One Day in Stockholm, Sweden || The Travel Tester

Did you know that the capital of Sweden is spread out over 14 islands and features more than 50 bridges? With just one day in Stockholm, it might be hard to see and do everything you want, because exploring this city does require some time if you want to relax a bit as well.

On my last visit, for a blogging conference, I didn’t have much time to explore Stockholm, but I managed to participate in several activities during my stay and have combined them to an extensive, one day itinerary for Stockholm that hopefully helps you plan your next trip.

I’ll talk you through the different neighbourhoods of the city, from the cobblestone streets of the old town to the hipster shopping areas and even take you on a boat trip on the waters between all the islands.

Before you travel, you might want to grab a Stockholm Pass, a sightseeing city card which allows you to experience everything Stockholm has to offer whilst saving both time and money. The Stockholm Pass grants you free entry to over 60 top attractions, museums and tours in Stockholm.

>> Get the best deal on The Stockholm Pass here >>

Ready? Join me!

ONE DAY IN STOCKHOLM SWEDEN – COMPLETE ITINERARY

MORNING IN STOCKHOLM

Breakfast in Stockholm

There are so many great places to grab a coffee or full breakfast in Stockholm, but chances are that you’ll have your breakfast at your hotel, so here is my suggestion. During my stay in Stockholm, I was hosted by the friendly people of the Hotel Kung Carl. >> Check out the best room deals >>

This gorgeous hotel was acquired back in 1977 (when it just had 46 rooms), but has since been developed into an impressive 143-room boutique hotel with their own bar, restaurant, conference facilities and mini-gym. All of the rooms have different styles and furnishings, and I was lucky enough to get the penthouse suite(!) with a view onto the main square.

The breakfast features many options, including amazing bread rolls, fresh eggs, juices, cereals, fruit and of course coffee and teas. It really made for a perfect start of my day!

You can see more photos of this room at the bottom of this article.

One Day in Stockholm, Sweden? Complete Guide to a Perfect City Break! || The Travel Tester || #Stockholm #Sweden #CityGuide #Travel #CityBreak #TravelGuide #Scandinavia

So many options at breakfast, love it!

How amazing is this furniture?!

Can you spot my room with the round windows?

Explore Stockholm’s Neighbourhoods

After breakfast, it’s time to explore! I’ll take you along to the most famous districts of the city: Djurgården, Ostermalm, Norrmalm, Gamla Stan and Södermalm. There is plenty to see on all the different islands in Stockholm, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes and get a pass for their public transport.

Check the following website for help in planning to get around Stockholm with public transport:

www.sl.se (plan your route and find tickets)
www.visitstockholm.com/guides (handy apps to use)
Make sure to grab a Stockholm Pass!

One of the best ways I believe you can get to know a city, is by taking a walking tour and in Stockholm, you have many options. Here are some of the best I could find:

Looking for a more unique tour? How about the following:

Stockholm has some of the most incredible metro stations! Make sure to check the map at the bottom of this article to find the best ones.

DJURGÅRDEN AREA

Visit the VASA Museum in Stockholm

On Djurgården, nicknamed Museum Island, you can find Vasamuseet, or in English: The Vasa Museum. This maritime museum in Stockholm is a place you don’t want to miss. The museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged: the 64-gun warship Vasa.

The ship sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 after being just 20 minutes in the water, but has been beautifully restored and put on display (a stunning 98% of the entire ship remains!) for you at the museum. The main hall contains the ship itself and various exhibits related to the archaeological findings of the ships and early 17th century Sweden.

Official Website: www.vasamuseet.se

>> This attraction is included in The Stockholm Pass >>

There are also a couple of great tours that include a visit to the Vasa Museum, make sure to have a look at:

DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE

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Download the entire brochure in PDF format

Visit the Nordic Museum in Stockholm

If you’re particularly interested in learning more about the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden, then The Nordiska Museum (Nordic Museum) is the museum for you! The Nordic Museum shows Swedish history from the early modern period to the contemporary period and has over 1.5 million objects in its collections.

This niche museum was founded in the late 19th century by Artur Hazelius, who also founded the open-air museum Skansen, which you can find on the same island.

Official Website: www.nordiskamuseet.se

>> This attraction is included in The Stockholm Pass >>

Walking from the Vasa & Nordiska Museum to the ABBA Museum

Visit the ABBA Museum in Stockholm

Right next to the Vasa Museum, you can find another one of Stockholm’s most iconic museums: ABBA The Museum! This is an interactive exhibition about the pop-group ABBA that opened in Stockholm in Sweden in May 2013.

ABBA’s collected works are showcased in an interactive setting at Swedish Music Hall of Fame. While I’m not such an ABBA fan, I did have a lot of fun here learning more about the group and also to sing along with some of their most famous songs.

Official Website: www.abbathemuseum.com

>> Get the best deal on ABBA The Museum tickets here >>

DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE

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Download the entire brochure in PDF format

You get a look behind the scenes of all the band member’s their life and work

Have a go at karaoke on stage and sing together with ABBA!

Visit Skansen Open-Air Museum in Stockholm

Still not museumed-out? Then perhaps you’d also like to visit Skansen, the first open-air museum and ZOO in Sweden. It’s also located on the island Djurgården and was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius.

The museum shows how people lived in different parts of Sweden before the industrial era and is a great way to get to know a bit more of history in a playful way. There are animals as well as actors in traditional clothing and you can see about 150 traditional Swedish houses. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to visit myself, but this is definitely an activity I would love to come back for!

Now, I’ve heard that park is HUGE and that you can easily spend a full day here, so this is perhaps an activity you might want to move to a possible second day you have in Stockholm, or to prioritize over the other museums if you think this is more interesting for you.

Official Website: www.skansen.se

>> Get the best deal on Skansen tickets here >>

>> This attraction is also included in The Stockholm Pass >>

DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE

View large files of page 1 – page 2 – page 3 – page 4 – page 5 – page 6 – page 7

Download the entire brochure in PDF format

Visit Amusement Park Gröna Lund

Visiting Stockholm with kids? Then perhaps you might consider visiting the Gröna Lund amusement park, located on the seaward side of Djurgården Island.

The park itself is perhaps on the small side, but of course it cannot really expand being so close in the city center. But there are over 30 attractions and it is also a popular venue for concerts in the summer. And who doesn’t want to visit Sweden’s oldest amusement park?

Official Website: www.gronalund.com

>> This attraction is included in The Stockholm Pass >>

Can you spot the amusement park?

AFTERNOON IN STOCKHOLM

OSTERMALM & NORRMALM AREA

The elegant are of Östermalm in Stockholm is known for its bars and restaurants, so it makes a perfect start of your afternoon. Adjacent is the more commercial area of Norrmalm. Go shopping in the designer boutiques on Östermalm and check out all the Swedish fashion and design shops along Drottninggatan and the surrounding streets of Norrmalm.

Don’t miss a visit to Östermalms Saluhall food market known for traditional specialties. Or, when weather allows it, hang out in tranquil Humlegården park or Kungsträdgården park that both really get alive in Summer.

For me, this area was extra-interesting, because there is a life-sized statue of Margaretha Krook, a Swedish stage and film actress, right next to the The Royal Dramatic Theatre. Fun to ‘meet’ someone with the same last name as me!

Meeting Margaretha Krook

Kungsträdgården Park

Lunch in Stockholm

There are many options for lunch in these two areas, have a look at the following suggestions for ideas:

Östermalms Söderhäll (food market)
PA & Co Restaurang (scandinavian)
Nosh and Chow (european)
icha icha (asian)
Urban Deli (lunch room)
La Neta (mexican)
Wayne’s Coffee (cafe)
Lilla Ego (scandinavian)

Östermalms Söderhäll

We went for Wayne’s Coffee!

Shopping in Stockholm

I personally didn’t have much time to go shopping, but I did spot some great shops, so here are some suggestions for you:

Modernity (furniture, jewelry, ceramics)
Granit (kitchen ware)
Urban Outfitters (clothing, gifts)
MOOD Stockholm (clothing, design)
NK Stockholm (department store)
Illums Bolighus (design department store)
Grandpa City (concept store)
DesignTorget AB (shop-in-shop)
Lagerhaus AB (design shop)

ALL.THE.CIDER!

You’ve now arrived in the area of the Stockholm Central Train Station

GAMLA STAN AREA

Walk Around Old Town Stockholm

Stroll over to Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm, for a real historical feel of the city. This is where you can spot the iconic colorful 17th- and 18th-century buildings and it’s also where you can find The Royal Palace, The Nobel Museum and the medieval Storkyrkan cathedral.

Make sure to pick up a typical Swedish Cinnamon bun while you’re here, they are de-li-cious!

>> Entrance to the Royal Palace, the Nobel Museum and the Storkyrkan Cathedral are all included in The Stockholm Pass >>

Stockholm Royal Palace

The Nobel Museum

Go on a Boat Tour in Stockholm

With the Red Sightseeing hop-on hop-off bus, you can ride around the city and see the sights explained in your own language. There are 21 different stops around the city and you can also combine your sightseeing with the hop-on hop-off boat.

Cruise between the islands of Stockholm in Sweden on a hop-on hop-off sightseeing cruise. You can hop on and off as many times as you like at any of the stops along the route.

Official Website: www.redsightseeing.com

>> Get the best deal on Hop-on Hop-off Boat tickets here >>

>> The Hop-on Hop-off Boat and several other boat tours are included in The Stockholm Pass >>

Looking for more boat tours in Stockholm? Here are the best ones:

Want a little more action? Then why not go for one of these tours:

DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE

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Download the entire brochure in PDF format

EVENING IN STOCKHOLM

SÖDERMALM AREA

The popular Södermalm area is a bit of a hipster neighbourhood in Stockholm. There is a relaxed and creative vibe on this island and you can find many artsy shops, cafes and concept stores on this location. It’s also the home of the Fotografiska contemporary photo gallery, for those interested.

The main square is the Nytorget Square, which is always busy and in Summer, people flock to the small beaches in Tantolunden park to go swimming and have picnics.

>> Entrance to the Fotografiska Photo Museum is included in The Stockholm Pass >>

Enjoy the View over Stockholm

Over at the Katarinahissen (Katarina Lift), which used to also be a working elevator (currently under repair, but set to open again this year!), I had a lovely view over the Slussen area of Stockholm.

This transport hub has been one of Stockholm’s most important points since the 17th century, which over 400.000 people commuting each day throughout this area.

The lift used to connect the high and low parts of Södermalm, but at the moment, it’s just a nice viewing deck over the Old Town Gamla Stan. Over on the right from the platform, you can see the Baltic, along with the islands of Skeppsholmen and Djurgården.

Enjoy the sunset!

MORE TIME IN STOCKHOLM

If you have a bit more time in Stockholm, here are some more suggestions for you:

Visit Birka Viking City

Birka is regarded as Sweden’s first city. You can find the Viking City of Birka on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren. Birka was one of the most important trading centers for Vikings. On the island you can take a walk in nature, join a guided tour of the archaeological fields and visit the Birka Museum.

You can also visit the reconstructed Viking village with its typical forges and weaving cabins. During the summer there are lots of activities with Viking weeks and food walks and much more.

Official Website: www.birkavikingastaden.se/…/the-viking-village

>> The boat to Birka (April to September) is included in The Stockholm Pass >>

DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE

View large files of page 1 – page 2 – page 3 – page 4

Download the entire brochure in PDF format

Take a Ride on Skyview Stockholm

The Ericsson Globe is the world’s largest spherical building and you can take a ride in one of Stockholm’s top attractions: Skyview.

You will get a guaranteed amazing view over Stockholm as you rise 130 meters (425 feet) above sea level. The two SkyView gondolas departs every 10 minutes, and the entire visit takes about 20 minutes. Open from Monday to Friday from 10.00 to 18:00 and in the weekend until 16:00. Make sure to not be stupid like we did and leave this to the last minute, because last rides go 10 minutes before closing time! I HAVE TO get back for this!

Official Website: www.visitstockholm.com/…/skyview

>> This attraction is included in The Stockholm Pass >>

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR STOCKHOLM

Helpful Websites

Getting to Stockholm

Make sure to check Skyscanner for the best flight deals!

Getting around in Stockholm

All four of Stockholm’s airports are connected to the center by airport coaches. From Stockholm Arlanda-Airport you can also choose the high-speed train service Arlanda Express, which is super convenient! This train departs every 15 minutes and takes about 20 minutes to get into the center. The buses take about 35-45 minutes.

Stockholm has a very efficient public transport system and amazing metro stations, that you should really check out! Check this site for all departure times and tickets: www.sl.se

Accommodation in Stockholm

I stayed at the gorgeous Hotel Kung Carl, which is located in between the Ostermalm and Norrmalm areas. I can highly recommend a stay here!

>> Check out the best room deals for Hotel Kung Carl >>

Map of Stockholm

Looking for more ‘One Day in…’ City Guides?

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Disclaimer: I visited Stockholm as part of the TBEX Blogging Conference in 2015. I’ve researched all locations mentioned in this article and everything is up-to-date for 2019!! My hotel stay and activities were complimentary.

KBNA Flight Activity

Tuesday 21st of April 2020

Great post! I went to Stockholm once when I was in college, but I would love to go back and see the city again. It is such an amazing city.

Dean Cloud

Thursday 6th of June 2019

Hey Nienke, Great Read! I also visited this place in 2017 with my love and its unforgettable trip for me in Stockholm. Also, the city impresses me with its charming medieval streets and immaculate blooming parks. Thanks for sharing the valuable information with us and I really loved your post. Keep Posting Similar articles.