Håbo reveals its different sides through castle rooms, forest trails and seasonal birdwatching. At Skokloster, preserved collections and historic traces meet signposted walking routes; elsewhere, ancient forests and the birdlife at Hjälstaviken take centre stage. This gives you specific starting points for culture, nature and outdoor activities.

Castle Rooms and Historic Traces

Skokloster Castle is a museum with preserved interiors and collections of weapons, tools, books, furniture, textiles, art and crafts dating from 1550 to 1850. The castle museum is open seasonally. Group tours can be booked in advance throughout the year. In the park, rows of lime trees line the paths; some of the trees are as old as the castle. The park also includes a historic apple orchard with its own apple varieties.

The medieval church at Skokloster also tells the story of the area: it was built in the 13th century and belonged to a Cistercian convent until the 16th century. A church ruin dating from the 12th century lies about 1.5 kilometres northwest of the present-day church. It is around a 15-minute walk from Skokloster Castle. Another historic trace is Sånka soldattorp, a museum in one of Skokloster’s oldest cottages. The building was erected sometime in the second half of the 18th century.

On Biskops-Arnö, a Gothic hall survives from the time when a bishop’s castle was built there in the 14th century. The signposted walking loops pass through forest, parkland and meadows, as well as alongside fields; four routes range from two to five kilometres. Other glimpses into the past include the Iron Age burial ground Skörby gravfält, with about 50 archaeological features—including five mounds and more than 40 round and rectangular stone settings—and Varpsundsstenen. It commemorates men who died during Ingvar’s far-ranging Viking expedition.

Another museum collection awaits you at Åbergs Museum in Bålsta: it features comic-inspired art and original comic drawings. There are also props, photographs and costumes from the Stig-Helmer films. The museum also includes the three-storey Trazankoja, with a slide, a suspension bridge and Hemliga Arnes laboratory. From Stockholm Central Station, you can reach the museum in about 40 minutes by commuter train to Bålsta; from there, it is a 1.5-kilometre walk.

Hiking, Cycling and Water

For a walk through the forest near Bålsta station, the Blå stigen Bålstaåsen trail covers 2.8 kilometres over hilly terrain. The shorter Cykla på Skohalvön cycling route is 15 kilometres long and follows gravel roads through forest and farmland. The longer loop covers just under 24 kilometres and follows an old country road through the cultural landscape. Their length and surfaces give you a concrete basis for comparison, even though the routes are not alike. For a walk through the forest near Bålsta station, the Blå stigen Bålstaåsen trail covers 2.8 kilometres over hilly terrain. The shorter Cykla på Skohalvön cycling route is 15 kilometres long and follows gravel roads through forest and farmland. The longer loop covers just under 24 kilometres and follows an old country road through the cultural landscape. Their length and surfaces give you a concrete basis for comparison, even though the routes are not alike. A regional cycling route through the municipalities of Enköping and Håbo opened in 2026; it is 80 kilometres long.

The Håbo section of the Upplandsleden is about 20 kilometres long and marked in orange. A separate section, around five kilometres long, runs from Bålsta to Ekilla Nature Reserve. For the return journey from Yttergrans kyrka to Bålsta, you can take UL buses 803, 895 or 311. The four walking loops on Biskops-Arnö, ranging from two to five kilometres, offer another choice of route lengths.

You can also paddle a canoe or kayak on Lake Mälaren. Suggested launch points include Biskops-Arnö, Kalmarsand in Bålsta, Ekillabadet north of Bålsta and Skokloster Castle. These places offer several options for starting out; no information about rentals or equipment is provided.

Forest and Birdwatching Through the Seasons

Thousands of migratory birds rest at Hjälstaviken in spring and autumn; in winter, you can see, among other species, eagles there. The focus of birdwatching therefore changes with the seasons. From the Hårby car park, a paved path about one kilometre long leads to the birdwatching tower. It is suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

Sandhagen is an old forest near the coast. Most of the trees are about 100 to 150 years old, while some were already standing at the beginning of the 18th century. There are no constructed footpaths in the nature reserve: you are free to explore the forest, and should take care to disturb plants and animals as little as possible. This makes the visit different from a signposted route such as Blå stigen, which follows a set path through the forest.

Near Skokloster Castle, Skokloster Kafferosteri & Café serves coffee from its own roastery, cake, smørrebrød and simple lunch dishes.

Discover more destinations: Bålsta, Skokloster, Knivsta, Uppsala, Enköping, Älvkarleby, Tierp, Heby.

Back to the main travel overview: Uppsala.