3 Days in Stockholm - The Ultimate Itinerary

So you are travelling to Stockholm for three days and want to know the best things to see and do? Then you have come to the right place! This itinerary for 3 days in Stockholm includes everything you cannot miss as well as some hidden gems from a few local friends! This guide is perfect for a long weekend in Stockholm for anyone who wants to enjoy the best the city has to offer!

Travelling after your Stockholm visit? Here you can find inspiration and the best places to visit in Sweden!

Stockholm is by far the biggest city in Sweden and somewhere that offers more and more things to explore every time you visit! Don’t expect to be able to see the whole of Stockholm in three days, to experience it properly you need at least a week! However, expect to be able to visit a few of the best museums, viewpoints, cafes and areas of the city in 3 days!

So, without further ado, here is the ultimate guide to spending 3 days in Stockholm, Sweden!

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About Stockholm

Stockholm is Sweden’s biggest city, located on the east coast, on the Baltic Sea. Stockholm has a very large archipelago, with around 24,00 islands. Sounds crazy right – but not all of these islands are inhabited! The archipelago is easily accessible from the centre of Stockholm, with boat trips taking visitors out to the islands all year round.

How to get to Stockholm

There are flights to Stockholm from most major cities in the world. Stockholm has three airports, the biggest being Stockholm Arlanda, however, all airports are easily accessible from the Center of the city.

Stockholm also has very good train connections, with very easy connections to most of Sweden, including major cities such as Gothenburg and Umeå. The same goes for Europe, where there are direct trains to Copenhagen in Denmark and Hamburg in Germany.

Alternatively, you can take the ferry. Stockholm has ferry lines to Finland, Estonia, Poland and Germany. This is a great way to travel if you want to spend the night on the ferry and arrive early in Stockholm.

Where to stay in Stockholm

What area of Stockholm to stay in

The majority of central Stockholm is great to stay in! If you’re only visiting for 3 days then it is good to be quite central so you can make the most of being able to explore the city, visit restaurants and even take day trips out into the archipelago. Norrmalm is more of a business district, with a lot of good hotels, very close to the central station. Södermalm is a great place to stay if you want to be in a ‘cooler’ area. Here, there are a lot of great restaurants and cafes to discover. Östermalm is a great place to base yourself if you want to spend a lot of time at the museums but still close to the city centre.

Where to stay in Stockholm on a budget

If you are looking to visit on a lower budget, The Generator Hostel is my recommendation. I have stayed here 4 times and it has always been great value and the hostel itself is really nice. In the evenings they sometimes have activities in the lobby such as a quiz or Mario Cart competition which is quite fun!

The hostel is located just a 10 minute walk from Stockholm Central which is the perfect location to visit the city.

If you visit Stockholm with friends and don’t mind sharing then you can get a bed in a 6 room for about 170kr a night. If you are travelling with family you can also get a private 4 person room for 550kr or a family room for 750kr. When my family came to visit Sweden a few years ago, we stayed in the 4 person room here and it was perfect for us. The quality at the Generator Hostel is so good that it almost feels more like a hotel.

How much does it cost for a hotel in Stockholm?

Accommodation in Stockholm is expensive, whether you are looking at a hotel or an Airbnb you are likely to be paying over €100 per night for a room in a hotel.

Things you can’t miss in Stockholm

Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan is the oldest part of Stockholm, with small, cobblestone alleyways winding around buildings that date back to the 13th century. This area of Stockholm is actually one of the most well preserved medieval city centres in Europe and definitely worth visiting during your 3 days in Stockholm.

The oldest building in Gamla Stan is Storkyrkan, built in the 13th century, but remodelled in the 17th century. The church stands beside the Nobel Prize Museum, a great stop on your itinerary if you want to find out more about the history of the prize and its Swedish founder, Alfred Nobel.

Here, you will also find Stortorget, probably the most well-known area of Stockholm. This medieval square is the centre of Stockholm’s old town, surrounded by shops and iconic buildings. In the winter, you will find Stockholm’s most famous Christmas Market (Stortorget’s Julmarknad) here!

While in Gamla Stan, make sure to walk down Västerlånggatan, the famous shopping street filled with cosy restaurants and souvenir shops. On the south of Gamla Stan, you will find Den Gyldene Freden, the world’s oldest still-running restaurant with its original interior! This tavern has been running since 1722 and is a very cosy place to visit if you want to experience the medieval side of Gamla Stan!

Other than that, make sure to take some time to wander around the small alleyways. You never know what you will come across when you head down into the backstreets of Stockholm’s Gamla Stan.

Drottninggatan

Drottninggatan is Stockholm’s main shopping street, bustling with people, nice shops and great restaurants! This street is definitely worth a visit if you want to shop for some Scandinavian style clothes or homewares and experience the busy day to day life of Stockholm.

Mariaberget

Mariberget is a viewpoint across the water from Stockholm’s Gamla Stan, in the area of Södermalm. From here, you get the very iconic Stockholm view, looking towards Gamla Stan and the neighbouring island of Riddarholmen. This lookout is in a nice park just above the road on the other side of the harbour. It is very easily accessible, just a short walk over Centralbron from Gamla Stan. This is definitely somewhere you should visit on your 3 days in Stockholm.

The areas around Mariaberget, on Södermalm, are known to be the cooler area of Stockholm. This is where you will find the trendy coffee shops, restaurants and second-hand stores. The houses here are all worth a look as well, many dating back to the early days of Stockholm.

If you like photo spots then head over to Bellmansgatan 1 to find the iconic bridge which leads into a classic Stockholm building. From here you also get a great view over the city across the water.

Stockholm City Hall

Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset) is one of the city’s most iconic buildings. Completed in 1923, it is one of the city’s more contemporary buildings, built with red brick. However, it is still a very beautiful building. Here, you can take a guided tour of the city hall. This is great to do if you feel you have time during your 3 days in Stockholm and want to learn a bit more about the city. Inside the City Hall are some beautiful rooms, decorated with antiques and grand paintings.

The tour costs 130kr for adults and 50kr for children and runs almost every day. The tour takes about 45 minutes in total.

Gröna Lund

Gröna Lund is Stockholm’s biggest amusement park, similar to Liseberg in Gothenburg or Tivoli in Copenhagen. It has 27 attractions and is a great day out for the whole family.

Gröna Lund is very popular with Stockholm locals in the summer and a great place to take kids if you are spending 3 days in Stockholm with the family. They often have events, dance evenings and concerts inside the park so this is good to look up if you want to experience a show in Stockholm! You can find all the upcoming events here.

Walk from Rålambshovsparken to Stadshusparken

This is a local favourite and something you won’t find on every 3 days Stockholm itinerary. Rålambshovsparken is a Stockholm summer paradise, with a boule bar, bathing spots and a big park. It is located to the west of the city, best reached by taking the metro to Fridhemsplan.

The walk along the harbour is short but beautiful. From here you get a great view across the water, looking over to the buildings on Södermalm. By the water, there are a lot of great restaurants and bars, with outdoor eating areas and floating terraces to enjoy in the summer.

The walk from Rålambshovsparken to Stadshusparken takes around 45 minutes in total with no stops along the way!

Observatory Hill

Observatory Hill has one of the best views over the city of Stockholm. It is only a short walk from the city centre, in the middle of a big park.

Stockholm City Library

Stockholm City Library is a popular stop for photographers, this round building is stacked with lines of books.

Visit Stockholm’s Museums

Stockholm is known for having some of the best museums in Sweden. There are so many to visit there is likely something for everyone! Some of these are included in the Stockholm city pass and some you need to purchase tickets for separately! Here are a few favourites!

Djurgården

Djurgården, otherwise known as “Museum Island”, is the home to a number of great museums to go to if you have spare time when you visit Stockholm! A few of these are free, or included when you buy the Stockholm city card! Djurgården is a great place to spend the day if you want to visit several museums and have a walk along the water!

The Vasa Museum

The Vasa Museum is arguably the best museum in Stockholm. Home to a 400-year-old ship that was found in Stockholm’s harbour in the 1950s, it tells you so much about the history of Sweden, Stockholm and those that lived here. The ship, the Vasa, was built over 400 years ago to be the best ship in the Swedish fleet. Unfortunately, it sunk on its first voyage and never made it further than Stockholm harbour. It sunk to the ocean floor and was recovered hundreds of years later, mostly fully intact.

The museum is very interactive and great for adults and children! In total, they managed to recover 98% of the Vasa’s original parts so there is a lot to see!

How long to spend at The Vasa Museum

You can easily spend a few hours wandering around this museum so make sure to plan a whole morning or afternoon for a visit during your 3 days in Stockholm!

The National Museum

The National Museum is one of Sweden’s best museums, winning Museum of the Year 2022. It is home to all things Swedish history, with sculptures, fashion, art and history. Here you will be able to discover all things related to Swedish culture, both past and present! It’s a great starting point for a trip to Stockholm, and Sweden in general! If you want to visit the National Museum then I would recommend visiting on either the first or second of your 3 days in Stockholm. This way you will be able to get a lot more out of your trip by knowing a little backstory!

How long to spend at the National Museum

You should spend at least a few hours at Stockholm’s National Museum if you want time to see most of the exhibitions.

The museum is free to enter, but you will have to pay anywhere between 50kr to 200kr if you want to see the special exhibitions. This can definitely be worth it.

The ABBA Museum

The ABBA museum is a personal favourite of the museums in Stockholm! If you are a fan of ABBA, there is no doubt you will also love it! The museum itself is very interactive, with a lot of fun activities such as auditioning to be in the band and trying on their most famous outfits! There are also a lot of great exhibits about the early life of the band members and the development of their careers!

How long to spend at the ABBA museum

The museum is quite small and only needs a few hours to visit! I recommend booking tickets in advance as it can get quite busy in peak season!

The Viking Museum

The Viking Museum is a great museum if you are interested in the Viking era of Swedish history. Here you will discover the true history of the Swedish Vikings, where they travelled and how they lived. This museum is rich with information and artefacts, holding a large collection of archaeological finds.

Not only do they have tools but they also have several original Viking ships, dating back to the 9th century! The museum is also home to artefacts discovered in burial mounds throughout Scandinavia.

How long to spend at the Viking Museum in Stockholm

The Viking Museum takes around 3 hours to walk around. Tickets cost 179kr for adults and 139 for children over 7. I recommend buying these in advance to skip the queues later! This museum is also included in the Stockholm city card, in which case it is free entry.

Skansen

Skansen is a very iconic part of Gothenburg, an attraction with a zoo, open-air museum and a science centre, and an entertainment quarter which regularly hosts big shows throughout the year. Again, this is a great place to visit if you are a family visiting Stockholm for 3 days.

Alternatively, it is a must if you are in the city on a Swedish holiday such as Midsummer, Valborg or Christmas. On public holidays and special occasions, they host amazing celebrations for visitors and locals of Stockholm. This is a great way to experience Swedish culture and traditions and be a part of the festivities.

I recommend booking your tickets in advance as the queues can be quite long, especially in the summer months! You can find them here!

Best Stockholm city tours

If you want to see a lot of the city in a short amount of time, one of the best things to do is take a tour! GetYourGuide offers so many great tours (you can buy your Stockholm city pass here too)! A tour I really recommend is this tour of the Stockholm archipelago by ferry! It is a great way to see the islands and get a different view of how the different areas connect! Otherwise, the hop-on-hop-off bus is a great way to explore the main areas without having to worry about struggling with public transport!

Where to eat and drink in Stockholm

The Best Cafes in Stockholm

Cafe Bagdad

Cafe Bagdad is by far one of the best museum cafes in Stockholm! Located at the top of the Medelhavsmuseet (Mediterranean Museum), the cafe is almost a part of the museum. Sitting on the upper terrace, surrounded by glass cases of archaeological finds, you can sip on a coffee and watch the museum below.

The food here is all Mediterranean inspired. They have a great lunch deal, usually with a few different dishes to pick from, and a great range of unusual fika!

The museum is located in Central Stockholm, on Fredsgatan, just by Adolf Fredrik’s Torg. Sitting in the cosy lounge room you can look out over the archipelago towards Parliament House (Riksdagshuset) and The Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet).

Grillskahuset, Stortorget

Grillska Huset is one of the best cafes in Gamla Stan, located in the heart of the well known Stortorget. Although this spot may seem touristy, this cafe was actually recommended to me by a local who said they serve the best buns (kanelbullar and kardemummabullar) in Stockholm!

The cafe is actually owned by Stockholm’s Stadsmission, a socially driven organisation that has run the cafe for over 100 years. Some of the profits from the cafe go back to the organisation, and they use the cafe to give training to people who need help to get back into the job market.

The cafe has two parts, a sit-down cafe with a terrace, and a small takeaway shop. Both are cosy to sit at, but it can be nice to get takeaway and eat them while strolling around the streets of Stockholm’s old town on a busy day.

Visit Stockholm’s Oldest Cafe – Vete Katten

Vete Katten is Stockholm’s oldest cafe. It is a labyrinth of small rooms all with cosy nooks to sit and drink coffee or read a book. It almost feels like you are entering Diagon Alley when you start walking through the hallways and finding different magical areas.

Vete Katten is located on Kungsgatan, very close to the central station. We always head here for a final fika before heading back to Gothenburg, or to the airport on to our next adventure!

Kaferang

Kaferang is a modern coffee shop selling all sorts of unique coffees and cakes. In the spring and summer, they have outdoor tables that line the street. It’s a lovely place for an afternoon fika, located in the central part of Stockholm.

Stockholm Brunch Club

This is the best brunch place in Stockholm. They have everything you could want from American style pancakes to Avocado on Toast and peanut butter smoothies.

It can get SUPER busy here so make sure to turn up early or be prepared to wait for a table! Usually, the queue moves quite quickly.

Stockholm Brunch Club pancakes and avocado toast

The Best Restaurants in Stockholm

Asian Post Office

Asian Post Office is a favourite for Stockholm locals. The food is Asian inspired and they use really interesting contemporary flavours! The restaurant is located on Regeringsgatan, in Norrmalm, very close by to the “Center” of the city!

The prices are quite dear if you eat in the evening, definitely worth it if you want a nice evening out though! Otherwise, they serve a great daily lunch deal with several dishes served between 11-2 för around 120kr each!

This is quite a popular concept in Sweden – Dagens Lunch (the day’s lunch) and something you can find at most cafes and restaurants! It is a great way to eat out in Stockholm on a budget! If you want to find out more about travelling to Sweden on a budget, you can read this post!

MISSHUMASSHU

MISSHUMASSHU is a Japanese inspired bar and restaurant, with a beautiful interior and really delicious food! The concept here is that you order several small dishes to share with the table! I definitely recommend the avocado on rice paper – was really tasty and a fun dish to have at the table!

The restaurant is located in Norrmalm on Smålandsgatan! If you want to go on a Friday or Saturday night I recommend booking in advance, otherwise, it is generally ok to turn up without a reservation!

3 Days in Stockholm Itinerary Overview

As I said before, there is way more to do in Stockholm than you will ever be able to fit into 3 days, but this itinerary will definitely get you started! Make sure to check out some museums (especially the Vasa) if you want to discover a big of Swedish culture, head to Rålambshovsparken if you want to experience some Stockholm local summer vibes, and spend at least half a day wandering around the iconic Gamla Stan!