With over 100 attractions and museums, you could make numerous trips to Stockholm and still have new things to see each time. However, if you only have one chance to visit Sweden’s capital, you probably want to be intentional with your plan. Built on 14 islands where Lake Malaren flows into the Baltic Sea, the area has had inhabitants as far back as 8000 BC.
Today, more than 2.4 million people live in the metropolitan area. Full of history, culture, architecture, government, and commerce, Stockholm has something for everyone. Let’s take a closer look at this beautiful city in this ultimate travel guide.
How Can I Best Enjoy Lake Malaren?
As mentioned, Lake Malaren is a prominent geographic feature. You can take a boat cruise from Stockholm to explore the lake, or you can take a bus to one of the many lakeside towns within an hour. If you do this, you’ll want to use luggage storage in Stockholm to simplify your day trip.
Dragging your bags or souvenirs onto and off of different forms of transportation leads to a long, exhausting day. Luggage storage in Stockholm provides a simple, cheap solution to make sure your important items are safe and not distracting you from the area’s natural beauty.
What Are Some Museums I Can’t Afford to Miss?
Millions of people visit Stockholm every year solely for its museums. Some of them offer things you can only find in Sweden, such as an interactive exhibit dedicated to the pop music sensation ABBA. Opened in 2013, ABBA The Museum features the collected works of the music group. One of the most unique exhibits is a self-playing piano that is synchronized with Benny Andersson’s personal piano. When he plays the keys at home, you can see it in real time on the self-playing piano.
An equally impressive exhibit that can only be seen in Stockholm is a well-preserved 17th-century ship. The Vasa Museum is part of the Swedish National Maritime Museums and has previously held the distinction as the most visited museum in Scandinavia. Its feature item is a 64-gun warship that sank on its initial trip to sea in 1628. Despite its poor performance in service, Vasa has been almost entirely salvaged and sits next to a scale model of what the ship looked like prior to its maiden voyage nearly 400 years ago.
What Kind of Architecture Can I Expect in Stockholm?
Stockholm has buildings as old as the 13th century. Its oldest part of town is appropriately named Galma Stan, which literally translates to “Old Town.” This section of Stockholm maintains its medieval street layout and multiple palaces. One of the most recognizable is Riddarhuset, which means House of Nobility.
This important building maintains records for Swedish nobility, but don’t confuse it with Nobel Museum. Also in Old Town, the Nobel Museum has information about Alfred Nobel and the many winners of the Nobel Prize he founded.
More recently, architecture throughout the city has changed with the times, giving tourists a wide range of styles to appreciate. Many buildings erected in the 19th century mimicked those of other large European cities, such as Berlin and Vienna. The Royal Swedish Opera was built during this era. In the early 1900s, architectural designs adopted inspiration from the city’s original structures and began to feature medieval and renaissance elements.
How Can I Experience Sweden’s Culture Other Than the Museums?
Stockholm includes world-renowned theaters in addition to internationally-acclaimed art galleries. The Royal Swedish Opera is located in the same neighborhood as the official residence of the Prime Minister. The Royal Dramatic Theatre was founded in 1788 and combines for approximately 1,000 shows each year thanks to its five active stages. The main stage opened in 1908 and has a capacity of 720.
If you are looking for art, you’ll have plenty of choices. The city’s newest exhibition hall for contemporary art is located at Stockholm University. Named Accelerator, this museum bills itself as a place where science and art meet because of the cutting-edge collaborations it houses. There are dozens of others to visit.
Your best strategy is to conduct an online search and visit individual websites. This will allow you to find the museum or gallery that fits your preferred style. Plus, some of the museums allow free admission on certain days, so their websites will have the most current information to save you money.
Conclusion
Stockholm isn’t necessarily a well-kept secret, but some of its history and culture remains untapped to the uneducated visitor. Whether it is history, architecture, art, or something else, Stockholm likely has what you are looking for. Use this guide as a way to narrow down what you want to see and maximize your cultural fulfillment in Sweden’s capital city.