Scandinavian Discovery - Stockholm Sweden 17/7

Saturday 17^th July

Stockholm, Sweden

Things to do

Skansen Open-Air Museum

Skansen consists of the oldest open-air museum in the world and the Stockholm zoo, with a beautiful location on

Royal Djurgården and a view over all of Stockholm.

Skansen is a favourite both among Stockholmers and visitors passing through, and it’s a perfect family outing. At Skansen you can learn about traditional crafts and traditions. This is the place to visit historic Sweden in miniature. 150 farms and dwellings from different parts of the country were disassembled and transported here. You’ll find charming town districts with glass blowing, pottery, a tinsmith’s workshop and a bakery, a gold coloured manor house, the Skogaholm manor house, the beautiful eighteenth-century Seglora wooden church and the The museum shop is a must for fans of traditional handicrafts. You can also see all of the animals native to Scandinavia such as moose, bears, lynxes, wolves, wolverines and seals. There is also a terrarium, a monkey house and a children’s zoo. 

Gamla Stan Gamla Stan is one of the largest and best preserved medieval city centres in Europe, and one of the foremost attractions in Stockholm. This is where Stockholm was founded in 1252. All of Gamla Stan and the adjacent island of Riddarholmen are like a living pedestrian-friendly museum full of sights, attractions, restaurants, cafés, bars and places to shop. Gamla Stan is also popular with aficionados of handicrafts, curios and souvenirs. The narrow winding cobblestone streets, with their buildings in so many different shades of gold, give Gamla Stan its unique character. Even now cellar vaults and frescoes from the Middle Ages can be found behind the visible façades, and on snowy winter days the district feels like something from a story book. There are several beautiful churches and museums in Gamla Stan, including Sweden’s national cathedral Stockholm Cathedral and the Nobel Museum. The largest of the attractions in the district is the Royal Palace, one of the largest palaces in the world with over 600 rooms. In addition to the reception rooms, there are several interesting museums in the Palace, including the Royal Armoury, with royal costumes and armour. Don't miss the parade of soldiers and the daily changing of the guard.
Västerlånggatan and Österlånggatan are the district’s main streets. The city wall that once surrounded the city ran inside these streets along what is now Prästgatan. In the middle of Gamla Stan is Stortorget, the oldest square in Stockholm. Stortorget is the central point from which runs Köpmangatan, the oldest street in Stockholm, which was mentioned as early as the fourteenth century. Mårten Trotzigs gränd (Mårten Trotzigs alley) is hard to find. It’s the narrowest alley in Gamla Stan, only 90 centimetres wide at its narrowest point. Make sure not to miss Riddarholmen and the Riddarholmen Church. The church is a royal burial church, and was built as a Franciscan monastery for the so-called Grey Brother monks in the thirteenth century. 

The City Hall

City Hall, with its spire featuring the golden Three Crowns, is one of the most famous silhouettes in Stockholm. Guided tours are available all year round. Stockholm City Hall is one of the country’s leading examples of national romanticism in architecture. The City Hall was designed by the architect Ragnar Östberg, and opened on Midsummer Eve in 1923. The City Hall is built from eight million bricks, and the 106 meter tall tower has the three crowns, which is the Swedish national coat of arms, at its apex. Behind the magnificent facades are offices and session halls for politicians and officials, as well as splendid assembly rooms and unique works of art. Stockholm’s municipal council meets in Rådssalen, the Council Chamber. The great Nobel banquet is also held in City Hall. After dinner in Blå hallen, the Blue Hall, Nobel Prize recipients, royalty and guests dance in Gyllene salen, the Golden Hall, with its 18 million gold mosaic tiles. The City Hall is open to the public through guided tours only. Guided tours are held daily in Swedish and English at certain hours. During summer months the tours are available in several other languages. During the same period you can also climb up inside the tower and enjoy a fantastic view over the city. Tours can be cancelled with short notice due to events. 

National Museum

The leading museum of art and design in Sweden, with collections of older paintings and sculptures as well as drawings, graphics, handicrafts and design up to the present day.Experience the works of Sweden's most prominent artists such as Carl Larsson, Hanna Pauli, Anders Zorn and Bruno Liljefors, and international masters such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Goya, Renoir, Degas and many others. You can also acquaint yourself with modern Swedish design classics from 1900 to today in the permanent exhibit ”Den moderna formen 1900-2000” (Modern Design from 1900 to 2000). The exhibit shows developments in Scandinavian design and handicrafts. 

Boat Sightseeing

Seeing Stockholm from the water is an enjoyable must. Fortunately, there are many tours to choose from depending on your interests. Under the Bridges of Stockholm, Royal Canal Tour, Historical Canal Tour, and the early Good Morning Stockholm Tour concentrate on central Stockholm and take from 50 minutes to 2½ hours. The Good Morning tour is given in Swedish and English only.

Hop On Hop Off is a flexible way to see Stockholm from the water. The ticket is good for an unlimited number of trips over a 24-hour period. It can also be combined with bus (Open Top Bus Tour).

Archipelago Race is for those who want to see the archipelago but do not have much time. In a fast Speedo boat, you get a feel for the archipelago and its 30,000 islands in less than 2 hours. The tour is given in Swedish and English.