Hummelsta is a locality in Enköping Municipality in Uppsala County. It is a short distance west of the town of Enköping, in an area that was once Tillinge Parish. This is still today a mostly rural area of the historical province of Uppland in eastern Sweden. The locality was formerly a stop along the main road through the area, the E18. Today it is a quiet community with around 950 inhabitants.
As a kid, this was a favorite stop when going to Säfsen on vacation. It was usually on Thursdays and that meant pea soup and pancakes. After our lunch, it usually also meant a visit to the large candy shop that they had here.
A Short History of Hummelsta
The locality has developed in the vicinity of the former main road through the area, the E18. There were just a handful of households here as late as the 1920s. The development of a residential area with one-family homes can be dated back to the 1950s and 60s. A gas station with a restaurant opened here in 1959 establishing a rest area for people traveling through. The E18 was, however, moved in 2010 when the new highway opened. The rest area in Hummelsta lost its customers and was closed down. The same fate happened to the large local candy shop. The residential area has, however, survived. Many of the inhabitants commute to work in Enköping and Västerås while living in mostly one-family homes in Hummelsta. A few multi-family homes have been built in more recent years.
Things to Do and See
There is no longer much activity going on along the main road through the locality, but there are still a few things to see here. The hillfort Hummelstaborgen is one of them, which is part of the forested areas that are popular for many recreational outdoor activities. Excursions to Enköping and Västerås are also a possibility, but the rural area between these two cities is in itself worth exploring, either on foot or by bike.
Hummelstaborgen
Hummelstaborgen is an old hillfort, a “fornborg” in Swedish. It is located at the northern outskirt of the locality and parts of its stone walls are still visible.
How to Get to Hummelsta
- Flights: The nearest airport is Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST) 20 kilometers to the west. Sweden’s largest airport, Stockholm Arlanda (ARN), is 74 kilometers to the east.
- Car: Hummelsta is along countryside roads to the west of Enköping.
- Bus: Buses from UL connect Hummelsta with the surrounding area.
- Train: The closest train station is in Enköping.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps
- Stockholm – 84 kilometers (55 min)
- Gothenburg – 400 kilometers (4 h 30 min)
- Malmö – 620 kilometers (6 h 40 min)
- Linköping – 199 kilometers (2 h 40 min)
- Kiruna – 1221 kilometers (13 h 10 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
