Things To Do in Stockholm

Alex Mahone
Aug 8, 2017 · 5 min read

Stockholm is not exactly super easy to navigate, because its archipelago geography means that many times you can end up walking in circles without knowing exactly how to get out of one island to get to the other, and the things are well spread out Between the neighborhoods and islands of the city.

And do not forget that Stockholm is one of those cities to be lived in; spending hours sipping a Fika (coffee), eating an open pickle sandwich with salmon and watching life go by.

But at the same time, although not so well known and recognizable, the city has some important tourist points that are worth being included in any itinerary, whatever you intend to do in the city — even because wanting or not, they will be right there on your way but before deciding the when to visit check whether cheap flights to Stockholm are available or not!!!

You can decide to do an intensive and see it all in just one day / a few hours, or go spreading throughout your days through the city.

So I wondered which places I liked to see and review in Stockholm and which ones would be my Top 10 in the city. My suggestions are these here:

1 — Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan means nothing less than “old town” and that is exactly what this island (actually the island’s name is Stadsholmen) is — the old city center of Stockholm, established in the 13th century by the Vikings.

And that’s where you’ll feel in Scandinavia! The narrow streets, the colorful houses, the cobbled streets and the bridges that connect the island to other islands of Stockholm!

The most iconic part of the city is precisely its “view” (Slussen has the best view of Gamla Stan) and the grounds of the island façade, but here are also hidden several other icons of the city (below).

Between the alleys do not miss the Stortorget square, which for me is synonymous with Sweden!

2 — Stadshuset (City Hall)

One of the most outstanding “legacies” that the Swedes gave to the world is the Nobel Prize that awards innovations and highlights in science, politics, science, social, etc.

And all this is precisely in Stadshuset, which is the prefecture of Stockholm.

In addition to being able to visit the area and the building of the city hall, it is also possible to meet the hall where annually happens the Nobel Prize dinner and the museum attached to the building.

3 — Kungliga Slottet (Royal Palace)

Sweden does not have the best-known royal families in the world, but the three princes and princesses often populate the tabloids with scandals and their real lifestyle.

Carl Philip and Madeleine top the list of the most coveted bachelors in Europe, while crown heiress Princess Victoria recently caused controversy by marrying her plebeian physics education boyfriend.

And also Queen Silvia, daughter of German father and Brazilian mother (and descendant of the Portuguese royal family) appears in the media as “the Brazilian Queen”…

This Palace is also on the same island as Gamla Stan.

4 — Walking around the City Islands (Skargarden)

Stockholm is an archipelago, so each neighborhood is an island, and all of them are connected by bridges. And that’s exactly what makes this city unique!

Okay, okay, what is not lacking in Europe are cities with canals, islands and the like (Venice, Amsterdam, Brugge and the like), but none of these compare to Stockholm!

I think that just because they are islands and not canals, the city is more “spacious” and aerated the longer bridges and the most appreciable landscape.

And for that reason it is just one of the coolest parts of any trip to Stockholm! Wander aimlessly through the islands and bridges…

5 — Slussen Lift

I do not know if this would be on the list of more conventional city guides, but we discovered this “elevator” by chance on our first trip, and the view from up there is incredible!!

You can see the whole city, the islands, the towers, Gamla Stan, etc. It’s worth the detour just by sight!

And as on our first trip we stayed in Slussen, right there in front of the elevator, it was there that we celebrated the turn of the year, watching the countdown of the clock on the top of the elevator, with a super fireworks soon after!

6 — Vasamuseet (Vasa museum)

The Vasa museum is a museum in honor of the Swedish Viking culture and it has one main attraction: the Vasa ship.

The Vasa was a ship that sailed from Stockholm in 1628 and was shipwrecked soon after and disappeared for several centuries, until it was rediscovered semi-intact in the 1950s, spent decades being restorers and is now on display — being the most visited museum in the world. Scandinavia!

7 — Swedish Design

Ok, this is not necessarily a tourist spot to be visited, but you cannot go to Sweden and pay attention to their avant-garde design.

And you do not even have to be a great connoisseur of design and art! The Swedish / Scandinavian design makes more of our day to day than most people imagine!

Think only of two of the most popular, popular and copied brands in the world: H & M and Ikea. Both Swedes and both have changed as the world sees modern design.

I personally am super fan of Kostas Boda pieces, which make crystal pieces super different and unique! I have about 3 pieces here at home that I have been collecting on trips through Scandinavia.

8 — Storkyrkan (Stockholm Cathedral)

The St. Nicholas Church is also in Gamla Stan in the center of Stockholm, right next to the Royal Palace and is the oldest building (and Church) in Stockholm — considered an authentic example of Swedish-Gothic construction.

The Church is a little way off, but impossible not to see its tower high in all the alleys of the city.

9 — Modern Musset (museum of modern art and open-air art)

Stockholm’s modern art museum sits on Skeppsholmen Island (where we made our sauna-boat!) And although it has never entered the museum, one of the best parts is right outside, in the “Paraiso Garden” which are colorful abstract sculptures scattered throughout the museum. Garden in front of the museum!

10 — Fika Fix (life in Swedish style)

Another item that is nothing to be seen or visited but rather experienced…

Swedes are fans of the “dolce fa niente” and have the ability to spend hoodoos with a coffee in the hand; chatting and watching life go by.

My friend, Sueca, is the person, who drinks the most coffee I know, and it’s not tea-like like the IN gleses, and not even coffee like the Brazilians do … they are hard and concentrated coffee beans!

In the summer the Fika ritual in the city’s stylish cafes is traded for little tables on the sidewalks or picnic in the parks and garden brunch, but the beginning is always the same!

Obviously the city has much more to offer than these 10 options also in the first time search flights to Stockholm, and visit Stockholm but for me these are the main and most beautiful in the city, bringing together things to see and do that make Stockholm unique, in Sweden and in the world.