Best of Stockholm

Sarah travelled to Stockholm with Scandinavian Airlines and stayed at The Clarion Sign.

Stockholm’s a stunning city, known for its architecture, cleanliness, and waterfront location. Here are some of our recommendations of things to see and do there...

THE ECO PARK

Stockholm’s Eco Park, or as the Swedes say ‘Ekoparken’, is the only national park in the world to be found in an urban setting. The Eco Park, established in 1995, is the perfect place for canoeing, biking, bird watching, horseback riding, fishing or hiking. It’s a great place to have a picnic, or if you prefer try eating lunch at one of the nearby inns. The Eco Park is open year round and guided park tours are available by bus or boat.
For more information visit www.ekoparken.com

SKANSEN

Skansen is the oldest open-air museum in the world, founded in 1891. It is located on the island of Djurgården, a royal park near the centre of Stockholm. Centring on Swedish history, the island has 150 traditional houses from all over the country. The remarkably authentic museum seems to get everything right, even down to the period costumes worn by staff. Skansen is open every day of the year, except Christmas Eve.
For more information visit www.skansen.se  

VASA MUSEUM

The Vasa Museum is named for the ship inside, the Vasa, which is the world’s only surviving 17th century ship. The Vasa sank in 1628 and salvaging began in 1956. Restoration of the ship took years however. Since opening in 1990, the museum has become the most visited museum in Scandinavia. The Vasa Museum also has a restaurant that is decked out in maritime style and provides excellent views of the harbour.
For more information visit www.vasamuseet.se

OLD TOWN

Located on a small island in central Stockholm, Old Town, or in Swedish Gamla Stan, is a maze of medieval streets. The town dates back to the 13th Century. Today, around 3000 people live in Old Town even though it seems to be smothered in tourists. The Stockholm Royal Palace is a must see as well as the main plaza Stortorget.
For more information visit www.stockholmtown.com

ROYAL PALACE

The official residence of the Swedish monarch, the Royal Palace, is located on the island of Stadsholmen in the Old Town. The Baroque building occupies the site of the former Vasa Castle, which was destroyed by a fire in 1697. Today, the Royal Palace has over 600 rooms decorated in Baroque and Rococo style.
For more information visit www.royalcourt.se

DESIGNTORGET

Stockholm is famous for its innovative and modern design. IKEA may be Sweden’s flag bearer but DesignTorget offers a different take with unique handicrafts, funky furniture, and exceptional gifts. Today the growing company has 15 stores in Sweden and in Oslo. Plenty of fun can be had just browsing. DesignTorget stores are open daily; see the website for Stockholm locations.
For more information visit www.designtorget.se

THE ARCHIPELAGO

Stockholm’s Archipelago, or Skärgård, stretches 80km east of the city and is made up of 30,000 islands. Fishing, biking, shopping, swimming, eating, are only a few of the things these island offer. The closest archipelago town to Stockholm is Vaxholm which is famous for its traditional Christmas market. There are boat trips between islands and tours are available.
For more information visit www.visit-stockholm.com