Discover what’s new before everyone else:

Get our free on-the-go Nordic hotspot map!

The Nordic Nomad

Stockholm, Sweden

How to see Stockholm’s 10 most famous sights with fresh eyes

The Nordics • See & do • How to see Stockholm’s 10 most famous sights with fresh eyes

Exploring Stockholm’s most famous sights – beyond the obvious

Wouldn’t want to be caught dead in a tourist trap? We get it. Stockholm’s most celebrated sites draw crowds for a reason, but that doesn’t mean you have to experience them like everyone else. The key is knowing when to go, which routes to take and what details to notice – the ones that turn a well-worn attraction into something remarkable. A quieter street in Gamla Stan, a hidden perspective on the Vasa a better way to take in the city’s history and design. This is Stockholm’s top ten, reconsidered – not as a checklist, but as places worth seeing properly.

Gamla Stan

Stockholm’s old town is as atmospheric as it is crowded – but there’s a way to experience it without shuffling through souvenir shops. Skip Västerlånggatan and take Prästgatan instead, a quiet, lantern-lit backstreet that once housed the city’s executioner. At Stortorget, look for the red stones on a building facade – silent markers of the 1520 Stockholm Bloodbath. For lunch, Den Gyldene Freden serves perfectly seared meatballs with velvety potato purée, lingonberries and a rich cream sauce in a candlelit dining room that has barely changed since 1722. Later, find a seat at Pharmarium, a cocktail bar in a former apothecary, and watch the crowds fade. Gamla Stan is still magical – if you know where to look.

Gamla Stan
Stockholm
Sweden

Vasamuseet

The Vasa is Stockholm’s great spectacle, an almost perfectly preserved 17th-century warship that spent 333 years at the bottom of the sea. But most visitors rush through, snapping a photo before moving on. Instead, arrive early (right at opening) or late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds. Walk its perimeter, noticing the intricate carvings – grimacing sea gods, Roman emperors, Swedish royalty. Head upstairs for a full view of its towering masts, then down below, where the ship’s sheer scale is almost overwhelming. Skip the crowded intro film and explore the exhibits on shipbuilding and life aboard. Before leaving, step outside – the working shipyard nearby is a quiet reminder that Stockholm’s maritime legacy is still alive.

Vasamuseet
Galärvarvsvägen 14
Stockholm
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Vasamuseet

Stadshuset

Stadshuset, Stockholm’s City Hall, is an architectural icon – red brick, soaring towers and the site of the annual Nobel banquet. But most visitors miss the details that make it remarkable. Arrive early for a guided tour, the only way inside. In the Blue Hall, notice how it isn’t actually blue – architect Ragnar Östberg abandoned the colour when he saw how the raw brick glowed in the light. The grand staircase was designed with a subtle incline, ensuring that women in long gowns could descend gracefully. Upstairs, the Golden Hall dazzles with 18 million gold mosaic tiles. Afterward, book a table at Stadshuskällaren, where you can even order a past Nobel dinner, re-created down to the last course.

Stadshuset
Hantverkargatan 1
Stockholm
Sweden

Skansen

Skansen is often seen as a family-friendly attraction, but at its core, it’s a living archive of Swedish design, craftsmanship and tradition. Skip the reindeer petting and step inside Bollnäs House, a striking example of 19th-century log construction. Watch artisans shape molten glass into minimalist forms at the Glassworks, then enter Seglora Kyrka, an 18th-century wooden church with hand-painted interiors, relocated from Västergötland. For lunch, Gubbhyllan serves proper husmanskost in a historic villa or grab a cardamom bun from Bakery Café Petissan, tucked in a quiet courtyard. Before leaving, walk the hilltop paths – at sunset, the views over Stockholm’s rooftops remind you why this city does nature and urbanity so well.

Skansen
Djurgårdsslätten 49-51
Stockholm
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Skansen

Kungliga Slottet

Most visitors rush through Kungliga Slottet (the Royal Palace), ticking off the Royal Apartments and the Treasury before moving on. But the real intrigue lies in its lesser-seen corners. Arrive early and linger in the Bernadotte Library, where gilded bookshelves and diplomatic gifts offer a quiet glimpse into royal intellect. Look up in the Hall of State, where Sweden’s minimalism meets Baroque drama under an impossibly vast ceiling. In the Rikssalen, Queen Kristina abdicated her throne in 1654 – a moment that still echoes in the room’s solemn grandeur. Instead of watching the Changing of the Guard from the square, slip into the Slottskyrkan, where royal ceremonies unfold away from the crowds.

Kungliga Slottet
Stockholm
Sweden

Nordiska Museet

Most visitors skim through Nordiska Museet, glancing at folk costumes and skipping the deeper stories. But this is where Sweden’s cultural DNA is on display – if you know where to look. Arrive at opening, when the vast Main Hall is empty and bathed in morning light. Take the stairs slowly – here, a little-seen portrait of Gustav Vasa presents Sweden’s first king as both warrior and statesman. In the Sami exhibition, one of Scandinavia’s most important collections of Indigenous culture, linger over the intricate silverwork and traditional gákti garments. Skip the main restaurant for the hidden courtyard café, or, for true design obsessives, ask staff about the museum archives, where textiles, furniture and everyday objects tell the deeper story of Swedish craftsmanship.

Nordiska Museet
Djurgårdsvägen 6-16
Stockholm
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Nordiska Museet

Djurgården

Take on the vastness of Djurgården like a local – slowly, deliberately and always with a scenic detour. Budget at least half a day, more if you linger. Skip the packed trams and arrive by ferry from Slussen or Nybrokajen, gliding past the city before docking at Allmänna Gränd, near Gröna Lund theme park. From here, skip the main thoroughfare and follow the waterfront path west, past moored boats and quiet gardens, until you reach Rosendals Trädgård, a biodynamic café where locals sip coffee under apple trees. Walk the Djurgårdsbrunn Canal, where rowers skim past, then stop at Oaxen Slip for modern Swedish food. As the sun dips, locals gather at Blå Porten, a leafy courtyard café that’s been around for a century.

Djurgården
Stockholm
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Visit Stockholm and Rosendals Trädgård

Moderna Museet

Some modern museums dazzle with spectacle. Moderna Museet takes a different approach. Designed by Rafael Moneo, its terracotta-clad structure is quietly unassuming, letting the art – and the Nordic light – do the work. The collection is serious but never overwhelming, balancing heavyweights with the unexpected. Nils Dardel’s ‘Den Döende Dandyn’ is a fever dream of bright colours and existential drama. Sigrid Hjertén’s vivid, expressive canvases capture the energy of early 20th-century Stockholm, shaped by a life lived between brilliance and tragedy. Dorothea Tanning’s ‘Insomnies’ distorts reality into something unsettling, while Louise Lawler’s ‘Eye Contact’ forces viewers to reconsider their relationship with art itself.

Moderna Museet
Exercisplan 4
Stockholm
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Moderna Museet

Östermalm Saluhall

At Östermalm Saluhall, the city’s rhythms play out over seafood platters and steaming plates of husmanskost. Local businessmen seal deals over gravlax and aquavit, posh housewives discuss summer house renovations by the cheese counter and visitors look on, trying to blend in. This 1880s market hall underwent a meticulous five-year restoration, reopening in 2020, preserving its grand iron framework while refining every polished wood stall. At Lisa Elmqvist, a name synonymous with Swedish seafood, skagen toast arrives piled high with shrimp, butter-fried sole cooked to perfection. Husmans Deli serves comforting classics – braised veal, herring and rich sauces balanced by tart lingonberries. Regulars claim tables at Tysta Mari, where a midday glass of aquavit is not just accepted but expected.

Östermalm Saluhall
Östermalmsgatan 31
Stockholm
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Östermalm Saluhall

Nationalmuseum

There’s nothing understated about Nationalmuseum. Its 19th-century facade looms over the waterfront, its vast marble halls and soaring frescoed ceilings setting the stage for Sweden’s greatest artistic achievements. But grandeur here isn’t about excess – it’s about precision. Carl Larsson’s ‘Midvinterblot’ depicts a dramatic Norse legend and Gustav Cederström’s ‘Bringing Home the Body of King Charles XII’ portrays a poignant historical moment. The museum’s design wing is just as sharp – Josef Frank’s riotous prints and Swedish glass reduced to pure form. Even the library, which you simply must find, redesigned by Emma Olbers, is a study in material perfection. Oh, and don’t miss out on the restaurant, which was designed by some of Sweden’s best contemporary artists and designers.