No trip to Sweden would be complete without a few days spent exploring its impressive capital city of Stockholm. My grandparents were Swedish, and I have always been curious about my Swedish heritage. So it was with great excitement that I started planning our trip to Sweden, starting with this comprehensive 3-day Stockholm itinerary to cover the top sights.
Where to Stay in Stockholm
Hotel Kungstradgarden was our choice of accommodation. It is centrally located in the Norrmalm district, next to the Kungsträdgården (King’s Garden) park it is named after. It is also just a short walk away from Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town.
This hotel has a stunning Atrium foyer with bar and restaurant, which made up for the small size of our room. The room had just enough space to walk around the bed…. add a suitcase or two into the mix and it was a little cramped. Of course, some of the pricier rooms have more space, but space wasn’t really a priority for us.
Having said that, we didn’t spend much time in our room, especially when the atrium of the hotel was so inviting! We found it the perfect place to enjoy an evening beverage after a busy day of sightseeing, with lots of cozy corners and quiet spaces to choose from, spread over 3 floors. Breakfast was also served here.
With a few days up your sleeve to explore the city, here are my top 5 things you should definitely include in your 3-day Stockholm itinerary.
Top Things to do in Stockholm
1. Stroll along the Waterfront
Start by wandering through the beautiful Kungsträdgården park next to the hotel. Originally the royal vegetable garden dating as far back as the 15th century, and opened to the public in the 1770’s, this park is a hub of cultural events. Admire the wide avenues, statues and fountains as well as the park’s 60 cherry blossom trees that bloom pink in Spring, coinciding with the parks spring festival in April. In winter the park transforms into an ice-skating rink with Christmas markets.
Take your time strolling along Stockholm’s iconic Strandvägen avenue. Strandvägen is renowned as one of Stockholm’s most prestigious and picturesque boulevards, here you’ll find the more exclusive and luxurious hotels. This scenic street was constructed in the late 19th century and provides an idyllic spot for a leisurely stroll.
2. Explore Gamla Stan
Stockholm’s charming Old Town is just a short walk from the hotel over the Strömbron Bridge (the Stream Bridge). You can explore the Royal Palace, Stortorget Square and gorgeous medieval alleyways.
3. Visit the Vasa Museum
Discover Stockholm’s maritime history at the Vasa Museum. This museum is amazing! I was blown away by the sheer size and pristine condition of The Vasa.
The Vasa sank on the 10th of August 1628 in Stockholm Harbour on her maiden voyage. A light squall made the Vasa list heavily and she started taking in water through the gunports, a fault in the design, as the hull should have been deeper. The Vasa capsized and sank. Over time her location was forgotten, but in the 1950’s a private researcher, who knew that the wood in the ship would probably be preserved due to the low salinity of the Baltic waters, started searching for her. It was finally raised in the 1950s in near perfect condition …. 300 years later!
The Museum contains a scale model of The Vasa showing what she would have looked like sailing out of the harbour, in all her glorious colours. Items of interest for me were The Lion Figurehead, lunging forward grasping the Vasa coat of Arms between his paws and the fascinating photographs showing the actual salvage operation.
Don’t miss this one! It will be a highlight of your 3-day Stockholm itinerary, I found it absolutely fascinating.
4. Visit the ABBA Museum
An absolute must for ABBA fans or anyone who loves the Mamma Mia movies…. I Do, I Do, I Do! 🙋♀️ Take a trip down memory lane viewing all the classic 70’s ABBA outfits, album covers and memorabilia. It is an interactive museum that will have you singing and dancing, with plenty of props and booths to get you in the mood.
There are exhibits displaying ABBA instruments, recording studio equipment, and dressing rooms.
I have to say, I think my favourite thing in the ABBA museum was recreating their classic album covers. From sitting in the helicopter from the Arrival album, to answering the red phone from Ring, Ring….and it occasionally does ring! Lucky person that happens to be nearby when that happens! There is also the green park bench used in a Greatest hits album cover. Poor old Bjorn and Agnetha are looking a little over it all 😄
My mum was an ABBA fan and had a lot of their albums. The ABBA Museum was a nostalgic trip down memory lane to my childhood, and memories of dancing around the lounge room with my Mum came flooding back. Mum is no longer with us, but oh, she would have loved to visit this place!
5. Explore Skansen Open-Air Museum
Located close to the Vasa Museum is the world’s oldest open-air museum. Skansen offers visitors a glimpse into Sweden’s history and culture, showcasing traditional Swedish houses, farmsteads, crafts and daily life.
The museum also features a Baltic Aquarium and a zoo with Nordic animals like moose, reindeer and wolverines! It is quite large so give yourself plenty of time to see it all.
Exploring Further Afield
If we weren’t already booked to head to Gotland for a few days, we would also have added a scenic boat tour through the Stockholm Archipelago to our 3-day Stockholm itinerary. As it was, we loved spending a few days on Gotland, the largest island in the Stockholm Archipelago, and I can highly recommend it if you are wondering where else to visit in Sweden. You can read my post on Gotland here.
How Expensive is Stockholm?
Someone once told me that the further North you travel, the more expensive it gets. Sweden is the furthest North I have ever been, and I soon discovered that they may have been right! Perhaps it was just the exchange rate between the Swedish Krona and the Australian dollar, which is around $1AU = $6SEK, but we found general expenses quite costly.
On our first night, we had a modest dinner of 2 hamburgers, a glass of wine and a glass of lemonade and once converted to $AU, I soon realized that meal cost around $100AU!! Needless to say, we were a little more considered with our spending after that!
I loved Sweden and feel we didn’t spend enough time there. We travelled during the Swedish summer, so contemplated heading North to experience the famous midnight sun, but we simply didn’t have enough time. As I’m typing this, I’m dreaming of exploring Swedish Lapland…. another destination to add to my growing list!!
Deb Morrow is a wife and mum of two in her 50’s, who works in education. She has a passion for travel and through sharing her travel experiences, tips and recommendations, wants to encourage other women her age to start making time for themselves, grab their besties, and go see the world!
