A few years ago, I went to Stockholm for a few months and lived in a small Swedish house in the middle of the city. I immediately fell in love with this wonderful city. The islands, the little alleyways, the people, just everything! That’s why I’ve put together my favorite places in Stockholm for you here.
Stockholm, the enchanting capital of Sweden, is a city full of history, culture and breathtaking beauty. From the historic old town streets to the modern waterfront neighborhoods, Stockholm offers a wealth of sights that attract visitors from all over the world. Let’s dive in and discover the most beautiful sights Stockholm has to offer.
1. Gamla Stan – Old Town
Gamla Stan is the old town of Stockholm and enchants with countless small, winding alleys. Probably one of my favorite places. At least I was often drawn to Gamla Stan when I simply had time. But it’s so obvious … There are so many cute shops and cafés that even after a few weeks you still discover new nooks and crannies. I think that’s one of my favorite things about foreign cities… that you discover so many new and charming places. Small stores or cafés that only exist there and that are often so lovely and special.
2. Vasa-Museum
The Vasa Museum is home to the impressive Vasa ship, an almost completely preserved warship from the 17th century, which sank in 1628 and was raised in the 20th century. The museum offers fascinating insights into Sweden’s maritime history and is a must for history buffs and lovers of maritime adventures.
3. Skansen
Skansen is a special open-air museum and is set up like a living village, showing Swedish culture and way of life from the 17th century to the present day. Skansen is not just an attraction, but also provides a playful insight into the culture and nature of Sweden. Part of the park is close to a zoo and you can observe native Swedish animals such as moose. Personally, we were not as enthusiastic about this part of the park as the rest for several reasons. In our opinion, the most beautiful and special part of Skansen is the small Swedish village directly to the right of the entrance. Even in the off-season there was a lot of hustle and bustle here and showmen in the houses bring the village to life. For example, we went to the pottery and I bought a beautiful candle holder that was made there. At the bakery, we had a fresh kanelbullar – a Swedish cinnamon bun. So the village really is a real highlight!
Location: On the island of Djurgården
Djurgårdsslätten 49-51, 115 21 Stockholm, Sweden
http://www.skansen.se/de/deutsch
Costs: About €20 for a day ticket
My personal secret tip:
4. Rosendals Trädgård | Greenhouses in the middle of Stockholm
If you are looking for a bit of peace and nature, you will find a little paradise with enchanting gardens and beautiful greenhouses on the island of Djurgården, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. But you won’t just find plants here, but also small farm stores selling bread and other natural products and a small café with plenty of seating inside and outside the greenhouses. Especially when the weather is nice, this is a wonderful place to relax and unwind.
5. By ferry to the Archipelagos
This is a particularly good option if you are spending a little more time in Stockholm. At the harbor, near Gamla Stan, many ferries travel back and forth between the city and the small islands off Stockholm every day. Just like at a bus station, you can easily get on and off and then buy a ticket on board.
We went to Vaxholm, a slightly larger island, to have a look around and treat ourselves to a little break. But there are so many small islands off Stockholm and most of them are almost untouched and uninhabited. On others you can only see a single small red Swedish house and on some of the larger islands there are hotels, cafés and small shops.
Little tip: the island of Vaxholm – a rather quiet and beautiful island with a few cafés
about an hour from Stockholm
Cost: The ferry trips are not very expensive, but the price naturally drops between the individual islands. For a day trip to Vaxholm, we simply paid the equivalent of around €7.50.
6. Taking a break with a FIKA
?? FIKA = DRINKING COFFEE
When Swedes talk about fika, they usually think of a large cup of fresh coffee (which is soooo good in Sweden, by the way) and a delicious pastry (in my case it was usually a kanelbulle a Swedish cinnamon roll).
During our time in Stockholm, we girls often went to one of the hundreds of cafés in the afternoon and met up for a little break and just to chat. Especially in the old town, there are countless cute cafés where you can watch the hustle and bustle on the streets through the windows (with a warm cup of coffee in Hand☺︎).
7. Junibacken
…this was an absolute affair of the heart for me and, by the way, super great (but perhaps not necessarily for everyone ?)
It’s all about a sugar-sweet fairy tale and story museum. Mainly by Swedish and Finnish authors, but (which I personally was very pleased about) a lot of Astrid Lindgren. You have to be able to get into it a bit, because there are no facts or dates about stories and authors here, but … well … colorful fantasy land might be a good description. So if you have a weakness for these stories, you’ll definitely be happy there between Villa Kunterbunt and Petterson’s House.
There is also a very unusual restaurant with Swedish dishes and desserts. A great place to round off your visit.
8. Interior Shopping Trip
If you have a weakness for interior design and shops with cute things (like me), you probably won’t want to leave Stockholm. In Gamla Stan and especially in the Östermalm district, you will find so many charming stores with furnishings, gifts or simply beautiful things to be happy about. I must have strolled through some of them 100 times.
My absolute favorites here:
Lagerhaus | Designtorget | Granit | H&M Home
9. Observation platform at the town hall
We read that there is a nice viewing platform there and then went in search of the town hall. …and didn’t find it for ages at first. ☺︎ (So it’s best to look up exactly how to get there beforehand)
When you finally get there, you’ll find a small entrance to the tower and for a few crowns you can walk up the many steps and small corridors to the top. Once you have made it through the labyrinth of winding stone passages, a great view of Stockholm awaits at the top.
Personally, I found the whole area around the town hall really beautiful. Archways – gardens and seating areas by the water…
10. Adventure tour through Södermalm
If I had to describe the Södermalm district in one word, it would probably be simple: cool … there’s really no other way to put it. With stylish cafés and fashion stores, second-hand shops with a bang and lots of great bars, it’s the perfect student district. I think it’s worth taking the time to browse through the alleyways and simply soak up the flair of this district. The district is perfect for going out in the evening. Strolling through the alleyways, you can find really cool (and often a bit unusual) bars and restaurants.
Once you’ve made it to the top end of Södermalm, you’ll find yourself in the Horstull district, right on the waterfront. Every Sunday there is a great street food market here with great stalls and small buses selling crepes, coconuts, burgers and so on.
(By the way, the crepe stand was my absolute favorite!!!)
I hope you enjoyed my tips about Stockholm. If you are interested in Sweden in general, then have a look at my blog under Sweden. You’ll find lots more tips and round trips there.
