Surstromming
Fermented Baltic herring - the notoriously pungent tinned fish of northern Sweden, a summer tradition best opened outdoors and far downwind.
Saved in this browser only - no account, nothing sent anywhere. See your map
Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
Surstromming is fermented Baltic herring, tinned while still fermenting so the cans bulge, and it is famous as one of the most pungent foods in the world. A tradition of northern Sweden eaten in late summer, it is served on thin flatbread with potato, onion and sour cream, and the tin is always opened outdoors, downwind of everyone.
What you actually see
- The bulging tin - the swollen can of still-fermenting herring.
- The flatbread wrap - the fish eaten on thin bread with potato, onion and sour cream.
- The outdoor opening - the ritual of opening the tin far downwind.
- The northern tradition - the late-summer surstromming premiere.
When to go
Late summer, the traditional season, at a northern gathering; it is a regional tradition of Norrland more than a nationwide one. Opening and eating it outdoors is essential.
Honest expectations
The smell is genuinely overpowering, so this is more a dare and a tradition than a delicacy for most visitors, and it must be handled outdoors. Fans insist the taste, wrapped properly, is far better than the smell. It is a regional northern speciality, not found on every menu.
Nearby
The High Coast and the northern Bothnian coast are its heartland; Sundsvall is a regional hub.
What to pack for Surstromming
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
