Sledging hills in Stockholm – ten hills for families with children

Once the snow finally reaches Stockholm, every single mound is full of sledges within an hour. The great thing is that you rarely need a car: most of the good hills are a few minutes from an underground station, and there are hills for everyone from the two-year-old on a bum board to the ten-year-old who wants speed on a snow racer.

Here are ten hills in and just outside the city, which ages they suit, how to get there and where to find something hot to drink. Further down there are sledging safety tips, when the snow usually arrives and what to do when it doesn't.

Gentle hills for the youngest

Tantolunden on Södermalm has low mounds that aren't particularly steep – perfect for children sledging on their own for the first time. There is also plenty of room to pull the sledge back up without colliding with those coming down.

Vasaparken in Vasastan has rolling grassy slopes with short runs, and a staffed playground in the western part. There are two cafés in the eastern part. When it is cold enough, the football pitch is flooded to make an ice rink, so it is worth bringing your skates too.

Humlegården on Östermalm suits the very youngest, with short runs and a popular staffed playground in the northern part. It is more about play than speed here.

Hills with a bit more speed

Kronobergsparken on Kungsholmen sits on a hill, and the city itself highlights the park's sledging slopes in winter. There are several slopes to choose from and a popular staffed playground. Take the underground to Fridhemsplan or Rådhuset.

Observatorielunden in Vasastan has steep slopes down from the hill where the old observatory stands. This is the hill for children who want speed, roughly from age five. Let the little ones start a bit further down the hill. There is a café in the Observatory.

Ivar Los park up on Mariaberget and Stora Blecktornsparken near Skanstull are two more hills on Södermalm. Stora Blecktornsparken has its hill on the slope up towards the Blecktorn area and a staffed playground with animal enclosures – a good combination for siblings of different ages.

Vitabergsparken is a classic Södermalm hill, but it was closed all through winter 2025/26 while the park was being renovated. Check whether it has reopened before you go.

Just outside the city – Hellasgården and Lida

Hellasgården in the Nacka nature reserve has a sledging hill on the other side of Ältavägen. Bus 401 from Slussen takes about a quarter of an hour. What makes Hellasgården so good is everything around it: the lakeside café and the Storstugan restaurant for lunch, and the forest around Källtorpssjön for a walk afterwards.

Lida friluftsgård in Botkyrka has two hills. One is outside the inn; it has a steep first section that then levels out, and it is floodlit until 22:00. The other is the old ski slope, which is now used as a sledging hill. At Naturport there are toilets, hot chocolate and a warming hut, and parking is free. Without a car, take the commuter train towards Södertälje to Tullinge and then bus 721 or 721X to Lida.

Hammarbybacken is a ski slope. Don't sledge on the runs where skiers come down at full speed – read about the skiing there in sportlov (February half-term) in Stockholm.

Sledging safety – staying safe on the hill

• Helmets on all children. A cycle helmet or ski helmet works. For children under seven, a helmet with a green buckle, which releases if the child gets caught on something, is the right choice.
• Look at the bottom of the hill first. Rule out hills that end at a road, a car park, a fence or water. Ice on lakes and bays is never a safe run-out.
• Walk up at the side of the hill, never in the middle of the run.
• One at a time, with a clear run ahead. Wait until the person who went before has moved out of the way.
• Feet first. Nobody goes down on their tummy head first, and long sledge trains don't belong on steep hills.
• Move away from the bottom quickly once you have stopped.
• Snow racers and round-bottomed sledges are hard to steer. Let the youngest use an ordinary sledge with an adult alongside.

When is there usually snow?

The first snow often comes in December, but in the city it rarely stays for long before Christmas. January and February are the most reliable months. Snowy winters have become shorter in southern Sweden, so when it does snow, you need to get out the same day. Soft fresh snow on frozen ground gives the best runs. Wet snow above freezing quickly turns to mud at the bottom of the hill.

During the Christmas holidays in Stockholm there may be a few days of sledging, but don't count on it. The chances are better during sportlov in week 9.

When the snow doesn't come

A grey, wet winter's day doesn't have to be wasted:

• Ice skating in Kungsträdgården or on the Vasaparken ice rink when it is cold.
• Museums and indoor fun – there are ideas in museums with children and kid-friendly activities.
• Head into the forest anyway. A walk at Hellasgården with glögg (Swedish mulled drink) in the flask works in any weather.
• Crafts for cold days – hang up a bird feeder or freeze ice ornaments when the temperature drops below zero.

If the snow does come in the end, the children can build a snow lantern at the bottom of the hill as it gets dark. And if you are heading to the west coast, there are sledging hills in Gothenburg.