The Top 7 Things to Do on Your Stockholm City Trip

Stockholm is the “Venice of the North”! Built on 14 islands, the city’s beautiful backdrop of impressive buildings and glittering waterways is worth a visit all year round. Here are 7 highlights that await you in Stockholm that you won’t want to miss on your city trip.

1. Stroll through Gamla Stan

One of the most beautiful places in Stockholm is the rustic and vibrant old town. The narrow alleys and colourful little houses create a truly unique atmosphere. On a trip to Stockholm, you should absolutely plan enough time for your visit to Gamla Stan, because as you wander through the twisting and turning lanes lined with quaint shops, cafés and restaurants, you’ll find that time really flies.

Gamla Stan, Stockholm ©pixabay/sharonang

2. Enjoy the view of the city from City Hall Tower

One of the most prominent buildings in Stockholm is the red “Stadshuset” (city hall) building, right across from the main station in the Kungsholmen borough. It’s the seat of the city government and serves as the venue for the annual Nobel Prize award ceremony. On a guided tour, you can take a look at the impressive rooms such as the ‘Golden Room’ with its magnificent gold mosaics, or you can head up City Hall Tower and take in the gorgeous sights of the city from above.

City Hall Tower, Stockholm © pixabay/endlessboggie

3. Go on a trip through time in Skansen

If you love Bullerby and Lönneberga, you’re sure to love Skansen, too. The world’s oldest open-air museum sends you back in time: Sweden has recreated pretty wooden houses, craft shops, farms and more from the 16th century. Craftsmen, maidens and farmers go about their work, and you can watch them bake Tunnbröd (Swedish flatbread) and sweet-smelling Kanelbullar (cinnamon rolls). The area is also home to wolves, bears and lynxes, and if you aren’t careful, you might even get smooched by a moose!

Open-Air Museum Skansen, Stockholm © pixabay/mariamichelle

4. Visit castles

There are about 10 castles in Stockholm and the Mälaren Valley where you can admire art, architecture, furnishings and fashion from different historical periods. The most famous of these is in the old town: The “Kungahuset” (Swedish Royal Court) is one of the largest palaces in Europe. It has 600 rooms in all, though today these are only used for representative and ceremonial purposes. You should definitely go to see the changing of the guards, which happens between 11:30 and 13:30 depending on the time of year. Drottningholm Palace, the residence of the royal family, is also worth a visit and is located about 10 km west of the city centre. The best way to get to the castle is via boat from City Hall (the trip takes about 50 min.).

Drottningholm Palace, Stockholm © hpgruesen

5. Go on a boat ride through the Stockholm archipelago

East of the city centre, there are about 30,000 islands, skerries and rocks in the Baltic Sea that make up the Stockholm archipelago, and it’s a sight you won’t want to miss! In the summer, some of the larger islands host parties on a regular basis, while others are popular places for hiking or fishing. You can travel by ferry to some of the closer islands (be sure to plan at least half a day for this), or you can pitch your tent at one of the campsites, go kayaking, gather mushrooms or berries and grill your catch of the day.

Boat tour of the Stockholm archipelago ©pixabay/linuxmail

6. Admire the Vasa

One of Stockholm’s main attractions is the Vasa Museum. On display at the museum is the Vasa warship, which sank by the coast on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was then recovered 333 years later. It’s the only warship from that point in history that is so well-preserved. About 1.2 million visitors come to the Vasa Museum every year to admire this impressive ship. To avoid long waiting times at the entrance, you should plan to be there early in the morning when the museum opens.

7. Sip a cocktail at the ICEBAR

Everything at the ICEBAR (except for the deliciously colourful cocktails) is made completely out of north Swedish ice. To make sure this “cool” bar doesn’t suddenly turn into a lake, the temperature is kept at about -5°C at all times. Gloves and warm cloaks are served with the cocktails to protect you from the cold. It’s definitely a unique experience that you won’t want to miss when you’re in Stockholm.

Affordable Accommodations in Stockholm

Still looking for an affordable place to stay in Stockholm? There are about 30 campsites near Stockholm, many of which offer rental accommodations or apartments as well. Go check them out!