Spending a Day in Sundsvall, Sweden

Despite having been to Sweden dozens of times in the past (and briefly living in Stockholm), I had never really considered going to Sundsvall. I’d seen pictures of the city and heard about it, but I’d be lying if I said that it was truly on my radar. 

And let me just say this—I was foolish for not visiting sooner. 

On a two-week trip to Sweden in the summer of 2024, I had the opportunity to finally visit Sundsvall. We had just spent some time in Höga Kusten and Umeå before continuing down the country, with the eventual aim of taking the train from Stockholm to Copenhagen. 

Sundsvall is one of Sweden’s most beautiful cities, and it’s a true gem that you should allocate at least a day to. While we were mainly here as a stopover to return a rental car, I would have loved to spend more time here. 

Based on my experiences, here’s a guide on what to do when in Sundsvall—along with how to get here. 

Getting to Sundsvall

Sundsvall is well-connected to the rest of Sweden by train. It’s just three hours and 30 minutes from Stockholm and roughly the same distance from Umeå. 

Getting here by car is also very easy. This is precisely what we did; while there were roadworks around Sundsvall that made finding the city difficult, the journey itself was simple. We drove from Mjällom on the High Coast, and the drive took just over an hour and a half. From Örnsköldsvik, it would take you roughly two hours. 

We used Hertz to rent our car, picking it up in Umeå before then continuing down to Sundsvall. If you want to take the train, you can search for tickets and book tickets through Omio. Alternatively, you can use the SJ website. 

Exploring Sundsvall’s Stone City

Once we had finally parked the car close to Sundsvall’s waterfront, we set about exploring. The city itself only has around 100,000 people, so it’s quite easy to get around on foot. By far the coolest thing to do here was explore its beautiful city center. 

Stenstan, which translates to English as Stone City, might be Sweden’s most beautiful district. And yes, I’m even ranking it above Gamla Stan in Stockholm. The city center was rebuilt after a devastating fire destroyed the city in 1888. 

After the fire, Sundsvall’s city center was rebuilt with Renaissance-style architecture. When walking around today, it’s easy to forget you’re 62 degrees north; it has a bit of a Southern European feel to it. 

We spent most of our day wandering around and photographing Sundsvall’s wonderful streets and buildings. If you’re only here for a day, I recommend spending most of your time doing the same. It helps that many of Sundsvall’s main restaurants and cafés are here, too. 

Enjoying Sundsvall’s Public Spaces and Cozy Atmosphere

Sundsvall has a lot of beautiful nature nearby, but we unfortunately didn’t have enough time to explore all of it. Nonetheless, the center of town has some pleasant green spaces. 

I particularly enjoyed walking around Vängåvan—a pleasant square lined with trees. The area around its main church—Gustav Adolf Kyrka—was also lovely. While we didn’t have time to visit, I would have loved to walk up to Norra Berget; from here, you’ll get a great view of the city. 

Walking along Sundsvall’s riverfront is pleasant as well; you’ll find a couple of restaurants closer to the city center. We had a bit of a walk around the harbor area, which was pleasant. The people living in those apartments have a fantastic view, to say the least. 

This Is the Best Place to Eat in Sundsvall…

We had quite a late train to Uppsala, and after returning the rental car, we went back into Sundsvall’s city center for food. 

Guilty Pleasure Café was the main place we wanted to try. Though there was another establishment in Umeå, we sadly didn’t have enough time to stop by while there. The Sundsvall one was great, and we enjoyed sharing multiple dishes. You can get both dinner and brunch here. 

The staff at Guilty Pleasure were very friendly, and they were accommodating enough to find a place for us to leave our suitcases while we ate. You can get brunch and dinner here, and it was very much our “vibe”. 

One thing worth keeping in mind is that you can’t reserve a table in advance. It was quite busy when we visited, but nonetheless, the staff found space for us. Sundsvall has plenty of other restaurants that look great, too, and we’d love to come back and try some more food. 

Consider Staying Overnight in Sundsvall

While we were only in Sundsvall for a day, I think it’s better to stay overnight. You’ll get to explore the surrounding areas, which are very scenic. While the city center can be explored in a day, staying overnight will allow you to try a couple more of Sundsvall’s cafés and restaurants. 

You’ll find a number of accommodation options in the city, and you can find your ideal option by browsing the map below. 

Continuing Onward From Sundsvall

After our day in Sundsvall, we took the train to Uppsala. Train travel in Sweden is very simple; besides being able to book in advance, most trains are on time. Once you’re on board, the seating and legroom—even in 2nd class—is comfortable. As someone who comes from the UK, I can tell you that this is a luxury. 

The journey itself wasn’t anything big to shout about. I saw a couple of places that I’d like to visit on future trips, such as Gävle. After around three hours, we arrived in Uppsala. 

Depending on your journey, you’ve basically got Sweden at your fingertips. For example, you could take the train to Stockholm or Gothenburg. And if you’re feeling really ambitious, you could change in either of those cities before continuing to Malmö (and maybe even over to Copenhagen). 

When booking train travel to and from Sundsvall, I recommend doing so at least a few months in advance. That way, you’ll get a better deal. 

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