3 days in Stockholm

Stockholm is an amazing city, which has many facets. Each island has its atmosphere, each season has its charm... Even if it is difficult to summarize it in a few sites, we wanted to offer you a selection of essential visits to discover Stockholm in 3 days. To get to the point, we take you on a day of sightseeing in the "Venice of ice", another to immerse yourself in Scandinavian culture, a last day to appreciate Nordic nature.

Photos of the article © City Guide Stockholm

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Day 1 – Discover the Stockholm archipelago

To discover Stockholm, it is best to start with a guided tour of the archipelago. There are all kinds: on foot, by bike, by electric scooter, by bus, by boat, and even by kayak! For a great tour, we recommend the tourist bus.

The Visitstockholm Pass offers you sightseeing tours by bus and boat. It also entitles you to unlimited free use of all public transport in the city, including ferries. The boat is indeed a mode of transport like any other on the Stockholm archipelago. Consult our “Getting around” section.

Once you get your bearings in the city, you can take public transport to visit the different districts of Stockholm, depending on your preferences. On the program, afternoon shopping, culture or nature. Here is an overview of Stockholm's points of interest, district by district:

• The old town of Gamla Stan: A stroll through its medieval and colorful streets is one of the must-sees.
• The green island of Skeppsholmen: It is an island of nature and culture! The island is mainly made up of green spaces, but also many museums: The "Stockholm Toy Museet", the "Moderna Museet", the Museum of Archeology and Art of the Far East.
• The Östermalm district: The right address for a shopping spree. Luxury and fashion lovers will appreciate its high-end stores.
• Södermalm Island: The trendy district of Stockholm and the ideal place to discover architecture and design. Go to “SoFo”, with its small designer boutiques and art galleries.
• Norrmalm is the business district of Stockholm. It is therefore very dynamic and offers many cultural leisure activities: Royal Opera, museums of art and antiquity, in particular the "National Museum", concert hall... It is also a shopping area, with magnificent shopping centers, such as the Mood or the NordiskaCompaniet.
• Kungsholmen Island: This is the administrative heart of the city. Elegant buildings house, among others, the Town Hall, the Palace of Justice, the Customs Museum, the House of Nobility "Riddar Huset"...
• Djurgärden is the “great garden” of Stockholm: This peninsula looks like the countryside for the city dwellers of Stockholm. A stone's throw from the city, it includes the Royal National Urban Park, the Rosendal Garden and the Frisens Park.
• Vasastan is the residential area. It is therefore calmer and quieter than the rest of the city. You can enjoy its library, its large family park and its typically Nordic architecture of the 20th century.

Take a "Fika" break in a café in the city, have lunch at the large Östermalm Saluhall market or have a drink in a "Rooftop" .

 

Day 2 – Immerse yourself in Swedish culture

A day to immerse yourself in Swedish culture, that's a real challenge! Let's pick it up and let's discover Stockholm through its history, its art and one of its most authentic traditions. Let's go for a Swedish immersion in three parts.

Let's start with a bit of Swedish history, in order to better understand the soul of this Nordic country. To do this, you have to go back in time a little more than 10 centuries, to meet the most famous representatives of these men of the North: the Vikings. Between Celtic mythology, Scandinavian legend and historical reality, we take you in the footsteps of the Swedish Vikings, through some archaeological sites, museums and reconstructed villages.

Discover the visit to the Viking Museum in Stockholm

Sweden is the land of design. You immediately think of IKEA, of course, but there are many other very inspiring Nordic influences! Many museums, designer workshops and design shops will allow you to take the measure of this Swedish way of life which goes through architecture and interior decoration. A visit to ArkDes, the museum of architecture and design, and to Moderna (in the same building) is a good preamble. Then it is in the SoFo district, that you will find some original pieces. It seems that the best shops are Design Stockholm House or Design Torget.

Take advantage of your travels to appreciate Swedish art, in the city's metro stations!

And finally, do not miss a "bastu". You don't know what it is? It is the most emblematic of Scandinavian traditions: the sauna. The Swedish version of this health and well-being ritual is vigorous and invigorating…

We tell you everything you need to know before you start or rather take a bath… in our article on the traditional Swedish sauna.

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Day 3 – Enjoy nature in Stockholm and outdoor activities

The city developed, starting from the small island of Gamla Stan, to occupy all the archipelago. It thus extends throughout the mouth of Lake Mälaren to the Baltic Sea. In Stockholm, nature is therefore omnipresent. The forest is never far away and some islands are even almost covered with green spaces.

Read our article to prepare your trip with children to Stockholm.

It is a privileged environment for outdoor activities in all seasons and conducive to the practice of many sports. In summer, whether you prefer fresh or salt water, there is plenty to please you! Lake Mälar and the Baltic Sea offer you many aquatic or nautical activities. You can swim or lounge on the beach, canoe-kayak, rent a boat and sail independently...

Whatever the period of your stay, it is always possible to take boat trips, dinner cruises to admire the sunset, jog or run in the city gardens, hike in the large parks on the outskirts urban, mountain biking in the forest…

In winter, you can take advantage of the ice to skate in the heart of the city, of the snow to ski or go sledding in the ski resort at the exit of the city, or you can try an icy swim during a traditional Swedish sauna… Going a little further towards the north of Sweden, you will even have the opportunity to board an icebreaker and take a dip in the sea in survival gear!

To prepare the ground, there is nothing better than a good book. We offer you some Swedish thrillers to read before your stay in Stockholm.

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