Christmas dinner at Vaxholm Castle - with a nice boat trip

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Last Tuesday, I (Helena) had a Christmas dinner at Vaxholm Castle with my work. The Christmas table was served in the atmospheric vaults of the castle, and we were offered lots of good dishes. Above all, it was a nice excursion by boat, to and from Vaxholm.

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Boat trip to and from Vaxholm

The job had booked an 'afternoon session', which meant that we started with a boat trip on the Cinderella from Strandvägen in Stockholm at 13:00. We were served mulled wine and gingerbread on the boat, and the workplace had organised a quiz.

A very nice way to start the Christmas table! When we arrived, we were greeted by Christmas decorations, small cosy fires and a small "welcome committee" serving hot apple juice outside the entrance. Atmospheric and nice!

What is Vaxholm Castle?

Vaxholm Castle or Vaxholm Fortress is an old fortification on the island of Vaxholmen, in the strait between the town of Vaxholm and Rindö in the Stockholm archipelago. The original fortress was built in the early 16th century and has helped protect Stockholm twice: in 1612 when the Danes attacked and in 1719 when the Russians entered the Stockholm archipelago.

The current fortress was built in 1863, but the development of weapons was so rapid at this time that it was soon realised that the fortress would not withstand an attack with modern artillery. As early as 1877, the defence was moved from Vaxholm to Oxdjupssundet where the Oscar-Fredriksborg had been built.

The fort continued to be used for training and administration for the Coastal Artillery until 2005 when the military operations moved to Berga in Haninge. Today the castle is used for conferences, concerts, events, parties and dinners.

Christmas table at Vaxholm Castle

The Christmas table was set up in cosy arches inside the castle when we arrived. There were many types of herring on the Christmas table, and I like that. Gin and tonic herring was new this year, and it was really good. The roe herring was also a favourite, as was the roe egg, which by the way was perfectly cooked, lightly roe-cooked and slightly creamy. The Gubbröran, on the other hand, was a bit tame in flavour, we thought.

In addition to many types of herring, there were at least as many different varieties of salmon and plenty of cold cuts, pâtés and sausages. There were also hot dishes such as meatballs, red cabbage and Jansson's temptation, and a small section with vegetarian dishes. Those who wanted to could also order lutefisk or pig's feet, for example!

Desserts and sweets

You don't really need much dessert after a real Christmas dinner, but a little sweet after the meal is of course good! On the table with sweets we found cheese and marmalade, rice á la malta, pickled pears and lots of small cakes and treats ... After the sweets we had time for a short walk before the boat picked us up for the journey back to town at 16:30.

Good to know

Christmas dinner at Vaxholm Castle is suitable for families, groups of friends and companies. If you wish, you can combine the Christmas dinner with an introductory activity at the castle, such as the "prisoners at the castle". Mulled wine and gingerbread are served during the boat trip from Strandvägen.

Have you eaten Christmas dinner in a restaurant this year, or are you planning to do so?

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