Things to do in Stockholm

Gamla Stan, the Old Town, is one of the largest and best preserved medieval city centers in Europe, and one of the foremost attractions in Stockholm. This is where Stockholm was founded in 1252. All of Gamla Stan and the adjacent island of Riddarholmen are like a living pedestrian-friendly museum full of sights, attractions, restaurants, cafés, bars, and places to shop. Gamla Stan is also popular with aficionados of handicrafts, curious, and souvenirs. The narrow winding cobblestone streets, with their buildings in so many different shades of gold, give Gamla Stan its unique character. Even now cellar vaults and frescoes from the Middle Ages can be found behind the visible facades, and on snowy winter days, the district feels like something from a storybook.

The Palace is open to the public and offers no less than five museums. The Palace was largely built during the eighteenth century in the Italian Baroque style, on the spot where the “Tre Kronor” castle burned down in 1697. Visit the reception rooms with splendid interiors from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Rikssalen (the Hall of State) with Queen Kristina’s silver throne, and Ordenssalarna (Halls of the Orders of Chivalry). You can also see Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities, the Tre Kronor Museum, and the Treasury. The Royal Palace also contains the Armory, with royal costumes and armor, as well as coronation carriages and magnificent coaches from the Royal Stable. Make sure not to miss the parade of soldiers and the daily changing of the guard.

Skansen is the world’s oldest open-air museum, showcasing the whole of Sweden with houses and farmsteads from every part of the country. At Skansen, you can discover Sweden’s history and find out how Swedes once lived according to the changing seasons, through the customs and traditions, work, celebrations and everyday life of times gone by. Skansen is a unique place where history meets the present day, where Swedish traditions and craftsmanship live on, and where people of all ages come together. This is the world’s only open-air museum with wild animals. Here you can see Nordic wildlife, rare breeds, pets and exotic creatures. The Children’s Zoo features domestic animals such as cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, as well as small wild animals. The Skansen Aquarium and Our Africa feature exotic animals including monkeys, birds, reptiles and insects. The park area surrounding the museum has a variety of planting and gardens. Rye and flax are grown in the field at Seglora, while the Skåne Farmstead and Skogaholm Manor have historic kitchen gardens and every building has plants typical of the farmsteads and the nature of their time. Find out how we used to live, and enjoy the recreational spaces that make Skansen a popular attraction all year round.

The Stockholm City Hall is one of Sweden’s most famous buildings, and one of the capital's most visited tourist attractions. It is famous for its grand ceremonial halls and unique pieces of art and is the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet held on 10th of December each year. Since the City Hall is a governmental office building, you can only visit together with a guided tour. Public tours are offered all year round. When you take a guided tour, you will experience Stockholm City Hall at its very best. Enter the Blue Hall where the annual Nobel Banquet takes place. See the Golden Hall with its exquisite mosaic, and visit the Council Chamber, where the City Council of Stockholm meets.

Beloved by both Stockholmers and visitors, Djurgården is a tranquil oasis in the middle of Stockholm. The island has been in possession of the crown since the 15th century. Like no other place in Stockholm it collects many of the city’s most famous museums and cultural attractions (the Vasa Museum, Gröna Lund, the Abba museum and Skansen to name a few) with green nature, parks, and family-friendly activities. Djurgården can be reached by bus, tram or ferry from central Stockholm. Though on a beautiful summer day a walk along Strandvägen, from The Royal Dramatic Theatre to Djurgårdsbron, is highly recommended.

Take a day trip to Drottningholm and experience a historic milieu of the highest standard. Drottningholm Palace is Sweden's best-preserved royal palace constructed in the seventeenth century, the permanent residence of the royal family and one of Stockholm's three World Heritage Sites. The palace was constructed according to a French prototype by the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder, by commission of Queen Hedvig Eleonora. Many royal personages have left their mark on the palace since then. The palace features magnificent salons from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a beautiful park, a unique palace theater and a Chinese Pavilion. The imposing Baroque garden was laid out beginning in 1681 according to drawings by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger. The palace and the park are mostly open to visitors year round.

Experience the magical world of Gröna Lund, Stockholm´s amusement park. Enjoy restaurants, live concerts or one of the 30 exciting rides.

This idyllic island is a popular spot for picnics, swimming and recreation for Stockholmers and visitors alike, but this wasn’t always the case. From the eighteenth century until 1974, Långholmen was a dreaded prison island.

The City Theatre (Stadsteatern) holds seven theatres under one roof at Sergels torg in central Stockholm. Each of those theatres have a profile of their own in terms of repertoire and audiences.