MUSEUMS
Skansen Open-Air Museum
Skansen was the first open-air museum in Sweden, opening in 1891 with the aim of showing the way of life in the country before the industrial revolution. Skansen is one of the most popular museums in Stockholm for tourists and locals alike. Beside the open air museum, there is also a zoo where you can visit animals native to the Scandinavia region. The museum is located on Royal Djurgården, offering beautiful views on all sides of the city.
The Vasa Museum
The Vasa Museum exhibits the only preserved 17th century ship in the whole world. The Vasa ship sank on its maiden voyage in Stockholm harbor in 1628. It was found in 1961 and painstakingly restored to its former glory. Almost the entirety of the ship is original. You can walk around the entirety of the magnificent ship on speciality designed platforms, so you don’t miss a single square inch of this beautiful piece of naval history.
Fotografiska
The Swedish museum of photography, or Fotografiska, is one of the largest contemporary museums of photography in the world. Explore the four large exhibitions and almost 20 smaller ones per year. The museum opened in 2010 and is located in the old customs house, built in Art Nouveau style. The building is culturally protected and, besides the museum, houses an academy, café, conference rooms, event space and museum shop.
Moderna Museet
If you consider yourself to be fan of modern art, you should definitely explore the Stockholm’s Museum of Modern Art. Here you will find one of the largest collections of 20th century art (as well as contemporary works) in Sweden. See the works of Picasso, Matisse, Dali and others; explore the large collections, and see different temporary exhibitions. Moderna Museet is located on Skeppsholmen island, surrounded by nature and offering a great view of Djurgården and Strandvägen.
ABBA – The Museum
Legendary Swedish pop group ABBA is famous all over the world. In Stockholm you can find a museum dedicated just to them. Dance along to the beats of Waterloo or Dancing Queen; explore the colorful clothing room from the cool and groovy ABBA era; see the clips from films and musicals based on the group and their songs.
PARKS
Djurgarden
The island of Djurgarden is utterly stunning and has, for a long time, been a favourite place of the Swedish royal family. In fact, the island is owned by the Swedish crown and has been since the 15h century, as King John III enjoyed hunting on the island so much. Today it has many of Stockholm’s main attractions, including the ABBA and Vasa museums, but the park at its centre, Kungliga Djurgarden, is the best place for a picnic.
Nytorget
So-Fo on Sodermalm is the contemporary and hipster centre of Stockholm. It is replete with all kinds of trendy shops, excellent cafes and cool restaurants. Right in the middle of So-Fo is Nytorget, a small and charming square that is delightful in summer and has plenty of benches and grass to sit on. In one corner of the square is the very popular Urban Deli, which is broadly similar to Whole Foods in the United States.
Humlegarden
Ostermalm is one of Stockholm’s most beautiful and upmarket neighbourhoods, full of boutique shops, charming hotels and it has several Michelin-star restaurants. Humlegarden was once a royal garden but has since become a place for families to play, people to relax with a book and a place for picnics to be had.
Farsta Strand
Down in the south of the city is Farsta Strand, the last stop on the green line on the metro, which is right by the Magelungen lake, a beautiful sight to have a picnic in front of. You can walk right down to the lake and then find one of the many benches to sit on and admire the beauty of the water.
Skinnarviksberget
Skinnarviksberget is the tallest natural point in Stockholm and therefore, is the ideal spot for a picnic with a view. You can see almost the whole city from Skinnarviksberget and it is sometimes hard to concentrate on eating – such is the beauty of the spot. Skinnarviksberget is in Sodermalm, like Tantolunden on the west side, and thus is surrounded by plenty of places to get food to take up to the top of the hill.
Norra Bantorget
A small park right in the centre of the city might not seem like the best spot to have a picnic. However, it is amazing how this little slice of greenery feels like an urban oasis, and because it is in the centre of the city, there are some really wonderful places to get food. The best of them is La Neta, a Mexican restaurant that was started by a group of Mexicans who despaired at the lack of real Mexican food in the city.
Ralambshovsparken
The ideal summer spot for so many reasons, with the primary one being that it is an activity park. There are a variety of different games and activities available for people visiting the park, ranging from football pitches, and beach volleyball courts to swimming spots.
Tyresta National Park
Stockholm is blessed with having several lovely nature reserves that are full of all kinds of plants and animals – as well as having great hiking trails to explore. Tyresta is the largest and most beautiful of all of them, and while it is a little far out of the city, it is well worth hopping on the 807 or 809 bus from the metro station Gullmarsplan to get there.
Tantolunden
Tantolunden is one of Stockholm’s biggest and most beautiful parks. Nestled on the west side of the island of Sodermalm, it is also a bustling spot in summer, but it is not so busy that you will struggle to find a place to relax. It is down by the water and there is even a small beach where you can sit and watch the world go by.
MARKETS
Hornstulls Marknad
Located in Hornstull, in western Södermalm, lies this trendy outdoor market. Many merchants are exciting little-known designers selling their own creations, but there are also a lot of second-hand items, including a great selection of vintage clothes, jewellery, and shoes but also electronics and bikes. The market stretches along the water, making it a pleasant place for a leisurely stroll, punctuated by the occasional browse, even for those who don’t intend to buy anything.
Bruno Vintage
Located in Södermalm, the small but not too crowded Bruno Vintage Market is the go-to place for vintage, as the name indicates. Most of what is on sale is clothing but there is a decent selection of jewelry and household items at reasonable prices too, and of course it all varies day to day. Even the sellers are not always the same. Don’t forget to try to haggle, some sellers might agree to lower their prices so it is definitely worth a try.
Östermalms Saluhall
For something a lot more sophisticated, head to the high end Östermalm district where this gorgeous covered food market has been active since the late 1880s. Named as one of Jamie Oliver’s favorite places in Stockholm, it’s packed with prestigious family establishments, restaurants or stalls, with high quality ingredients to take home, including some traditional Swedish delicacies and amazing fresh seafood.
Söderloppis / Nackaloppis
This flea market features the usual vintage clothes and household items, but also records, toys, and even taxidermy. It doesn’t seem to be a market for professionals but rather a place that locals use as a yard sale; prices are cheap and sellers are rarely the same every week. Located on the island of Kvarnholmen, it is only open in the summer on Saturdays and Sundays and carries a 10 kronor cover charge, more than worth it, in our opinion.
Täby-Loppis
The loppis (flea market) in Täby, in Stockholm’s suburbs, is a ‘drive-in’ market, which means that stall-holders just sell their wares from their car trunk. It is the largest market of that sort in Sweden, giving it a refreshing atmosphere of amateurism and improvisation, like a larger version of a neighbor’s yard sale. The items on sale include clothes and shoes but also, to the delight of travelers, bizarre trinkets that could make unusual souvenirs. The market is open on weekends from May to October.
