The Venice of the North, one of the world's cleanest metropolitan areas in the world, the world's longest art gallery, 14 islands, 57 bridges and the narrowest alley in Europe. I'm talking about Stockholm, the capital of Sweden! Together with my friend, we went on an adventure and we loved it. The city is often described as one of the most relaxed destinations in Europe. It is incredibly versatile and relatively quiet compared to other European cities. Read all about the best activities and most beautiful sights here.
Sightseeing Stockholm
General information about Stockholm, Sweden
- Best travel time Stockholm
- How to get to Stockholm?
- Transport in Stockholm
- Where to stay in Stockholm?
- Travel advice + Scams
- Day budget
Sightseeing Stockholm
1. Go to Östermalms saluhall
2. Enjoy on the boulevard of Strandvägen
3. Visit Gamla Stan (The Old Town)
4. Watch the changing of the guard at Kungliga Slottet
5. Visit local markets
6. Go to the Monteliusvägen viewpoint
7. Visit the island of Djurgården
8. Museum tips for Stockholm
9. Wander the streets of Stockholm and discover real life
Map of Stockholm places of interest
General information about Stockholm, Sweden
Are you planning a city trip to Stockholm? Then check out our tips for the best travel period, daily budget and transport.
Best travel time Stockholm
The best travel time for Stockholm and Sweden are the months March, June and August. The summer months are especially popular as temperatures are high and daylight lasts the longest. On average, it is around 19 - 21 degrees in southern Sweden during these months, so ideal for a city break!
We deliberately give the month July not to as the Swedes themselves have holidays then, which creates extra tourists and day guests.
How to get to Stockholm?
Plane: You have several options if you want to go to Stockholm. We took the plane from Schiphol Airport to Stockholm Arlanda. From Stockholm Arlanda, we then caught the Arlanda Express, which took us to central Stockholm within 20 minutes.
Car: You can also go by car via Germany and Denmark towards Stockholm. You then catch the ferry from Puttgarden to Rødby and then drive on.
Train: Unfortunately, there is no direct train to Stockholm from the Netherlands You will have to change trains at least 4 times. As a result, you will be on the road for a long time which is why we recommend this option do not recommend.
Transport in Stockholm
Transport in Stockholm
If you ask us, we have the system all figured out. We have the whole city free explores with electric scooters through the app tier!
Download the app, find a scooter and drive past a charging point. Change your battery and receive 15 min of free riding and a free unlock. If you do this every time, you save minutes and have no start-up costs. If there are several of you in Stockholm, use the referral code as well. This unique code can be found in the app and will save you costs.
Furthermore, you can use the (electric) bicycle. This works in the same way as the scooter. Of course, you can also choose to hire a bike from a rental company for your entire stay.
Public transport in Stockholm
Public transport is super well organised. This is nice because it is a big city with many islands. You can use all means of transport, including the ferry, with the same ticket. You buy these at a ticket machine or in the app SL Stockholm journey planner & tickets.
Where to stay in Stockholm?
Many hotels are located in the districts Södermalm, Norrmalm and Ostermalm. Our hotel was a 100-metre walk from the station in the district Norrmalm, Hotel C Stockholm. Fine, clean and a pleasant hotel with a full breakfast. It is nicely central and for a city trip, this is the perfect location to visit everything. Nice bonus: you sleep next to the station, so nice and flexible and you don't hear a single train!
Would you rather not be in the city centre or is your budget limited? Then look at hotels just outside the city centre.
Travel advice + Scams
Sweden is subject to a positive travel advice. As the security situation can always change, we recommend checking the current travel advice for Sweden check.
Scams - Beware of pickpockets
Like Barcelona, Stockholm is also unfortunately known for its large number of pickpockets. Pickpockets usually work in pairs so you need to watch out if someone is having a nice chat or distracting you so his friend can steal something.
Therefore, make sure your phone is in your inside pocket, your backpack is properly closed (possibly with a lock) and that you carry your bag at the front of your body in crowded areas or on public transport.
Day budget
Prices in Scandinavian countries, including Sweden, are generally a bit higher than in the Netherlands and other European countries. A city trip to Stockholm can therefore be very expensive. Keep in mind a daily budget of around €40 per person per day. We got our lunch at the supermarket. If you want to sit on the terrace, you have to take into account a budget of €80 per person per day.
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The best activities and most beautiful sights
In total, we spent 3 full days in Stockholm. We flew out very early on Saturday morning and came back in the night on Monday. As far as we are concerned, 3 full days are perfect! Hereby some tips.
Go to the Östermalms saluhall
A popular place for people who love food, so perfect for us. A few years ago, this food hall was named the world's 7th best food hall. So it is definitely worth a visit if you go to Stockholm. You can find fresh fish, the tastiest coffee and plenty of cheese, cakes and condiments. You can also have a delicious lunch here. We recommend everyone to go to Lisa Elmqvist to go!
Enjoy the Strandvägen promenade
Buy a beer in the supermarket (Dutch prices) and sit on the Strandvägen promenade to watch boats and people.
Always bring a good backpack! We recommend the North Face Borealis Backpack Unisex on. This backpack is really ideal while travelling. It has multiple compartments that allow you to easily store your belongings. In addition, you can store a bottle of water in the stretchy-mesh side pockets.
Always check the offers on Bever.co.uk
Also available at Bever.co.uk. Here, the bag is often on sale.
Visit Gamla Stan (The Old Town)
This is the historic part of the city and we recommend wandering around. The city centre consists of a maze of streets, bars and shops. Gamla Stan is fun at any time of day. In the morning you can come here for the traditional Fika (coffee break), in the afternoon you can stroll down Europe's narrowest alley and in the evening you can enjoy delicious restaurants. Highly recommended is the Ardbeg restaurant. Real traditional food, nice service and a fantastic bar where you can sample over 400 different types of whiskey.
Watch the watch change at Kungliga Slottet
While you are in the old town. Make sure you watch the traditional changing of the guards. Super impressive and above all very special to experience once. The changing of the guard takes place at the royal palace. This is the oldest continuously serving palace in the world and even bigger than Buckingham Palace!
The changing of the guard takes place daily at 12:15 (at 13:15 on Sundays).
Visit local markets
Hornstulls Marknad: It takes place every Sunday from 12:00 to 17:00 and is Stockholm's biggest market. You can go here for delicious Swedish food, second-hand clothes and conviviality.
Bondens Egen Marknad Östermalm: Every Saturday from 10:00 to 15:00, you can find a local Swedish market with many different food products here.
Go to the Monteliusvägen viewpoint
I think the viewpoint Monteliusvägen is the most beautiful viewpoint in Stockholm. You have a view of the whole city, with City Hall and Gamla Stan at the forefront. Buy a drink at the beginning of the park and enjoy the over 400-metre view of the city. You'll also be in the front row here for a beautiful sunset.
Visit the island of Djurgården
Stockholm's greenest island and also one of the most peaceful. Here you'll find the organic vegetable garden Rosendals Trädgård, get a drink, sit in the picturesque apple tree garden with a game or a book and completely unwind.
The island is also home to numerous museums: ABBA museum, Skansen open-air museum and Gröna Lund amusement park with spectacular rides and summer concerts.
Museum tips for Stockholm
Besides the museums on Djurgården island, there are also a host of other museums in stockholm.
Fotografiska: This museum was established in 2010. It is the ideal destination to discover world-class photography. Check in advance which exhibition is on and visit this impressive museum.
Vasa museum: This museam focuses on the Vasa ship which sank on its maiden voyage in Stockholm in 1628. After 333 years at the bottom of the sea, the Vasa is now one of the best-preserved ships in the world. The museum was built around the ship at the time. I was slightly sceptical beforehand, as I don't really like history. But I have to admit that the story told by the guide is very interesting and the ship is super impressive. Definitely worth a visit!
Wander the streets of Stockholm and discover real life
We fell head over heels on our trip. There was a street food festival at Kungsträdgården. Typical Swedish food, art exhibition and music. A real immersion among Swedish people. If that wasn't enough, after a short walk we came across the Stockholm Beerfest! In short: head into town in the evening and explore. You'll come across the cutest things.
Also crazy about cinnamon buns? The best Kanelbulle in Stockholm, as far as we are concerned, can be found at Skeppsbro bageri Find. Great coffee by the water, nice service and the most delicious Kanelbulle! A bakery where you can have a delicious lunch, buy fresh bread or go for a traditional Fika. And all 100% organic too!
Map of Stockholm places of interest
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