Gärdesloppet 2026

At first, this may look like just a bunch of cars parked randomly on a meadow. But take a closer look, and you'll find that there is much more to it. Gärdesloppet is Stockholm's biggest classic car event. Every spring, the open area between Gärdet and one of the city's most iconic landmarks – The Kaknäs Tower – fills with a wide variety of vehicles and their enthusiasts.

What I like about Swedish automotive events is how open they are to vehicles from completely different categories. From rare supercars to cheap city cars, from rally legends to buses, and from prestigious Rolls-Royces to military Jeeps – everyone is welcome here, and no one can complain about the lack of variety.

When approaching the venue from the city, visitors were greeted by an impressive display of cars parked on the slope of a small hill. These machines were brought there by Uppsala-based Motikon, a classic car dealer and the organizer of the Aurora Concours. Perhaps the most recognizable car on display was a Ferrari F512 M painted by Peter Klasen, but the car closest to my heart was the spectacular Iso Rivolta. Those who know me won't be surprised that I couldn't just walk past the Alfa Romeo 75 in Carabinieri livery.

One of the key features of Gärdesloppet is the Prins Bertil Memorial, a short regularity rally. The speeds at which the crews negotiate the course may be far from spectacular, but it is still a joy to see classic cars in motion, hear their engines roar, and watch the smiling faces of their drivers and co-drivers. It is always great when an event is not limited to a static display.

For those willing to start their Saturday early, there is another interesting aspect of the event. Many participants gather in Haga Park early in the morning and drive their cars through the city to the main venue. It must be a fascinating experience, but this time I chose to take a slower, more relaxed approach to the day and sleep a bit longer.

Another dynamic feature of the event is the Concours de Charme. Here, the cars are only the starting point and what really matters is how their occupants are dressed and whether their accessories complement the vehicle and its era. I can't imagine how the jury is supposed to pick a winner in this competition, as the variety of vehicles, eras, and styles is enormous. How do you choose between a group recreating Second World War soldiers, a Cadillac filled with Prohibition-era gangsters, and a couple on a camping trip seemingly transported straight from the 1970s? I have no idea.

The selection of expensive, rare, and powerful cars was vast, but my heart started to beat faster when I came across a row of cars beginning with a tiny Honda Jazz from the 1980s. I have a great fondness for its design, but I also admire how cleverly engineered it is and how much more sense it makes as a city car than the modern, heavy, oversized vehicles cluttering our streets. Next in the row were a VW Up! GTI, a BMW M3 E46, and a 1970s Alfa Romeo Giulietta – all models that I would happily welcome into my garage.

But tiny city cars were not the only vehicles to steal my heart. Could I simply walk past two rally legends in road-going disguise – the Lancia 037 Stradale and the Audi Quattro S1? Obviously not. What a duo! At the other end of the spectrum was a pre-war Scania-Vabis bus paying tribute to the history of Stockholm's Route 79, established in 1937 and discontinued in 1958 when the city's first metro line opened.

For me, missing Gärdesloppet would be nothing short of a sin. A local event that I can easily reach by metro, yet one that offers such a broad variety of automotive attractions – it's an absolute must-see. Perhaps for future editions, however, I should consider driving here in my own classic car instead of relying on public transport. I'll have to think about that.