Stockholm: 7 fantastic sights in Sweden's capital is written by Christian Brauner.
Old Stan
Sweden is easy to travel in for us Danes, and it is a thoroughly lovely travel country. Not least the capital Stockholm has a lot to offer, and we start right in the heart of the city.
Sweden's capital Stockholm is rich in sights and attractions, where everything from culture to adrenaline rush is possible.
Travel back in time in the old part of Stockholm 'Gamla Stan'. The historic district is located on the island of Stadsholmen and is undoubtedly the heart of Stockholm. The district consists of narrow authentic cobblestone streets with many cozy shops.
On Stortorget, which is Stockholm's oldest square and the center of Gamla Stan, there are restaurants and small cafes along the colorful buildings. Every year in December there is a Christmas market at Stortorget with small stalls and Christmas lights.
Storkyrkan is a characteristic church in Gamla Stan, where from the church tower you can get the perfect panoramic view of the historic district.
The Vasa Museum
On the island of Djurgården you will find the well-known museum Vasa Museum. The iconic ship Vasa from the 17th century is the focal point of the museum.
At the Vasa Museum you can get up close to the warship that sank The Vasa Museum – Sweden's most famous warship1628. In addition to the ship, there are a number of different exhibitions that tell about Vasa's history before and after the sinking. Also enjoy a delicious lunch or a piece of cake in the museum's popular restaurant.
The Vasa Museum is one of Stockholm's biggest tourist attractions and attracts a lot of tourists every year. With over 1.3 million visits annually, the museum is the most visited in Sweden, and for good reason.
Skansen
We will stay on the island of Djurgården and in the historic corner - more specifically at the open-air museum Skansen. With buildings from the 17th, 18th and 1900s, you also come here on a journey back in time.
The open-air museum contains more than 150 houses and farms from all over Sweden as well as several domestic animals. In the northern part of Skansen is an actual zoo with wild Scandinavian animals such as bears, moose and wolves.
After the Vasa Museum, Skansen is the second most visited museum in Sweden, and it is obvious to combine the two.
Green Lund
The amusement park Gröna Lund is also at home on Djurgården. The park contains around 30 rides and is Sweden's oldest amusement park, founded in 1883.
Get an adrenaline rush in some of the classic fairground rides such as slides, carousels and haunted houses. Every year, a series of concerts are also held on the park's two stages.
Gröna Lund can be visited from mid-April to mid-September – and again around the end of October, when the spooks spread and the whole park is decorated for Halloween.
Stockholm Castle
Stockholm Palace – officially called the Royal Palace – is one of Europe's largest royal palaces. The castle is the official residence of the Swedish royal family and has over 600 rooms.
Come and see the treasury with the crown jewels or take a trip past the Tre-Kronor museum – a museum about the castle's history. On weekdays, at 12.15 you can experience the changing of the guard and the royal lifeguard.
The Royal Palace is located in Gamla Stan not far from Stortorget. It is right down to the quay, from where small ferries leave.
Stockholm Archipelago
Sweden has very beautiful nature, and you don't have to go far from the center of Stockholm for green experiences.
Take a boat trip along the archipelago, which stretches a total of 80 kilometers to the east. Here you can exercise the 14 islands that the city of Stockholm today spreads over sail between thousands of islets and reefs. Plan any a stop at the archipelago town of Vaxholm and experience the old Vaxholm fortress.
Many tourist boats and passenger ferries depart from Strömkajen several times a day.
ABBA: The Museum
It's hard to say Sweden without also saying ABBA. The iconic pop band, which was active from 1972 to 1982 and has just made a comeback, has its very own museum in Stockholm – one of the sights you must not miss.
Go on a musical journey with the band's four members; Agnetha, Anni-Frid, Björn and Benny. Listen and sing along to the well-known classics in a studio. See and try on the exuberant stage costumes. Find out more about how the group came about and get to know the history of the band members.
ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus has been actively involved in the vast majority of the content in the museum.
See many more city guides for major cities around the world here
Shopping in Stockholm
Stockholm offers really good ones shopping opportunities. In the Norrmalm district you will find Drottninggatan, a large pedestrian street – the city's answer to the Strøget in København. Here you can find everything from brand name stores to the chain stores H&M and Zara to small cozy specialty shops.
At one end of Drottninggatan you will find the large shopping center Nordiska Kompaniet. In addition to a sea of shops, there is also a selection of restaurants with delicious Swedish delicacies.
In Gamla Stand is the pedestrian street Västerlanggatan, here you will find a lot of tourist and souvenir shops.
Food and drink in Stockholm
In the Östermalm district is the food market Östermalms Saluhall. You can buy a lot of delicious delicacies in the many stalls; everything from fruit and vegetables to freshly caught seafood and gourmet goods. Östermalm's Saluhall can be said to be Stockholm's answer to the Torvehalls in Copenhagen.
Sit down in a cozy café and "take a fika", as they say in Sweden. A widespread Swedish tradition, which means a break with coffee and cake. A fika with coffee and cinnamon roll - then it doesn't get much more Swedish.
Stockholm has a sea of good restaurants – both chic, cozy and traditional places. And you can get a lot for your money, as the Swedish krone has an attractive exchange rate compared to the Danish krone.
You can save even more by eating at a restaurant for lunch. Here, in many restaurants, you can get 'the dish of the day' for under 70 Danish kroner.
Good places to eat include:
- Kvarnen – Classic Swedish
- Restaurant Tak – Asian/Nordic
- Aifur Krog & Bar – Historical/Viking cuisine
- Portofino – Italian restaurant
- Fotografiskas Bistro – Nordic
- Pelikan – Classic Swedish
- Johan & Nyström – Coffee bar
- Gaston Wine Bar – Wine bar
- Petrus Bakery – 'Fika'
Have a good trip to Stockholm!
The best sights in Stockholm
- The Vasa Museum – Sweden's most famous warship
- Stockholm Palace – one of Europe's largest royal palaces
- Take a boat trip through Stockholm's archipelago
- Visit the ABBA museum
- Stortorget – Stockholm's oldest square
- Gröna Lund – Stockholm's Tivoli Gardens
Add comment