Solna: Nature, Culture and Film History

About half of Solna’s area consists of parks, nature or water. This shapes a destination where natural areas and cultural sites meet film history. When planning your stay, you can first consider whether you want to focus on landscapes and wildlife, historic places or film.

Nature between bays and lakes

The part of Kungliga nationalstadsparken located in Solna includes Haga, Brunnsviken, Ulriksdal and Bergshamra with the Tivoli peninsula. The park is open to everyone around the clock, all year round. Ulriksdals nature reserve lies between the sea bays of Edsviken and Brunnsviken, on the wooded Stockholm Ridge. The Igelbäcken flows through the reserve and is home to the rare stone loach. The same nature reserve contains one of the largest burial grounds from the Late Iron Age in the Stockholm area.

Another natural area is Råstasjön nature reserve, next to Gamla Råsunda and Arenastaden. Its rich birdlife includes one of the largest black-headed gull colonies in the Stockholm County. Bat life is also diverse, with seven species in the reserve. Solna thus brings together different aspects of nature: a wooded ridge, bays and a stream in Ulriksdal nature reserve, and the bird and bat life around Råstasjön.

Castle, museum and theatre

Hagaparken is part of Kungliga nationalstadsparken and is home to, among other things, the Haga Park Museum. Ulriksdal Palace is also located in the National City Park and was built in the 17th century. Guided tours are offered on the palace grounds. Ulriksdal Palace Park is also home to the Orangery Museum, housed in a 17th-century orangery building. Works by Swedish sculptors Carl Milles and Johan Tobias Sergel are on display there.

Confidencen adds another historic cultural site: the theatre is considered Sweden’s oldest Rococo theatre and dates from 1753. It offers performances and guided tours. If you plan to attend a tour or performance, it is worth checking the relevant dates. Gamla Hagalund also tells the story of Solna’s architectural history. Several buildings have been preserved there around the Odin block on Hagalundsgatan.

Solna Church is one of Stockholm’s few round churches and was probably built in the 1180s. Överjärva gård offers a different perspective: it is an urban ecology centre in a historic cultural setting that has been inhabited since the 5th century. The palace, theatre, round church and centre at Överjärva gård each offer a distinct way to explore Solna’s history and culture.

Film history and getting around

Filmstaden offers a focused look at film history. More than 400 films were shot there between 1920 and 1971 by Svensk Filmindustri and other film companies. You can reach Filmstaden by taking the blue metro line towards Akalla to Näckrosen station. Solna’s hiking guides include images, read-aloud texts and an integrated GPS guide to help you find your way.

Solna for your stay

The different themes are easy to weigh up when planning your trip: the nature reserves bring landscapes and wildlife to the fore, while Ulriksdal Palace, Confidencen and Solna Church offer historic buildings and cultural history. Filmstaden adds the history of cinema to this selection. If you are looking for a hotel in Solna, you can base your choice on the focus that matters most to you and plan your visits accordingly.

Discover more destinations: Solna, Sigtuna, Danderyd, Södertälje, Värmdö, Norrtälje, Djurhamn, Vaxholm.

For the main travel overview: Stockholm.