Is It Worth Visiting Stockholm in 2024? Read This First

If you’ve stumbled across this article, you’re probably considering a trip to Stockholm and wondering whether it’s the right place for you.

Now, I can’t speak for every single person reading this, but if you like good food, beautiful architecture, stunning scenery and ABBA, then you’ll love Stockholm.

This guide covers everything you need to know before visiting Sweden’s capital, the best time to visit, where to stay, eat & drink, things to do & how much spending money to set aside.

By the time you’ve finished this article, I’ll hopefully have shown you exactly why it’s worth visiting Stockholm.

Quick tips for visiting Stockholm

Get this: Train transfer from the airport to Stockholm city centre. This means you can get straight on the first train when you arrive

Don’t miss: The ABBA museum – it was my favourite thing we did

Bucket list experience: This archipelago tour & explore the 30,000 islands by boat

Flights: Find the cheapest flights to Stockholm with Skyscanner 

Stay: Find the most affordable hotels in Stockholm on Booking.com

Is it worth visiting Stockholm? Things to consider

What’s so special about Stockholm?

Stockholm’s one of the most unique places I’ve visited. It’s a city made up of 14 islands, all with a different vibe. Beyond that is the archipelago, a cluster of around 30,000 islands. There’s something for everyone – whether you like being in the city or amongst nature.

How many days do you need in Stockholm?

I’d recommend spending at least 3 days in Stockholm. This is enough time to explore the main sights, and do a boat tour of the archipelago. If you’re visiting in summer, you might want to stay for longer to make the most of being able to get in the water.

Is Stockholm a walkable city?

Although it’s spread across 14 different islands, Stockholm is an extremely walkable city. But if the weather’s bad or you’re just not in the mood for walking, the public transport system is incredible. There’s trains, trams, buses and even boats to get you around Stockholm & the archipelago.

What’s winter like in Stockholm?

Winter in Stockholm is beautiful. It can snow from November, making the city look like a winter wonderland. Obviously that means it’s extremely cold, so make sure you bring layers. It also gets dark very early, usually around 3pm, so you’ll need to be up early.

So what time of year should you visit?

Each season brings something new to discover in Stockholm. Whilst the days are much shorter in winter, you’ll more than likely see snow, and the Christmas markets open in the old town.

There’s plenty to see indoors, with over 50 museums in the city.

In summer, there’s around 18 hours of daylight, – the sun rises at 4am and sets at 10pm. With the abundance of green space and its location on the water, the city’s transformed.

You can spend your day swimming at one of the city beaches, go kayaking, or head to Gröna Lund, the oldest amusement park in Sweden.

If you’re visiting in June, try and time your trip with Midsummer, the official longest day of the year. It’s a big deal in Sweden and there’ll be events across the city.

Is it worth visiting Stockholm? Things to do

If you’re wondering there’s enough to do to make it worth visiting Stockholm, don’t worry! There’s SO much to do in Stockholm you definitely won’t be able to fit it all into one weekend.

There really is something for everyone here, whether you want to see some art with a twist, watch live jazz, or go for a cold-water swim.

Here are my highlights from our trip:

Explore Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan is Stockholm’s old town, and it’s like something out of a fairytale. I spent my first morning in Stockholm wandering aimlessly, getting lost in the cobbled streets and taking endless pictures.

I suggest you do something similar, it’s the best way to familiarise yourself with the city.

Visit the ABBA museum

I don’t care if it makes me horrendously uncultured, this is what I was most excited about when we went to Stockholm. I’m a huge fan of ABBA’s music (aren’t most people?), so I couldn’t wait to learn more about their earlier lives and careers.

If you didn’t know, all four members of ABBA are Swedish, and the band was formed in Stockholm in 1972.

The ABBA museum is an interactive museum that tells you about the early lives of the ABBA members, how the band was formed, and their journey to stardom.

There’s even a chance to get on stage and become the 5th member of the band. Undoubtedly the best part for me was getting to see all of their original outfits from their tours, shows and even the Eurovision performance of Waterloo that skyrocketed their careers.

There’s music, quizzes, photos, memorabilia, and even a whole section dedicated to what the band went on to do after they separated (clue: A LOT). I really can’t recommend this enough, you can’t go to Stockholm and not visit!

The ABBA museum is located on Djurgårdsvägen, an island home to several of Stockholm’s most popular museums, and the Grona Lund amusement park.

So it makes sense to plan a whole day here if you want to visit all of them. You can find a full list of the places on Djurgårdsvägen here Which brings me to…

The Vasa Museum

Also located on Djurgårdsvägen, The Vasa Museum is a maritime museum home to Vasa, the Swedish warship that sunk on its maiden voyage in 1628. It was only 20 minutes into its journey when it was struck by wind that caused it to tip onto its side and fill with water.

Miraculously, the cold water in the Baltic Sea means that the little worms that would usually eat the wood can’t survive.

So, despite being under the sea for over 300 years, around 98% of Vasa’s structure was intact when it was recovered in 1961. It’s an incredible story and a real rarity to be able to see a shipwreck preserved so well.

Skansen

Another museum on the island of Djurgårdsvägen is Skansen, the world’s oldest open-air museum, founded in 1891.

It’s an opportunity to see Sweden through the years, starting in 1720 and walking your way through to the modern day. You’ll be able to meet people from the past, see how they used to live and work, and find out more about what life was like a few hundred years ago.

It’s the perfect day out if you’ve got kids, as there’s a wildlife park with wild Nordic animals like moose, lynxes, wolverines, seals and otters.

Take a boat tour of the archipelago

You can’t visit Stockholm without heading out into the archipelago. What on earth is an archipelago I hear you cry? It’s a name for a group of islands, and they’re found all over the world. In Stockholm, the archipelago is made up of around 30,000 islands, although only 200 are inhabited.

It covers an area of more than 650 square miles, and each island has a completely unique feel to it.

There’s lots of different tours available, some which include a stop on an island. We opted for one that didn’t stop, but instead offered a 2.5 hour guided tour.

For me, this was the perfect amount of time before it got boring. It was so cool to see how the archipelago is made up, but the thing I loved most was nosying at all of the incredible houses you can spot along the shore.

I’d recommend booking a tour online before you arrive, as they’re really popular.

Discover the metro station art

The metro stations in Stockholm are the most unique I’ve ever seen. It’s often described as “the world’s longest art exhibit” with over 100 stations, all with an incredible piece of art.

From the iconic rainbow at Stadion to the blue flowers at T-Centralen, the heart of the city’s metro. Here’s my top picks of the stations you can’t miss:

• T-Centralen
• Solna Strand
• Solna Centrum
• Mörby Centrum
• Kungsträdgården
• Hötorget
• Hallonbergen
• Citybanan
• Stadion

The best part? A metro ticket costs £3 and is valid for 75 minutes, so it just depends on how quickly you go as to how much you see.

Fotografiska museum

Fotografiska is a museum dedicated to photography and around four large exhibitions and 20 smaller ones are shown there each year.

During our visit they were showcasing “A century of news” in collaboration with TT news, a national news agency in Sweden. It highlighted the most defining moments of the last century, everything from the moon landing to the tragedy of 9/11.

Whilst this exhibition is only on until mid February 2023, I’d definitely recommend a visit to this museum. It’s also home to a rooftop bar with incredible views over Stockholm.

Plus, the on-site restaurant has been awarded a Green Star by the Michelin guide named Sweden’s best and most sustainable restaurant. So it’s well worth visiting and booking in for dinner and a drink after!

Visit Stortorget

You know when you Google Stockholm and you see loads of pictures of beautiful coloured buildings in a square? That’s Stortorget – Stockholm’s main (and oldest) square. It’s absolutely gorgeous and whilst there isn’t loads to do there, it’s well worth a visit.

If you’re travelling to Stockholm in late November through December, the square comes alive with the Christmas markets. We were lucky enough to witness the first snow of the year whilst we were in Stortorget and it was one of the most magical experiences ever (although absolutely freezing!).

Is it worth visiting Stockholm? The food & drink

For me, food is a huge part of experiencing a place, and luckily, Stockholm’s a big foodie destination.

It’s well known for its abundance of fine dining options and the archipelago provides a consistent stream of great quality, fresh ingredients. So you don’t have to look far to find great food.

Breakfast ?

Greasy Spoon | 4.5* – a very popular breakfast spot with a few locations across Stockholm. There’s plenty of choice on the menu and they serve breakfast, brunch & lunch.

Cafe Pascal | 4.5* – a cosy cafe that gets very busy. The menu’s limited but good – we had the avocado toast which was delicious.

Lunch ?

Ta’ameya Falafel | 4.8* – the BEST falafel I’ve ever had. There’s no reservations so just go when you’re hungry and hope you can grab a spot.

Skalen | 5* – delicious salad bowls you can build to include whatever you fancy. You can takeaway as well as eat in.

Basta Italian | 4.3* – we ate here for lunch but you could have dinner here too, although it’s at the top of a shopping centre so it’s not the most intimate location. It’s very “instagrammable”, and the food was good. Not the best Italian I’ve ever had but a good option if you want something quick and easy.

Dinner ?️

Restaurant J | 4.1* – Restaurant J is located at the stunning Hotel J on Nacka Strand, overlooking the archipelago. Its renowned for incredible views and delicious food using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Where possible, they try to use produce from around the archipelago. 

Chez Jolie | 4.5* – Inspired by the French countryside, Chez Jolie serves classic French dishes with a modern twist. The restaurant is beautiful and perfect for date night.

Coup d’etat | 4.5* – From restaurateur Erik Videgård, Coup d’etat is a Persian fusion restaurant with an extensive and delicious menu.

Olli | 4.4* – Olli is an Italian restaurant in the heart of Stockholm, specialising in authentic Italian food. The menu is well curated and the interiors are beautiful.

Plais | 4.7* – Plais is a relaxed wine bar and restaurant where seasonal Swedish ingredients meet French cuisine.

Snacks ?

Krumel | 4.9* – a cookie shop serving every flavour from brown butter banana to double chocolate orange.

Panem | 4.5* – amazing chocolate cake in the old town of Stockholm

Drop Coffee | 4.3* – an award-winning roastery

Bars ?

Omnipollos Kyrka – Craft beer in a church

The Nest – A rooftop bar

Coquetel Social – A cosy cocktail bar

Stockholm Under The Stars – A rooftop bar with DJs

Fasching – Jazz bar

Haktek – A bar inside an old prison

Alba – Wine bar

Is it worth visiting Stockholm? The cost

I couldn’t write a guide to Stockholm without touching upon the cost. It’s expensive. And that’s coming from someone who lived in London for 4 years.

But there’s plenty of museums you can visit for free, and lots of activities on this list that don’t cost too much. I definitely wouldn’t let it put you off – public transport is affordable, and the things that will cost you the most are eating out and drinking.

So if you’re a budget-conscious traveller, you might just have to be a bit more mindful as to where you eat and how much you drink.

Where to stay on your trip to Stockholm

Stockholm is full of beautiful boutique hotels, so you’ll be spoilt for choice when choosing where to stay. Here’s my top 3 that cover every budget:

So, is it worth visiting Stockholm?

Definitely! I can’t recommend Stockholm enough for your next city break.

It’s full of amazing history, culture and architecture, not to mention the brilliant food.

Ok it might be more expensive than other European cities, but as long as you budget well, you’ll have an amazing time. I promise you won’t regret it!

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