Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and it offers a lot for tourists. In most cities, I feel like I can cover the highlights in a day and after that I’m ready to move on. While I covered a lot of ground during my one day in Stockholm (technically a day and a half but the weather was horrid on that half day so I’m not counting it), I left the city and knew I wanted to return one day. That’s specifically because it was here, more than anywhere that I’ve visited in a long time, where I found so many interesting museums to visit.
So while I’d recommend giving yourself two days minimum in Stockholm (as that allows you to venture outside the city), here’s my itinerary for one day in Stockholm.
One Day in Stockholm
This Stockholm itinerary does not start early. At least, I don’t think it starts early. You may feel different.
Many of the top sights throughout Scandinavia don’t open until later in the morning. So, in order to accommodate 10:00 am opening times, that’s when this itinerary starts.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that because museums open later that they’d be open longer. Nope.
Typically the sights close at 5:00, so we need to try to cram as much in between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm. So, I recommend having a good breakfast and arriving at your first stop right when it opens at 10:00 to make an efficient use of your day.
10:00 – City Hall
I’m starting your day in Stockholm at City Hall. Like with so many other cities in Scandinavia, City Hall is the most important building in the city. And it’s important not just for Stockholm, but for the entire world. The Nobel Prize Banquet is held in Stockholm’s City Hall every year.
While some cities (like Copenhagen and Oslo) allow you to tour City Hall (or at least parts of it) on your own, Stockholm requires you to visit with a tour. While I found it a little annoying to have to visit with a tour (as I’d much prefer a self explore of any museum), I will say that the tour provided some great insights. Your tour guide will talk about the history and significance of what you’re seeing. Admittedly that’s their job, but it can be nice to listen to it versus reading it.
On your tour, you’ll see the Main Hall as well as the Blue Hall, Council Chambers, and the beautiful Golden Hall.
Tours last 45 minutes and cost 150 SEK. I visited during the off season so I had no problem walking up and purchasing my ticket ten minutes before the tour started, but if you’re visiting in summer, I’d consider booking your tour online in advance. Tickets are released one week prior.
To make the most efficient use of your time today, I recommend booking the earliest tour for the day, which will likely be at 10:00 am.
Confirm the opening hours and purchase your ticket at the Stockholm City Hall Website.
10:45 – To Vasa Museum
There’s two options to get to your next stop. The first is the long way and it involves a 3 kilometer (1.8 mile) walk from City Hall to the Vasa Museum. It’s a long walk, but it’s pretty flat and I didn’t find it bad.
For those who want to save some steps, consider taking a bus or tram for your journey. Bus 69 departs from the Central Station (a 10 minute walk from City Hall) and drops you off at Djurgårdsbron, where you’ll have a short five minute walk to the Vasa Museum. Tram 7 is similar but has a bit more walking from City Hall to the Central Station tram stop.
Whether you walk or catch public transportation, make your way to the Vasa Museum.
11:15 – The Vasa Museum
The Vasa Museum is dedicated to telling the story of the Vasa warship and with just one day in Stockholm, I think its one of the best, if not the best, museum to add your Stockholm itinerary.
This 16th century warship was built to be one of the best ever seen, but it sank on its maiden voyage. That sentence doesn’t really do justice to just how soon it sank. The Vasa warship was less than 1000 meters into its maiden voyage when it sank to the bottom of the sea.
Inside the museum, you’ll find the actual Vasa Warship, which was raised from its resting spot on the sea floor. Plus you’ll find other exhibits dedicated to telling the story of this ship, from its construction to its fateful end to its resurrection.
Entry into the Vasa Museum is 190 SEK. This includes the main exhibit, an audio guide (which can be accessed through your phone by scanning a QR code), a film, and a guided tour. It’s up to you which parts you try to take part in, but I highly recommend watching the film. It runs every 20 minutes, but every showing has a different language. That said, don’t freak out if you don’t see an English option — all showings have English subtitles (I ended up catching the French showing).
I’ll admit that I was skeptical about visiting this museum because I didn’t think it’d be something I was interested in. I went because it showed up on every single list of things to do in Stockholm. I was impressed and it was without a doubt my favorite museum that I visited in Stockholm.
Learn more and buy tickets at the official Vasa Museum Website.
12:30 – Traveler’s Choice
At this point in the day, I’m giving travelers a choice. I think there’s so many things you can do that it comes down to the individual person how they want to spend their time.
That said, I have two options for this two hour break in the day.
Option 1 is to take a break and get some lunch. It’s a busy morning and will continue to be a busy afternoon. I’m a traveler who eats a few snacks across the day and calls it good, but I realize that not everyone is like me. So, take a break from sightseeing and find somewhere for a good lunch (ideally some place that offers a great lunch special so you can save a little money)
Option 2 is to squeeze in another museum. This Stockholm itinerary is museum heavy, but if you have the energy, absolutely try to squeeze in one more. There are loads of museums to choose from, but here’s three suggestions.
- The National Museum – I ran out of time before I could visit the National Museum, but I’m including it as an option for you. If you like art and history, this is where you should spend your time. Entrance to the ground floor is free, but the rest of the museum requires a ticket that costs 160 SEK. Learn more and buy your ticket at the National Museum Website.
- Hallwyll Museum – This was not on my original radar, but I got this recommendation from the friend of a friend. The Hallwyll Museum is a house from the early 1900s and is beautiful decorated. If you like mansions and palaces, consider visiting here. Entry here costs 120 SEK. Learn more and buy your ticket at the official Hallwyll Museum Website.
- ABBA: The Museum – I didn’t visit, but with its slogan of “Walk In, Dance Out”, it seems like this would be a great place to visit if you have a love of music, Abba, or just want a museum that’s different to everything else you’ve seen today. Entry here starts at 239 SEK. Learn more and buy your tickets at the official website.
Whether you choose one of these options or something else entirely, plan to rejoin up with this itinerary in about two hours.
2:30 – Nobel Prize Museum
I’m continuing on to the last museum of the day and that’s the Nobel Prize Museum. This museum is focused on telling stories from Nobel Prize Winners. You’ll learn a bit about the founder of the Nobel Prize, Alfred Nobel, and then will continue on to learn more about some of the winners. A film plays near the exhibit on Alfred Nobel that goes into more details about some of the recipients, giving a five minute overview to each recipient that they cover.
Beyond that, you’ll reach the main part of the museum which focuses on items donated by Nobel Prize recipients. The museum has asked recipients for items they deemed significant to their research. Items include scientific journals and utensils as well as bicycles, suitcases, beer bottles, and more. The included audio guide (accessible through your smartphone) helps to put the items into more context.
Entrance to the Nobel Prize Museum is 140 SEK. Learn more and purchase your ticket at the official website.
3:30 – Stockholm Old Town
I’m finally taking a break from museums, but I’m not quite done with exploring for the day. From the Nobel Prize Museum, you’ll be right on the edge of Stockholm’s Old Town. This area is one of the most charming areas of Stockholm. These narrow, winding roads are fun to just wander and explore. You’ll find some restaurants and shops (although a decent amount are targeted more toward tourists than locals), but also just a fun area to explore. Plus when you’re in this area, don’t forget to take a peak at some churches and the Royal Palace.
5:00 – Traveler’s Choice
I’ve kept a pretty busy day in Stockholm up until this point, so I’m leaving the evening open. Do some shopping, eat a nice dinner, or head back to your hotel to recharge for your next day of sight seeing. The choice is yours.
Getting Around Stockholm
Admittedly, I walked almost everywhere in Stockholm and skipped the use of buses, trams, and metros. All three options exist and can be used, but I found Stockholm to have some of the most expensive public transportation I’ve seen. A single journey costs 42 SEK (nearly $4 USD). Which is expensive, but for long distances can be worth it.
Normally, I find that three trips on public transportation will justify a 24 hour public transportation pass. Stockholm was different. A 24 hour pass is 175 SEK (about $16.50 USD), which works out to 5 trips on public transportation. I looked at my Stockholm itinerary and realized there was no good reason for me to take five journeys on public transportation, so I bought tickets as needed (which turned out to be two).
This is not to deter you from choosing public transportation, but rather, a reminder to do some math before you buy your tickets. Scandinavia is expensive so it pays to look be savvy with your transportation purchases.
When to Visit Stockholm
Winters have the fewest visitors and therefore you can expect a slightly lower price. However, winters have the worst weather (expect it to be cold) and have limited daylight. For example, in Stockholm, the sun rises around 8:30 am and sets at about 3:30 pm in January.
Summers have long days with the sun not setting until 9:00 or 10:00 pm. You’ll also have the best weather. However, crowds are at their highest.
Typically, shoulder season can offer the best mix between daylight hours, weather, and tourist crowds. But I personally would recommend traveling very late spring to very early summer or very late summer into very early fall. Basically, try to catch that cut over between spring and summer or summer and fall.
I traveled in mid April and it was a bit chilly, especially in the mornings. I did ok, but I definitely would have preferred it to be just a little bit warmer. Plus some sights still had limited hours. If I were to do this trip again, I’d aim for late May.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed Stockholm much more than I thought I would. Due to train delays and bad weather, I only had one day in Stockholm and it became clear that that just wasn’t enough. While many cities I want to revisit just because I enjoyed the vibe of the city, Stockholm is a city I’d revisit just because there were a handful of places I never got to visit. But, even if you only have one day in Stockholm, you can still have an excellent trip.
Continue Your Adventure
More in Sweden: Stockholm is great and full of awesome sights and museums, but don’t miss some of its great day trips, such as Uppsala and Drottningholm Slott. Continue traveling through Sweden by adding a stop in Gothenburg. Start your trip planning with my Sweden Travel Guide.
Scandinavia: Start planning your trip to Scandinavia with this 10 Day Itinerary or this 7 Day Itinerary, featuring stops in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Check out my Scandinavia Budget for a realistic look at travel costs and budgeting tips. Plus, here’s my top tips for traveling Scandinavia.
Denmark: No visit to Denmark would be complete without spending at least one day in Copenhagen, where you can tour several churches and have some fun at Tivoli Gardens. Plus, learn more in my Denmark Travel Guide.
Norway: While so much of Norway’s beauty is found outside its cities, add a quick stop in its capital city of Oslo. Plus, check out my Norway Travel Guide.