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Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is spread across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea. Water and green spaces are everywhere, and the city is surrounded by a large archipelago of thousands of islands. Its medieval core, royal palaces and modern design culture make it one of Europe's most attractive capitals.
Gamla stan, the old town, has narrow streets, colorful facades and Stockholm Palace, the official residence of the Swedish monarch, where the changing of the guard takes place. Across the water, Stockholm City Hall, with its tall tower, hosts the Nobel Prize banquet. On the island of Djurgården, the Vasa Museum displays a seventeenth-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage and was raised centuries later, and Skansen is an open-air museum of historic buildings and Nordic animals. Monteliusvägen, a walkway on Södermalm, offers views over the old town. Fotografiska exhibits contemporary photography, and Moderna Museet holds modern art. Farther afield, Drottningholm Palace and Skogskyrkogården, the Woodland Cemetery, are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Stockholm suits travelers who enjoy museums, design and the outdoors. Boats and an efficient metro make getting around easy. Summer brings long days and archipelago trips, while winter days are short.
WiserMap travel guideStockholm Sweden Gamla Stan Vasa Ship and ArchipelagoPlan a Stockholm trip: Gamla stan, the Vasa Museum, Skansen, City Hall, Södermalm views, Drottningholm, the archipelago, food, neighborhoods and seasons.Read the guide
Stockholm's old town, a small island of narrow cobbled lanes and ochre and red merchant houses dating back to the 1200s. Stortorget square, the cathedral Storkyrkan and the tiny alley Mårten Trotzigs gränd are highlights. Shops on Västerlånggatan are touristy, so explore the quieter side lanes and visit early or in the evening.
The official residence of the Swedish monarch, a huge baroque palace with more than 600 rooms on the edge of Gamla stan. Visitors can tour the Royal Apartments, the Treasury with the crown regalia, and the Tre Kronor Museum. The changing of the guard takes place in the outer courtyard around midday most days.
The red brick city hall on Kungsholmen, finished in 1923, where the Nobel Prize banquet is held each December in the Blue Hall. Guided tours also show the Golden Hall, covered in about 18 million gold mosaic pieces. In summer you can climb the 106-meter tower for views over Gamla stan; tickets sell out, so buy early.
The private residence of the Swedish royal family on Lovön island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with formal baroque gardens, a Chinese Pavilion and an 18th-century court theater that still uses its original stage machinery. In summer, get there by boat from Stadshuskajen for a scenic trip of about an hour.
Home to the Vasa, a 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised almost intact in 1961. About 98 percent of the ship is original, and exhibits cover life on board, the salvage and the skeletons of the crew. Go right at opening or late in the day to avoid crowds, and watch the short film.
A contemporary photography museum in a converted 1906 customs building on Stadsgårdskajen in Södermalm. It hosts rotating exhibitions of major international photographers and has a top-floor restaurant and cafe with views over the water to Gamla stan and Djurgården. It stays open late, so it is a good evening option.
Sweden's national museum of modern and contemporary art on the small island of Skeppsholmen, with works by Picasso, Dalí, Matisse and Warhol and a strong Nordic collection. The permanent collection is free to visit. Outside, look for the colorful sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely in the garden.
A museum on Stortorget in Gamla stan, in the old stock exchange building, about the Nobel Prize, its laureates and the ideas behind their work. Exhibits include personal objects donated by laureates, and the bistro has chairs signed underneath by winners. Free guided tours in English run several times a day.
The world's first open-air museum, founded in 1891 on Djurgården, with about 150 historic houses and farms moved from all over Sweden, staffed by costumed guides and craftspeople. It also has a zoo of Nordic animals such as moose, bears and lynx. Plan at least half a day, and come for Midsummer celebrations in June.
A short walking path along the cliffs of Södermalm with one of the best views in Stockholm, looking across Riddarfjärden to City Hall and Gamla stan. Benches line the route, and it is especially lovely at sunset. Combine it with a stroll past the old wooden houses on nearby Mariaberget and Skinnarviksberget.
The Woodland Cemetery in southern Stockholm, designed by Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz in the early 1900s and a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its landscape architecture. Paths lead through pine forest to chapels and the grave of Greta Garbo. Reach it on the green metro line to Skogskyrkogården station.
About 30,000 islands, skerries and rocks stretch from the city out into the Baltic Sea. Ferries from Strömkajen and Nybroplan reach islands such as Vaxholm, Grinda and Sandhamn, with swimming spots, walking trails and summer restaurants. Buy a Waxholmsbolaget island hopping card in summer for flexible travel.
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