This is where Sweden begins Sigtuna is Sweden’s first town, founded in 970 by King Erik Segersäll, known as Erik the Victorious. His vision was to establish an international meeting place, a nation under one god and one king. It was unlike anything seen before, and both the town planning and the idea for a modern hub remain pretty much unchanged. By Malin Norman | Photos: Destination Sigtuna
Today, Sigtuna is Sweden’s fourthlargest hotel destination with around 850,000 overnight stays per year, and the municipality hosts the country’s largest international airport, Stockholm Arlanda. “You really shouldn’t miss where it all started,” says Destination Sigtuna’s director Eva Camél Fuglseth. “Sigtuna is where Sweden begins, historically and geographically if you fly to Arlanda. It’s fantastic to see and experience the historic sites and beautiful castles, which are all really easily accessible for visitors.”
the airport, hotels and conference centres. “As the municipality of Stockholm Arlanda Airport, which is world-leading amongst airports in sustainability, we have a big responsibility in terms of environmental and social impact,” Camél Fuglseth says about the shared commitment. “We want to make a difference, together. Instead of competing, we need to be brave, dare to be different and remain visionaries for the future, a tradition and way of thinking that dates back to when Sigtuna was founded in 970.”
Since 2009, Destination Sigtuna has been working on a shared vision for sustainable development with partners such as
Electric cars, waste and bees
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As a result of the ecological collaboration, Sigtuna is now one of the most sus-
tainable destinations in the world, having recently been named once again as one of the Global Top 100 by the organisation Green Destinations. The town has also been certified as a Fairtrade Town, and visitors at the hotels and venues will notice the efforts made to become a sustainable destination. For example, there is a growing number of charging stations for electric cars. One of the most important projects is waste reduction. According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, as much as 1.2 million tonnes of food waste is generated in the country and around one million chickens are being burnt every year instead of used for food. Chefs at hotels around Sigtuna and Arlanda have tackled this by cooking chicken in new ways, including reshaping the classic Swedish Christmas julbord and sharing their delicious recipes to the public.