Stockholm Old Town
Stockholm Old Town
4.5
About
The Old Town, unsurprisingly, is the oldest part of Stockholm. It's certainly the tourist's go-to destination, but that doesn’t detract from its architectural and otherwise urban beauty.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Neighborhood: Gamla Stan & Riddarholmen
Gamla Stan is Stockholm’s historic old town and home to the Swedish Royal Palace. It’s the most central island of Stockholm and accompanied by the small island of Riddarholmen, mainly known for its famous Riddarholm Church. Gamla Stan tends to be a bit touristy at times but is definitely worth visiting: take a stroll past the well-preserved buildings and through the small (and also Sweden’s narrowest) alleys, which will make you feel like you’ve travelled back in time. This neighborhood offers a great combination of historical buildings and traditional Swedish restaurants.
How to get there
- Gamla stan • 4 min walk
- Slussen • 8 min walk
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2,875 within 3 miles
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See what travelers are saying
- WorldTravelerSoCalMilwaukee, Wisconsin283 contributionsVery Good Attraction but nearly impossible to use wheelchairThis is a nice attraction. Next to the Royal Palace. It contains some nice restaurants, shops, and the Nobel Museum. However, the surface is cobblestones and it's almost impossible to wheel around in a scooter or wheelchair. And taxis have a pickup area where you have to walk a ways to get into the main square. Worth a visit but for handicapped, be ware.Visited June 2023Written June 2, 2023
- doppelganger_etThessaloniki, Greece931 contributionsA sense of history..Probably the nicest area to stroll around in Stockholm! A true sense of history all around you. However, in the summer it gets too crowded due to turists and you may find all the nice terraces full..Visited June 2023Written June 20, 2023
- petergoode2Hendersonville, North Carolina520 contributionsA critical place to include on ANY Stockholm itineraryI cannot imagine ANYONE coming to Stockholm and not spending some time wandering the warren of narrow alleys and unpronounceable streets here in the Old Town. Granted, one encounters one silly souvenir shop after another, but there are multiple charming dining options, fascinating architecture, great history...and visits to the Royal Palace and churches are very worthwhile. We did get turned around more than once, having access to Google Maps proved invaluable when we tried to find a desired restaurant for dinner. An absolute MUST DO!Visited June 2023Written June 21, 2023
- Xamot TomaxFort Wayne, Indiana6,808 contributionsCharmingSeeing this area again was a must. Strolling through the cobbled streets, you’ll notice different restaurants and shops. The colorful, 17th and 18th century buildings offer some picturesque views of Old Town and Stortorget. Other nearby landmarks are the Storkyrkan Cathedral Royal Palace, which is the king’s official residence.Visited December 2022Traveled as a coupleWritten July 4, 2023
- syrus vErnakulam District, India79 contributionsTradition of SwedenWonderful experience while watching the Stockholm old town. Very neatly and beautifully maintained with lots of shops and restaurants where we got number of mementos and gift items at affordable price. There was a parade of changing the duties of guards which was awesomeVisited August 2022Traveled as a coupleWritten July 5, 2023
- CBrusselsGermany643 contributionsBeautiful and quaintIt is an island with colourful Swedish old houses, square and a lot of different types of shops, restaurants and cafes. It takes less than 10 minutes walk from Central Station. There are also a lot of important and beautiful buildings such as parliament, palace, churches, Nobel Price Museum and cathedral. It is a must see destination if you are in Stockholm for the first time.Visited July 2023Written July 9, 2023
- doctorfoxtrotTaguig City, Philippines12,820 contributionsHeart and Soul Has Become TouristyCan’t say you have been to Stockholm unless you have visited this segment of Old Town. Amidst the colorful houses and narrow alleys are restaurants with a view serving rather expensive food. Also there are the so called Swedish fika dessert places and numerous souvenir shops. Nearby also are the Royal Palace which seem to be under renovation, the cathedral and Nobel museum .Visited July 2023Traveled with familyWritten July 16, 2023
- Shaun LClanfield, United Kingdom2,708 contributionsLovely old town but avoid the crowds if you canwell worth a walk around the old city of Stockholm. If you can I’d recommend going as early as possible in the day as it’s quite a tourist hot spot. Even if you join a guided tour try and find some time to come back just to wander on your own. The buildings are delightful and the German church is so beautiful. Plenty of souvenir shops if that’s your thing but also some very nice art and craft shops in the back streets.Visited July 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten July 18, 2023
- BalkrishnaShroffMumbai, India23,736 contributionsSimply Awesome !!It is not possible that you go to Stockholm and don't see old town. It's the heart of beautiful city. The pedestrian only small and narrow lanes with colorful old buildings bring out the charm of this historical place. There are a lot lot of souvevenir shops, bars, restaurantsand cafes almost everywhere. It's really fun to sit in any open restaurant over a drink and watch the world go by. During season it's very crowded. It's advisable to take a walking tour and then go around on your own. Not to be missed !!Visited July 2023Written July 25, 2023
- D PWellington, New Zealand7,635 contributionsBeautiful Town with masses of characterLovely town with many cobbled lanes and brightly coloured buildings with beautiful architecture. Very clean and easy to walk around. Just a shame there are so many tourist shops, would be nice to have more quality retail shops or speciality shops. All the same it’s a very beautiful place and I would recommend a visit.Visited July 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten July 26, 2023
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Sheila R
London, UK4 contributions
Feb 2020
Stockholm is a brilliant city to visit in its own right, but the old town has a charm all of its own. Its cobbled streets and attractive buildings are a delight to wander around and there are several cafés and restaurants in which to linger. For those of you who prefer tea to coffee, there is a dedicated teahouse in Svartmangatan (opposite the Tyska kyrkan) called Chaikhana. It offers a very large selection of different teas as well some very tasty snacks.
While in the old town (Gamla Stan), the Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet) is a must to visit. Every room bears testament to the grandeur and power of its kings and queens. There are at least two tours a days in English but you can also wander around on your own with an audio guide.
Stockholm has several interesting museums, among them being the Vasa Museum, which houses the 17th century ship Vasa. Having sunk in 1628, the Vasa had been left to rest on the seabed. However, 333 years later, it was finally salvaged and brought to the surface. It was miraculously mostly in tact, with only the rope rigging and sails having rotted. Although minus the sails, the rope rigging has subsequently been replaced. Now on permanent display in the museum its presence is breathtaking.
As far as the weather is concerned, it is probably best to visit Stockholm in June, as it is much warmer then. Because we were celebrating a special occasion, we went at the end of February and were greeted with snow and freezing temperatures. However, even then it did not spoil our visit as we were well prepared with warm clothing.
With the aid of a map, we found it easy to get around. Although you can buy passes for the hop-on-hop-off buses, the best way to see Stockholm is on foot. Places are closer to get to than it looks on the map. Everyone we spoke to was friendly and helpful, and to our shame spoke immaculate English – although they did appreciate our efforts to use the very few words and phrases we had learnt before our visit.
The only downside to Stockholm is that it is very expensive to eat out, especially if you like to drink alcohol with your meal. Even mineral water and soft drinks can bump up the price. However, if you hold on to your empty water bottles, most restaurants and hotels will allow you to refill them with tap water. For us though, living in London meant we were already used to high prices.
All in all, I can thoroughly recommend Stockholm as a city break destination.
While in the old town (Gamla Stan), the Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet) is a must to visit. Every room bears testament to the grandeur and power of its kings and queens. There are at least two tours a days in English but you can also wander around on your own with an audio guide.
Stockholm has several interesting museums, among them being the Vasa Museum, which houses the 17th century ship Vasa. Having sunk in 1628, the Vasa had been left to rest on the seabed. However, 333 years later, it was finally salvaged and brought to the surface. It was miraculously mostly in tact, with only the rope rigging and sails having rotted. Although minus the sails, the rope rigging has subsequently been replaced. Now on permanent display in the museum its presence is breathtaking.
As far as the weather is concerned, it is probably best to visit Stockholm in June, as it is much warmer then. Because we were celebrating a special occasion, we went at the end of February and were greeted with snow and freezing temperatures. However, even then it did not spoil our visit as we were well prepared with warm clothing.
With the aid of a map, we found it easy to get around. Although you can buy passes for the hop-on-hop-off buses, the best way to see Stockholm is on foot. Places are closer to get to than it looks on the map. Everyone we spoke to was friendly and helpful, and to our shame spoke immaculate English – although they did appreciate our efforts to use the very few words and phrases we had learnt before our visit.
The only downside to Stockholm is that it is very expensive to eat out, especially if you like to drink alcohol with your meal. Even mineral water and soft drinks can bump up the price. However, if you hold on to your empty water bottles, most restaurants and hotels will allow you to refill them with tap water. For us though, living in London meant we were already used to high prices.
All in all, I can thoroughly recommend Stockholm as a city break destination.
Written March 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter Foord B
4 contributions
Nov 2019
Stockholm is an easy city to walk in. Great public transport via Tunnelban, e.g. .underground or metro. Besides Ostermalm the jewel in the crown is The old town known as Gamla Stan. Whether it is extremely cold or summer times there are many cosy cafes , restaurants and shops to visit. Starting at Slussen you can cross the bridge with lake Malaren to one side and amble through the narrow streets, My favourite past time is to listen some jazz and have a beer , it maybe expensive compared to some countries, but worth it. There are so many hotels to stay at but I prefer the Sheridian as is very central.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah W
Wellington, New Zealand22 contributions
Jan 2020
Old town is packed full of really well preserved old buildings and feels like stepping back in time hundreds of years. It's great for just wandering around because you can come around a corner and be in a whole new gorgeous spot, but there are also a lot of great cafes and sights within old town to check out too (although the food is always quite expensive in this area)
Would recommend turning away from some of the more main streets to avoid crowds of other tourists & the souvenir shops to see some of the quieter (but just as gorgeous) streets. If you do this, wear comfortable shoes as the cobblestones on the smaller streets can be more difficult to walk on.
Super easy to get to, a few minutes walk from the central train station or if you have a public transport card you can take the metro to Gamla Stan station
Would recommend turning away from some of the more main streets to avoid crowds of other tourists & the souvenir shops to see some of the quieter (but just as gorgeous) streets. If you do this, wear comfortable shoes as the cobblestones on the smaller streets can be more difficult to walk on.
Super easy to get to, a few minutes walk from the central train station or if you have a public transport card you can take the metro to Gamla Stan station
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jason E
London, UK98 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
We caught the metro to gamla stan and started making our way into old town which was very good to see as there was lots of souvenir shops and pubs and restaurants and cafe and coffee shops. We then decided to go and see the royal palace. When we got there the guards was doing a passing out parade and then at the end the king and Queen and there family came out onto the balcony and waved at the crowd. The crowd was singing there native traditional song which was so great to hear even though we didn’t know the words to the song it was great that we was there to see this. We then afterwards decided to walk around and just take in more pictures of this beautiful city. We then decided to go and have lunch we found a great pub and restaurant called The Meat I would highly recommend this restaurant the alcohol wasn’t expensive and neither was the meal in total it cost us £40 and that was for two people. The lady who served us was very friendly and so helpful and she spoke English too.
Written April 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AmarillaArvika
Arvika, Sweden520 contributions
Dec 2020 • Solo
If you like small independant shops, small cafes and restaurants, in a historical setting, then this is the place to go. The only setback in this time of Corona, is that not everything is open, but it’s still good. I recommend going in the afternoon when it is almost dark, and walk up and down the little alleys, and looking into the shops that interest you. A must see and do for Stockholm.
Written December 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ocam R
Czech Republic65 contributions
Jan 2020
Flew in to Arlanda Airport. Very long walk to trains from T2. Bought 72 hr travel card and airport supplement at station, service excellent, transport superb. Metro from Airport to hotel 40 mins, then 5 mins to Old Town, also walked it in 15 mins. Easy to access. Quaint cobbled streets, very clean, lots of small shops, many cafes and bars that have live bands. Also upmarket restaurants like Vapiano Italian. You can get round the whole place easily on foot. Palace 500 m from centre. Note: most places do not take cash, have your money in sek on a preloaded currency card. Prices are very high be prepared for a shock.... One beer, one double JD& coke, one plate of chips no change from £30 at bar, prices published. Overall a good time but would not go again as once seen is enough.
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marilyn M
Stockholm, Sweden60 contributions
Dec 2019
Is this the most attractive city centre in the world? It would certainly come in any list of finalists. Compressed onto a tiny island (the 'holm' in Stockholm means island), it's crammed full of tiny cobbled alleys, historic buildings, shops, restaurants, music spots... and fabulous waterside views. Any time you tire of its urbanity, you can walk to the quayside at Slussen and take a ferry. Just across the water, or to the lovely nearby Fjäderholmarna, or way out into the archipelago.
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diana Varga
Bucharest, Romania233 contributions
Jan 2020 • Business
Lovely city centre and with acces to bars,shops and a bunch of museums.
Check the opening hours for museum online as in the winter a few are closed and open later than usual and for short time... 11am-4pm
Check the opening hours for museum online as in the winter a few are closed and open later than usual and for short time... 11am-4pm
Written January 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Krissy W
Moerkoev, Denmark194 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
Old part of the city is a really nice place to go - even during winter time where you can warm up with hot soup or chocolate in little cafe's. Have a nice lunch at the square or enjoy a delicious Swedish Fika (coffee and cake) or do both. Remember to look up during your walk as many of the old buildings are very beautiful.
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cailin1969
Cork, Ireland35 contributions
Dec 2019
Spent a day walking about the old streets - very accessible from the city centre and worth just exploring on your own with an app or a map. lots of lovely restaurants and bars to choose from. Unfortunately the Nobel museum was closed on the day we visited (Dec 31).
Written January 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sabrina
United States25 contributions
Is a 5 hours layover at Arlanda Airport enough time for a quick visit to the city center using the express train in February? How long does it usually take to go through customs in and out?
Hannelore H
United Kingdom280 contributions
It's only 20min from the airport to the city centre by Arlanda express, so 5 hours would be definitely doable and worth it. However, I'm not sure about the customs bit as we were coming from the UK, so didn't have to go through customs.
Tatiana Sigorskaia
St. Petersburg, Russia
Здравствуйте все!)) Будем в Стокгольме семьёй из 9 человек,включая 3 детей от 4 мес до 9 лет, один день в начале марта.
Поделитесь, пожалуйста, советами, как удобно добраться на общественном транспорте от порта Vikingline(паром из Хельсинки) до Старого города. Признательна за подмогу в этом))
Татьяна
ISKANDER72
Moscow, Russia472 contributions
Привет! Конечно, с такой компанией (учитывая возраст детей) лучше заказать трансфер. Например, минивен или 2 легковушки. По финансам будет не очень большая разница. Но, если решили на автобусе, то ходят такие: красного цвета. Маршрут 76. Учитывайте, что доехав до центра, в сам Старый город ещё нужно пройти пешком около 10 минут.
Elchichagt
Guatemala City, Guatemala472 contributions
Hi, we are planning a trip to Stockholm next year 2020. At the end of April. Do you know how maybe the weather will be? Thanks
Atinez
Gothenburg, Sweden31 contributions
Hi I am not from Stickholm but the weather in Sweden in April could be very nice or very rainy and cold. It depends when un April.
Torill E
Son, Norway
Vi ønsker et hotell med underholdning i Stockholm gamla stan i februar en gruppe 10-12 stk
A Traveller F
Dubai, United Arab Emirates22 contributions
I would recommend Sheraton, it is near old town, near central station and good shopping
Ikun B
2 contributions
Hai,saya ingin tau tempat2 yg wajib kita kunjungi selama kita di stockhom,saya menginap 3 hari,hotel yang pqling dekat dengan kota tua hotel apa ya?trimakasih
Находясь всего полдня в Стокгольме,что лучше бесплатно посетить. И рекомендации по бюджетному варианту питания
Hope
New York City, NY9 contributions
I have a 5 hour layover in Stockholm - would it be possible to go from airport into town. If so, how far from the airport? What's the quickest way to get to the centre of town and what should we see? Will we have to go through customs again?
Sightseeing traveler
37 contributions
You can go to the city center by train. It will be 20 min to 30 minutes top to get there! You will be like 5 minutes away from the shopping center but you will need to walk until the old town like 20 or more minutes from the train station. I hope this helps! Enjoy!!!
Do we need to do this by HOHO bus?
Johnsonsouth
Lafayette, LA53 contributions
Walking is the best part of exploring Old Town! Don't miss the opportunity to wander.
We are on a Norwegian Cruise ship which docks at Nynashamm..which means we have to somehow get to Stockholm and be able to see as much as we can in a few hours. His easy is it to get from Nynashamm to Stockholm. We particularly want to walk around the old part.
Madona0035
593 contributions
Hello there,
For my trip to Stockholm, I didn’t go to Nynäshamm. But I think the ideal way to travel is taking the SL train as it will take you directly to the Stockholm City, which is Central Station (T-Centralen in Swedish). From here you don’t even need to take any metro as you can walk to the old town easily. You need a map or just ask people. In case, you prefer to take the metro, it is only one stop away. The old town in Swedish is called Gamla Stan.
For paying the train or metro, you can pay by your credit card. I don’t think it is necessary to have the local currency.
To book the train tickets online, you can google SL train. You may also find other train providers, which may provide the same service. But you had better take these two points into account (1. Compare the ticket prices 2. The train can take you directly from Nynäshamn to Stockholm City in a shortest time)
Hope this helps.
poullubomir
Prague, Czech Republic14 contributions
Lze koupit jízdenku mhd-Stockholm,tbana,bus,tram,lod na letišti Arlanda. Pokud ano,kde.Dekuji.Luboš.
poullubomir
Prague, Czech Republic14 contributions
Ahoj,tak už jsem to konečně,vyčuchal.Jízdenku na 72 hodin,platí na veškerou dopravu ve stocholmu i příměstskou za 230-sek.Dá se koupit na letišti-Arlanda v tzv sky city,SL ticket a můžeš ji hned použít na autobus-Arlanda-Marsta a potom příměstkym vlakem až na T central.Tento tiket nemá slevy na vstupy do musea apod.O tomto řešení ví,velice málo lidí.Ahoj-Luboš.
JG N
1 contribution
Hi i have a 6 hour layover in stockholm going to dubai. Do you think this is enough time maybe to go and see stockholm like old town for a few hours? I dont want to get stuck at the airport if i could still see a little bit of the city since ive never been there before.id appreciate any info!
Jane S
Milton Keynes, UK190 contributions
Hi you definitely would have time to see the old town. We visited Stockholm on a cruise and only had 6 hours and managed to see loads. We chose the old town and then the Vassa museum.
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