By the Stockholm By Boat captain team · Last updated

Birka

Birka is on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren, about 30 km west of Stockholm, in Ekerö municipality. By private boat from Strandvägen, the trip takes about 1h 30min by motorboat or 2h 45min by yacht. Recommended stay: full day.

Often called Sweden's first town: the Viking Age trading place on Björkö in Lake Mälaren, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a museum, a reconstructed Viking village and a guest harbor.

Birka – boat trip destination on Lake Mälaren, near Stockholm

Birka is on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren, about 30 km west of Stockholm, in Ekerö municipality. Unlike the archipelago islands east of the city, Björkö lies inland in Lake Mälaren, so by boat from Strandvägen you pass through a lock to get there. Birka was founded on Björkö in the mid-700s and is commonly called Sweden's first town. For about two hundred years it was one of the most important trading towns in northern Europe, and archaeologists have found Arabic silver, beads from Eastern Europe, glass and fine fabrics brought by merchants from far away. The king lived at Hovgården on the neighbouring island of Adelsö. The missionary Ansgar came to Birka around 830, and UNESCO notes it as the site of the first Christian congregation in Sweden, founded in 831. Birka and Hovgården were inscribed together on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. UNESCO describes Birka as one of the most complete and undisturbed examples of a Viking trading settlement; the visible remains include a hill fort, the town rampart, the Black Earth where the town stood, and grave mounds in the surrounding cemeteries, and about one third of Birka's more than 3,000 graves have been investigated. Stromma runs the visitor activities on Birka on behalf of the Swedish National Heritage Board. During the season there is the Birka museum with finds from the excavations, a reconstructed Viking village with craftspeople, guided tours of the archaeological site, the Viking-inspired tavern Restaurant Särimner by the water, Café Eldrimner, Ansgar's Chapel from around 1930, the Ansgar monument and a child-friendly swimming spot. Birka's guest harbor has 40 berths, and during the summer season there is fresh water, waste disposal, toilets and showers. The water around Björkö is an archaeological area, so anchoring is not allowed in the bay or within 50 meters of the shore. From November to April the museum and restaurant are closed and there is no regular boat service, but the guest harbor is still accessible. Stromma also runs a day trip to Birka from Klara Mälarstrand, by Stockholm City Hall, taking about 2 hours each way. From Strandvägen, the route runs past Södermalm through Danvikskanalen and Hammarby sjö to Hammarbyslussen, the Hammarby lock, and into Lake Mälaren, then west past Kungshatt and Jungfrusund to Björkö. The lock at Slussen is closed while Slussen is being rebuilt, so the Hammarby lock is the way into Mälaren. The route is an estimated 22 nautical miles. Cruise time is 1h 30min at 15 knots in a motorboat, and 2h 45min at 8 knots in a yacht. Those are estimated running times at those speeds, not including time in the lock, and not a scheduled departure.

Best time to visit: June-August

Travel time from Strandvägen: motorboat 1h 30min, yacht 2h 45min

Birka at a glance

TypeIsland
Travel time by motorboat1h 30min from Strandvägen
Travel time by yacht2h 45min from Strandvägen
Distanceabout 22 nautical miles from Strandvägen
Best time to visitJune-August
Recommended stayFull day
AmenitiesGuest Harbor, Restaurant, Café, Toilet, Shower, Drinking water, Trash bins
Coordinates59.3361, 17.5453

Things to do on Birka

During the season there is the Birka museum with finds from the excavations, a reconstructed Viking village with craftspeople, guided tours of the archaeological site, Ansgar's Chapel and the Ansgar monument. Restaurant Särimner is a Viking-inspired tavern by the water, and Café Eldrimner serves coffee, ice cream and light lunches. There is also a child-friendly swimming spot.

Where to dock at Birka

Yes. Birka's guest harbor has 40 berths, and during the summer season there is fresh water, waste disposal, toilets and showers. The harbor fee is paid at Restaurant Särimner, and a harbor receipt gives 20% off museum entry and the guided tour. Anchoring is not allowed in the bay or within 50 meters of the shore, because the water around Björkö is an archaeological area.

Pictures from Birka

Birka from above – the open fields and wooded shoreline of Björkö in Lake Mälaren, near StockholmChildren sitting on a wooden jetty beside replica Viking ships at BirkaWooden boathouse with a turf roof and a small jetty on the shore at BirkaReconstructed Viking Age houses with thatched roofs in the Viking village at BirkaReplica Viking boats moored at a wooden jetty in a reed-lined bay at Birka

Go to Birka with our boats

Private boats with a licensed captain from Strandvägen. Cruise times are estimates at 15 knots by motorboat and 8 knots by yacht.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Birka?

Birka is on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren, about 30 km west of Stockholm, in Ekerö municipality. It is not in the archipelago east of the city but inland, in Lake Mälaren. Hovgården, the royal estate that is part of the same World Heritage Site, is on the neighbouring island of Adelsö.

How do you get to Birka from Stockholm by boat?

From Strandvägen, the route goes past Södermalm through Danvikskanalen and Hammarby sjö to Hammarbyslussen, the Hammarby lock, into Lake Mälaren, and then west to Björkö. The lock at Slussen is closed while Slussen is being rebuilt. The route is an estimated 22 nautical miles. Stromma also runs a day trip from Klara Mälarstrand, by Stockholm City Hall, taking about 2 hours each way.

How long does it take to reach Birka by boat?

From Strandvägen, cruise time is 1h 30min at 15 knots in a motorboat, and 2h 45min at 8 knots in a yacht. Those times are based on an estimated 22 nautical miles along the fairways. That is running time at those speeds; time in the Hammarby lock comes on top, and it is not a scheduled departure.

What is there to see at Birka?

During the season there is the Birka museum with finds from the excavations, a reconstructed Viking village with craftspeople, guided tours of the archaeological site, Ansgar's Chapel and the Ansgar monument. Restaurant Särimner is a Viking-inspired tavern by the water, and Café Eldrimner serves coffee, ice cream and light lunches. There is also a child-friendly swimming spot.

Can you visit Birka by boat?

Yes. Birka's guest harbor has 40 berths, and during the summer season there is fresh water, waste disposal, toilets and showers. The harbor fee is paid at Restaurant Särimner, and a harbor receipt gives 20% off museum entry and the guided tour. Anchoring is not allowed in the bay or within 50 meters of the shore, because the water around Björkö is an archaeological area.

Why is Birka a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Birka and Hovgården were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. UNESCO describes Birka as one of the most important trading towns in northern Europe between about AD 750 and 980, and as one of the most complete and undisturbed examples of a Viking trading settlement. It is also the site of the first Christian congregation in Sweden, founded by Ansgar in 831.

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About Stockholm By Boat

Stockholm By Boat is a Stockholm-based private boat charter company. We arrange private boat trips with a licensed captain in Stockholm and the Stockholm archipelago, and most charters depart from Strandvägen in central Stockholm. Our fleet includes more than 50 motorboats, yachts, sailboats and event vessels, supported by over 40 professional captains. Destination guides like this one are written and kept up to date by our captain team.

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