Stockholm, Sweden

Lisa

7 years ago

Things to Do in Stockholm Sweden

Day One – Gamla Stan Old Town

First, wander about Stockholm’s Old Town GAMLA STAN and explore the cafes and alleyways. Take note, on Saturdays Swedes get their salaries and go out and spend it at restaurants and bars. Many malls & shops close at 13:00 on Saturdays. If flying in from far away, you’ll have jet lag on this first day so jam-packing your first day schedule is not a good plan. Give yourself time to adjust to the slower vacation pace.

TIP: Gamla Stan is a top thing to do in Stockholm and so of course it’s a great area to take photos. Be respectful and patient with others who are taking it all in and living in the moment.

Incidentally, Stortoget Square is the oldest square in Stockholm and a good spot to stop for a photo, or an afternoon Swedish beer – Gotlands Bryggeri. See the colorful highly instagrammed buildings here, also popular for it’s Christmas Market.

Stortoget Square in Gamla Stan Old Town Stockholm

Next, the NOBEL PRIZE MUSEUM is nearby and suitable for about two hours of wandering to see the unique men and women whose ideas have changed the world. More than 800 Laureates have been awarded the coveted prize created by Alfred Nobel (1833-1896).

TIP: Monday’s many museums are closed and Tuesday thru Sunday opening hours are typically 11:00 to 17:00 hrs and until 20:00 in summer months. As noted in the post Tips to Save Money on Travel, going off season will mean less crowds and savings, but it may also mean that some top sights will be closed. Check the attraction & museum websites for up to date hours and entrance fees.

Try one of the several basement bars to have a beer with the locals. Beers cost about 70 SEK.

Art Cafe Stockholm Gamla Stan & Riddarholmen

Exploring Old Town Alleyways

Later in the day, stroll along Vasterlanggatan the busiest shopping street in Stockholm, and then venture into one or more of the many alleyways. In this 400-year-old alleyway you’ll find a small wooden street sign (easy to miss) titled Percys Trappa. In this alley go to Aifur, Viking-themed bar and restaurant for a local drink.

Next, go through gated-off alleyway that leads down stairs to the basement entrance. This particular alleyway is named after the owner who restored them Percy Ahnhem. See the old wooden sign by Old Town’s main street, Vasterlangatan, when walking past the Aifur bar and restaurant.

Finally, take the subway, called “tunnelbana” locally, or just go explore in one of the subway stations (there are over a 100) to experience some colorful street art.

Urban street art is popular around train and subway stations in Stockholm

Taking in the sights, being in the moment.

Day Two – The Royal Palace

First, enjoy some coffee as it helps reboot in the morning when experiencing jet lag. While one can find a Starbucks here, you might opt for a local option – Stockholm’s own Drop Coffee, founded in 2009.

Drop Coffee in Sodermalm neighborhood of Stockholm

The Royal Palace

Next, located at the highest part of Gamla Stan at Slottsbacken is where you will find The Royal Palace. The Palace is the official residence of His Majesty The King and many of the King and Queen’s official receptions are held here. Save time and get your Palace tour tickets in advance.

Open to visitors year round, most Palace tours includes: The Royal Apartments (not during official receptions), the Hall of State and The Apartments of the orders of Chivalry, The Treasury with the Regalia, The Tre Kronor Museum that portrays the palace’s long history, and Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities (summer only).

Continuing on within The Royal Palace, you’ll come to the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) which was founded in 1628 and is the oldest museum in Sweden. The Royal Palace in its entirety is rich with glittering Swedish history, including jewels & crowns, throne’s from the 1600’s weapons, portraits, and stables.

TIP: Check the schedule online for operating hours and for The Changing of The Royal Guard in the courtyard. This is a top thing to do in Stockholm, similar to the changing of the guards in other cities but each has its own unique characteristic.

The Royal Stables house the King’s houses and carriages and also cars. The stable, garage, carriage houses, and harness room are all open for guided tours year round. In addition to the active carriages in use today you can also see The State Coach, built for King Oskar II in 1897

Day Three – ABBA & Vasa Museums

For logistics planning, the best options to get to the Vasa Museum: “The easiest way to get to the museum is by tram. From the Central station or Kungsträdgården, take tram number 7 to tram stop Nordiska museet/Vasamuseet,” according to the Vasa Museum website.

Or even better, if in the Gamla Stan or Slussen area there is a Djurgarden ferry that only takes eight (8) minutes across the canal. From the ferry landing it’s a five (5) minute walk to the ABBA Museum and another five (5) minute walk to the Vasa Museum from there. Plan for about two hours per museum to fully experience what each has to offer. Save time and get skip the line tickets for ABBA Museum.

Grona Lund Tivoli Amusement Park

First up, when you debark the ferry, before the Vasa Museum, you’ll see Grona Lund Tivoli amusement park, a good place to cure your adrenaline thirst. Try the rollercoaster Jetline which goes a little faster when its raining. Over 60 musical acts in the summer, including big names like Lenny Kravitz and The Smashing Pumpkins.

However, you might find it a bit pricy. Expect entrance fee of about 800 SEK, so plan for three or four hours here at least to maximize your value for money with the 30 attractions, including the “Snake” – at Grona Lund just for the year 2019.

The Vasa Museum

Next, go to the Vasa Museum at the interactive ABBA Museum for the “Dancing Queens” in your group. Stockholm has birthed several music artists – Swedish House Mafia, Robyn, and Avicii are among just a few of the many. Become a pop star for the day by singing and dancing to the music and then download the recording for your continued enjoyment once home. Get skip the line tickets to save time.

The Vasa Ship

The Vasa ship more significant and grander in person than in pictures. In 1628 it sank minutes into its highly celebrated maiden voyage in the Stockholm harbor and was salvaged in 1961 after 333 years under the sea. Within the five museum levels, one will find scientifically replicated bones and anatomy of the Vikings and passengers. The gun deck is on the upper level, and it was thought that part of the reason the ship capsized was due to a large number of cannons here.

The reconstruction process of the ship is laid out in great detail at the museum. Gaze upon the hundreds of carved sculptures. Take note, on the entrance level is a model of the vessel at scale 1:10.

The Ice Bar Experience

Next up, for a truly unique bar experience, and a great way to end the three days & nights in Stockholm, go to the ICE BAR located in the Hotel C. The 200 SEK the entrance fee includes one drink in an ice glass, in an ice cave, with use of a much-needed parka.

By day or night Stockholm offers a wealth of sights, food, and culture to experience. Find a comprehensive list of sights at http://www.visitstockholm.com.

What To Eat

With this diverse population, you’ll find a variety of culinary options to choose from. Too many choices? Take a food tour and have a local walk you through their favorite dining spots.

Traditional Swedish food

So what are traditional Swedish dishes? Mostly meat dishes like wild boar, moose, or cured salmon. husmanskost is the farm to table traditional Swedish fare consisting of mostly root vegetables, potatoes, meat from the farm, and fish from the North and Baltic Seas. Husmanskost translates to “house owners food,” a working man’s fare.

For instance, Cafe Panorama Sergels Torg 3 111 57 Stockholm is a popular cafeteria style cafe spot with a view. The “Dagens lunch” is about 95 SEK each (or USD 10).

Local Favorite

In addition, a local favorite is Kryp In in Old Town Gamla Stan – they offer tasty Swedish meatballs. Enter through a small wooden door which is almost an Alice in Wonderland feeling going through the door into the restaurant. No need for vegetarians to feel left out – most restaurants offer plant-based choices.

Why not spontaneously find places to eat, based on where you are in the city? Sometimes these unplanned spots will be the highlight of your day. It’s interesting that wherever you are at in Stockholm, you can find Italian food, hot dogs, or burgers.

TIP: Americans needs adjust to the slow-paced dining in Europe. You must ask your server for the check, they won’t automatically bring it. You are welcome to the table for the evening – dining in Europe is about the social experience, not just eating.

Where to Stay

TripAdvisor lists 313 hotels in Stockholm. After the airfare, the hotel is the next travel planning step to check off your list. How to choose?

First, pick an area close to public transportation – are you planning to walk the city or take public transit? How close to the sites you want to see?

Second, how close and easy is it to get to from the airport or train station? Are you arriving late at night? Does the hotel have a shuttle from the airport?

Third, how many people in your group? If more than 5 or 6, you might want to consider vacation rentals like Airbnb, VRBO, or apartments on Booking.com, which are cheaper than several hotel rooms.

Hilton Stockholm Slaussen

Considering all of the above, you might want to stay near but not in old town – GAMLA STAN. The Hilton Stockholm Slaussen is just a 10-minute walk to the heart of Gamla Stan but cheaper than staying right in center of Old Town. Slaussen is a 45-minute taxi ride from the airport but a five to fifteen minute walk to all the major sites in Stockholm. Rates start at about 1800 to 3500 SEK per night.

Lydmar Hotel

For a luxury boutique hotel with simplistic elegance the Lydmar Hotel https://lydmar.com has some great views, for instance. Rates about 4000 to 6000 SEK per night.

TIP: Prices are higher or lower depending on the time of year, so be sure to go to the hotel website and rates for up to date information and Do some research first, then book your reservation directly on the hotel website. Our experiences with changes, discounts, upgrades, and services overall have been better when booking direct.

So now you know all the top things to do in Stockholm Sweden. Goodbye for now, OR “Hej da”, Stockholm..

Some additional useful phrases in Swedish:

Hej (hello)

Hej da (goodbye)

Tack (please)

Varsagod (You’re welcome)

Ursäkta mig (Excuse me)

Talar du engelska (do you speak English)