13 Things to do in Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, spread across islands where historic streets meet modern Scandinavian design. From the colourful buildings in Gamla Stan (Old Town), to world-class museums, waterfront views, and a vibrant café culture, there’s no shortage of things to do in Stockholm. This Stockholm Travel Guide covers the city’s top attractions, neighbourhoods, and practical travel tips to help you plan your visit.

Where to stay in Stockholm?

We stayed in the Aiden by Best Western Stockholm City. It’s a bit further away from the center but near the subway line, so it’s easy to go to the center in a snap. The hotel has a trendy vibe, which we liked. Breakfast is really good, and the rooms were spacious and very nice! Definitely worth the money!

Things to do in Stockholm

1) Travelcard

We bought a 72-hour travel card for our trip to Stockholm. The next step was using that card on the bus and explaining to our driver where we were heading. That didn’t go well due to the hard pronunciation of the Swedish language. It sounded a bit like German to me, but sometimes it was total nonsense! 😉

2) House of Culture & Sergels Torg

After installing ourselves in our rooms, we went to the House of Culture (a building known for diverse cultural activities) near Sergels torg (a square). The House of Culture consists of a city theatre, a café, and even a stroller park lot. Café Panorama is on the top floor of the building, where you can overlook the city. Like every other city in the world, you can enjoy a free guided tour which starts at Sergels torg.

Food Fact: Eat at the Michelangelo for a delicious pizza or pasta!

3) Free Tour Stockholm

There are several tours within the Free Tour Stockholm. You can explore the subway (home to the world’s largest art gallery) to get an in-depth look at Old Town (Gamla Stan). We took one to discover Stockholm!

You’ll see the Main streets, Drottninggatan and Kungsgatan, the Royal Palace, a real runestone, St George and the Dragon statue, Stockholm Cathedral, and the smallest street in Stockholm (90 cm). You’ll also hear the story about the death of Princess Margaret, Vikings, etc. There was one Viking restaurant we would have liked to go to, but there was a long waiting line. The restaurant reminded me of the feast at the end of each Asterix and Obelix strip: long wooden tables, beer in wooden barrels, and loud singing and laughter!

Duration: 2.5 hrs

Price: Free (tips not included)

4) Abba Museum

I would love to do this one, but we didn’t have the time to do it, unfortunately!

5) Vasa

The Vasa was a Swedish warship from 1626. The ship was too heavy and sank just minutes after setting sail. It was salvaged and is now an exhibit at the museum. We couldn’t do this because it was closed in March.

6) The Royal Palace

Stockholm’s Royal Palace is the official residence of the King, but he doesn’t live there. It’s used for representative purposes by the King. You can spend a day here, but we didn’t do that due to our strict timeline. The Royal Palace is located near Gamla Stan and the Riksdag building.

7) Stockholm City Hall

The City Hall was built in 1911 and has a tower with 3 crowns on top of it. You can climb the tower for 50SEK to have a beautiful view of Stockholm.

Tip: You have a beautiful view of the City Hall from the bridge when there is a sunset!

8) Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe and is the old town of Stockholm. Take a stroll through Gamla Stan and just take it all in. Go eat in an underground Viking Restaurant or have a drink in a basement bar!

9) Swedish Parliament

Sweden expresses transparency by opening its Parliament (Riksdag) to anyone! Take a guided tour to learn more about its history!

10) Library

The library in Stockholm is very special! It has the shape of an arena with 3 levels. Free to visit and close to the Hard Rock Cafe!

Fun Fact: You can drink free tap water in every food establishment.

11) Stockholm’s Tunnelbana

Stockholm’s metro, Tunnelbana, is an attraction on its own. Take the metro and stop at artworks covering a total of 110 km.  

Language Fact: Hello is Hey and Tack is thank you!

12) Ice Bar by Ice Hotel

Once in your life, you must visit an ice bar! We did it in Stockholm. Our drinks were served in ice glasses, and the tables and chairs were also made out of ice! Don’t worry about the cold, you get a warm poncho with gloves included!

13) Sundberg’s Konditori

Eat a cake and drink a tea in Sundberg’s Konditori! Super cozy!

What to pack for Stockholm?

Make sure to bring these top 5 items on your trip to Stockholm:

• Reusable Water Bottle: to keep hydrated during your walks.
• Camera: to take amazing photos of your trip!
• Walking shoes: bring sturdy shoes to walk through the city!
• Microfiber towel: compact towel to take everywhere with you & that dries quickly!
• Refillable shampoo bottles: to have minimal stuff in your carry-on.

Use my ultimate packing list to have everything in your luggage for your trip.

Transportation in Stockholm

Most travellers fly into Bromma Stockholm Airport. We flew with Brussels Airlines from Brussels to Bromma in about 2 hours.

Tip: Booking early is often the cheapest option. Check now for a cheap ticket.

Popular ways to travel within Sweden include taxis, public transport, and rental cars. In Stockholm, we used the metro and walked.