By air
Stockholm Arlanda (ARN), ~40 km; the Arlanda Express takes 20 min
Europe · Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden
Islands, an old town and Nordic design
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — long days
Don't miss
Gamla stan
The Vasa Museum
The Royal Palace
Skansen
Things to do
Gamla stan
The Vasa Museum
Fika
Archipelago boat trips
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Arild Vågen · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
The archipelago by public ferry
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Arlanda to Stockholm?
Take the Arlanda Express: it covers the roughly 40 km in 20 min.
Which season suits Stockholm?
May to September, when the days are long. Bring layers.
What shouldn't I miss in Stockholm?
Gamla stan, the Vasa Museum, the Royal Palace and Skansen. Then ride a public ferry out into the archipelago.
What should I eat in Stockholm?
Meatballs, herring and cinnamon buns — the buns ideally with a fika break.
About Stockholm
- Island
- Coastal
Where it is
Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, stretches across 14 islands where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea on the country's east coast, with an archipelago of tens of thousands of islands reaching out to sea.
History
Stockholm is first mentioned in 1252, and it is said to have been founded by Birger Jarl, who fortified the site; the town rose to prominence through the Baltic trade of the Hanseatic League. In the 17th century, as Sweden became a major European power, the city's population grew about sixfold, and it has been the heart of Swedish government and culture ever since.
People
Stockholmers speak Swedish, and the city is home to people from all over the world, including a Finnish community present since the Middle Ages. Fika with cinnamon buns is a daily ritual, and Midsummer and the Lucia celebrations in December are highlights of the year.
Known for
- Gamla stan, the medieval old town
- The Vasa Museum's 17th-century warship
- Skansen open-air museum
- Archipelago boat trips
- Fika, the coffee-and-cake break
Did you know?
The warship Vasa sank on her maiden voyage in Stockholm harbour in 1628, and when she was raised in 1961 she was almost entirely intact, the best-preserved 17th-century ship ever salvaged.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.