If you’re planning a ski trip, a family attraction or a visit to Swedish friends, the school calendar decides how full everything is. Here is who sets the dates, the 2026/27 breaks by city, and what each one changes for your trip.
When you need this
You’re planning a ski week in Åre, Sälen or Vemdalen between mid-February and mid-March, or trying to book a night train to the mountains for late winter. You might be choosing a week for a museum, a theme park or a city break in autumn or spring.
It also matters if you’re visiting Swedish friends with children and want to know when they’re free, if you’re moving to Sweden with school-age children, or if a resort or museum is mysteriously packed on a Tuesday.
Who decides the dates
Not the state. The School Ordinance (skolförordningen) only sets the frame: a school year of at least 178 school days and at least 12 holiday days, starting in August and ending in June, plus up to five staff training days (studiedagar). The dates for when terms start and end are decided by the school’s provider, the huvudman — the municipality for municipal schools, the operating company or foundation for independent ones.
No national rule names a sportlov, påsklov or höstlov week. Those are each provider’s own decisions. In practice all municipal schools in one municipality share the same dates, while independent schools (friskolor) may choose others — Stockholm and Malmö both tell those parents to ask the school.
Big municipalities plan years ahead and coordinate with their neighbours. Uppsala decided its 2026/27 calendar back in 2024, after consulting the regional transit operator and the surrounding municipalities.
The school year at a glance
The result is a recognisable national rhythm with local variations. These are the 2026/27 dates from five cities’ own calendars: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Umeå and Uppsala.
| Break | Swedish | When (2026/27 school year) | Varies? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn break | höstlov, often renamed läslov | Week 44: 26–30 October 2026 in all five cities | Little |
| Christmas break | jullov | About 19 December 2026 – 10 January 2027 | A few days |
| Winter sports break | sportlov | One week in weeks 7–10, 15 February – 14 March 2027 | Strongly, by municipality |
| Easter break | påsklov | Week 12 or 13 (22 March – 2 April 2027) | Yes |
| Ascension bridge day | lovdag | Friday 7 May 2027 in all five cities | Little |
| Summer break | sommarlov | About 10 June – 16 August 2027 | A few days |
Term edges differ by a few days. The autumn term ends on 18 December in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Umeå, but on 22 December in Malmö and Uppsala. Some municipalities add single days off too, such as Uppsala’s 25 September 2026 and 30 April 2027.
Sportlov 2027 by region
Sportlov is the break that matters most to visitors. Because each municipality picks its own week, Sweden’s children are spread over four consecutive weeks, and family demand in the mountain resorts lasts a month rather than a single week. SkiStar calls sportlov “one of the winter’s big ski weeks”.
| Week | Dates 2027 | Places |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 15–19 February | Gothenburg (municipal); Jönköping, Borås (SkiStar) |
| 8 | 22–26 February | Malmö, Uppsala (municipal); Örebro (SkiStar) |
| 9 | 1–5 March | Stockholm (municipal); Karlstad, Borlänge, Luleå (SkiStar) |
| 10 | 8–12 March | Umeå (municipal); Östersund, Sundsvall (SkiStar) |
“Municipal” means we read the date on the municipality’s own page; the others come from SkiStar’s aggregated list. The rough pattern: the west and south go early, Stockholm in week 9, and much of central and northern Norrland last, in week 10. It is not a clean gradient, though — Luleå, far to the north, is week 9.
Don’t book “the week after the school holiday”. With four staggered weeks, the week after one city’s sportlov is usually another city’s. You get the full resorts and peak prices anyway.
Påsklov, höstlov and the other breaks
Påsklov falls around Easter, but not always on the same side of it. In 2027 Malmö’s break is week 12, 22–28 March, the week before Easter. Stockholm, Uppsala and Umeå take week 13, 30 March – 2 April, after Easter Monday. Gothenburg’s runs from 26 March to 2 April, across the Easter weekend.
Höstlov is almost uniform: week 44, 26–30 October 2026, in all five cities, and 1–5 November 2027 in Stockholm. Gothenburg, Malmö and Umeå now call it läslov, the “reading break” — same week, new name.
Jullov covers Christmas and New Year; Umeå’s runs from 21 December 2026 to 8 January 2027. Sommarlov starts in early to mid-June: in 2027 the spring term ends on 9 June in Umeå, 10 June in Gothenburg and Uppsala, and 11 June in Stockholm and Malmö. Stockholm’s next school year starts on 17 August 2027.
There’s also a small one: every city checked gives children Friday 7 May 2027 off, the day after Ascension — one of Sweden’s klämdagar.
What school holidays mean for your trip
| Break | What fills up | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sportlov (weeks 7–10) | Mountain lodging, lift passes, night trains | Book early; SkiStar says booking online and early is always cheapest |
| Höstlov (week 44) | Museums, parks, children’s programmes | Expect families; good for kids, bad for quiet visits |
| Påsklov (late March – early April) | Mountain resorts, family destinations | Check the specific town, not just the Easter date |
| Sommarlov (from about 10 June) | Family destinations from mid-June | Book before the July holiday peak |
Night trains go on sale early. SJ’s tickets for the 2027 winter sports period, 11 January to 4 April, go on sale at the end of October. Don’t wait for Christmas.
Attractions change their hours. Some open extra days or longer in school-holiday weeks. Skansen in Stockholm opens 10:00–16:00 daily in the 2026 autumn break, and Malmö Museum opens on Mondays in the February, Easter, autumn and Christmas breaks.
For quiet slopes, ski in January or between sportlov and Easter. In 2027 that gap is roughly 15–19 March, before the earliest påsklov starts in Malmö on 22 March. See skiing in Sweden for how the resorts compare.
Summer break comes before Midsummer and well before the July industrisemester peak, so family destinations fill from mid-June.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating sportlov as one February week. It spans four weeks from mid-February to mid-March.
- Planning a quiet museum day in week 44. It was the autumn break in all five cities checked for 2026, and attractions run holiday programmes.
- Assuming påsklov is always the week after Easter. Malmö’s 2027 break is the week before.
- Waiting for the Christmas holidays to book a sportlov night train. Tickets open at the end of October.
- Using a friend’s school dates for a different town. Even neighbouring big cities differ by a week or more.
- Trusting a date for the following school year. Umeå, for instance, decides its 2027/28 dates only at the end of 2026, so a 2028 date found today may be a guess.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who sets the dates | Each school provider; for municipal schools, the municipality |
| National frame | At least 178 school days and 12 holiday days; school year August–June |
| Sportlov 2027 | Weeks 7–10, 15 February – 14 March, by municipality |
| Höstlov 2026 | Week 44, 26–30 October (all five cities checked) |
| Påsklov 2027 | 22 March – 2 April, week 12 or 13 by town |
| Summer break 2027 | From 9–11 June; Stockholm restarts 17 August |
| SJ winter-sports night trains | Period 11 January – 4 April 2027; on sale end of October |
| Prices | Peak in weeks 7–10; not published here — book early with the operator |
| Where to check | Search “läsårstider” plus the town’s name |
FAQ
When is sportlov in Sweden in 2027?
Sportlov 2027 falls in weeks 7 to 10, from 15 February to 14 March, and the week depends on the municipality. Gothenburg has week 7, Malmö and Uppsala week 8, Stockholm week 9 and Umeå week 10. Independent schools can differ, so check the school or the municipality’s own page before booking anything.
Why does sportlov fall in different weeks?
Because no national body sets it. The School Ordinance only requires at least 178 school days and 12 holiday days, starting in August and ending in June; each school provider decides the dates. Municipalities coordinate with neighbours and regional transport, and the result is four staggered weeks across the country rather than one national week.
When is höstlov?
Höstlov, the autumn break, is week 44 almost everywhere: 26–30 October 2026 in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Umeå and Uppsala, and 1–5 November 2027 in Stockholm. Many municipalities now call it läslov, the reading break. Expect busy museums, parks and children’s programmes that week, especially in the cities.
When is påsklov, the Easter break?
Around Easter, but not always the same week. In 2027 Malmö’s påsklov is week 12, 22–28 March, the week before Easter; Stockholm, Uppsala and Umeå take week 13, 30 March to 2 April, after Easter Monday; Gothenburg’s runs 26 March to 2 April. Check the specific municipality if your plans depend on it.
When do Swedish schools break up for summer?
In early to mid-June. In 2027 the spring term ends on 9 June in Umeå, 10 June in Gothenburg and Uppsala, and 11 June in Stockholm and Malmö. The new school year starts around mid-August — 17 August in Stockholm in 2027. Family destinations therefore fill from mid-June, weeks before the July holiday peak.
Is sportlov a bad time to ski in Sweden?
It’s the busiest stretch, not necessarily bad. SkiStar calls sportlov one of the winter’s big ski weeks, so expect families everywhere, scarce lodging and peak prices across weeks 7 to 10. If you have a choice, January or the gap between sportlov and Easter is quieter. If you must go then, book lodging and night trains early.
Related guides
- Skiing in Sweden — which resort and which week, with the sportlov crowds in mind.
- Åre ski guide — the resort that feels sportlov most, and its night trains.
- Sweden booking timeline — when to book sportlov beds and trains.
- Night train to Lapland — how the winter trains work.
- Swedish public holidays — the days that actually close, unlike school holidays.
Facts verified 2026-10-06. Sources: Sveriges Riksdag (skolförordningen), Skolverket, the cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Umeå and Uppsala, SkiStar, SJ — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.