STOCKHOLM IN THREE DAYS

 

Are you planning a trip to Stockholm but haven’t figured out where to go and what to do? This is for you.

 

You’re cool enough in my book because you thought about Stockholm as your next vacation destination. As I write this, I just got back from Stockholm. Honestly, every European city has its charm and character, but Stockholm was something else. I was always surprised when Swedish people would ask me why I came here? Why I picked Stockholm of all the places I could visit. I never understood the question.

Stockholm is interesting and humble; its architecture is austere. It is not trying to be something it isn’t. It has a strong sense of community, a big part of its values revolves around sharing, especially when it comes to space, which brings people closer with a sense of trust – at least that’s what I think. This couldn’t be more opposite to American culture. There were many moments when I had flashbacks of IKEA catalogues, almost like they weren’t staged, and it was just real Swedish life. As cliché as that sounds. Stockholm, I miss you. Also, seeing Stockholm in three days in enough, but you may want to stay longer.

 

If you’re planning on seeing Stockholm in three days, make sure to review this blog for a full itinerary and everything you need to know.

 

#1 ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STOCKHOLM

THE BEST MONTHS TO VISIT 

The best time to visit Stockholm is from June through August. The weather is so much warmer and the city comes alive. However, you know I love to travel during shoulder seasons (May and September). I had time off in May and I decided to go then. I don’t regret it and if you have to go during May or September don’t skip it just because it’s unpopular to go then. Just be prepared, bring a jacket, trench coat, and maybe a scarf so you don’t avoid the long walks. We lucked out during our visit, it didn’t rain at all. So besides the occasional wind coming out of left field, I can’t complain about the timing.

 

HOW LONG TO STAY?

I stayed three full days, however I’d recommend 4 days at least, ideally 4-5. Stockholm ends the day pretty early, around 6 pm. All attractions, malls, boutiques close around that time. But despite that, there was so much to do and see. It’s a beautiful city with a very calm ethos. I found it to be the perfect balance of urban and relaxing vacation.

 

WHERE TO STAY?

Stockholm is a constellation of many many islands, about 14 of them. It is a very safe city, so you cannot go wrong. Some areas are more central than others, full of the sightseeing attractions you’re going to want to visit. While I did my research it became apparent to me that certain areas might be the way to go.

1. Norrmalm is where I stayed and I would stay there again if I revisited. Norrmalm is where all the stores, restaurants, and train stations are. It has the Stockholm charm, it’s the heart of the city. It’s easy to navigate if you stay here.
2. Gamla Stan is the old city, very charming, cobblestone streets. It isn’t too far from Norrmalm and many of the attractions you’re going to be visiting are also here. While it’s not my first choice, it is another option.
3. Östermalm is a more upscale, residential neighborhood, with parks, etc… not so much to do in the area. I wouldn’t recommend but it’s an option if you have a great hotel deal and want to stay here.

 

HOW EXPENSIVE IS STOCKHOLM?

I found transportation and museums to be affordable. Food and clothing were as pricey as any big city like Paris, London, NYC. For someone who traveled from NYC, I was accustomed to the prices, but it felt odd to be paying the same amount for coffee or food at restaurants. But I have to say, the quality was always there so I never felt ripped off.

 

AIRPORT TO CITY RIDE

I took the Arlanda Express train from the airport to the Central Station in Stockholm, it was a 20 minute ride. It cost me around $35. It was very easy and intuitive to get the pass, hop on the train and get off at the station. I was a short walk away from my hotel. I highly recommend skipping taxis and using public transport.

 

TRANSPORTATION

You can walk, bike, take the metro, or Uber. It’s a very walkable city, so you will find it rather fun to walk around and explore. The metro is very reliable, easy to pay and have access. It is very clean and runs efficiently. Uber was quite cheap, I used it twice to cross long distances when I needed to save time. The drivers were very nice and I came to know they need to take specific courses and learn about how to deal with people with substance abuse, basic life support, etc. before getting a taxi/ commercial driver permit.

 

HOTEL OPTIONS

I’m going to give you some hotel options that I came across while I did my research: Miss Clara, Elite Hotel Stockholm, Nofo Hotel, Nobis Hotel, Berns Hotel, Wadshuset Ulla, Widlach AB. Part of going during shoulder season is benefiting from the lower price at nicer hotels, especially if you reserve months ahead.

 

MISS CLARA HOTEL REVIEW

Let me start by saying that if I had to stay in Stockholm again, I would stay at Miss Clara without a doubt. I initially chose this hotel because of the clean, Scandinavian, minimal esthetic that showed in all of its photos. The entrance and lobby were very nicely decorated and everything was beautiful and welcoming. As fas as amenities, it has a gym and sauna, which you can access 24/7. Byredo soap and lotion, yes please. But very quickly I realized that the customer service was unmatched. The front desk staff were very approachable, they were available via WhatsApp, too. I felt very welcomed and well taken care of. My room was very well attended to. I loved my view. They had curtains with black out shade, which allowed me to take a lovely nap shortly after my arrival.

 

CITY PASS

If you are visiting museums and attractions, more than two or three, let’s chat. I skipped on this, but looking back I think it was a great deal. I would get the City Pass if I had to do it all over again. If you can see as many of the museums in a short span, you can get the city pass over a day or two and save even more. But even a three day pass still makes sense.

 

SHOPPING: PRICES & WHERE TO GO

There is so much shopping in the central area that you can do. If you’re planning on purchasing luxury items, you will not be saving the way you would in countries where goods are priced in Euros. Just be mindful. You will be purchasing in Swedish Krona, SEK. For instance, I felt Chanel was priced similar to US prices, same for Gucci.
– Norrmalm has streets of high-end stores, between Jakobsbergsgatan and Hamngatan, worth walking by and checking out. The most important stop you need to make is the first Toteme store in Stockholm – iconic. The store was recently renovated and reopened, it is very reminiscent of the Madison Avenue store in NYC. Go to Byredo, because well, it’s swedish. Stop by Flattered, because if you’re coming from the US, we’ve never stepped foot in their stores. Go to House of Dagmar, Massimo Dutti and COS. Mango and Arket further down the street.
– NK Stockholm is a department store. It has plenty of high-end stores like Saint Laurent, Hermes and Toteme.
– Gallerian is a shopping mall, with plenty of stores and a small IKEA. I didn’t really shop in here. But made a quick stop to get coffee, and take a short cut and go through it to the other side.
– Souvenirs and local things are best found in Gamla Stan.

 

#2 THREE DAY ITINERARY

DAY #1

Top left clockwise: Storkyrkan Cathedral, Nobel Prize Museum, Dinner at Kvarnen, Streets of Gamla Stan, The Royal Palace.

• Breakfast at Espresso House: We stopped by Espresso House for a quick bite and some coffee. I actually got several cups of coffee from them throughout my stay. It is a chain and can easily be found all over in Stockholm. They were always great. Staff were always nice. You won’t be looking for Starbucks.
• Gamla Stan: Gamla Stan is the old city, very charming, cobblestone streets. Everywhere you look you will find souvenir shops, especially on Västerlånggatan street. The good ones will always stand out. Dala Shop really stood out to us with their outstanding quality. We loved it so much, we came back and bought more things on our last day. Walk around, explore, the streets are very picturesque.
• Main Square: Make sure to stop by the main square, where the infamous houses are in Swedish architecture. This is an iconic Stockholm view. I used this as the main photo of this blog post.
• Nobel Prize Museum: This is a must-see. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about some of the Nobel Prize winners and their contribution to the world as we know it. I also learned a bit about the process of voting and winning.
• The Royal Palace: The Royal Palace is made of many sections and separate buildings. Depending on when you visit, some of the sections can be closed as they are being used. I was able to see the Museum three crowns and The treasury where the crown jewels are.
• Storkyrkan Cathedral: Is a beautiful brick gothic cathedral. This is a quick stop, but don’t miss it.
• Mårten Trotzigs Gränd: This is a very narrow street, try to coordinate so you are marching your way up instead of going down. If you pull up your arms, you can touch both sides of the street.
• A long scenic walk: As it gets later in the day and almost all places besides restaurants and bars close. It might be a good time to explore further and go for walks. We started our walk into Södermalm. We walked by the shore at Monteliusvägen, through the Skinnarviksparken park and hiked up for some scenic shots of the city. We then walked towards Hornsgatan and stayed on that street until we stopped by for some dinner. We enjoyed the boutique stores along the street.
• Dinner at Kvarnen: We wanted the local authentic experience for our first dinner, and they did not disappoint. I had sour cocktails here and they were both good, like impressive. I had white asparagus with hollandaise sauce, followed by Swedish meatballs and they were good. The bread basket with Swedish traditional bread and butter were also really good. We tried Swedish Snaps too and they were quite strong.

 

DAY #2

Top left clockwise: Fotografiska, Devil’s Bible at the National Library, The National Museum, Fotografiska restaurant, and Fabrique.

• Breakfast at Fabrique: Mark my words, once you eat at Fabrique, it’s going to be really hard to go elsewhere during your stay. While it’s familiar to New Yorkers, many people will come to try this place in Stockholm. It has the best buns and coffee in Stockholm.
• Humlegården: This wasn’t a planned stop, but it was a beautiful park we stopped by to get some fresh air. There is a beautiful statue of Linné, who was a biologist and physician. This is a great spot to sit, get some rest or enjoy your takeout meal.
• National Library: This is a public library that you can enter for free. Lockers are outside for you to put your own things in. We visited the National Library to see the Devil’s Bible, which is a 36 inch long manuscript written in the 13th century in Bohemia. It is covered in glass, so you can’t exactly flip through to see what’s documented inside. It was said to be written by a monk, with the largest illustrations of the devil.
• Some shopping: Because of our proximity to the entire shopping district between Biblioteksgatan and Hamngatan, we decided to shop a bit. I mentioned all the stores to stop by here, but most importantly to me was Massimo Dutti, because hello we do not have any stores in the US, Byredo, Celine, Chanel, COS… you know the places I go always.
• National Museum: Next up we walked to the National Museum. This museum was gorgeous, the architecture itself on the inside and outside as well. It reminded me of museums I visited when I was in Vienna. It had an inner courtyard full of sculptures and several of them across the museum. They have a large selection of Scandinavian Art, with some romantic and royal Art. They also had some exhibits, where they showcased Pierre Bonnard’s work when I visited. You can try and rush through it, but in my opinion you need about an hour and a half, maybe two to properly get through this collection. Entrance fee $15.
• Millesgarden: Here comes the best thing I saw in all of Stockholm. Ok, my gateway to Millesgarden wasn’t because I knew who Carl Milles was or someone told me to visit this place. No one talks about this place! In 2024, Toteme had an event out here and the photos were surreal; I marked my map and told myself I’d check this place out when I visit. Saying it did not disappoint – would be an understatement. Hear me out, you need to visit Millesgarden. I have not idea why this magical place isn’t at the top of everyone’s recommendation list for what to see in Stockholm. Entrance was only $18.
  I entered the garden and my jaw dropped at the sculptures and the wonderful garden that reminded me of the abandoned mansion in Great Expectations. Surreal, serene, so authentic. Art meets and mimics nature. I could go on – how much time do you have? You need to see this place and spend some time here. Have a seat and soak it all in. I may revisit Stockholm just to see this place again.
  Now getting here isn’t the fun part, it’s a bit outside the city takes around 40 mins. I took the subway to the Ropsten stop, and unfortunately had to wait 20 mins for the bus to come and take me across the bridge (<10 minute ride), so I took an Uber instead. If it was a weekday, I probably would have had no issue taking public transport all the way both ways. In an effort to save time, I then took an Uber back all the way to Fotografiska.
• Fotografiska: I have always had a soft spot for Fotografiska in New York City. The building made famous by Anna Delvey, now available again – does she know? (just kidding), was a place I frequently visited. I love Photography and they had some interesting pieces that showcased photography as we know it as well as the moving image. I am so glad I got a chance to experience Fotografiska in Stockholm, it was different. What an amazing place, almost life size, loud photography, Scandinavian Artists portrarying their cool, minimal take on photography. I thoroughly enjoyed it. You can plan to come here later in the day as it’s one of the few places that’s open until late at night 11 pm. Entrance is $24.
  Hot off the press: I heard Fotografiska is coming back to New York. They are just looking for a bigger venue.
• Drinks: Don’t leave Fotografiska without enjoying a glass of wine, cider, whatever floats your boat, or a full dinner, with their wonderful view. This whole visit was one I will always remember and cherish. I ordered an appetizer and it was so delicious, my cider was perfect. Something about Stockholm and the quality just always being there.
• Dinner: We decided to switch gears and have some salad for dinner. We went to Hermans for a vegan salad bar and some soup. I was desperate for a light dinner that will make me feel good and this hit the spot.

 

DAY #3

Top left clockwise: Dinner at Riche, Avicii Experience, Vasa Museum, Gamla Stan, and because this blog wouldn’t be complete without Toteme – this is from their Flagship in Stockholm!

• Breakfast at Fabrique, of course – where else?
• Kingsgarden: This is a beautiful garden, depending on the time of the year you visit you might have a different view, of course. In winter, there is an ice skating rink and in Spring, cherry blossoms. I took my breakfast here and spent some time taking it in.
• Royal Swedish Opera: We just walked by the building on our way out of the area, but you certainly can purchase tickets and watch a performance here.
• Avicii Experience: If you were a fan of Avicii, you will thoroughly enjoy this place. It’s full of videos of his childhood, performances, recreations of his room, his things… it’s heart breaking but it will also take you back to the times when you listened to his music. I found it profoundly sad honestly, but it’s not to be missed. Entrance is $26.
• Shopping: If you didn’t go to the stores in the area, this might be a good time to pop into Arket, Mango, H&M as they are few steps away.
• Vasa Museum: You can go to Vasa Museum by walking, car, boat or train. The boat is probably the most interesting way to get there as you go to another island. Our last day in Stockholm was extremely windy and cold that we chose to take an Uber. The lines weren’t long, we paid and entered under three minutes. The Vasa is a 17^th century ship that sank that same year it was built, 1628. It was salvaged again in 1961 and placed in a museum. Seeing Vasa in its magnitude was very impressive. You can walk around take a good look at the ship and learn about some of the facts and events around it. There are many other museums to see on this island, including: The Nordic Museum, The Viking Museum, ABBA. They all close pretty early so try to come a little early to the island so you have enough time to see the museums you plan on going to. Entrance is $24.
• Grona Lund: You can see Grona Lund while at Fotografiska, it was actually our view when we sat to have a drink. You can also see it right in front of the museum as you walk by the waters, it is across the island. I am sure this is a much more fun activity when the weather is nicer, we walked by and then walked to Gamla Stan.
• Gamla Stan: We went back to Gamla Stan For a final look at the Main Square and buy some souvenirs and things we didn’t get to on our first round. Got out coffees and walked back to Norrmalm for our last dinner in Stockholm.
• Dinner at Riche: We chose our last dinner at another bistro with Swedish and French influence. I ordered the asparagus soup and fish, I got a very large portion of fish with a side of potatoes and green beans. I still remember how fresh the fish was. The food was great, the vibe felt more like an upscale diner location that I could go to in New York City. So if you value food and atmosphere when you go out, just be mindful.

TRAIN TO COPENHAGEN
If you plan on going to Copenhagen, you can easily take the train from the same Central Train Station you used to get to city center to go to Copenhagen. I found our tickets to be expensive, for an express train we paid somewhere around $90/ ticket. It was a 5-hour ride to Copenhagen with one stop in Malmö, where we got off and hopped on a new train and got off at Kobenhavn H. The train was super clean though, seats were assigned, there was a small cafeteria where you could get prepackaged sandwiches, salads, snacks, and any cold of hot beverage. It was very organized.

 

If you’re planning on seeing Stockholm in three days, make sure to review this blog for a full itinerary and everything you need to know.

 

As always, thank you for stopping by and reading. If this content interested you, you might want to follow my Instagram account @girlontheues

See you next time,

Girl on the Upper East Side

Xx

 

If this interests you, you might enjoy reading my itinerary for Vienna, or the one I wrote about Prague, or my guide to Armenia, and my ultimate packing list.