Stockholm
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Stockholm is a city in the flush of its second youth. Since the mid-1990s, Sweden's capital has emerged from its cold, Nordic shadow to take the stage as a truly international city. What started with entry into the European Union in 1995 gained pace with the extraordinary IT boom of the late 1990s, strengthened with the Skype-led IT second wave of 2003, and solidified with the hedge-fund invasion that is still happening today as Stockholm gains even more global confidence. And despite more recent economic turmoil, Stockholm's 1 million or so inhabitants have, almost as one, realized that their city is one to rival Paris, London, New York, or any other great metropolis.
With this realization comes change. Stockholm has become a city of design, fashion, innovation, technology, and world-class food, pairing homegrown talent with an international outlook. The streets are flowing with a young and confident population keen to drink in everything the city has to offer. The glittering feeling of optimism, success, and living in the here and now is rampant in Stockholm.
Stockholm also has plenty of history. Positioned where the waters of Lake Mälaren rush into the Baltic, it’s been an important trading site and a wealthy international city for centuries. Built on 14 islands joined by bridges crossing open bays and narrow channels, Stockholm boasts the story of its history in its glorious medieval old town, grand palaces, ancient churches, sturdy edifices, public parks, and 19th-century museums—its history is soaked into the very fabric of its airy boulevards, built as a public display of trading glory.
Things to Do
Performing Arts
Ticnet
Other
Berwaldhallen
Dansens Hus
Folkoperan
Grand
Konserthuset
Musikaliska
Operan
Zita
Activities
Biking
Kayaking
Top Destinations
Beyond the City Center
There are a number of excellent sites only a short bus or subway ride from the city center, many of which can be combined. Stockholm's city environs very quickly become greener as you leave the bustling center. Trips to nearly all these places could be done in a morning or afternoon. Most are excellent ways to experience Sweden's delightful countryside.
Djurgården
Throughout history, Djurgården has been Stockholm's pleasure island. There was a time when only the king could enjoy this enormous green space. Today everyone comes here to breathe fresh air, visit the many museums, stroll through the forests and glades, get their pulses racing at the Gröna Lund amusement park, or just relax by the water. You can approach Djurgården from the water aboard the small ferries that leave from Slussen at the southern end of Gamla Stan. In summer, ferries also leave from Nybrokajen in front of Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern (the Royal Dramatic Theater).
Gamla Stan and Skeppsholmen
Gamla Stan (Old Town) sits between two of Stockholm's main islands, and is the site of the original Stockholm, founded at least as far back as 1252. History, culture, and a dash of Old Europe come thick and fast here among the twisting cobbled streets lined with superbly preserved old buildings. Understandably, Gamla Stan is also a magnet for tourists. Consequently there are plenty of substandard shops and restaurants ready to take your money for shoddy goods and bad food. Because of this, locals often make a big show of dismissing the area, but don't believe them. Secretly they love Gamla Stan. And who wouldn't? Its divine alleys, gorgeous architecture, shops, and restaurants are irresistible. Wander just a few blocks from the main tourist areas and you'll find narrow residential streets and tiny, peaceful squares. Just east of Gamla Stan is the island of Skeppsholmen, an urban oasis with tree-lined streets, colorful boats tied up alongside wooden docks, and historic maritime buildings, many now housing museums.
Norrmalm, Vasastan, and Kungsholmen
On the mainland north of Gamla Stan, Norrmalm is at the heart of modern Stockholm. The area bounded by Stadshuset, Hötorget, and Stureplan is essentially Stockholm's downtown, where the city comes closest to feeling like a bustling metropolis. Shopping, nightlife, business, traffic, dining—all are at their most intense in this part of town. Much of this area was razed in the 1960s as part of a social experiment to move people to the new suburbs. What came in its place, a series of modernist buildings, concrete public spaces, and pedestrianized walkways, garners support and derision in equal measure. Cross one of the bridges to the west of the central station and you reach Kungsholmen, a mostly residential island that is home to Stockholm's distinctive redbrick City Hall, as well as some delightful waterfront walking paths and cafés. At the northern edge of Norrmalm is another residential district, Vasastan, with restaurants, the city's main library, and several attractive parks.
Östermalm
Marked by waterfront rows of Renaissance buildings with palatial rooftops and ornamentation, Östermalm is a quietly regal residential section of central Stockholm. History and money are steeped into the very bricks and mortar of its elegant streets, which are lined with museums, fine shopping, and exclusive restaurants. On Strandvägen, the boulevard that follows the harbor's edge from the busy downtown area to the staid diplomatic quarter, you can choose one of three routes. The waterside walk, with its splendid views of the city harbor, bustles with tour boats and sailboats. Parallel to the walk (away from the water) is a tree-shaded walking and bike path. Walk, roller-blade, or ride a bike down the middle, and you just might meet the occasional horseback rider, properly attired in helmet, jacket, and high polished boots. Take the route farthest from the water, and you will walk past upscale shops and expensive restaurants.
Sodermalm
South of Gamla Stan lies the island of Södermalm, usually referred to by locals simply as Söder. Long the poorest district of the city, it's now one of the most vibrant. Remnants of the old Söder can still be seen in places such as Vita Bergen and the eastern end of Åsögatan, where quaint 18th-century working-class dwellings have been preserved in isolated pockets. For the most part, however, the neighborhood is now a thoroughly modern place, filled with lively pubs, restaurants, and nightclubs, as well as an abundance of trendy shops, particularly in the district known as SoFo (South of Folkungagatan). The atmosphere is generally relaxed, with a hip, somewhat bohemian vibe. For a respite from the modern bustle, wander through Tantolunden, a large park with more than 100 community garden patches and colorful garden sheds. The steep cliffs of Söder also offer some of the city's best panoramas; head to Fjällgatan for views of Djurgården and Gamla Stan, or Monteliusvägen and Skinnarviksberget for views of Stadshuset, Riddarholmen, and Lake Mälaren.
