Tullgarn Castle – royal castle and beautiful castle park near Trosa

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: October 2026 | Tullgarn Castle is beautifully situated by a bay near Trosa. Here you can walk in the castle park all year round and during the summer season take a guided tour of the castle. We found it during a motorhome trip in October 2017 and had a nice autumn walk in the footsteps of kings and tsars. We also discovered the connection between Tullgarn and the name Kungens kurva.

Tullgarn Castle near Trosa

Tullgarn Castle is located in Sörmland, south of Södertälje and near Trosa. The drive from Stockholm takes about an hour, making the castle a nice day trip destination.

For us, the visit was quite spontaneous. We were on our way home from a camper weekend on Jogersö and needed somewhere to stop for lunch. After a search on our mobile phone, we found Tullgarn. A castle as a lunch stop – why not?

We had never been here before and were very impressed by the location on the water. Our visit was mainly about seeing the castle from the outside and walking in the park. We have not visited the castle's interior or returned after this autumn day.

An autumn walk in Tullgarn Castle Park

It felt almost ideal to come to Tullgarn on a mild October day. A few occasional visitors were strolling in the park, but it was easy to find a quiet spot to look out over the water.

We often find castle parks to be just as enticing as the castles themselves. Here you can take it at your own pace, look at the buildings from different angles and stop when a view or a tree catches your eye.

At Tullgarn, the proximity to the sea is a big part of the experience. The bright facade of the castle, the park and the calm water form a very nice combination. Our simple lunch break therefore also became an excursion that we were glad to have made.

The park is open year-round, 24 hours a day, so you can enjoy the environment even when the castle's tours and café are closed for the season.

A park with centuries of history

Tullgarn Castle Park has developed over several hundred years. The oldest structures date back to the 17th century, and later generations have added avenues, plantings, and buildings.

The Lindalléerna are among the older features of the park. During the reign of Duke Fredrik Adolf, a leaf theatre was built, while the English park was completed during the reign of his sister Sofia Albertina.

King Oscar I and Queen Josefina also left their mark on Tullgarn. From their time, the stables, the orangery and the cavalier wing date back to the 18th century. During the reign of King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria, many conifers and exotic trees were planted.

If you want to know more during the walk, you can use the app Royal walks. There are stories about the park's history, buildings and different environments.

From private castle to royal summer residence

The current Tullgarn Castle was built in the 1720s for Count Magnus Julius De la Gardie. The architect was Joseph Gabriel Destain, and the building replaced an older castle on the site.

In the 1770s, Tullgarn was purchased by the state for Gustav III's youngest brother, Duke Fredrik Adolf. He had the castle rebuilt and lavishly decorated, several of which have survived.

The dancer Sophie Hagman, who had a relationship with the Duke for many years, also lived here. Gustaf III accepted the relationship, and Sophie came with him when Fredrik Adolf settled at Tullgarn.

After the Duke's death, the castle was used by Sofia Albertina, and later by Oskar I and Josefina. In 1881, it became a summer palace for the newlyweds, Crown Prince Gustaf and Victoria, later Gustaf V and Queen Victoria. At Tullgarn they could pursue their interests. The King enjoyed hunting, fishing and tennis, while the Queen enjoyed riding and was interested in horses and dogs.

When the Tsar's Family Visited Tullgarn

On June 28, 1909, Tullgarn received a notable visit. Russia's last Tsar, Nicholas II, came with his family aboard the large yacht Standart. The visit was partly a family reunion, as the Swedish and Russian royal families had several family ties. After the reception, the guests had lunch inside the palace. Afterwards, there was a picnic and a walk in the palace park.

The Tsar's five children were also there. It is easy to imagine how the park, with its islets, bridges and water environments, could be suitable for an excursion even for younger guests. It was the Tsar's last visit to their relatives in Sweden. Nine years later, in 1918, the family was murdered in Russia.

Knowing the history added another dimension to our walk. The tranquil castle environment has been the scene of meetings that are connected to much larger events in European history.

That's why it's called the King's Curve.

Tullgarn also has a connection to a much more everyday place: the shopping area Kungens kurva in Huddinge. On September 28, 1946, Gustaf V was on his way back to Stockholm after a hunt for Tullgarn. At Segeltorp, the car he was traveling in drove off the road and ended up in a ditch.

Everyone in the car escaped unharmed. The name Kungens kurva came into use later, when gas stations were established in the area, and eventually became the area's official name. So the next time we pass Kungens kurva, there is reason to think of both a royal hunt and Tullgarn Castle!

Visit the castle interior with a guide

During the summer season you can take a guided tour of Tullgarn Castle. The castle is open during the tours, and a tour takes about 45 minutes.

The guide tells you about the building, the royals who have lived here and the preserved interiors. Here you will find environments from Fredrik Adolf's time and rooms that changed when Gustaf V and Victoria used the palace.

We only saw the castle from the outside. If you want to combine the park walk with a visit inside, you will need to plan a little more than we did and check current viewing times before your trip. The castle has no elevator or ramps, which is good to know for those who need an accessible route through the building.

Have coffee or bring a picnic

In the old stables there is a visitor center with a castle café and shop. The café serves waffles, pastries and cold and hot drinks, with seating both inside and outside. The café is open seasonally, so check opening hours if coffee is an important part of your trip.

Another option is to bring your own picnic. It was actually the need for lunch that brought us here in the first place! For us, the combination of a lunch break and a walk was a very nice way to end the motorhome weekend.

Combine Tulle Yarn with Panties

If you have more time, you can combine the castle visit with a trip to Trosa. There we like to walk along the Trosa River, stroll among the old wooden houses and continue down to the guest harbor.

We have visited Trosa many times, both on short motorhome trips and as a stopover during longer trips. The castle and town are great to experience on the same trip, but it is also nice to leave room for a quiet moment by the water.

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