Oh how beautiful is Uppsala

We were really looking forward to this stop: Uppsala – a young, vibrant city full of art, culture, and great food. What we didn't know: on that very Saturday, Kulturnatten, the 'Culture Night,' was taking place. This meant that all cultural institutions, churches, museums, and universities were open and free to access. What a stroke of luck! At first, it didn't feel that way – finding a parking spot in this crowd was a sweaty task – but then the adventure could finally begin.

Our first stop was more out of necessity than anything else: the university library, Carolina Rediviva. Libraries usually have good restrooms – just a side note. But of course, the rest of the building is impressive as well, with its special atmosphere and high ceilings. After that, we headed to Uppsala Slott. From up there, one has a great view over the entire city.

As we wandered through Uppsala, we let ourselves be carried away: we visited the mighty cathedral, Scandinavia's largest church and the final resting place of many kings, peeked into a few of the museums, and enjoyed that the city had opened its doors for everyone.

Then we threw ourselves into the colorful hustle and bustle: street musicians everywhere, dances from various cultures, and tempting food stalls. We discovered street art, little flower-adorned bridges, countless bicycles like in Amsterdam – and people who seemed incredibly relaxed despite the crowd. In Germany, we would probably avoid such a crowded festival because it would simply be too exhausting.

But here, we were enjoying it: in a charming Japanese restaurant, we filled our bellies before we dared to venture out for a second round in the city.

To wrap up the day, we had ice cream on our way back to the van. Goodbye Uppsala – you were truly wonderful!

Unexpected Luck in Uppsala: A Night of Culture and Ice Cream

We’d been really excited about this stop: Uppsala – a young, lively city full of art, culture, and great food. What we didn’t know: on this very Saturday, Kulturnatten, the 'Culture Night,' was happening. That meant every cultural institution, church, museum, and university was open and free of charge. Jackpot! At first, it didn’t quite feel like luck though – finding a parking spot in that chaos was a sweaty challenge. But once that was sorted, off we went.
Our first stop was actually more out of necessity than planning: the university library, Carolina Rediviva. Let’s be honest – libraries usually have good bathrooms (always handy when traveling). But of course, the rest of the building turned out to be just as impressive, with its high ceilings and quiet, almost majestic atmosphere. From there, we wandered up to Uppsala Slott, where we were rewarded with a fantastic view over the whole city.

From there, we let ourselves drift through the city – visiting the mighty Uppsala Cathedral, Scandinavia’s largest church and the burial place of many Swedish kings, stepping into a few of the museums, and enjoying the rare chance to explore them all for free.

And then we dived headfirst into the festival: street music around every corner, dances from different cultures, food stalls with mouthwatering smells in the air. We found street art, flower-decked little bridges, more bikes than you could count (Amsterdam vibes!), and people who were unbelievably relaxed despite the massive crowds. Back home in Germany, we’d probably steer clear of an event this packed – too stressful. But here? We loved it.

We ended up in a cozy restaurant, ate our fill, and still went back out for a second round through the city.

Finally, with an ice cream in hand, we strolled back to the van. Goodbye Uppsala – you were an absolute highlight!