Easter in Stockholm
Publish date: 27 March 2024
Flying witches, loads of candy, and spring celebrations – that's what characterizes the Swedish version of Easter ("påsk").
Sweden is a secular country, so the Easter holiday is more about celebrating the first long, holiday weekend of spring, rather than any religious traditions. Many Stockholmers simply enjoy the extra days off from work and use them to spend time with their friends and families.
Children traditionally dress up as (cute) witches, and go "trick or treating" around the neighborhood. Legend has it Easter was the time when the witches flew off on broomsticks to dance with the devil on the island of Blåkulla.
Easter 2024 begins at the end of March.
- Maundy Thursday: March the 28th
- Good Friday: March the 29th
- Easter Eve: March the 30th
- Easter Sunday: March the 31st
- Easter Monday (which is a bank holiday in Sweden): April the 1st
Easter delicacies
Just like Christmas and Midsummer, Easter Eve is the holiday's major feast day. That is the day to enjoy traditional food, which is also the same as on Christmas and Midsummer: Pickled herring, potatoes, salmon, meatballs, and "Janssons frestelse" (a creamy mix of potatoes, onions, and anchovies). Just add lots of eggs and loads of candy.
Stock up on easter sweets
Many of us take the opportunity to grab a piece of candy – or two, or three, or a handful – during easter. Here's a small selection of highly specialized and general candy shops, where you'll surely get your fill!
- Chokladfabriken – Handmade chocolate in every shape and form. Small treats, petits fours, wedding cakes, drinking chocolate, cupcakes, and much more.
- Pärlans konfektyr – Traditional handmade fudge according to old-time recipes and with all-natural ingredients.
- Lakritsroten – A stylish specialist shop with all kinds of salty and sweet licorice from around the world. During the summer season, Lakrisroten also serves licorice-flavored soft ice cream.
- Gamla stans polkagriskokeri – Polkagrisar is a traditional Swedish peppermint-tasting candy and is rolled by hand at Gamla stans polkagriskokeri.
- Caramella – Candy shop on Hötorget that has a wide selection of typically Swedish pick-and-mix candy. You'll find most classics, like Swedish fish, nappar, jellyfrogs, chocolate coins, and more.
Bulk candy: the pick-and-mix-model
Although pick-and-mix/penny candy isn't unique to Sweden, the practice of rummaging through shelves of see-through containers to mix your own bag of sweets – or plockgodis – has become typically Swedish. Ask any child what they're looking forward to during the weekend and chances are they'll answer "lördagsgodis" ("Saturday sweets/candy").
You'll find shelves with stacked boxes of candy to buy in bulk in almost every grocery and convenience store.
Some common varieties of pick-and-mix candy are:
- Dumle – Wrapped toffe pieces covered in chocolate.
- Frukt/colanappar – Gummy candy shaped like pacifiers. Come in a variety of flavors, both sweet and sour.
- Daim bars – Small bars of caramel and almond, covered in milk chocolate.
- Geléhallon – Small sugared pieces of raspberry-flavored jellies.
- Malaco fiskar – Known as "Swedish Fish" abroad. Fruit-flavored gummy candy shaped like fishes.
- Hallon/lakritsskallar – Raspberry -and licorice-flavored gummy skulls.
- Marabou Chocklad – Small bars of milk chocolate.
- Wine gums – British classics that have found their way into the hearts (and mouths) of Swedish sweet tooth.
- Colaflaskor – Cola-flavored gummy pieces, shaped like small soda bottles.
Skansen is a beloved attraction for families celebrating easter in Stockholm. You'll get a great mix of Swedish easter tradition and will (hopefully) catch some early-spring sun. Other museums and attractions with large outdoor areas where you can enjoy the spring weather Artipelag, Bergius Botanic Garden, and The Woodland Cemetary.
If you're looking for indoor attractions, on the other hand, most museums in Stockholm are open some, or every day, during Easter week. Many also have special activities and workshops for kids and families, like The Nobel Museum, The Viking Museum, and Moderna Museet.
This guide is continuously updated with new events.