Arlanda: Between Air Traffic, Culture and Natural Landscapes

At Halmsjön, a viewing point offers a view of planes taking off and landing; Open Sky presents air traffic in an installation. Alongside these, portrait art, historical traces and landscapes are among the themes that define Arlanda. To help you choose a hotel, start with a question: What transport connections do you need, and which of these aspects interest you during your stay? Travel options include train, bus, taxi and rental car. Which one suits your trip depends on your own plans.

Air Traffic from Two Perspectives

An official airport announcement dated May 18, 2017, introduced Open Sky as a permanent installation at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. The installation is located in the departure hall of Terminal 5. Using projection mapping, air traffic to and from Stockholm Arlanda is projected in three dimensions onto a two-meter globe. At Lake Halmsjön, a viewing point allows visitors to see planes taking off and landing at close range. Open Sky presents air traffic as a projection; at the viewing point, the planes themselves are in view. This offers two different perspectives on takeoffs and landings: a three-dimensional representation and the observation of aircraft in the sky.

Portraits and Historical Traces

The “Welcome to my hometown” portrait gallery features photographs of prominent figures from sports, music, fashion, design, art, culture, business and innovation. It is located beyond the security checkpoint in the arrival halls of Terminals 2 and 5. This location is an important practical consideration if you are planning to visit the gallery. Its broad range of themes extends from sports and music to design and business, offering a different focus from the aviation installation Open Sky.

The cultural landscape around Arlanda includes 18th-century buildings, runestones and Iron Age burial grounds. It brings together different kinds of historical traces: older architecture, inscriptions and burial grounds from the Iron Age. The runic inscription U Fv1992;157 commemorates Þorsteinn, the brother of the sponsors Gunnarr, Bjǫrn and Þorgrímr, who died in the east with Ingvarr. Details like these give history a concrete human dimension and complement the view of the buildings and landscape.

Lejden and the Landscape

Lejden has been a nature reserve since 2009. The meadows of Lejden have been grazed since the Iron Age. The Arlanda airport grounds are also home to many plant and animal species that are rare even by European standards. These features offer different perspectives on the landscape: the meadows’ long history of grazing and the distinctive wildlife and plant life of the airport grounds. Those interested in nature and culture will find more to explore here beyond air traffic.

Getting Here and Hotels

SkyCity connects Terminals 4 and 5 and includes hotels, restaurants, shops and a train station. Marknadsplatsen, in the heart of the airport, was presented in an official announcement dated June 18, 2025, as featuring around 40 new shops, cafés and restaurants across 11,000 square meters; it was described as having a distinctly Nordic character. The announcement offers a distinct point of interest alongside the airport and landscape themes. When searching, you can first consider whether transport connections, views of air traffic, or cultural and nature-related themes matter most to you.

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