Northern Swedish coastal city rebuilt in stone after the 1888 fire, creating its Stenstan centre.
Sundsvall sits on the coast of northern Sweden, squeezed between two forested hills — Norra Stadsberget and Södra Stadsberget — with the Gulf of Bothnia stretching east. The town burned to the ground in 1888 and was rebuilt entirely in stone, giving the centre an unusually grand look for a city of its size. Locals call it Stenstan, the Stone City.
The rebuilt centre is handsome and walkable, with wide streets lined by ornate facades that wouldn't look out of place in a much larger European capital. Storgatan is the main commercial street; the central square, Stora Torget, is the natural starting point for a walk. The Sundsvalls Museum inside the restored Kulturmagasinet warehouses fills in the fire story. For views, climb either Stadsberget — the panorama from the top takes in the city, the harbour, and the Sundsvall Bridge over to Alnön.
Sundsvall is a natural stopping point on the drive or train journey up the Swedish coast. The High Coast (Höga Kusten), a UNESCO World Heritage site of dramatic uplift coastline, begins just north of the city and makes for an excellent day trip or onward journey.
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Day Trips
The High Coast (Höga Kusten), a UNESCO World Heritage site of dramatic uplift coastline, begins about 80 km north of Sundsvall and makes the most worthwhile day trip — drive the coast road past Härnösand and Nordingrå, walk the cliffs at Skuleberget, and you can be back by evening. Closer to home, the island of Alnön directly east is a short drive with beaches, the medieval Old Church, and a quiet circuit road. Inland, an hour west on the E14 brings you to Liden with its old wooden church and the start of the Storsjön lake country toward Östersund.
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Getting There
Sundsvall sits roughly halfway up the Swedish east coast on the main rail line — Stockholm is about three and a half hours south by SJ train, Umeå about three and a half north. The Central Station is at the south edge of Stenstan, ten minutes' walk to the main square.
Sundsvall-Timrå Airport (SDL), 22 km north of the city, has regular flights to Stockholm-Arlanda and Stockholm-Bromma plus a handful of charter routes; an airport bus runs into the centre. By car, the E4 motorway from Stockholm now bypasses the city on the impressive Sundsvall Bridge.
