December is one of the best times for tourists to visit Sweden because the Christmas season in this Scandinavian country is truly a sight to behold. Major cities and small towns alike hold festivals and advent markets, and across the nation restaurants serve a hot spiced wine known as glögg.
Stockholm
In Stockholm, there are four advent markets within city limits, putting one or more of them within easy reach of Sweden vacation homes in the area. Skansen, located on the park island called Djurgarden, has had a Christmas market since the first years of the 20th century and the Rosendal Palace, also located in Djurgarden, combines recreation and shopping by placing holiday stalls out in its garden areas.
In the Old Town, slightly to the south of the Royal Palace, there is another market, and a fourth one is located downtown near the Tourist Center for visitors to Stockholm.
Sigtuna
For another way to celebrate a Swedish Christmas, tourists can travel to Sigtuna, the oldest town in the nation still in active use. Dating from 980 A.D., Sigtuna features a street plan from medieval days, ruins from the 12th and 13th centuries, and a town center boasting no fewer than ten runic monuments.
Located 35 minutes from Stockholm, Sigtuna has two Christmas markets. The Julmarknad features outdoor stalls selling reindeer meat as well as spiced wine; tourists should also be sure to purchase a few Christmas candies. If the weather makes outdoor shopping undesirable, tourists can opt for the advent market in the stone barn of the Steninge Palace Cultural Center.
