Things to Do in Sweden

Built to house the wreckage of the mighty Vasa warship, Stockholm’s Vasa Museum is now one of Scandinavia's most-visited attractions, drawing over one million annual visitors. Part of Sweden’s National Maritime Museums system, the Vasa Museum is located on the island of Djurgarden and remains the only place in the world where visitors can see a fully intact 17th-century ship.

Pre-book your tickets to ensure skip-the-line entry, opt for a guided tour to learn more about the fascinating ship and its ongoing restoration, or combine your visit with a sightseeing tour of Stockholm and experience other must-see attractions such as the old town of Gamla Stan and the Royal Palace. For those who prefer to explore independently, hop-on hop-off buses and boats stop outside the museum, and entrance is included for Stockholm Pass holders.

The museum is located on the western side of Djurgården Island in central Stockholm. The easiest way to get to the museum is by tram. From the city center, take the number seven tram towards Waldemarsudde. 

The Vasa Museum is open year-round, but it’s busiest during the summer months of July and August, when you should visit early in the morning if you want to avoid crowds. Outside those peak months, the late night opening on Wednesdays (until 8pm) is a good time to visit if you want to avoid tour groups. 

The star attraction of the Vasa Museum is the 226-foot-long (69-meter-long) warship Vasa, which sank in 1628 on her maiden voyage from Stockholm. Exhibitions allow visitors to view all six levels of the restored ship, and chronicle the building of the Vasa,  the passengers and events of its fateful maiden voyage, and the long task of restoring and preserving the historic vessel. There is also a spectacular painted model of the Vasa ship and a recreation of a 1620s Stockholm shipyard.

The oldest building in Malmo, St. Peter’s Church dates back to 1319. Built in a Gothic style with red and brown bricks, it was largely based on St. Mary’s Church in Lubeck, Germany. A 105-meter high tower was added in the 15th century, together with several chapels and the baptismal font. The simple white interior walls are embellished by an ornate altar and elaborate fixtures. The Tradesman’s Chapel is notable for its mural paintings from around 1520, which are some of the best preserved in Scandinavia; the rest of the church’s murals have been destroyed. Also worth checking out is the floor in the oldest part of the church, which is made of broke gravestones.

The church is still in active use and a project is currently underway to add a new organ by 2018 that would be the largest church organ in Scandinavia.

Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset) looms over the Kungsholmen waterfront and is one of the capital’s most impressive landmarks, with a redbrick façade and 328-foot (100-meter) tower topped with the Three Crowns of Sweden. Dating back to 1923, the hall contains elaborate ceremonial chambers which are open to visitors via guided tours. 

Stockholm City Hall is the masterpiece of architect Ragnar Ostberg and a celebrated example of Swedish National Romanticism. It now houses the city council and municipal council offices, as well as grand ceremonial halls such as the famous Blue Hall, venue of the annual Nobel Prize ceremony and banquet. The Council Chamber is designed to mimic a Viking longship and is decked out with Carl Malmsten furnishings and unique art pieces, while the Golden Hall features elaborate wall mosaics that shimmer with more than 18 million pieces of gold leaf and colored glass.

Whether you want to explore by bus, bike, or segway, most Stockholm city tours include a visit to City Hall along with Old Town (Gamla Stan), the Royal Palace, and other top attractions. It’s also possible to visit on a hop-on, hop-off bus or boat tour to explore City Hall on your own schedule.  

City Hall is located on Stockholm's central island of Kungsholmen, just across Riddarholmen and Sodermalm. Buses 3 and 50 stop right in front of City Hall; look for the Stadshuset stop. The closest metro station is Radhuset (the blue line). It takes about eight minutes to walk to City Hall from Central Station and five minutes to walk from the Radhuset stop. 

Tickets for City Hall tours are available year-round. Official tours are limited on Saturday afternoons, as it is a popular day for local weddings and the Oval Room is typically off-limits. Visit early in the day to secure tickets to the City Hall Tower. 

The City Hall Tower is open May through September, and tickets can only be purchased on the day of your visit. To get to the tower, take the elevator to the halfway point at the Tower Museum and then climb a set of steep stairs to the top. Viewing times are strictly regulated, and tickets for the tower often sell out on sunny days.

The Stockholm Archipelago is a trove of natural wonders, with miles of glittering ocean dotted with thousands of islands, rocky coves, and sandy beaches. Extending roughly 37 miles (60 kilometers) east of Stockholm, the vast archipelago offers ample opportunities for scenic cruises, day tours, and multi-day island-hopping tours. 

The archipelago’s main towns—Nynashamn, Gustavsberg, and Vaxholm—can all be explored on a day trip from Stockholm. Guided boat cruises and passenger ferries run between the mainland and the islands, providing easy access. Treat yourself to spectacular views and soar overhead on a helicopter tour, set sail on a sunset sightseeing cruise, or glide around the beaches and bays on a kayaking excursion.

While coastal towns like Vaxholm, Norrtälje, Nynäshamn, and Gustavsberg can be reached by bus or train, the most popular way to explore the archipelago is by boat. Ferries, guided cruises, and water taxis run year-round (weather permitting) from central Stockholm. You can reach the closest islands in about an hour, and the outer islands in several hours.

It’s possible to visit most islands year-round, but boat services may be limited during winter and can be canceled when the weather gets rough. April through September is the most popular time for island-hopping cruises, when the longer days and warmer weather are ideal for sightseeing and outdoor activities.

Head to Varmdo island for scenic coastal walks and forest hikes, discover the Viking history of Vaxholm on Bodesun Island, get hands-on experience at Gustavsberg’s porcelain museum, or explore the abandoned silver mine on Uto Island.

Sprawled across the Stockholm archipelago, the Swedish capital of Stockholm is a popular port of call for north European cruises. It’s also the starting point for many Baltic cruises, with easy links to Helsinki in Finland, St. Petersburg in Russia, and Baltic countries such as Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. 

With so much to see and do in Stockholm, most cruise visitors opt to spend their time discovering the city. On a Stockholm city tour, canal cruise, or hop-on hop-off bus tour, check off Stockholm highlights such as the Royal Palace, the Vasa Museum, City Hall, and the Nobel Museum. Or get to know the atmospheric old town of Gamla Stan on a walking tour. Another popular shore excursion is a Viking history tour, including the nearby towns of Sigtuna and Uppsala, and the archeological site of Täby. 

While some smaller ships dock right in the heart of Gamla Stan, most cruise ships dock at Stadsgården on the island of Södermalm, a 30-minute walk away and located on the hop-on hop-off boat and bus routes. Alternatively, some ships arrive at Frihamnen and Värtahamnen, just north of downtown Stockholm, from where it’s a 30-minute bus ride into the city. Bigger cruise ships sometimes dock at Nynäshamn, 36 miles (58 kilometers) south of Stockholm, or around one hour by train.

The currency used in Stockholm and all of Sweden is the Swedish krona (SEK), but some larger hotels and tourist attractions accept euros and US dollars. Swedish is the official language here, but English is also widely spoken. There are many ATMs and currency exchange offices in Gamla Stan.

Opened in 1787 by Sweden's King Gustav III, the University of Uppsala Botanical Gardens are one of the city's most popular destinations. In addition to outdoor gardens and a tropical greenhouse, the grounds house a cafe, special exhibition hall, and gift shop.

Contained within the grounds of the Botanical Gardens are the Baroque Garden, drafted in 1750 and featuring a 17th-century wall and rockery; the Linnaean Garden, designed by super-scientist Carl Linnaeus; the Orangery, a greenhouse in the Linnaean Garden; and the Tropical Greenhouse, a warm oasis in the winter months. The grounds also house Cafe Victoria and a small gift shop.

Guided tours of the park and gardens are offered Saturdays and Sundays from June through August, and tours of the Tropical Greenhouse on the first Sunday of every month from September through May. While the grounds are best explored at a leisurely pace, private walking tours of Uppsala provide in-depth information about the city's planning and architecture.

Located in the heart the city adjacent to Uppsala University, the Botanical Gardens are easily accessible on foot or by public transit. The nearest stops are Uppsala Blasenhus on bus 2 and 7. Parking lots are located at Villavagen 6 and Norbyvagen 18, and handicap parking is located in front of Cafe Victoria.

While the gardens are busiest on weekend afternoons, the size of the grounds ensure it never feels overly crowded. Go on a weekday morning for a quiet visit.

Head to the 16th-century royal Uppsala Castle to experience a piece of Sweden's history and take in panoramic views of the Botanical Gardens' intricate layout. From the top floors, visitors can gaze down onto the Linnaean, a garden designed by 18th-century scientist and "father of modern taxonomy" Carl Linnaeus.

Uppsala is one of Sweden’s most historic cities; squatting on the banks of the River Fyris, it sophisticated, leafy and dominated by its landmark castle, cathedral and university. The royal castle overlooks the town from its perch at Kasåsen and began life in 1549 at the behest of King Gustav Vasa, who built his fortified home in neat, symmetrical Renaissance style. Over the centuries, it has seen its share of ceremony, intrigue and violence, from coronations to political assassinations and abdications. The shocking murder of three members of the Sture family by the despotic and schizophrenic King Erik XIV took place here in 1567 and their tattered doublets and breeches are on show in Uppsala Cathedral. 

The castle was virtually burnt down in 1702 – and much of its fragmented remains plundered to build the Royal Palace in Stockholm – but was subsequently reconstructed in 1740 with its dusty pink façades punctuated by towers on each wing. Today it has a distinctly more peaceful role as the home of three museums: Uppsala Art Museum, where funky modern ceramics from Uppsala Ekeby pottery are displayed along with contemporary Swedish artwork; the Fredens Hus (House of Peace), which highlights social and political conflicts and attempts to resolve them; and the fascinating Vasaborgen in the ruined bastions of the original castle, where the dark deeds of past Swedish monarchs are recounted in graphic detail.

The Stockholm Concert Hall opened in 1926 to house the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Built in the neoclassical style of the 1920s, the blue building is reminiscent of a classical Greek temple and is considered a Swedish architectural masterpiece. The interior of the building is softly lit, transitioning from dark to light, and features grand staircases lit by impressive crystal chandeliers. The walls and ceilings of the minor hall known as Grunewald Hall were painted by Isaac Grunewald. The main hall’s interior was reconstructed in the 1980s, adding a new organ, which is now used for organ recitals at lunch on Thursdays. Standing outside of the concert hall is a statue of Orpheus by Swedish artist Carl Milles. In addition to more than 200 orchestra concerts held annually at the Concert Hall, it hosts the annual Nobel Prize Award Ceremony, as well as two annual festivals: the Stockholm International Composer Festival in the fall and Composer Weekend in the spring.

With a stream of new bars, restaurants and nightclubs springing up along the waterfront, the island of Södermalm, or ‘Söder’ as it’s known to locals, is quickly earning a reputation as one of Stockholm’s hippest districts, popular among the city’s younger residents. Entering Södermalm from Gamla Stan, the lively areas of Slussen and nearby Medborgarplatsen are the center of island life, interlinked by the principal shopping boulevard of Götgatan, and further south the affectionately nicknamed ‘SoFo’ district is know for its fashion boutiques, vintage stores and atmospheric cafés.  

Although home to a cluster of museums, including the Stockholm City Museum, Södermalm has comparatively few tourist attractions and the scenic island is best known for its cliff-top lookouts and seafront promenades which offer dramatic views over the neighboring islands. Additional areas of interest include the charming coastal area of Fjällgatan, dotted with 16th-century wooden buildings, the 17th-century Katarina Kyrka church and the beaches of Tantolunden.

The Turning Torso in Malmo is a neo-futurist residential skyscraper that has dominated the city’s skyline since it opened in 2005. At 190 meters tall, it is the tallest building in Scandinavia. The unique design is based on a white marble sculpture depicting a twisting human being known as the Twisting Torso. Built in nine segments of five-story pentagons, the top segment of the building is “twisted” 90 degrees from the bottom segment. The daring construction was featured on the Discovery Channel’s Extreme Engineering show and in 2006, Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner parachuted onto the building and then jumped off of it.

The 147 apartments inside the Turning Torso are spread out across 54 stories, each with a one-of-a-kind layout. Unfortunately, only two floors are open to the public and tours can be scheduled only in the summer months. Those lucky enough to go inside will enjoy superb views across Malmo and Copenhagen across the Oresund Straight.

Peberholm Island, which was created to accommodate the bridge piers and tunnel, is now a designated nature reserve with a wide range of flora and fauna, including more than 500 different species of plants, as well as rare spiders, insects and a rare green toad.

Start your walk at Götaplatsen square, home to the City Library, Gothenburg Concert Hall and the Gothenburg Museum of Art, as well as one of the city's liveliest nightlife areas, then follow the boulevard all the way to the Rosenlund Canal, where you'll find the grand Neo-Renaissance Stora Theatre and the Kungsportbron bridge, from where boat tours set out along the city's canal ways.

With its baroque facade, lavish Royal Apartments, and impressive treasury, the Stockholm Royal Palace is everything you'd expect from a regal abode. Although the Swedish royal family now resides in Drottningholm Palace, the Royal Palace still holds an important role, both as a historic monument and as the host of banquets and receptions.

Most sightseeing and walking tours of Stockholm include a photo stop at the Royal Palace, often timed to coincide with the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony. For those who prefer to explore independently, hop-on hop-off bus and boat tours stop outside the palace. Purchase a Stockholm Card to gain free entrance, along with access to a wealth of other Stockholm attractions.

 

The palace lies on the north end of Gamla stan, Stockholm's Old Town, on the island of Stadsholmen. Buses stop at Slottsbacken, just outside the palace, while the closest metro (Tunnelbana) station is Gamla stan, a 5-minute walk from the palace.

Stockholm Royal Palace is open year-round, but summer is the most popular time to visit , when it's best to visit early if you want to avoid crowds. Summer visitors can also enjoy the parade of the Royal Guard, King Gustav III's Museum of Antiquities, and the summer café.

Palace visitors can peek into the Royal Apartments, including the Bernadotte Apartments, the Banquet Hall, and King Carl Gustaf's Jubilee Room; marvel at the crown jewels in the Treasury; and browse the royal book collection in the Bernadotte Library. There are also several museums to explore, including the Royal Armoury, the Tre Kronor Museum, and King Gustav III's Museum of Antiquities (summer only).

The laid-back and charismatic university city of Uppsala is bisected by the River Fyris and dominated by its landmark castle and cathedral. The latter began life in 1270 to house the reliquary of King Eric IX, who spread Christianity through Sweden and is the patron saint of the country. Constructed in austere red brick and today much renovated, the cathedral is Gothic in style and has two spiky spires that stand 120 m (394 ft) above the city’s rooftops. Its vaulted interior is delicately ornamented with biblical scenes and illuminated through slender stained-glass windows; the side chapels contain the relics of Eric IX in a gold-plated coffin as well as the marble tombs of several Swedish monarchs, including King Gustav Vasa, who commissioned the building of Uppsala Castle in 1549. The botanist Carl Linnaeus, who lived in Uppsala in the 18th century and introduced a classification system for plants that is still in use today, is also buried in the cathedral.

A small treasury museum in the northwest spire exhibits royal funeral crowns and a collection of medieval Far and Middle Eastern textiles. However, pride of place in the museum goes to the tattered doublets and breeches belonging to three members of the Sture family who were murdered at Uppsala Castle in 1567 by the schizophrenic King Erik XIV. Close inspection of the surrounding burial ground reveals Viking runes carved on several gravestones.

Founded in 1434 by the King of Pomerania, Malmo Castle was partially demolished in the early 16th century and later rebuilt by King Christian III of Denmark. Long an important strategic stronghold for Denmark, the castle also served as a prison for the third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. Today, it stands as Scandinavia’s oldest surviving Renaissance castle and has been restored to its appearance in the 16th century. Visitors exploring the castle will find furnished state rooms, a variety of historical exhibitions and sheriff’s quarters that showcase the darker history of the castle such as the plague and methods used to execute prisoners. Look for a 17th century bible that once belonged to Danish King Christian IV and a display that traces Malmo’s development over the years from a small settlement to an important fort town.

Adjacent to the castle are several museum galleries that were added in the 1930s, focusing on natural history, photo exhibitions and Nordic art.

Today the busy market remains largely unchanged from its 20th-century heyday, with elaborate displays of fresh, seasonal produce and a steady stream of top chefs, local families and visiting foodies haggling over the morning's catch. From fresh-off-the-boat cod and halibut, to live spider crabs and lobsters, seafood lovers will find everything they need here, but even if you're only browsing, head to one of the food stalls or restaurants, where you can sample local delicacies like pickled herring, smoked salmon or seafood smörgÃ¥s (open sandwiches).

Originally the home of Sweden’s Prince Eugen, Waldemarsudde in Stockholm may be the country’s most beautiful art museum. In addition to being one of Sweden’s best known landscape artists, the Prince amassed a massive collection of works by both established and unknown artists over the course of 60 years. Today, more than 3,000 of his own pieces and more than 3,000 other works are housed at Waldemarsudde, with his collection of Swedish art from the turn of the 19th century considered one of the best in Sweden.

Waldemarsudde is set in a 70,000 square meter park surrounded by the Stockholm Harbor on three sides. It consists of a castle-like main building known as the Mansion, the original manor home known as the Old House, a Gallery Building and an old linseed oil mill. The ground floor of the Mansion has been preserved as it was when the Prince was alive, while the upper two floors are now used for temporary exhibitions or for displaying the Prince’s art. The Gallery Building hosts temporary exhibitions as well.

Today, the striking four-masted ship floats proudly in the Lilla Bommen marina and has been transformed into a hotel and restaurant, with marine-inspired decor designed to complement the ship's original fittings. Although the ship is closed to non-guests, many visitors choose to enjoy lunch or dinner at the onboard restaurant or sip a beer at the top-deck bar "“ the perfect excuse to explore Scandinavia's largest vessel.

With a history dating back to Viking times and a wealth of well-preserved medieval architecture, the picturesque city of Uppsala is a popular day trip from nearby Stockholm. The city is also home to the 15-century Uppsala University, and is the seat of the archbishop of the Church of Sweden. 

Uppsala's charming small-town atmosphere and close-knit attractions make it easy to explore on foot. As you stroll, admire landmarks such as the 15th-century Uppsala Castle, home to the Uppsala Konstmuseum; the grand Gothic Uppsala Cathedral; and Sweden's oldest university, which dates back to 1477. Other points of interest include the ancient burial grounds and stone churches of the Old Town of Gamla Uppsala, the Botanical Gardens, the Upplands Museum, and a museum dedicated to Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus. Due to the city's rich history, Viking history tours from Stockholm typically stop in Uppsala. 

Located just an hour from Stockholm, Uppsala is an ideal day trip from Sweden's capital. While guided tours typically offer round-trip transportation, it's also possible to arrive by car via the E4 highway. Buses and trains also depart regularly from Stockholm's city center and Arlanda Airport.

You can visit Uppsala year-round, but Sweden sees its most pleasant weather in the late spring, summer, and early fall. Shops and museums are typically open during regular daytime hours, while Uppsala's student population provides a bustling nightlife. 

The 30th of April is known as Walpurgis (Valborg, or Sista Abril) in Sweden and is celebrated as winter's absolute last gasp. Uppsala is known for its raucous Walpurgis Festival, which includes student floats running the Fyris river, herring lunches, the donning of the caps at Carolina Rediviva, and huge parties. It is well worth planning a visit to Uppsala around this event.