Spread across islands and surrounded by water, Stockholm combines historic streets, contemporary Scandinavian culture and easy access to nature. Sweden’s captivating capital is a city of colourful architecture, museums, waterfront neighbourhoods and an impressive culinary scene, with the vast Stockholm archipelago waiting just beyond the centre.
Things to Do in Stockholm, Sweden
@ Gamla Stan
@ Gamla Stan
@ Gamla Stan
Wander Through Gamla Stan
Start in Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s atmospheric Old Town. With colourful buildings and cobblestone streets, it’s one of the best places to get a feel for the city’s history.
While exploring the area, visit the Royal Palace, one of Europe’s largest palaces and the official residence of the Swedish monarch, as well as Storkyrkan Cathedral, an impressive medieval church known for its Gothic architecture.
You can also stop at the Nobel Museum to discover the story of the Nobel Prize and some of the remarkable people who have received it.
@ Alexander_Dokukin
Discover Stockholm’s Maritime History
For one of Stockholm’s most memorable museum experiences, head to the Vasa Museum.
The museum is home to an extraordinary 17th-century warship and offers an insight into Sweden’s maritime history. It’s an ideal stop for anyone interested in the country’s past and one of the city’s standout cultural attractions.
Another way to step into Swedish history is at Skansen, the world’s oldest open-air museum. Explore around 190 historical buildings, learn about Swedish traditions and see a variety of native animals along the way.
© Visit Stockholm
Explore Södermalm
For a more contemporary side of Stockholm, spend some time in Södermalm. This lively neighbourhood combines boutiques and cosy cafés with a vibrant nightlife scene.
While you’re here, walk along Monteliusvägen, a scenic promenade offering panoramic views across Stockholm’s picturesque skyline. It’s an easy way to escape the busier streets for a while and take in a different perspective of the capital.
@ Henrik Trygg
Enjoy Stockholm’s Green Spaces
Despite being a capital city, Stockholm offers plenty of opportunities to spend time outdoors.
Head to Royal Djurgården Park for peaceful walks and green surroundings in the heart of the city. During warmer weather, public swimming areas including Långholmsbadet and Tantolunden provide the chance to cool off with a refreshing dip.
@ Henrik Trygg
Explore the Stockholm Archipelago
Stockholm is surrounded by an archipelago of around 30,000 islands, making time on the water an essential part of experiencing the destination. We can provide guided kayaking and wild swimming adventures, along with private yacht excursions around the islands, such a great way to experience the area outside of the city.
Ferries connect the city with nearby islands and offer a scenic way to travel. Whether you venture further into the archipelago or simply cross the water between different parts of Stockholm, travelling by boat reveals another side of the Swedish capital.
Where to Eat in Stockholm
Stockholm’s thriving food scene ranges from classic Swedish dishes to inventive contemporary Nordic cuisine.
For traditional flavours, Pelikan is known for authentic Swedish dishes including meatballs and herring in a historic setting.
For something more contemporary, Ekstedt specialises in Nordic cuisine cooked over an open fire, while Smorgastarteriet in Södermalm focuses on creative Swedish cooking and tasting menus.
For a special occasion, Operakällaren, located within the Royal Opera House, offers refined Swedish and international cuisine in an elegant setting.
@ Visit Stockholm
Getting Around Stockholm
Stockholm’s city centre is walkable, with many major attractions close to one another. Cycling is another enjoyable option thanks to the city’s bike lanes and bike-sharing services.
For longer journeys, Stockholm has an extensive public transport network of metro services, buses, trams and commuter trains. Ferries are also an important part of getting around and provide a particularly scenic way to explore the city and nearby islands.
Plan Your Stockholm Holiday with Off the Map Travel
From Gamla Stan and world-class museums to Swedish food and adventures among the islands, Stockholm has plenty to discover. Explore Stockholm with Off the Map Travel and start planning a Scandinavian holiday shaped around the experiences you want to enjoy.
We have loved it so much here that we have extended our stay and will come back to Bjornfjell and stay in one of their cabins until Jan 3 then we are staying in the igloo hotel the night of the 3rd. 😊We added a few excursions this week – we did the whale trip on the RIB boat (wow!), toured the igloo hotel (which is why we decided to book the last night!) and did the reindeer sleigh at Sorrisniva. You were so right, the bonfire excursion was incredible!!It has been an absolutely amazing trip!
Kristen
What an amazing trip we are having. It is incredible. Many many thanks for arranging such an incredible trip.
Giles
My family and I traveled to Sweden to see The Northern Lights in March of 2023. From the planning process to every detail of the trip, I could not have been more pleased with our experience. Alex was exceptional to work with. His guidance on the time of year, where to stay, activities to do and how to get to and from everything was spot on. I have never used a tour company before but thought a trip of this kind would be easier with some help. I am so glad that I did. The entire week was seamless and completely stress-free, allowing us to truly enjoy Sweden and our time together as a family. I will be recommending Off The Map travel to friends and family and will certainly be using them myself again in the future.
Emily
Fantastic trip to Svalbard which delivered the true Arctic experience we were hoping for. The hotels were excellent and the activities – dog sledding and snowmobile expedition were lead by first class guides.
Top tip! The champagne tasting in the world’s most northerly wine cellar in the exceptional Funken Lodge is not to be missed!
Faith
Exceptional service throughout the entire planning and booking process – travel agencies don’t get any better than this. A brilliant, seamless experience matched by the holiday experience itself. Would recommend ‘Off the Map Travel’ to anyone considering booking for a Nordic experience ‘par excellence’.
Chris
Hello Lucy!! Kim and I had a fantastic time in Iceland! Probably one of my top 3 trips I’ve ever taken!
It was everything we asked for and you did a wonderful job coordinating it all so beautifully!!
Thank you very much and we will contact you again when we get ready to plan our trip to Norway and Lapland!
Doreen
Amy planned a fantastic trip! Everything was very well-thought out. All transfers went smoothly, accommodations were amazing, great restaurant recommendations and the tours were once-in-a-lifetime, can’t book it yourself off the internet experiences. The guides were all fantastic. Communications were prompt and everything worked exactly the way it was supposed to. What a pleasure! Already working on our next trip.
Anonymous
I would thoroughly recommend this company. Their planning and advice was spot on. Alex responded to my calls and emails very promptly. I will definitely use them again for future trips.
Rosie
We originally hired Off the Map Travel in 2020 to set up a trip to see the Northern Lights. That didn’t happen, thanks to COVID. But, we persisted and in March of 2023, we took a 16-day trip that included both Iceland and Norway. IT WAS MAGICAL! Off the Map took care of everything! We were pampered at every stage of our trip. The people they hired and the activities they planned added up to a trip that will set the standard for any we’ll ever take in the future. Alex and his team were fabulous! We recommend them without restraint!
Jim & Kris
We really enjoyed our Norwegian adventure despite the -22 days! Unfortunately no real experience of viewing the Lights but we did capture a couple of images on our last night – too much cloud otherwise so lots of snow. We really enjoyed the husky lodge – not at all what we had tentatively imagined. Thanks for your assistance, maybe next time we will see the Lights in all their glory.
Andrew
Arctic Retreat was simply magical. Graham and his team were superb. Their entire focus was on ensuring we had an outstanding experience. The accommodation, setting and food were all excellent. The team, experienced professionals, each brought their own personal touch and local nuance. It was faultless. The dog sledging trip directly from Arctic Retreat was also superb. We would return to Arctic Retreat in a heartbeat.
George
The ease of everything stood out to me. All we had to do was be there at the right time. The dog sledding was the highlight for my daughter and sister. We had the best time! For me, Manshausen was the highlight. We were very lucky and the only guests there for the majority of our stay. The staff was amazing and the food was so delicious. We had moose steak and it was the best meal I’ve ever had.
The cabins were comfortable and we were so lucky to have 2 clear nights where we just sat and watched the northern lights. We were able to get some awesome pictures too.
I appreciate all your time and care with planning our trip! I won’t hesitate to use Off the Map travel for our next adventure.
Kelly