What should you see in Stockholm? Fourteen museums, when you actually despise going around listening to a guide and would rather take a walk outside in a park? Hours of shopping, when you prefer sitting with a cocktail in your hand and looking at people passing by?
It sometimes feels like all tips are written for a person that is your complete opposite. That’s why we’ve picked the cherries out of Stockholm’s city parts and found something for every member of your group. All you have to do is go to a certain part of the city and split up for a couple of hours. Have a nice stay! And if you want some more tips, check out this guide on things to do in Stockholm.
Old Town (Gamla stan)
The square Stortorget in Old Town
STORE: Iris Hantverk – all kinds of brushes, made by people without eyesight, and a lot of other nice gifts.
MUSEUM: The Medieval Museum – Here you’ll see Gustav Vasa’s city wall, an escape route from the Royal Palace, and a graveyard.
RESTAURANT: Gyldene Freden – Stockholm’s oldest preserved city tavern with old regulars such as the bards and poets Carl Michael Bellman, Evert Taube, and Cornelis Vreeswijk.
BAR: Tweed – Slurp on a cocktail in a comfy Chesterfield sofa amongst walls dressed in tweed.
PHOTO SPOT: Among the picturesque houses on Prästgatan.
PARK: Old Town isn’t big on parks, so have a seat on a terrace on Kornhamnstorg square instead.
Norrmalm (City)
The square Norrmalmstorg
STORE: A tour in the shopping paradise NK is a must.
MUSEUM: The Museum of Mediterranean, one of Sweden’s four Museums of World Culture.
RESTAURANT: Pamper it up in Restaurang Tegelbacken, owned by celebrity chef Markus Aujalay.
BAR: Urban Deli, a roof park on Sveavägen is the finishing touch of nice summer evenings.
PHOTO SPOT: Kungsträdgården is a given photo spot during the cherry blossom in April. If you want more city pulse in your pictures, try Sergels Torg.
PARK: Observatorielunden next to Stockholm Public Library has beautiful views.
Östermalm
The food market Östermalms saluhall – Photo: © Kiev.Victor/Shutterstock.com
STORE: Browse between the delicacies in the popular food market Östermalmshallen.
MUSEUM: Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology (Tekniska museet). Tends to capture the interest of both adults and children.
RESTAURANT: Burger & Lobster, a witty concept with two things on the menu: lobster rolls and burgers.
BAR: Taverna Brillo – a fancy Italian tavern without a stiff atmosphere.
PHOTO SPORT: The iconic construction “The Mushroom” on Stureplan.
PARK: Humlegården. A lush park where you’ll find both the National Library of Sweden and an outdoor terrace.
Södermalm
The kitschy store Coctail – Photo: © Martin Kull
STORE: Coctail – a kitsch store with lots of wacky items.
MUSEUM: Fotografiska. Always has inspiring photo exhibitions and a good shop.
RESTAURANT: Pelikan. Eat some classic homely cooked food in a place that feels like an old Swedish beer tavern).
BAR: The restaurant Himlen has Södermalm’s best view.
PHOTO SPOT: Get the perfect camera angle on Old Town from the beautiful walking path Monteliusvägen.
PARK: Vitabergsparken, located next to picturesque small cottages and the hip square Nytorget.
Djurgården
View from the bridge Djurgårdsbron
STORE: Skip the shopping and buy a ride pass for the amusement park Gröna Lund instead. If you really have to shop, check out the handmade items in Skansen, the world’s largest open-air museum.
MUSEUM: There are a lot of museums to choose between here, but the Nordic Museum is worth a visit. Not just because of the building, but also because of the exhibitions about Swedish cultural history.
RESTAURANT: Wärdshuset Ulla Winbladh. Serves well prepared traditional Swedish dishes in an idyllic setting.
BAR: Josefina. The outdoor terrace feels more like the French Riviera than the island Djurgården.
PHOTO SPOT: From Djurgårdsbron bridge you’ll catch the best of the posh Strandvägen.
PARK: The whole island Djurgården is like an enormous park. Enjoy!
Skeppsholmen
The beautiful island Skeppsholmen
STORE: The shop at the Modern Museum, with art, photo and design products.
MUSEUM: Skeppsholmen is known as the museum island, but since you’ve already done the Modern Museum, we recommend The Museum of Architecture and Design (ArkDes), that offers both permanent and themed exhibitions.
RESTAURANT: Restaurang Långa Raden in Hotell Skeppsholmen. It’s nice to sit in the garden if the weather is good.
BAR: Restaurang Hjerta. Nice and idyllic, just by the bridge.
PHOTO SPOT: On Skeppholmsbron bridge you see the beautiful silhouette of Old Town on one side and catch a glimpse of the street Strandvägen on the other.
PARK: Well, not exactly a park, but you’ll find cliffs and a meadow with a stunning view next to the beautiful building Amiralitetshuset.
There you have it, our list of what to see in Stockholm. We hope you’ll find some new favorites!
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