The Swedish capital of Stockholm is the perfect ‘alternative summer’ destination that you didn’t know you needed until now! Not only is Stockholm architecturally beautiful, it’s filled with with so many things to do, great neighbourhoods, and let’s not forget the incredible coffee scene (#fika). While we visited for 4 days, we didn’t even touch the surface of all the amazing things you can do in this Scandinavian city. Our guide shines light on a few of the things we loved, and think you should consider when you visit Stockholm.
A few of the top things to do in Stockholm
Enjoy Fika
Fika is a Swedish concept that loosely translates to enjoying a moment with a coffee and baked pastry or baked goods. It’s highly valued by the locals, and as such Stockholm as an incredible café culture. The best coffee shops in the city are located around the Sodermalm and Ostermalm regions, but you can find good coffee and ‘Fika vibes’ in almost every part of the city. Enjoying Fika is a Stockholm must do, so check out a few of our top Fika coffee shops are below:
- Stora Bageriet
- Johan and Nystrom
- Café Pascal
- Drop coffee
- There’s so many more…
See our detailed Fika coffee guide for Stockholm here.
Wander the picturesque Gamla Stan
The old town in Stockholm, Gamla Stan, is definitely worth visiting. Bring your camera as you’ll be ‘snap happy’ here.. it’s picturesque. The Gamla Stan is very easy to walk, with around half a dozen main streets. The main square is photogenic, and the winding narrow nearby streets are lovely. Prepare for it to be busy, and the eateries quite touristy.
We’d personally recommend visiting to see the sights, and eating in nearby areas like Sodermalm (see below) or Ostermalm. However, if you do want to grab a bite to eat in Gamla Stan, check out the incredibly tasty, authentic and budget friendly food truck (Nystekt Stromming) located by the river on the edge of the old town. This was one of the highlights during our visit.
Explore the trendy Södermalm
One of our favourite parts of Stockholm is Södermalm. This vibrant neighbourhood is home to the best café’s, many of the best restaurants, and a plethora of boutique shops. We recommend you stay here (we did), but even if you don’t, it’s a short train ride (1-3 stops) or an easy walk 20-30 minutes from the heart of the city. A few places we recommend you check out in Sodermalm include:
- Wander the main few streets that lead into the heart of Sodermalm. Here you will find cute boutiques, cafes and street bars. This is honestly the best thing to do in Sodermalm, and you’ll likely find all of the main highlights.
- Cafes/Bars/Restaurants – there’s so many good ones. Check out our list below and our Fika Guide.
- Check out the view point near historic building (Mariahissen), which has cute yellow walled streets worth wandering.
- Want to relax like the locals on a sunny day? Head out to the riverside beach area near Tandogardens and Tantostrand.
Get on the water for a day trip to a nearby island
Stockholm is made up of 14 islands, and Sweden home to over 30,000 islands. Visiting some of them represents one of the best things to do during your visit. We headed out to the popular Vaxholm, around 1 hour out of Stockholm. The island is very picturesque, particularly on a sunny day. There’s an iconic tee house with a lovely garden (Vaxholms Hembygdsgårds Café), a number of cute streets, boutique shops and cafes. Is it worth visiting? Definitely. How much time should you spend on Vaxholm.. probably only a few hours is needed. There are numerous other islands worth checking out, including options like Sandhamn, Möja, Utö, Finnhamn, Grinda, Kymmendö and there’s so many more. We didn’t get a chance to visit these during our stay but would love to check them out in the future.
Walk Walk Walk!
Stockholm is incredibly walkable, with so many picturesque streets, view points and districts to explore. You can easily rack up 20-30,000 steps in between Fika coffee breaks and tasty food. We encourage you to at least explore Östermalm, Södermalm and Gamla Stan, but the whole inner city region is beautiful, and wandering the promenades always leads to good views. Get your walking shoes on and camera ready.
Try the Swedish cuisine!
One of the best things to do in a new city is try the cuisine. We wanted to try some of the ‘Fika’ bakeries (see above), traditional meatballs, and we stumbled upon a top tier food truck that we think is a must visit. We didn’t ‘dine out’ all of the time in Stockholm, partly due to the cost, however these are a few excellent options for you to consider. Read a few of our recommendations below:
- Traditional Swedish Meatballs: The most popular place to try these meatballs is the aptly named ‘Meatballs for the People’, located in the heart of the trendy Sodermalm. You can choose from over 10 different meatball options (including ones like wild boar and bear!), and the food is definitely tasty. However, be prepared for busy lines and slowish service at peak dinner times. We think it’s worth the wait.
- Nystekt Stromming (Old Town Fish Food Truck): This little food truck is located at the edge of the Stockholm Old Town (Gamla Stan). Serving up grilled fish with traditional sides, it’s not only delicious, it’s budget friendly. Nystekt Stromming is a Stockholm must visit!
- The Fika Cafes/Bakeries: The Swedish ‘Fika culture’ is awesome, and you will find yourself enjoy many tasty baked goods with an excellent coffee. See our Stockholm Fika and café guide here.
See a little list of some recommended restaurants and café’s. We didn’t eat at all of these, but researched them, had recommendations and walked past some with lines we couldn’t get in. We hope this list is useful for your Stockholm travel planning.
| FOOD | COFFEE | BARS |
| Moms kitchen (mid range eat) Tradition (proper meals) La Neta (cheap tacos) Nystekt Stromming (cheap eat) Strommingsvagnen Tennstopen Cafe pascal Bar Agrikultur Vina for dinner Meatballs for the People – Traditional Swedish meatballs Bakeries: Haga Tartcompani and Bageri | Coffee Pascal Drop Coffee Mahalo A La Lo Kafe Rang for Fika Volca Coffee Roaster Johan and Nystrom Stora Bageriet Beck Kaffebar Buller and Brod Lykke Bytorget | Pelago Rooftop Bar Freya Rooftop Bar Lykke Nytorget |
Where should you stay in Stockholm?
We are a little biased here, having stayed in Sodermalm, however after our experience, we couldn’t recommend it higher. Located right near the best cafes, bars, and restaurants, and an easy walk or train to the old town, it’s a great spot to stay for those wanting to experience more of the culture outside of just the old town. Be prepared.. accommodation in Stockholm isn’t that cheap.
See a few great accommodation stays in Sodermalm below:
Another excellent area is the upmarket Ostermalm, located just above the old town. Filled with excellent architecturally designed buildings, more upmarket shops, and close to the old town, it’s another good pick for your Stockholm stay.
See a few great accommodation stays in Ostermalm below:
See more Stockholm accommodation by clicking here or see below:
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