Uppsala Markets: Flea Markets, Squares and the Market Hall

How Uppsala's markets divide up

Group them into three. Indoor food and produce is the Saluhall's job, square markets such as Vaksala torg cover general goods, street food and seasonal events, and flea markets cover second-hand clothes, furniture, records and homeware. Knowing which group you want saves a wasted walk, especially in the colder months when outdoor tables thin out.

Most sites sit within walking distance of the centre or a short bike ride away, and parking near the central squares can be limited, so cycling or public transport is often simpler for the central markets. If you are building a wider plan around the markets, our guide to things to do in Uppsala covers the sights that sit closest to them.

Vaksala torg: Saturday tables and the seasonal markets

Vaksala torg, the central square outside Uppsala Concert Hall, is the most reliable outdoor market in the centre: anyone can set up a table on Saturdays throughout the year, and food trucks often turn up alongside them. Autumn brings two larger events, a general Autumn Market with household goods, food, clothes and accessories, and a travelling International Food Market selling delicacies from around the world. Early in the year, usually in February, a traditional Winter Market fills the square with classic market goods and treats.

Because the big markets are dated events rather than fixed weekly fixtures, a Saturday visit in autumn may land on an ordinary table day or on one of the large fairs, so treat Vaksala torg as a morning stop and let whatever is on the square decide how long you linger.

The farmers' market at Uppsala Central Station

On Fridays from late summer through autumn, local producers gather at the square by Uppsala Central Station with vegetables, cheese, honey, eggs, bread and other Uppland produce sold directly by the farmers who made it. It is the smallest and most focused of the city's markets: no flea stock, just food, which makes it a sensible first stop before a day of walking.

Bring a tote bag if you plan to buy bread or vegetables for later, and note that the selection depends on the season, so late summer looks different from October. If your trip falls outside the Friday window, the Saluhall covers similar ground indoors.

Uppsala Saluhall: the 1909 market hall below the cathedral

Uppsala Saluhall occupies a Ture Stenberg-designed building inaugurated in 1909, set just below the cathedral and next to the Fyris River on S:t Eriks torg. Inside, vendors sell locally produced food and imported delicacies, including a bakery with fresh bread and pastries, cheeses from Ostboden and cured meats from Slaktarn, and seafood from Feskarn. Packaged pasta, olive oil, spices, jams and chocolates make good gifts if you are carrying things home.

It is also the easiest market to eat at, with several restaurants and cafés under one roof: Jay Fu's steakhouse, its crossover sushi sibling Sushi Fu, and a bar and café serving coffee, Swedish lunches and pizza. In the warmer months, Restaurant Åkanten serves by the river, and the summer terrace becomes a winter garden over the holidays. That range makes the hall a practical lunch stop rather than a quick browse, especially in poor weather.

The hall is wheelchair accessible, with an accessible toilet and disabled parking, and there is a rentable event space called Hyllan on the upper floor. Because it sits directly under the cathedral, it pairs naturally with a wander round Uppsala old town. Use it as the anchor of a wet-weather morning and add the outdoor markets only if the forecast holds.

Flea markets and second-hand shopping in the centre

Loppis Poppis on Skolgatan 33 is technically a second-hand shop where individuals rent space and sell without being present. It is open daily and the stock turns over constantly, with clothes, kitchenware, books, records and home décor. That daily opening makes it the most forgiving flea stop if your dates do not line up with a weekend market.

Sirius Loppis on Sturegatan runs as a non-profit, with proceeds supporting children's and youth sports at the local club IK Sirius. The main shop in central Uppsala is open on weekdays, with a separate furniture store outside the city for bigger finds, so plan this one for a weekday rather than a Saturday.

If second-hand is your main interest rather than a side errand, pair these shops with the city's ordinary retail streets. Our shopping in Uppsala guide covers the central shopping ground and the streets leading off it, which fills the gaps between flea stops.

Ulva Kvarn car boot market and the craft village

Ulva Kvarn, at Ulva kvarn outside the city, holds a long-running car boot market in a setting that locals rate highly: fields of sellers, finds and a craft village to wander afterwards. It usually runs every weekend from May through early autumn, so it is a weekend-only option in the warmer half of the year.

Ulva Kvarn also hosts historical theme days on selected summer dates, with Viking and Vendel reenactors and traditional crafts, so a summer weekend can deliver both the car boot market and a living-history event. Both suit families and anyone who prefers browsing outdoors to queueing in a hall, though you should check which is on before travelling out, since the two do not share a calendar.

Gamla Uppsala: Loppismagasinet and the theme days

Loppismagasinet at Ärnavägen 42 is a flea market and second-hand shop in a traditional red barn in Gamla Uppsala, mixing vintage clothing, homewares, furniture, souvenirs, art and handcrafted items. It is primarily open during the summer season, so the shop's Instagram account is the place to confirm it is trading during your dates.

The location is the real advantage: the barn sits within easy reach of Gamla Uppsala Museum, Disagården and the Royal Mounds, so a browse can be folded into a half-day of sightseeing. The museum runs historical days with Viking and Vendel themes on selected summer dates, with reenactors and traditional crafts. Plan the market and the museum together and you get a coherent outing rather than two separate trips.

Fyrishov and Life Arena mega flea markets

A few times a year, large indoor flea markets take over two of Uppsala's arenas: Fyrishov on Idrottsgatan 2 and Life Arena on Fyrislundsgatan. The stock runs from clothes and children's items to porcelain and home décor, and the indoor setting means weather is not a factor, but they are occasional events rather than weekly fixtures.

These are the markets to choose if you want volume: rows of tables rather than a handful of stalls. The trade-off is that a trip out to the arenas only pays off when a market is actually on, so build the day around a confirmed event and keep a central alternative in reserve.

Fitting a market into a one to three day trip

With one day, use the Saluhall as a lunch stop below the cathedral and add Vaksala torg if you are there on a Saturday. With two days, give the second morning to Gamla Uppsala, taking in Loppismagasinet in summer and the museum and Royal Mounds whether or not the shop is open; our Uppsala Old Town guide covers the cathedral quarter. With three days, a Friday arrival lets you catch the farmers' market at the station before doing anything else.

A walking tour of the centre slots the Saluhall and the cathedral quarter into a single loop, which is the tidiest way to see the market hall without backtracking. Our Uppsala walking tour sets out a route past the riverside and the main sights, so you can break off at S:t Eriks torg when hunger strikes.

If you are coming from the capital, the train makes a market morning easy. Our Stockholm to Uppsala guide covers the journey from Stockholm Central, which lets you plan a day around a Saturday square or a weekday flea shop rather than the other way round.

Practical points before you set out

Arrive early for the best finds, since the most sought-after pieces go first, and bring a tote bag. Schedules shift at short notice, so check the organiser's own website or social account the day before, and note that central markets are easy by bike or public transport while parking near the squares can be tight.

Two seasonal rules shape the year. From spring through autumn the squares fill with sellers, and in winter the Christmas markets take over, so the browsing changes with the season. Arrive early, bring a tote bag and check dates in advance, since the offerings can change quickly and market schedules shift at short notice; follow the organiser's website or social media. Central markets are easily reached by bike or public transport, and parking near the squares can be limited.

If a market morning leaves you with time to spare, the city's free sights fill it well. Our free things to do in Uppsala list keeps the day cheap after you have spent your kronor on flea finds.

Which Uppsala market suits your day?

Pick by weather and weekday. Rain or a midweek visit points to the Saluhall, a Saturday in the centre points to Vaksala torg, and a summer weekend justifies the trip to Ulva Kvarn or the red barn at Gamla Uppsala with the museum alongside. Confirm the seasonal markets on the organiser's page before travelling, then build the rest of the day around the cathedral, the Fyris and the old town.