Stockholm Tours & Activities

Plan your trip to Stockholm, Sweden — handpicked tours and activities, the best time to visit, where to stay and eat, how to get there, and a sample itinerary.

Stockholm weather by month

Getting to Stockholm

SL runs the metro (Tunnelbana), buses and trams on one card; harbour ferries and the Djurgården tram are scenic ways to island-hop.

• ARN Stockholm Arlanda Airport — 40 min drive
• BMA Stockholm Bromma Airport — 15 min drive
• NYO Stockholm Skavsta Airport — 100 min drive

Where to stay in Stockholm

Where to base yourself, by neighborhood.

• Gamla Stan. The medieval old town, atmospheric and central, steps from the palace and canal boats. Charming but cobbled and touristy, with limited nightlife. Best for a romantic, historic base. Good for: First-timers and couples.
• Norrmalm & City. The modern commercial centre around Central Station and the shopping streets. Convenient for transport and business, with many hotels. Best for connectivity. Good for: Convenience seekers.
• Södermalm. The hip, hilly southern island of vintage shops, cafes and Fotografiska. Bohemian and full of local life, with great views from Monteliusvägen. Best for younger travellers and creatives. Good for: Cool neighbourhoods and views.
• Östermalm. The elegant, affluent east side with designer boutiques, the Saluhall and grand boulevards. Upscale and refined, near the waterfront. Best for a luxury stay. Good for: Upscale travellers.
• Djurgården / Skeppsholmen. Green, museum-rich islands with a handful of tranquil hotels amid parkland. Quiet and scenic, a short ferry from the centre. Best for a peaceful, nature-close base. Good for: Peace and museums.

Where to eat in Stockholm

A curated set of standout tables and local favorites.

Local favorites & classics

• Pelikan. Södermalm · Swedish husmanskost — A century-old beer hall serving classic home cooking — meatballs, herring and pork knuckle — under high painted ceilings.
• Meatballs for the People. Södermalm · Swedish meatballs — A modern take on the national dish, offering everything from moose to vegan meatballs with lingonberry.
• Stockholms Gästabud. Österlånggatan 7 · 4.7★ (6,905 reviews)
• Aifur. Västerlånggatan 68b · 4.6★ (7,660 reviews)
• Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik. 10698 N Bay Shore Dr · 4.6★ (5,431 reviews)
• Restaurant Tradition. Österlånggatan 1 · 4.6★ (4,074 reviews)
• Restaurant Kajsas Fisk. Hötorgshallen 3 · 4.6★ (3,889 reviews)
• Slingerbulten. Stora Nygatan 24 · 4.6★ (3,527 reviews)

Cafés, bakeries & casual

• Östermalms Saluhall. Östermalm · Food hall — A grand 1888 brick market hall with fishmongers, delis and counters for herring, shrimp sandwiches and reindeer.
• Rosendals Trädgård. Djurgården · Cafe / organic — A biodynamic garden cafe in greenhouses, famed for its cardamom buns (kanelbullar) and garden-to-plate lunches.
• Vete-Katten Kungsgatan. Kungsgatan 55 · 4.4★ (8,044 reviews)
• Lillebrors bageri. Rörstrandsgatan 10 · 4.8★ (2,186 reviews)
• Café Schweizer. Västerlånggatan 9 · 4.5★ (3,515 reviews)
• MR CAKE. Rådmansgatan 12 · 4.3★ (4,848 reviews)
• Café Pascal. Norrtullsgatan 4 · 4.5★ (2,662 reviews)
• Komet Café Stockholm. Kungsholmsgatan 10 · 4.8★ (1,531 reviews)

Fine dining & Michelin

• Frantzén. Norrmalm · New Nordic tasting — Sweden's only three-Michelin-star restaurant, a theatrical multi-floor tasting experience blending Nordic and Japanese influences.
• Oaxen Krog & Slip. Djurgården · Nordic / bistro — A two-Michelin-star fine-dining Krog plus a relaxed maritime Slip bistro, set in a former boatyard by the water.
• Ekstedt. Östermalm · Fire-cooked Nordic — Michelin-starred restaurant cooking entirely over open flame, wood embers and a birch-fired oven — no gas or electricity.
• Restaurant AG. Kronobergsgatan 37 · 4.5★ (4,454 reviews)
• Restaurang Hantverket. Sturegatan 15a · 4.6★ (2,389 reviews)
• Punk Royale. Folkungagatan 128 · 4.6★ (1,130 reviews)
• Restaurant Ekstedt. Humlegårdsgatan 17 · 4.7★ (900 reviews)
• Restaurant Wedholms Fisk. Arsenalsgatan 1 · 4.6★ (935 reviews)

A 7-Day Stockholm Plan

1. Day 1 — Old town. Gamla Stan lanes and Storkyrkan Royal Palace and changing of the guard
2. Day 2 — Museum island. Vasa Museum at opening Skansen open-air museum
3. Day 3 — Cool south side. SoFo vintage shops and cafes Fotografiska and Monteliusvägen views
4. Day 4 — Nobel and art. Stockholm City Hall tower and Nobel halls Moderna Museet on Skeppsholmen
5. Day 5 — Water day. Ferry to Vaxholm or Grinda Swim, hike and seafood lunch
6. Day 6 — Design and fika. Östermalm design boutiques and Saluhall Rosendals Trädgård garden fika
7. Day 7 — Winter charm. Vasa Museum and warm cafes Christmas market at Skansen (Dec)

Events & festivals in Stockholm

• Walpurgis Night (Valborg) (30 April). Bonfires and choral singing welcome spring, with big student celebrations.
• Midsummer (Midsommar) (Late June). Sweden's cherished solstice festival of maypoles, flower crowns and pickled herring, often celebrated in the archipelago.
• Stockholm Pride (Late July / early August). One of the Nordics' largest Pride festivals, ending in a huge parade.
• Stockholm Culture Festival (August). Six days of free music, dance and street performance across the city centre.
• Nobel Prize Banquet (10 December). The glittering awards banquet in the Blue Hall of Stockholm City Hall.

Stockholm travel FAQ

Which airport is closest to Stockholm?

Stockholm Bromma Airport (BMA) is the nearest, about 15 minutes away.

Where should I stay in Stockholm?

Popular areas to base yourself include Gamla Stan, Norrmalm & City, Södermalm, Östermalm.

How do I get around Stockholm?

SL runs the metro (Tunnelbana), buses and trams on one card; harbour ferries and the Djurgården tram are scenic ways to island-hop.