Best things to do in Stockholm

Royal Djurgarden

Stockholm's main attractions are conveniently packaged close to the heart of the city on the island of Djurgarden, which is crammed with entertainment options, museums, restaurants and wooded green space. Once upon a time the island was a royal hunting ground. Now visitors can hunt for souvenirs at the Handarbetets Vanner (handicraft centre), browse the art galleries, enjoy the exciting Grona Lund amusement park, explore Sweden's past at the Skansen open-air museum, meet Nordic wildlife at the zoo, and watch folk dancing.

Also on the island, accessed by a pleasant stroll along the waterfront, is the Junibacken fairytale fun centre, the National Museum of Cultural History, and the fascinating Vasa Museum featuring a fully rigged, fully restored 17th-century galleon raised from Stockholm harbour. Travellers can top off the day with a meal at one of the many excellent restaurants, some of which are situated on boats and provide excellent views over the water. Djurgarden is one of Sweden's most loved recreational areas for locals and foreigners and the island attracts more than 10 million touristic visitors a year.

Royal Palace and Gamla Stan

The official Swedish royal residence is one of the largest and grandest palaces in Europe, dating back to 1754 (although it was built on the remains of an earlier medieval castle). The Baroque edifice is in the heart of Gamla Stan, the old city, and many of its 608 state rooms are open to the public all year round.

Visitors can admire the Hall of State, the Royal Treasury, the Apartment of the Orders of Chivalry, the Gustav III Museum of Antiquities, the Kronor Museum, and the Royal Chapel. In front of the palace the changing of the guard ceremony takes place (Wednesday and Saturday 12:15pm; Sunday 1:15pm) with splendid pomp and ceremony that rivals the similar tradition played out at Britain's Buckingham Palace. Visitors should note that the palace is used for most of the Swedish monarchy's official ceremonies and receptions and closes to the public during these events.

Gamla Stan itself is a treasure trove of Swedish architecture, much of which dates from the 17th century. Today tourists throng the alleyways that were once notorious for brothels, but are now lined with shops and restaurants, peddling up cutting-edge designs and traditional swedish fika. Other attractions in Gamla Stan include: The Nobel Museum, which offers a moving account of one of the world's most coveted prize in literature, economics, chemistry, physics, and medicine; the Royal Coin Cabinet, a museum dedicated to the history of money, which contains some fascinating ancient artefacts; and Stortorget, the oldest square in Stockholm, from which the current city grew, where visitors can marvel at street performers and the iconic, multi-coloured building facades for which the square is famous.

Website www.royalcourt.se

Stockholm City Hall

Stockholm's main landmark, the distinctive red brick City Hall (Stadshuset) building has stood on Kungsholmen (King's Island) since 1923 and has become world-renowned as the venue for the annual Nobel Prize Banquet. A visit to Stockholm's City Hall is a must for architecture lovers: the rather practical and austere facade, dominated by three golden crowns atop a tower, hides an extraordinary interior.

The plush council chamber itself has a vaulted ceiling resembling an inverted Viking longboat, echoing the Viking tradition of using overturned vessels as shelter in winter. Most impressive, though, is the magnificent Golden Hall, its walls covered with handmade mosaics, while the view of Stockholm from the tower is unsurpassed.

The Stockholm City Hall can only be visited on a guided tour, which can be done by joining one of the public tours that depart every day, or by arranging a private tour. Accredited guides can also bring groups into the City Hall for tours. The public tours last about 45 minutes; private tours can explore at their own pace.

Website www.stockholm.se/cityhall

Museum of National Antiquities

Sweden's history from prehistoric times to the present day is fascinatingly laid out in the Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm, often just called the Swedish History Museum. It contains a hoard of archaeological artefacts and treasures, including an impressive collection of gold objects recovered from the tombs and treasure caches of the Vikings (in the basement Gold Room), going back all the way to the Stone Age.

The museum's most prized possession dates from the Middle Ages: the splendid gold reliquary, set with precious stones, which contained the skull of Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia. The museum has a gift shop and cafe with plenty of seating. Photography is allowed in the permanent exhibitions but tripods are not permitted.

Free audio guides in English, German, French, Spanish, and a number of other languages can be downloaded on visitors' phones or borrowed from the front desk. Guided tours are also available. The displays are well laid out and there's sufficient information for English speakers, but the audio guide greatly enriches the experience. This world-class museum can occupy visitors for a few hours at least, and even kids enjoy the experience.

Website www.historiska.se

Stockholm Archipelago

Stockholm stretches across 14 islands, but the archipelago consists of more than 24,000 islets famed for natural beauty, wildlife, fjords, and spectacular channels and straits. A highlight of any visit to Stockholm is exploring this unique natural wonderland, whether independently or on one of the many organised boat tours on offer.

The standard tour is the 'Thousand Island Cruise', lasting about 11 hours, which takes visitors to the outer islands and allows passengers to spend time on some of the larger islands, such as Namdo, renowned for its handicrafts. Those with less time to spend can opt for a shorter cruise from between two to six hours, or travel on the high speed 'Cinderella' waterjet boats that service many of the islands.

DIY travellers can make use of the regular Waxholmsbolaget ferries that service the inhabited islands. B&Bs are available for those seeking a longer getaway and perhaps wanting to stay a few days to experience island life. Although most visitors opt to cruise the archipelago in the summer, there are winter cruises available that showcase the area's nature in a unique way.

Website www.stockholmarchipelago.se/en/

Skansen

Visitors can explore Sweden's past at Skansen, the oldest open-air museum in the world. Historical buildings dating mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries have been relocated here from around the country, and visitors can move through five centuries of Swedish history, gaining a real sense of the nation's character and past.

The exhibits include a full replica of a 19th-century town complete with craftsmen in period dress who demonstrate the arts of tanning, shoemaking, baking, and glass-blowing. Many shops are available to visitors, selling everything from blown glass to cinnamon buns, making Skansen a good place to shop for souvenirs. On summer evenings there's often folk dancing and other cultural displays to enjoy.

Skansen is also home to an aquarium within the Skansen Zoo, and the zoo focuses on Scandinavian animals such as reindeer, wolverines, elk, lynx, and brown bears. Every December the central square hosts a Christmas market that attracts thousands of visitors every weekend. The various restaurants and shops have their own opening hours, which can be confirmed on the website; the many special events held at Skansen also make it worthwhile to check the website before planning a visit.

Website www.skansen.se

Grona Lund

Grona Lund is Sweden's oldest amusement park and an amazing attraction for families. Built in 1883, the park features a number of rides including classics such as bumper cars, carousels, and Ferris wheels of varying thrill levels. There are also several fast-paced roller coasters and high-adrenaline rides to keep adults entertained.

Height charts for the rides are available on the park's website so parents can see what's open to their children before going; a creche is also available. A great selection of restaurants and eateries, ranging from fine dining to buffet and fast food options, ensures nobody will go hungry in the park.

Grona Lund hosts plenty of live music concerts during summer evenings, with some serious performers attracting big crowds. The amusement park only opens seasonally, and a calendar detailing opening days and times can be found on the official website.

Website www.gronalund.com

Gotland

Sweden's largest island, Gotland was once an independent kingdom taken over by Denmark in the 14th century and ceded to Sweden in the 17th century. Located in the middle of the Baltic Sea, Gotland is a popular holiday destination for Swedish tourists. The medieval atmosphere of farmlands and churches and the old walled city of Visby (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) draw foreign tourists, while locals holiday at the beaches along the coast.

Boat tours around the island are available to interesting locations such as the karst limestone formations of Lummelunda Grottan and the dwarf forests and moors of northern Gotland and Faro. For visitors to Visby interested in the ancient history of the island, the Gotlands Museum is a must. It's a fairly small museum but boasts some fascinating picture stones and Viking relics, as well as some interactive sections geared towards children.

The beautiful national park island of Stora Karlso, a 30-minute ferry ride from Klintehamn, just south of Visby, is definitely worth a visit for nature lovers; a night or two can even be spent in the lighthouse on this unspoilt gem of an island. Daytrips are easy to arrange between early May and the end of August.

Sala Silver Mine

Formerly a working silver mine in Vastmanland County, Sala stopped major production in 1908, and has since been transformed into something of a tourist attraction. Guided tours are conducted down the mine, which also hosts concerts and other events.

There's even an unusual hotel room located several hundred metres below ground, said to be the world's deepest. There are a number of different mine tours to choose from, descending to different depths and ranging between one and three hours. Tours should be booked in advance via phone or email. It gets very cold down in the mine, with ice formations in some areas, so visitors should come prepared with warm clothes and good shoes. Some of the tours are suitable for people with limited mobility and are accessible to wheelchairs.

Above ground, many buildings in Sala have been converted into shops, art galleries and museums. The town hosts Christmas markets on weekends in December, while in July the Mine's Days are celebrated. As if mine tours weren't exciting enough, there are sometimes high wires, ropeways, hanging bridges and other adventure activities set up at the mine, allowing visitors to have fun high in the air as well as deep underground.

Vasa Museum

One of the most popular attractions in Sweden, the 17th-century warship Vasa sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was salvaged in 1961, along with thousands of artefacts, including coins, tools, clothing and other historical items. The ship has been carefully restored, including the upper gun deck, the admiral's cabin and the steering compartment.

Exhibitions detail the hardships of life at sea, and showcase the primitive supplies and medical equipment sailors had to contend with. There's even a museum garden where the vegetables, herbs, and flowers once used by the crew for food and medicine are grown in season.

Guided tours are included in the entrance fee. They are conducted in English and Swedish several times a day and take about 25 minutes, but the schedule varies according to season and day so travellers should check the website before visiting. Groups of more than nine people will need to book guided tours in advance for a fee.

There's a restaurant and a shop at the museum for refreshments and souvenirs. The Vasa Museum is consistently one of the top-rated tourist attractions in Stockholm and is an intriguing place to visit for people of all ages.

Website www.vasamuseet.se

Stockholm

Things to do in Stockholm

Royal Djurgarden

Royal Palace and Gamla Stan

Stockholm City Hall

Museum of National Antiquities

Stockholm Archipelago

Skansen

Grona Lund

Gotland

Sala Silver Mine

Vasa Museum

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Royal Djurgarden

Royal Palace and Gamla Stan

Stockholm City Hall

Museum of National Antiquities

Stockholm Archipelago

Skansen

Grona Lund

Gotland

Sala Silver Mine

Vasa Museum