What is the best way to see Stockholm in one day?
- Joseph Reaney
- Correspondent
- London, England, UK
Stockholm has more than enough attractions to fill a week. But if you only have a single day to experience the Swedish capital, there are a few attractions that Forbes Travel Guide editors recommend you move to the top of your list.
Spend your morning wandering the small winding streets of Gamla Stan (Old Town) — one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in the world. You can enjoy breakfast in a cozy Stortorget café, shop in the area’s many handicraft and antiques shops and, most of all, take in a selection of tourist sights, from the elegant Stockholm Palace to the medieval Riddarholmen Church.
Depending on the weather, spend your afternoon either enjoying the city from the water on a sightseeing boat or exploring the most intact 17th century ship on earth at the Vasa Museum.
When (or if) the sun goes down, head to the spectacular Restaurant Mathias Dahlgren for the finest gourmet meal in Sweden, then spend your evening discovering the many bars and clubs of the nearby Stureplan district. Finally, end your night with a sobering dip in the bracing Baltic Sea — or perhaps just your hotel pool.
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1 day agoDan Howard answered the question:
Where are the five best places to eat in Stockholm?
Mälarpaviljongen on Kungsholmen gets my vote. Though I was in Stockholm five days, I found myself returning here each and every one of them because it is such a sublime experience. Strictly a summer favourite, it is a lakeside café by day and on a balmy summer evening this place becomes one of Stockholm’s most popular bars with live music nightly as the sun sets late into the night. A large floating pontoon has extended the bar into Lake Mälaren, where you can knock back a glass of rosé while enjoying superb views of the Summer Night City. Mälarpaviljongen can get very busy when the weather’s fine and the pontoon can only hold a limited number of people, so arrive early to avoid queues. The restaurant menu is full of fresh favorites, beautiful burgers and lovely desserts and the wine list is truly superb and not overpriced. A delicious treat and the surreal setting makes the food taste all the more heavenly.
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On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best places to spot celebrities in Stockholm?
There’s actually only one good spot, and that’s Grand Hôtel on Blasieholmen. This is where everyone lives, if you want international celebrities. And it’s open for visitors, as long as these visitors behave and actually eat or drink in the bar. Earlier this spring Bruce Springsteen hung out in the bar and chatted to fans, even though most people try to avoid photographers and fans. But a trip to their gym might pay off, if you’re favorite artist are in town. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best Mexican restaurants in Stockholm?
The mexican problem is a sad part of Stockholms restaurant history. For long you couldn’t find anything that was even close to decent, but then came La Neta and everything changed.
La Neta first started up in a few years ago on Barnhusgatan, but now have a big place on Östgötagatan on Södermalm. Their lunches are very popular, so try to be there before twelve. Compared to many places the US the food is quite simple, but over here it’s a revolution.
Stockholm also got their first taco truck last year – El Taco Truck. Then it could only be booked for events, because of the law (and there was a lot of events that summer!) but this year it’s legalized, so check out for a pink wagon around the streets of Södermalm. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best hair salons in Stockholm?
It’s kind of funny, because almost every man in Stockholms media and music circles goes to the same two hairdressers: Magnus and the enigmatic Rockabilly-Bobo at Salong Blowout on Tyskbagargatan on Östermalm. Not only are they very nice guys, but they also have a lot of knowledge about culture and popular culture, so if the customer wishes a certain style from… say, ”Mad Men” – they’ll fix it (on both men and women).
If you want a classic barbershop experience, there’s Sweeney Todd on Sturegatan, with an interior from the thirties. And on Södermalm, Barber & Books offer different shaves and cuts. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best hiking trails near Stockholm?
The closest to the city is Hagaparken, where you follow the path known as ”Hälsans stig” (path of health). But if you want real hiking, the best choice by far, is to follow Sörmlandsleden (the Sörmland trail) from Björkhagen. It starts just by the metro station and will take you into the lovely forests in Nackareservatet (and further on, if you want).
The trail is in excellent condition, but make sure to carry enough water and food if you plan to be out for long. There’s not many kiosks out there… If you want to take a tent, that’s alright too, just read the rules of the ”Freedom to roam” which is a public right in Sweden. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What is the tipping etiquette in Stockholm?
Swedes are always confused about tipping, both abroad and at home. No single Swede have ever visited the US without sweating over how much they should give the cab driver for the trip between the airport and the hotel. The reason is quite simple. For a long time it wasn’t that common here, as everyone serving you was supposed to have an acceptable salary.
But that’s history, of course.
Lately there seems to be a sort of agreement that between ten and fifteen percent is okay. However most Swedes only tip at restaurants, in bars and after extremely nice cab rides. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
Should visitors rent a car in Stockholm?
The short answer is: No, they shouldn't. The main reason is that central Stockholm is built on islands, and going from point a to point b can be quite a hassle. As public transportation is really good, that's the way to get around town. There's a great app called Res i STHLM that shows which busses or subway lines to take. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best neighborhoods in Stockholm?
For a first time visitor, I think these three following neighborhoods will be most rewarding.
Sofo
The part of Södermalm that's South of Folkungagatan could be mistaken as a sketch from the tv-show "Portlandia", bus has the nicest cafés (Il Caffe and Skåningen for example), and if you want a deli with lot's of ecologic and local food – Urban Deli, is the best place to go in Stockholm. They also have a restaurant and a café, and right outside is Nytorget – which is the main reason to go to Sofo. In the summer it's full of ice cream eating Stockholmers, and shouldn't be missed.
Biblioteksstan
Well, this is where you find Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Stella McCartney, Ralph Lauren, Mulberry, Gucci and the usual suspects. But for a wider high end selection go to Natalie Schuterman. And if you want a swedish take on preppy fashion for children, visit Liveley.
When hungry – go for classics like Prinsen och Konstnärsbaren, where you'll have Swedish dishes like meat balls, Biff Rydberg and Wallenbergare, or the very french Zink Grill.
Lilla and Stora Nygatan in Old town
Old town is hard to pin down, with it's mix of tourist traps, street artists, science fiction bookstores and restaurants with Michelin stars. But in these two streets, that's closest to the tubestation, there's restaurants like Djuret, Frantzén (formerly known as Frantzén/Lindeberg), The Flying Elk and Tweedbar. On Stora Nygatan there's The english bookstore with a good selection of pretty much everything in english/american literature – and a lot of translated swedish books (if some one is into Swedish crime). -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best luxury hotels in Stockholm?
Grand Hôtel
This is where everyone from Justin Bieber and Beyonce Knowles to the winners of the different Nobel prizes stays when they're in town. There's a popular spa, and a gym favored by the citys celebrities because it's privacy, and of course the wonderful Cadier Bar, the big glass veranda where guests eat or lounge and Mathias Dahlgren restaurant (two Michelin stars). No wonder everyone in Stockholm loves Grand Hôtel, but they're also respectful. No one will be bothered here.
Lydmar
The slightly hipper choice is actually just a few blocks from Grand Hôtel. Its restaurant and bookish lobby are hot spots, but the standard is very high and it was built to be safe enough to be able to house guest of the same importance as Obama.
Ett hem (A home)
This townhouse is almost hard to find even when right outside the building which seems like a small fort. But inside the small gate there's a garden and the entrance to the hotel. No outsiders are let in here, and Ett Hem is by far the coziest choice. It's interior design was made by Ilse Crawford, and the twelve room are all different but .
Nobis Hotel
A rather new hotel at Norrmalmstorg, right in the middle of the city. The interior is made by the architects Claesson Koivisto Rune, and contemporary design meets the old traditional 19th century style of the house, with a sumptuos result. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What is the Vasa Museum like in Stockholm?
The queue might remind you of old news clips from Soviet, but once inside it's worth every second of waiting. The swedish war ship, whick sank on its maiden voyage in 1628, doesn't look like new, but maybe as something your grandfather might have built (if he was very ambitious and didn't have to work alone). It also tells the story of a time when Sweden were a super power, so Stockholm might seem a little bit more exciting afterwards. In that case I suggest a second stop at Livrustkammaren, where you'll se a lot of clothes in which swedish kings died violent deaths. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best things to do on Stockholm’s Djurgården island?
You have the open air museum called Skansen, the amusement park called Gröna Lund and the new Abba museum; which are all great. Skansen is perfect for kids, or if you have a strong desire to see a moose. Gröna Lund is fun, and have a lot of concerts with both swedish and international acts. And the Abba Museum tells the story about the group and of swedish pop music in general. But the most loved place is Rosendals trädgård. It's a garden open for visitors, and if the wheather's nice there's no better place for having coffee and eating cinnamon rolls than under it's trees and between it's hedges. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best beaches in Stockholm?
You haven't lived in Stockholm if you haven't thrown off all your clothes and jumped from the quay outside the town hall on at least one summer night. It actually is a very popular spot, but the island Långholmen (get off at the Hornstull metro station) has a much more official status as the citys number one beach.
From Hornstull you can also go down to Tantolunden, a long park with a lot of small beaches and bridges where you can take a bath.
If you have a car, or a bike, there's also Hellasgården and Söderbysjön just south of the city. But they're lakes. -
On May 31Klas Ekman answered the question:
What are the best concert venues in Stockholm?
This year Stockholm got two new arenas. Tele2 Arena right by Ericsson Globe, just south of Södermalm, and Friends Arena in Solna (which is now Swedens national arena for soccer). So there might be a lot of arena rock in the forthcoming years.
But if you want live music, there are more certain places.
Debaser started out as a small club under a bridge at Slussen but are now something of an empire. If you want anything alternative in any genre, you can find it at any of their places. Today they have Debaser Medis at Medborgarplatsen, which is a larger place, and they have just started up a new venue and restaurant at Hornstull.
Södra teatern at Mosebacke is a lovely 19th century building with a few different scenes, and a wide selection of different styles of music and theatre. The main venue look like it hasn't changed since first opening with an interior in green and gold (and of course velvet chairs).
For the jazz fan, there's Stampen in Old town, but the safest bet for quality is the Glenn Miller Café. For classic music, check the listings of Konserthuset (Concert Hall) – a wonderful blue building at Hötorget – and Berwaldhallen, close to the American embassy. -
On May 21Lovisa de Geer answered the question:
What is the best new restaurant in Stockholm?
Right now Stockholm is booming of restaurant news! The most talked about places right now is Strandvagen 1 which is just as it sounds situated right on the waterfront at Strandvagen. At Strandvagen 1 you can choose either to eat in the main restaurant or visit their Bistro. The Bistro has fewer things to choose from at the menu. The atmosphere in the Bistro is relaxed and the music is great. Another new, hip and trendy restaurant is Hornshuset in Hornstull, Södermalm. Hornshuset has three different restaurants; ”Torget” where you can enjoy a glass of wine and a snack or just grab some take away. On the second floor you will find ”Hornshusets Krog” where you can enjoy a nice dinner. The third floor is made for soccer lovers! ”Enzo’s” is an Italian soccer restaurant with pizza and delicacies. Just a couple of blocks away you can find newly opened Nytorget 6. Great food to good prices. Nosh and Chow is another restaurant that recently opened at Östermalm. The restaurant provides an international feel and at the menu, you can choose between different dishes from around all corners of the world. On the roof you will find ”Bernie’s bar” that is always full of it-guests. Royal Djurgården is now the new home to one of Sweden's best restaurants- Oaxen. Besides the fine dining their bistro ”Slipen” is worth paying a visit to. Less fancy and nicer prices. For proper pub and grub food I recommend you to visit the Flying Elk, which is the latest venture of renowned restaurant Frantzén. -
On May 21Lovisa de Geer answered the question:
What are the best spas in Stockholm?
Sweden has never earlier had a strong SPA culture but this trend is growing quickly. For the ultimate luxury SPA experience, I recommend you to visit the Grand Hotel's SPA, Raison d'Etre. Another great tip is to visit Sturebadet at Stureplan. They also offer great spa treatments in a relaxing environment. A little less costly treatments can be found at Sabai Sabai Spa or why not visit the newly opened SPA By Us, where you pay for the time and not per treatment.