Royal DjurgårdenCity/Region: Stockholm
Stockholm's main attractions are conveniently packaged close to the heart of the city on the island of Djurgården, crammed with entertainment options, museums, restaurants and wooded green space. Once upon a time the island was a royal hunting ground. Now visitors can hunt for souvenirs at the Handarbetets Vanner (handicraft center); browse the art galleries; enjoy thrills and spills at
Gröna Lund,
Sweden's oldest amusement park; explore Sweden's past at the Skansen open-air museum; meet Nordic wildlife at the zoo;
and watch folk dancing. Also on the island, accessed with a pleasant stroll along the waterfront, is the Junibacken fairy-tale fun center, the
National Museum of Cultural History and the fascinating
Vasa Museum featuring a fully rigged restored 17th-century galleon raised from
Stockholm harbor. Top off the day with a meal at one of the many excellent restaurants.
Address: A 10-minute walk from the city center across the Djurgarden bridge
Transport: Vintage tram; buses 44 or 47; or ferry
Royal Palace and Gamla StanCity/Region: Stockholm
The official Swedish Royal residence is one of the largest and most glorious palaces in
Europe, dating from 1754 (although it was built on the remains of an earlier medieval castle). The Baroque edifice is in the heart of Gamla Stan, the old city, and many of its 608 staterooms are open to the public all year round. Visitors can admire the Hall of State, the
Royal Treasury, Apartment of the Orders of Chivalry,
Gustav III Museum of Antiquities and the Royal Chapel. In front of the palace the changing of the guard ceremony takes place (Wednesday and Saturday 12.15pm, Sunday 1.15pm) with splendid pomp and ceremony that rivals the similar tradition played out at
Britain's Buckingham Palace. Gamla Stan itself is a treasure-trove of Swedish architecture from the 17th century. Today tourists throng the alleyways, once notorious for brothels, but now lined with shops and restaurants, and admire the 13th-century Cathedral, the Storkyrkan.
Address: Slottsbacken 1, Gamla Stan
Phone Number: (0)8 402 6000
Website: www.royalcourt.se
Transport: Metro stop Gamla Stan, or bus 2, 43, 55, 71 or 76 to Slottsbacken station
Hours: Royal apartments: closed 8-31 January and subject to closure according to the King's official duties, but open daily 10am to 5pm (June to August), 10am to 4pm (15-31 May and 1-14 September). Opening hours are shortened the rest of the year, and closed on Mondays
Admission: 130kr (combined ticket for the whole palace), or 90kr for selected parts of the palace; concessions available
City HallCity/Region: Stockholm
Stockholm's main landmark, the distinctive red brick City Hall (Stadshuset) building, has stood on Kungsholmen (King's Island) since 1923 and become world-renowned as the venue for the annual
Nobel Prize Banquet. The rather practical and austere façade, dominated by three golden crowns atop a tower, hides an extraordinary art nouveau interior. The plush council chamber itself has a vaulted ceiling resembling an inverted Viking longboat, echoing the Viking tradition of using overturned vessels as shelter in winter. Most impressive, though, is the magnificent Golden Hall, its walls covered with handmade mosaics. The view of Stockholm from the tower is unsurpassed.
Address: Hantverkargatan 1
Phone Number: (0)8 5082 9058
Website: www2.stockholm.se/cityhall
Transport: Underground station T-Centralen/T-Rådhuset, or bus 48 and 62
Hours: Tours depart daily at 10am and 12pm with an additional one at 2pm in September and October. The tower is open daily in summer from 10am to 4.15pm
Admission: 60kr (adults), 30kr (children 12-18). Tower: 20kr (adults). Children under 12 free of charge
Museum of National AntiquitiesCity/Region: Stockholm
Sweden's history from prehistoric times to the present day is fascinatingly laid out in the
Museum of National Antiquities, which contains a hoard of archaeological artifacts and treasures, including an impressive collection of gold objects recovered from the tombs and treasure caches of the Vikings. The museum's most prized possession dates from the Middle Ages. This is the splendid gold reliquary, set with precious stones, which contained the skull of Saint Elisabeth of
Thuringia.
Address: Narvavagen 13-17
Phone Number: (0)8 5195 5600
Email Address: info@historiska.se
Website: www.historiska.se
Transport: Metro station Karlaplan; bus 44 and 56
Hours: Daily 10am to 5pm (May to September), Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 5pm with late closing at 8pm on Thursdays (October to April)
Admission: 60kr (adults), children are free
The ArchipelagoCity/Region: Stockholm
The city of Stockholm stretches across 14 islands, but the archipelago, of which they form but a tiny part, consists of more than 24,000 islets, famed for their natural beauty, wildlife, fjords and spectacular channels and straits. A highlight of any visit to Stockholm is exploring this unique natural wonderland, and summer time is the time to do it, whether individually or on one of the many organized boat tours on offer. The standard tour is the 'Thousand Island Cruise', lasting 11 hours, which takes you to the outer islands and allows passengers to spend time ashore on some of the larger islands, like Nämdö, renowned for its handicrafts. Those with less time to spend can opt for a shorter cruise from between two to six hours, or travel on the high speed 'Cinderella' waterjet boats that service many of the islands. Do-it-yourself travelers can make use of the regular Waxholmsbolaget ferries that service the inhabited islands. Bed and breakfast accommodation is available for those seeking a longer getaway and perhaps wanting to stay a few days to experience island life.
Address: Archipelago tour information is available from the
Tourist Center, Sweden House, Hamnagatan 27
Phone Number: (0)8 789 2415
Website: www.stockholmtown.com
Göteborg Botanical GardenCity/Region: Gothenburg
The Botanical Garden in
Gothenburg is one of the largest in Europe and the most beautiful in Sweden boasting about 13,000 different species of plant. The area covers 175 hectares (432 acres), most of which is a nature reserve including an arboretum. Pride of the garden is the Rock Garden, but other worthwhile areas to visit include the Japanese Glade, the Rhododendron Valley and the greenhouses.
Address: Carl Skottsbergs Gata 22A
Phone Number: (0)31 741 1100
Website: www.gotbot.se
Transport: Tram 1, 7, 8 or 13 to Botaniska Trädgården stop
Hours: Daily 9am to sunset
Admission: Voluntary admission to the garden is 20kr. A fee of 20kr is charged for entry to the greenhouse
Liseberg Amusement ParkCity/Region: Gothenburg
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Sweden,
Liseberg Amusement Park has been welcoming millions of visitors a year for almost 80 years. Besides popular rides like the wooden roller coaster Balder and tamer rides for the children, there are over 30 different attractions, restaurants, and entertainment venues where concerts and shows attract huge crowds. Besides the summer season, Liseberg is also open over the festive season for the biggest Christmas market in
Scandinavia, as well as food specialties of the season, an ice bar and Christmas entertainment.
Phone Number: (0)31 400 100
Website: www.liseberg.com
Hours: Open between April and October, as well as for the festive season in November and December; hours vary
Admission: 195kr (free for children under 7). Ride coupons are 15kr each. A variety of discount passes are also available
Elfsborg FortressCity/Region: Gothenburg
The well preserved, 17th century fortress is located on a small island at the entrance of the harbor, at the mouth of the Göta River. With a fascinating history of battles against the Danes, the fortress was once the mightiest citadel in Sweden for coastal defense and is highly popular with visitors. A dramatized tour is included in the admission fee.
Address: Byggnad 29
Phone Number: (0)31 158 151
Website: www.elfsborgsfastning.se
Transport: Boat tours depart daily to the fortress island from
Lilla Bommen jetty between May and August, and weekends only in September
Admission: Boat tours: 100kr (adults), 50kr (children 6-12)
Göta CanalCity/Region: Gothenburg
One of the most well known attractions in Sweden, the Göta Canal was an important transport route for passengers and goods between Gothenburg and Stockholm throughout the 19th century until the building of railways and roads. It was also one of the biggest civil engineering projects to ever take place in the country. The canal stretches 118 miles (190km) from Sjötorp on
Lake Vänern to the
Baltic Sea at Mem and has 58 locks. Gothenburg is linked to the canal at Lake Vänern by the Göta River. The picturesque tree-lined channels are popular for cruises, which pass through the beautiful lakes of Vättern and Vänern, usually lasting about five to six days.
Phone Number: (0)141 215 550
Email Address: info@gotakanal.se
Website: www.gotakanal.se
Gothenburg archipelagoCity/Region: Gothenburg
Boat trips to the southern and northern archipelago of Gothenburg are popular trips for both visitors and residents alike. The southern archipelago includes eight car-free, inhabited islands that boast sandy beaches, good swimming, beautiful nature, walking paths and a charm of their own. The northern archipelago is more populated and has numerous hotels, restaurants and sea-based activities.
Transport: Southern archipelago: daily ferries depart from Saltholmen year round; northern archipelago: car ferries depart from Hjuvik and Hisingen
SkansenCity/Region: Stockholm
Visitors can explore Sweden's past at the Skansen open-air museum, the oldest in the world, where historical buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries have been relocated from around the country. The exhibits include a full replica of a 19th-century town complete with craftsmen in period dress who demonstrate the art of tanning, shoemaking, baking and glass-blowing. Skansen is also home to an aquarium and the World of Monkeys within the Skansen Zoo, which focuses on Scandinavian animals such as reindeer, wolverines, elk, lynx and brown bears. Every December the central square hosts a Christmas market that attracts thousands of visitors every weekend.
Address: Djurgarden
Phone Number: (0)8 442 8000
Email Address: info@skansen.se
Website: www.skansen.se
Transport: Bus 47 from Central Station, vintage tram 7, or ferry from Gamla stan
Hours: Daily 10am to 10pm (20 June to August), 10am to 8pm (May to 19 June and September), 10am to 4pm (March, April and October); the rest of the year 10am to 3pm (until 4pm on weekends). Market days 11am to 5pm on weekends
Admission: June to August: 110kr (adults), 50kr (children 6-15); admission is reduced the rest of the year, but varies according to season
