Ever since I set foot in Europe and started traveling, I developed this strong hankering in seeing every UNESCO World Heritage Site in Europe. I know, I know. You might be thinking that this "dream" of mine is absurd and borderline crazy but in my opinion, if you're already putting your head in the clouds, might as well choose the highest cloud (or cluster of clouds) up there.
I forgot when exactly this madness started until I opened the version history of one of my saved Google Drive Sheets entitled, "Europe Way"*. So it was August 10, 2022, the inevitable start of Autumn in Sweden, when I started the idea of ticking off every UNESCO site. The high of the great Swedish summer days already subsided and all that was left to me was the crisp breeze of fall. I am gonna be side tracking a little bit in here but I would just like to say that June and July of 2022 were probably the best months of my life that year**.
It all started with my visit in Birka, an archeological site of an early, and so far the oldest, Viking trading center and burial grounds in Sweden. It was said that it flourished for 200 years between 750 BCE to its enivetable end around the turn of the 10th century. The reason for the decline and then immediate abandonement of the town is of course still unknown to this day but there are several speculations regarding this. Speculations about the possible factor/s of abandonment includes: (1) isostatic rebound of the landmass after the melting of glaciers known as post-glacial rebound which cut off Birka from the nearest access towards to Baltic Sea, (2) establishment of a "Christian" town, Sigtuna, which supplanted Birka and its influence, (3) establishment of a different trading capital that is more beneficial (ie. Gotland), (4) enemy assault as per Historian, Neil Kent, and (5) changing the seat of power of the King from Adelso to a different place (maybe the Upplands) to name a few.
So this teeny island, Björkö, that is located ~29km west of Stockholm, started everything.
Getting there:
This trip will take two (2) hours via commuting. No information about car rides will be provided in this page.
(Aside from the fact that I only commuted when I was leaving in Stockholm, the whole country itself offers a great public transportation service. Late buses and trains are almost a never occurrence. Unless it is cause by inclement weather and/or technical difficulties. Commuting is affordable too.)
From T-Centralen
1. Take the Tunnelbana Green Line number 17, 18, 19 Direction Hässelby strand, Åkeshov, etc. Anything that will go and/or stop by Brommaplan will do. Alight at Station Brommaplan.
2. From Brommaplan, wait for the Bus 312 at Station A Direction towards Adelsö. There would be a lot of Bus Stops from Brommaplan to the stop Adelsö kyrka (Adelsö Church). Seventy-three (73) stops in total but it would be worth the trip because of all the places that you would see along the way.
The most exciting part is when you stop at the Adelsö färjeläge where the cute Swedish red bus will stop and be ferried towards the island of Adelsö. The driver will stop and wait for the boarding. You can go down the bus and take photos at the pier.
Once in the island, wait for the bus to announce your stop. Alight at Adelsö kyrka.
3. Walk towards the sign that says "Gravfält".
This is the Hovgården where ruins of a King's Hall, runic carvings and Viking graves (3) still remains. As per the UNESCO website, "A runic stone at Hovgården, carved around 1070, is evidence of the king’s presence. Several kings resided at Hovgården during the 1200s; one of them, Magnus Ladulås, completed a brick and stone building known as Alsnö hus. This building was the venue for the Royal Council of 1280, which established the foundation of the Swedish medieval feudal system."
4. Follow the trail towards the pier. A mark which says, "Båt till Birka" or "Boat to Birka" is the clue.
You can go book your tickets with this link.
Since I go directly to Adelsö and not started my boat trip from Stockholm City, the ticket I've paid for is a little bit cheaper. If you're visiting Stockholm for vacation and would love to have an exciting boat ride, better take the opportunity to travel from the city itself.
5. You're in the island. ENJOY!
Join the guided tour of the archeologists in there so you can be immersed fully about the history of the island. You'll have your free time too, of course, after the one hour tour. Some people swim, eat in the restaurant, walk around the museum and the model Viking city in there. You can also visit all the landmarks highlighted on the map that you can take from the Museum.
As for me, I really enjoyed the guided tour because it was informative. Our guide told us that there were supposed to be 5.000 burial mounds known wherein 1.000 of which were already excavated and 2.000 lost to agricultural land and development of the island (it is a private property belonging to a single family for 400 years). A famous remain, known now as the Warrior woman, was excavated with a complete and admirable set of armor that to this day is still considered to be the best example from that century. Not to mention that for some considerable length of years, archeologists thought that this remains is that of a male warrior due to the elaborate burial and items in the site.
It was also interesting that a geologist was the first one to take interest in the island. Hjalmar Stolpe was the guy. His wikipedia page might not mentioned it but he has a degree in Geology. His interest in Amber led him to the Björkö island and then to the archeological site of Birka. As per the website of Birka Vikingastaden, "The geologist became and archeologist".
That's it for now. As of the moment, I have visited 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Can't wait to see the rest of the 159 Sites!
**It's difficult to decide, honestly, because I did a lot of things, and I mean, A LOT OF THINGS, last year but those two months are probably the best. I saw a lot of places in Stockholm, did some hikes in that flatland (tee hee) and did a lot of bus rides to the outskirts of the county. I even traveled to Aachen, Germany again and did a cross-country trip to it covering multiple cities of Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The songs "Smoking Out the Window" and "Skate" of Silk Sonic are the soundtracks of this summer FOREVER.