Stockholm Travel Guide

  • 0 followers

City Introduction

Stockholm is Sweden’s capital with the nickname Queen of Mälaren, and it’s not for nothing, the city has been given that name. Stockholm is scenic like few other capitals in the world; the lake landscape around Lake Mälaren is to the west, and countless islands and rocky reefs extend towards the Baltic Sea to the east. Stockholm is in the middle, built on many islands itself.

Stockholm’s old town is an island full of fine squares, crooked streets and narrow alleys without any modern buildings. Walking around this district is like a trip to a bygone era, and the Storkyrkan Church and Stockholm’s royal palace are among the sights here.

The modern center of Stockholm is a short walk north of Gamla Stan. The active business district is located around the square of Sergels Torg and it offers plenty of shopping opportunities as well as loads of cultural and dining options. The pedestrian street, Drottninggatan, is famous and a must for most travelers to the city.

Stockholm’s museums are highly see-worthy as well. Interesting museums are found almost everywhere in the city, and the highlight of them all is the unique ship Vasa, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. It can now be seen restored to its former glory. The Nordiska Museum and the Swedish National Museum are other good suggestions for places to see when in Stockholm.

Top Attractions

Stockholm Metro

Stockholm Metro/Stockholm Tunnelbana

Stockholm’s subway is a fantastic engineering marvel that has been blasted visibly into the granite below the city. Metro stations are in many places left with the bedrock exposed, crude and unfinished, or as part of the decorations. It provides beautiful settings like a large art gallery.

 

The Old Town/Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan is the Swedish name for Stockholm’s old town. The central part is an exciting medieval neighborhood that invites you to explore the many narrow streets and alleys.

 

Stockholm City Hall

Stockholm City Hall/Stockholms Stadshus

Stockholm City Hall is a well-known building with a beautiful location on the shores of Lake Mälaren. It was built in the years 1911-1923 and it is one of the landmarks of the city. The City Hall hosts the annual Nobel Banquet.

 

National Museum/Nationalmuseum

The National Museum is the Swedish state’s museum, and it houses Sweden’s largest art collection. Here are works by great European painters from the 16th century to the 20th century, such as Dutch 17th century and 18th century French art as well as French Impressionists.

 

Vasa Museum, Stockholm

The Vasa Museum/Vasamuseet

The Vasa Museum is unique in the world and one of Stockholm’s absolute top attractions. The museum is built around the salvaged and restored warship Vasa, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628.

Other Attractions

Stortorget, Stockholm

The Grand Square/Stortorget

Stortorget is a square that forms the center of the medieval Gamla Stan. There is a cozy atmosphere here and there are beautiful houses all around the square. You can enjoy them at one of the cafés available.

 

Storkyrkan, Stockholm

The Great Church/Storkyrkan

This church is one of Stockholm’s most important, and many coronations have taken place here throughout history. The church’s current exterior in baroque style dates from the 18th century, although the church itself is much older.

 

House of Nobility/Riddarhuset

This house was built according to Simon de la Vallée’s design in the years 1641-1674, and it is considered one of Stockholm’s most beautiful buildings. The House of Nobility was the house of the Swedish nobility, and it still is today.

 

Stockholm Palace

Stockholm Palace/Stockholms Slott

Stockholm Palace, also called the Royal Palace, is the official residence of the Swedish monarch with his or her family. There are several museums in the large palace building, where you can see the Hall of State/Rikssalen and the Treasury/Skattkammaren as som of the most impressive parts.

 

Queen’s Street/Drottninggaten

This is Stockholm’s pedestrian street, where there is always a multitude of people who go for a stroll, visit the many shops or who enjoy city life from the outdoor restaurants during the summer season.

 

Riddarholm Island, Stockholm

Riddarholm Island/Riddarholmen

Riddarholmen is one of the centrally located islands in the heart of Stockholm. In addition to notable buildings, it offers an opportunity to get a beautiful view of the Swedish capital and not least to the City Hall.

 

Sergel’s Square/Sergels Torg

The center of modern Stockholm is located north of Gamla Stan, and Sergels Torg is the central square. You can see exciting urban planning in the construction of Sergels Torg with a sunken street level and a glass obelisk.

 

Parliament House, Stockholm

Parliament House/Riksdagshuset

This is Sweden’s parliament building, which was built in 1895-1904 to house the country’s two political chambers; the First Chamber and the Second Chamber. You can see the fine interior on guided tours of the beautiful building.

 

The Royal Opera/Kungliga Operan

This is Stockholm’s Royal Opera House. It was built in 1898 as a replacement for the city’s former opera. The opera tradition in Stockholm started as early as 1773 with a staging in Stora Bollhuset in Gamla Stan.

 

Hedvig Eleonora Church, Stockholm

Hedvig Eleonora Church/Hedvig Eleonora Kyrka

Hedvig Eleonora Kyrka is a characteristic church, which was consecrated in 1737. It is named after King Karl X Gustav’s queen Hedvig Eleonora. In the church’s interior you can e.g. see The Golden Altar.

 

The Swedish History Museum/Historiska Museet

This is the leading historical museum in Sweden, and the museum exhibits some of the largest and most significant archaeological finds made in the country.

 

Nordic Museum, Stockholm

The Nordic Museum/Nordiska Museet

The Nordic Museum is a large museum of cultural history and ethnography, housed in a sumptuous museum building in a castle-like style. The museum’s focus is on depicting Sweden from the 16th century to the present day.

 

Skansen

Skansen is a large, recreational area on the island of Djurgården, and it contains a lot of different attractions; not least the open-air museum, which dominates the large area.

 

Gröna Lund, Stockholm

Gröna Lund

Gröna Lund is Stockholm’s amusement park, and with its beautiful location and lovely atmosphere, it is one of the city’s most popular attractions. You also get a view of the water to i.a. Södermalm, Skeppsholmen and Nybrohamnen from here.

Day Trips

Drottningholm Palace, Stockholm

Drottningholm Palace/Drottningholms Slott

Drottningholms Slott is a beautiful and elegant palace inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Today the palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. It is also a nice excursion destination that you can sail to from the center of Stockholm. You can also enjoy a beautiful park here.

 

Birka & Hovgården

Birka on Björkö in Lake Mälaren is the first Viking trading town in the region, and on the nearby Adelsö was the royal estate at Hovgården, from where the king could monitor and control trade in the area.

 

Gripsholm Castle/Gripsholm Slott

Gustav Vasa’s Gripsholm Castle from 1537 can be reached by ship or train from Stockholm. Gustav Vasa bought the castle in 1526, and in 1537 he started the construction of the current Gripsholm Castle.

 

Stockholm Archipelago

The Archipelago/Stockholms Skärgård

Both east and west of Stockholm, there are a myriad of ferry routes to lovely smaller and larger islands. It is one of Stockholm’s largest recreational assets, and you can choose to enjoy the landscape from the ferries or go ashore on the small islands in the archipelago.

 

Vaxholm

Vaxholm is probably the most visited place in the Stockholm archipelago. The atmosphere in Vaxholm is special, and you can see a number of summer villas from the 1800s-1900s, built by Stockholm families.

 

Skogskyrkogården, Stockholm

The Woodland Cemetery/Skogskyrkogården

Stockholm’s forest cemetery is a different sight with cultural landscapes and an architecture that overall forms a beautiful area about the place’s real purpose as a cemetery. In 1994, Skogskyrkogården was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Uppsala

The city of Uppsala is a nice excursion destination from Stockholm. It is a city with i.a. The Nordic region’s oldest university and a beautiful cathedral. Modern Uppsala is complemented by the good atmosphere in Old Uppsala.

Shopping

Gallerian

Hamngatan 37
gallerian.se

 

NK

Hamngatan 18-20
nk.se

 

PUB

Hötorget/Drottninggatan
pub.se

 

Solna Center

Solna
solnacentrum.se

 

Souk

Drottninggatan 53
souk.se

 

Åhléns City

Klarabergsgatan 50
ahlens.se

 

Shopping streets

Drottninggatan, Hamngatan, Klarabergsgatan

With Kids

Water Museum

Aquaria Vattenmuseum
Falkenbergsgatan 2
aquaria.se

 

Amusement park

Gröna Lund
Lilla Almänna Gränd 9
gronalund.com

 

Toy Museum

Leksaksmuseet
Tegelviksgatan 22
leksaksmuseet.se

 

Open-air museum

Skansen
Djurgårdsslätten 49-51
skansen.se

 

Aquarium

Skansen-akvariet
Djurgårdsslätten 49-51
skansen-akvariet.se

 

Trams

Spårvägsmuseet
Tegelviksgatan 22
sl.se

Practical Links

Stockholm tourism

stockholmtown.com

 

Sweden tourism

visitsweden.com

 

Stockholm city transport

sl.se

 

Museum tram

ss.se/djurgårdslinjen

 

Djurgårds ferry & archipelago ferries

waxholmsbolaget.se

 

Ferries to Mälaran & the archipelago

strommakanalbolaget.com

 

Swedish Railways

sj.se

 

Arlanda Airport

arlanda.com

 

Bromma Airport

lfv.se

 

Skavsta Airport

skavsta.se

City History

The early history

Stockholm was built on the strategically important trade route between the waters from Lake Mälaren to the Baltic Sea’s open water. On the high ground of the area, the ships were reloaded, creating a breeding ground for activity on the site that became a smaller settlement. The trade in the ships was mainly about the products iron, copper and leather, which came from the interior of the Scandinavian peninsula.

The position as a transhipment site continued to become more important and it became necessary to consolidate the central area where there were only a few inhabitants. In 1250, Birger Jarl built a castle in the now central Stockholm, and in 1252 he granted the city commercial property rights. Thereby the city was founded.

 

Stockholm grows

Stockholm grew extremely fast, and this was not least due to the large trade in the Baltic Sea, which was led by the Hanseatic League, whose weight was in the northern German trading towns. In just about 100 years, Stockholm had become Sweden’s largest city at this time. The city was the most dominant in the region, and previous significant settlements such as Birka were finally abandoned.

Stockholm was mentioned in the Erik Chronicle, which is believed to have been written in the years 1322-1332. Stockholm was referred to as the city between the bridges, and that description can be understood even today.

 

Gamla Stan and new districts

Stockholm city, which was in the present Gamla Stan, was expanded rapidly and at one time overcrowded. Fires ravaged often, but the city was quickly rebuilt in the narrow alleys that are still preserved. The large buildings of the time included the Great Church and the tower Trekroner. In the 1300-1400s, however, the pressure on the small area of ​​the city was so great that the Norrmalm and Södermalm areas were developed. In this way, the contours were established for what Stockholm is today.

In 1388, Stockholm was besieged under the Danish Union Queen Margrethe I, and the city fell in 1398. The union between Denmark, Norway and Sweden was a reality and the queen let a larger city wall erect. At the end of the 15th century Stockholm had 5,000 inhabitants, which was a considerable amount according to the conditions of the time.

In 1471 Sweden overcame the Danish Union Army in Norrmalm. The country broke with Denmark-Norway, but rejoined the Union in 1497-1502 under King Hans. King Christian II again conquered Stockholm after King Hans, and in 1520 he had 83 leading Swedish men executed at Stortorget during the so-called Stockholm Blodbad.

In 1523 Gustav Vasa was crowned king of Sweden and the time under Danish rule was ended. Stockholm became the Swedish city’s leading city and the king’s residence city. However, Stockholm first became the official capital in 1614.

 

Years 1500-1700

At the end of the 1500s, Stockholm was a fortified town with residence castle, great churches and in general a city in growth. Its and Sweden’s potential allowed Sweden to become a major power in the Baltic in the 1600s, and Stockholm became the center of royal house, military and administration. This led to strong growth in population.

The thirty-year war took place in the years 1618-1648, and it meant a boom for Stockholm. Trade increased and many noble mansions were erected at Riddarholmen, among others.

Throughout the century, more people moved to the city and more neighborhoods were expanded. Around 1700 the city had 45,000 inhabitants, large living quarters, mansions and a royal palace.

The 18th century became a stagnation period for the city, which met with increasing competition around the Baltic Sea. It came mainly from Tsar Peter the Great’s construction of St. Petersburg as a new Russian capital in 1703. In 1711, Stockholm was hit by a plague epidemic that, as usual, made a dent in the population.

However, in the century there was also scientific and cultural flourishing in the capital, and in the late 1700s, under King Gustav III, the city continued the positive development, which began in earnest in the 1600s.

 

Modernization and industrialization

The 19th century was yet another flourishing time for Stockholm. The city was rebuilt by replacing many old neighborhoods with new and more modern ones. A number of public buildings and institutions were also erected, such as hospital and educational facilities.

Industrialization also made its mark on the city. From 1860 railroads were built, and from 1877 Stockholm got a network of trams. The city developed its industries, and working districts such as Sundbyberg and wealthy districts such as Djursholm followed with both industries and increasing economic activity. In 1900, around 300,000 people lived in Stockholm.

 

20th century and today

Throughout most of the 20th century, Stockholm was in a boom. In 1912, the city hosted the Olympic Games, and for a time it put the Swedish capital on the world map for many people around the world.

During both world wars of the 20th century, Sweden was neutral, thereby avoiding devastation, and relative growth was established in relation to many other places more directly affected by the acts of war. Growth and the generally increasing urbanization led to an increase in the population from 500,000 in 1930 to a million in 1960.

In the 1960s, large areas of Stockholm were demolished to make way for modern construction. Of that, Sergels Torg is the best example; the central square was erected in the old Art Nouveau quarter of Klara. Modernization has been much debated ever since, but it has helped to give Stockholm a metropolitan atmosphere with large, modern and partly monumental buildings in the center.

Over the past decades, much has been done to continuously develop Stockholm as a tourist city at the same time as one of Scandinavia’s leading business cities. For tourists, the city’s water wealth is now, as at its founding in the 13th century, still what provides the basis for many activities, and the city’s beautiful location is also unforgettable.

Geolocation

In short

Overview of Stockholm

Stockholm is Sweden’s capital with the nickname Queen of Mälaren, and it’s not for nothing, the city has been given that name. Stockholm is scenic like few other capitals in the world; the lake landscape around Lake Mälaren is to the west, and countless islands and rocky reefs extend towards the Baltic Sea to the east. Stockholm is in the middle, built on many islands itself.

 

Stockholm’s old town is an island full of fine squares, crooked streets and narrow alleys without any modern buildings. Walking around this district is like a trip to a bygone era, and the Storkyrkan Church and Stockholm’s royal palace are among the sights here.

 

About the upcoming Stockholm travel guide

  • Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
  • Published: Released soon
  • Author: Stig Albeck
  • Publisher: Vamados.com
  • Language: English

 

About the travel guide

The Stockholm travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the Swedish city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

 

Stockholm is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

 

Read more about Stockholm and Sweden

 

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

 

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Stockholm you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Old Town • Sergels Torg • City Hall • Gröna Lund • Archipelago

Overview of Stockholm

Stockholm is Sweden’s capital with the nickname Queen of Mälaren, and it’s not for nothing, the city has been given that name. Stockholm is scenic like few other capitals in the world; the lake landscape around Lake Mälaren is to the west, and countless islands and rocky reefs extend towards the Baltic Sea to the east. Stockholm is in the middle, built on many islands itself.

 

Stockholm’s old town is an island full of fine squares, crooked streets and narrow alleys without any modern buildings. Walking around this district is like a trip to a bygone era, and the Storkyrkan Church and Stockholm’s royal palace are among the sights here.

 

About the upcoming Stockholm travel guide

  • Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
  • Published: Released soon
  • Author: Stig Albeck
  • Publisher: Vamados.com
  • Language: English

 

About the travel guide

The Stockholm travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the Swedish city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

 

Stockholm is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

 

Read more about Stockholm and Sweden

 

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

 

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Stockholm you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Other Attractions

Stortorget, Stockholm

The Grand Square/Stortorget

Stortorget is a square that forms the center of the medieval Gamla Stan. There is a cozy atmosphere here and there are beautiful houses all around the square. You can enjoy them at one of the cafés available.

 

Storkyrkan, Stockholm

The Great Church/Storkyrkan

This church is one of Stockholm’s most important, and many coronations have taken place here throughout history. The church’s current exterior in baroque style dates from the 18th century, although the church itself is much older.

 

House of Nobility/Riddarhuset

This house was built according to Simon de la Vallée’s design in the years 1641-1674, and it is considered one of Stockholm’s most beautiful buildings. The House of Nobility was the house of the Swedish nobility, and it still is today.

 

Stockholm Palace

Stockholm Palace/Stockholms Slott

Stockholm Palace, also called the Royal Palace, is the official residence of the Swedish monarch with his or her family. There are several museums in the large palace building, where you can see the Hall of State/Rikssalen and the Treasury/Skattkammaren as som of the most impressive parts.

 

Queen’s Street/Drottninggaten

This is Stockholm’s pedestrian street, where there is always a multitude of people who go for a stroll, visit the many shops or who enjoy city life from the outdoor restaurants during the summer season.

 

Riddarholm Island, Stockholm

Riddarholm Island/Riddarholmen

Riddarholmen is one of the centrally located islands in the heart of Stockholm. In addition to notable buildings, it offers an opportunity to get a beautiful view of the Swedish capital and not least to the City Hall.

 

Sergel’s Square/Sergels Torg

The center of modern Stockholm is located north of Gamla Stan, and Sergels Torg is the central square. You can see exciting urban planning in the construction of Sergels Torg with a sunken street level and a glass obelisk.

 

Parliament House, Stockholm

Parliament House/Riksdagshuset

This is Sweden’s parliament building, which was built in 1895-1904 to house the country’s two political chambers; the First Chamber and the Second Chamber. You can see the fine interior on guided tours of the beautiful building.

 

The Royal Opera/Kungliga Operan

This is Stockholm’s Royal Opera House. It was built in 1898 as a replacement for the city’s former opera. The opera tradition in Stockholm started as early as 1773 with a staging in Stora Bollhuset in Gamla Stan.

 

Hedvig Eleonora Church, Stockholm

Hedvig Eleonora Church/Hedvig Eleonora Kyrka

Hedvig Eleonora Kyrka is a characteristic church, which was consecrated in 1737. It is named after King Karl X Gustav’s queen Hedvig Eleonora. In the church’s interior you can e.g. see The Golden Altar.

 

The Swedish History Museum/Historiska Museet

This is the leading historical museum in Sweden, and the museum exhibits some of the largest and most significant archaeological finds made in the country.

 

Nordic Museum, Stockholm

The Nordic Museum/Nordiska Museet

The Nordic Museum is a large museum of cultural history and ethnography, housed in a sumptuous museum building in a castle-like style. The museum’s focus is on depicting Sweden from the 16th century to the present day.

 

Skansen

Skansen is a large, recreational area on the island of Djurgården, and it contains a lot of different attractions; not least the open-air museum, which dominates the large area.

 

Gröna Lund, Stockholm

Gröna Lund

Gröna Lund is Stockholm’s amusement park, and with its beautiful location and lovely atmosphere, it is one of the city’s most popular attractions. You also get a view of the water to i.a. Södermalm, Skeppsholmen and Nybrohamnen from here.

Similar

Similar to Stockholm Travel Guide