge bar and a fine dining restaurant. Breakfast and wi-fi is included.

Hotel von Kraemer. In 2014 this luxurious modernist hotel was constructed as a patient hotel, serving patients of Uppsala's world-leading cancer treatment. However, it is also open to non-patients. It is furnished in modern Scandinavian design, and the hotel restaurant offer an equally Scandinavian cuisine. Wi-fi and breakfast is included. The reception is open 24 hours daily.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Uppsala. Reliable 4-star chain, central. The hotel includes a fitness area with a gym and morning yoga, 24 hour room service, a restaurant and two bars. Breakfast buffet and Wi-Fi is included. Pets are allowed for a 350 kr fee.

Scandic Hotel Uplandia. 3-star hotel in a central modern block. Has a gym, bar, restaurant, sauna, laundry, bikes, laundry and a mini shop. Wifi and breakfast are included. Pets are allowed.

Villa Anna. Luxury hotel in a renovated building from 1874. Suites with whirlpool and sauna. Their fine dining hotel restaurant offer Nordic cuisine with innovative touches, and has been named the best restaurant in Uppsala by the national restaurant guide White guide. 24 hour reception. This is where the Nobel Prize winners sleep during their visit to Uppsala University.

Wiks slott. A 15th-century castle turned into a hotel and conference centre. It is the best preserved medieval castle in Sweden and was once one of its strongest fortresses. It is in a beautiful natural environment on the shore of Lake Mälaren, with a beach and a grand castle park on site. The hotel offers a wide range of activities, such as yoga, cooking courses, guided tours of the castle, wine tastings, and ice sculpting.