24 Hours in Stockholm
Often called the ‘Venice of the North’ or ‘beauty on water’, Stockholm lies on myriad of islands and peninsulas at the Lake Mälar into the Baltic. World-class museums and galleries, breathtaking architecture and lovely parks are just a few reasons to visit the capital of Sweden. In case you have only 24 hours to see the best of the modern and ever-evolving Stockholm, check out what’s not to miss on the trip
09:00 – Start your day in Gamla Stan, the charming medieval core of Stockholm, consisting of three islands Stadsholmen, Riddarholmen i Helgeandsholmen. Kick off with breakfast at Under Kastanjen which serves baked goods fresh from the oven, Cafe Schweizer offering vegetarian and gluten-free options too, or Caffellini where you can try probably the best coffee and cappuccino in Stockholm.
10:00 – The whole Old Town (Gamla Stan) area is a museum itself. Narrow, cobbled lanes lead to beautiful churches and other historic sights, among which we need to point out Storkyrkan, the country’s most important church inside of which many of Sweden’s monarchs were crowned and married. The entrance fee is 40 SEK (4€) and the church is open daily 9am – 4pm.
10:30 – Continue your tour of the historic part of Stockholm and head towards the Swedish Parliament Building (known to locals as Riksdagshuset) to see where politicians do their business. After taking a few pictures of this impressive building, visit the nearby Royal Palace (your eyes have probably noticed it by now), the biggest structure in the area, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Sweden and home to the royal family. The building in the shape of a hollow square with prongs sticking out from its corners, was designed to replace Stockholm’s Tre Kronor Castle, which burnt down in the 17th Century. Entry to the Royal Palace costs 160 SEK (16€) and the opening hours are from 10am to 5pm.
12:00 – Before lunch, stop by at Stockholm’s most popular museum, Nobelmuseet (Nobel Museum), founded to show how Nobel Prize winners, from chemists and biologists to authors, inventors and religious leaders, and their ideas and inventions have changed the world since 1901, when the first prize was awarded. The entry fee is 120 SEK (12€) and the opening hours are from 11am to 8pm. Keep in mind that there is no admission fee on Tuesdays from 5pm to 8pm.
14:00 – You have deserved a break, don’t you think? Do not leave the Old Town as it is full of fantastic restaurants, from Corvina with excellent choice of Italian specialties at reasonable prices and Hairy Pig Deli serving delicious sausages and tapas in a cosy setting to Stockholms Gastabus offering amazing dishes of national cuisine and Barrels Burgers &b Beer with probably the best burgers in town. If you have other preferences, just wander a bit across the Old Town and you will find something to your taste.
15:00 – No time to waste, so go on with your tour. Next stop is Abba the Museum, a tribute to Sweden’s most famous music export – ABBA. The museum has plenty of interactive displays that let you sing in Abba’s studio, see what you would look like in their outfits and much more. To get there, take a ferry to Djurgården (Djurgårdsfärjan). The ferry departs approximately every 15 minutes and the trip to Djurgården, through Stockholm harbor, takes only 9 minutes. The museum is open from 10am to 6pm and a single entrance fee is 250 SEK (24€).
NOTE: The ferry is part of the public transportation system which means that your travel cards work for the ferry as well. Otherwise, you can purchase the tickets at most newspaper kiosks, SL Centers and tourist information offices and at the ferry dock.
16:30 – Stay in Djurgården and hop on a few rides in Gröna Lund, an interesting amusement park and a great place to spend your afternoon with family or friends. Since you don’t have a lot of time left, try the best ones such as Pop-Expressen or Insane – you will love it. Daily admission fee is 399 SEK (38€).
18:00 – Take the ferry back to the port and head to SoFo (from SOuth of FOlkungagatan), Stockholm’s hippiest neighbourhood. Streets around Nytorget Square are filled with interesting shops, bars, restaurants and quirky outlets with different products. Refresh yourself with a drink or a snack at Café String where everything from the plate you are eating off to the table you are sitting at is for sale, buy a souvenir or two and see how the sun sets over Stockholm.
19:00 – Enjoy the romantic sunset at Skinnarviksberget, a rocky bluff with views overlooking the island of Kungsholmen, and you’ll see why locals think of their city as the most beautiful capital in Europe. City’s highest natural point is perfect spot for observing boat cruises and the majestic, red-brick City Hall. Stroll along the walking trail and admire the breathtaking panorama.
20:00 – Let’s have some dinner, shall we? Don’t look far away and stop by at one of nearby restaurants. Folli serves popular menus of wine-friendly small plates, Fotografiska, Best Museum Restaurant of the Year for 2017, has a stunning view of the Stockholm harbor and serves vegetable-based dishes with meat possibly added as a suplement, Eriks Gondolen is one of the city’s most distinctive restaurants delivering classic Swedish dishes, and Falafel Bar offers mostly vegan and vegetarian plates. If none of these sound good for you, there are plenty of other choices in Stockholm.
21:00 – Time to get the evening started! Start easily with an aperitif in one of the bars in Södermalm or Gamla Stan. Swedish bars don’t go until late at night, but they can be a good starting point for the night. Most popular bars are Pharmarium, Tweed, Stampen and Oliver Twist.
23:00 – You cannot go home without dancing the night away in one of Stockholm’s night clubs. Good music, delicious cocktails and other drinks (don’t exaggerate though) wait for you in Berns, Färgfabriken, Morfar Ginko, F12 Terrassen and many others. You can always ask a local for a recommendation, we don’t doubt you’ll have a good time!
