Viking History Tour: Sigtuna Runestones & Assembly Sites

Read the runestones that Viking women and lords left behind centuries ago

A private guided tour from Stockholm explores Viking-era sites around Sigtuna, Sweden's oldest town still standing. You'll examine three runestones with their original inscriptions, walk a reconstructed Viking causeway, and visit one of Europe's best-preserved assembly places where Viking lords once ruled. The tour ends in Sigtuna's medieval center, where the main street still follows its 980 AD layout, passing church ruins and timber houses from the 1700s.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Viking sites and Sigtuna town

• Visit three Viking runestones and gravefield
• Walk on reconstructed Viking causeway
• Visit preserved Viking assembly place and runestones
• Lunch stop (own expense)
• Visit wooden town of Sigtuna and main street
• Visit Mariakyrkan monastery remains
• Visit St Olof church ruin

The experience

The tour centers on three runestones scattered across the landscape outside Sigtuna, each one carved with messages from the Viking age. One was raised by two women named Estrid and mentions Jerusalem. A detail that speaks to the reach of Viking trade networks. You'll stand in front of each stone while the guide explains what the inscriptions say and who commissioned them, then move to a reconstructed Viking causeway where you can walk the same route Viking lords traveled. The causeway leads to a Thing-site, one of Europe's best-preserved assembly places where Viking society made laws and settled disputes. The guide covers the Skålhamra family and how power worked in Viking culture.

After a lunch break (at your own expense), the tour moves into Sigtuna itself. The main street curves in the same way it did in 980 AD, and you'll walk it on foot, passing the ruins of three medieval churches. Mariakyrkan, the only remaining trace of a powerful monastery that once stood outside the city, is visited if it's open. The largest and oldest church ruin, St Olof, was built around a holy well between 1080 and 1120 and is the most intact of the three.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included if you're staying within 5 kilometers of Stockholm's central station. The guide speaks English or Swedish, and the group stays small: a maximum of 16 people. A minimum of 2 people is required per booking.

What’s included

• Private guided tour with a live English or Swedish-speaking guide.
• hotel or port pickup and drop-off within 5 kilometers of Stockholm central station.
• vehicle and driver for the full 5 hours.
• all taxes and surcharges.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (under 10)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Swedish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Sweden History Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour with a maximum of 16 people, so you travel as a small group rather than on a bus with 40 strangers. The guide leads you through each site and explains the history. You're not walking around on your own trying to decode what you're looking at. Choose this if you want someone who knows the runestones and the Viking assembly places to tell you what they mean.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Swedish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (under 10).

What do the runestones around Sigtuna actually say?

The three runestones carry Viking-age inscriptions with messages about the people who raised them. One was commissioned by two women named Estrid and mentions Jerusalem, revealing how far Viking trade and travel reached. The guide translates and explains what each stone says and why it was carved.

What is a Viking Thing-site and why does it matter?

A Thing-site was an assembly place where Viking lords gathered to make laws, settle disputes and rule their population. The site you visit is one of Europe's best-preserved examples, with runestones marking its significance. The guide covers how the Skålhamra family created power by establishing this assembly place and how Viking society actually worked.

How old is Sigtuna and what will I see there?

Sigtuna is Sweden's oldest town still standing, founded around 980 AD. The main street still follows its original 980 AD curve. You'll walk past three medieval church ruins, including St Olof (the largest and oldest, built around 1080–1120 around a holy well) and Mariakyrkan, the last remnant of a monastery that once stood outside the city. Traditional wooden houses from the 1700s line the streets.

Is the tour suitable if I'm not in great physical shape?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll walk the main street of Sigtuna and move between the runestones and assembly site, but the pace is set by the guide and there are no strenuous climbs or long distances required.