Top Ten Attractions
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Gamla Stan
The Old Town is the best place to start to explore Stockholm. It has winding streets and historic buildings that seem to be collapsing towards each other.
http://www.photo.net/sweden/stockholm/gamlastan -
Kungliga Slottet
The ‘new’ Royal Palace, built around the beginning of the 18th Century. State apartments and crown jewels are open to the public. The Changing of the Guard takes place in the outer courtyard at 1215 Monday to Saturday and 1315 on Sundays and public holidays. http://www.royalcourt.se/2.19fe5e61065eb9aeea80...
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The Vasa Museum
It houses the huge warship that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised from the seabed in 1961. http://www.vasamuseum.com
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Ice Bar
Drink from ice-carved glasses at tables made of ice. The admission price gets you warm bootees, mittens, a parka and one drink. Located in the Nordic Sea Hotel across from the Nordic Light Hotel an InStyle Hotels boutique hotel. http://www.nordicseahotel.se/omhotellet/matochd...
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Storkyrkan
Stockholm’s cathedral, dating back to the late 13th Century. The interior contains a life-sized statue of St George and his horse confronting the mythical dragon. http://www.destination-stockholm.com/framesmast...
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Skansen
The world’s first open-air museum, containing some 150 historic houses, farms and working shops. Also a zoo. http://www.skansen.se/pages/?ID=221
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Royal Canal Tour
A different way to see Stockholm: through the canal and along the shore of the Baltic Sea. http://www.destination-stockholm.com/framesmast...
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Gröna Lund
A popular amusement park on the island of Djurgarden with rides and attractions for children and their parents. http://www.stockholmtown.com/templates/page____...
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Nobelmuseet
The Swedish chemist, Alfred Nobel, created the famous prizes in his name and this museum charts their history and the people who’ve won them. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobelmuseum/index.html
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Kaknäs Television Tower
At 508 feet high, it’s one of the tallest structures in Scandinavia. Take an elevator to the observation platform for a great view of Stockholm and the archipelago beyond. http://www.stockholmtown.com/templates/PageObje...
Eating and Drinking
As a thriving modern city, there are restaurants to suit all tastes in Stockholm, but an effort to seek out traditional Swedish food is highly recommended for all visitors to the capital. Although Swedish food was dominated somewhat by French and German influences during the last century, a number of Swedish chefs are working towards creating 'modern Swedish food' – keeping the main elements of traditional Swedish recipes while incorporating ideas from elsewhere. The first thing that might spring to mind when thinking about Swedish food is meatballs, yet one of the most striking things about restaurants in Stockholm is the amount of fish and shellfish on offer. That’s unsurprising, however, considering that the city is built on 14 islands. Smörgåsbord is perhaps one of the most well known of Sweden's culinary offerings. Traditionally, a smörgåsbord must not be rushed, with numerous trips to the array of food expected; the board will almost always consists of pickled herring but can also include anything from cheese, other fish, meat, potatoes and vegetables. With a long history of hunting as well as fishing, Swedish cuisine also features meat including deer and moose. Often found accompanying the meat are jams such as cowberry and cloudberry and cracker breads known as knäckebröd. Decent restaurants for lunch or dinner can be found mainly in the three areas of Norrmalm, Gamla Stan and Södermalm. Those on a tighter budget should avoid the old town, (Gamla Stan), although set lunch meals can often be affordable. Scandinavia is famous for its high prices for alcohol, and it’s worth seeking out bars to drink in that will not break the bank. There’s a wide choice of beers, while sweet Swedish drinks include Enbarsdricka and Sockerdricka. Stronger beverages on offer include Scandinavian vodka and schnapps, while for those visiting during the cold winter months, Glögg is a traditional beverage which is perfect for warming cold hands and bodies, consisting of sherry and brandy heated with a variety of spices.
Shopping
There’s no shortage of gorgeous Swedish design products in Stockholm, although souvenirs, handicrafts and quality Swedish items in glass, wood or pewter are relatively expensive. If you make any large purchases, be sure to ask about tax-free shopping. The biggest shopping areas stretch from Hötorget to Gamla Stan, via Drottninggatan, and from Hamngatan, Kungsgatan, and Biblioteksgatan down to Stureplan. Normal business hours are 1000 to 1800 Monday to Friday and around 1000 to 1500 on Saturdays. Many stores are also open on Sundays. If you want to buy a lot and are short on time, go to NK, Åhléns, PUB, Debenhams, Gallerian or Sturegallerian. They stay open seven days a week, with longer hours during the week than on weekends.
Night Life
Going out dancing is a popular pastime for the young and beautiful in Stockholm and the city has little competition north of Paris and London. The fanciest places have an entrance charge of 50 to 150 Skr. The city centre hosts an astonishing selection of large and small music venues and night clubs for every taste. In Södermalm, a large district just south of the city centre, there’s a young and slightly bohemian feel. Neighbourhoods such as Vasastan and Kungsholmen have their own restaurant and entertainment scenes. Stockholm is home to a wide variety of clubs, discotheques and pubs. You’ll find bigger discotheques and clubs around Stureplan and Kungsgatan, one of the city’s main entertainment districts. In addition, you’ll find many salsa and indie places, while live jazz is also popular in clubs like the ‘Glenn Miller Café’. Stockholm has become a favourite destination for gays and lesbians – there are more than twenty restaurants, discos and bars catering for a gay clientele. The best overall guide for visitors to the city is the monthly What’s On Stockholm, available free from tourist offices and many hotels.
