Stockholm is a magical city with so much to see and do. If you only have one day it can be hard to know where to start and what exactly you don’t want to miss. Having lived in Sweden for a few years now, I have been lucky enough to have the chance to visit Stockholm a quite a few times now, for one day stopovers during other trips around Sweden, and long weekends throughout the year! Over the visits I have built up a collection of my favourite things to see and do in Stockholm, and the best places to go to experience the magic of the city!
In this blog post I have covered what I think makes the perfect one day itinerary for those visiting Stockholm for the first time! This covers most of the must-sees with a few different options for trips, museums and activities you can fit in!
Spending more time in Sweden? You might enjoy these posts:
- 10 Day Scandinavia Itinerary – Norway, Denmark and Sweden
- 3 Day Stockholm Itinerary
- 8 Different Itineraries for Sweden
- Places to Visit in Sweden During Summer
- All Sweden Travel Guides
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About Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital city of Sweden, located on the South East coast of the country. Stockholm is known for its colourful old town, waterside views, and archipelago with over 30,000 islands. In Stockholm the language spoken is Swedish, with most of the population also speaking a very high level of English. The currency used is Swedish Kronor (SEK).
Staying for longer? Here’s a three day guide to exploring Stockholm like a local!
Where to Stay in Stockholm
Downtown Camper by Scandic
Downtown Camper by Scandic is my go to hotel when visiting Stockholm. It is centrally located, the rooms are fresh and modern, and the facilities are like nowhere else! Downstairs in the lobby they have a massive dining area with great food, and a small co-working place as well as a cafe. Up on the rooftop you will find The Nest, the hotel’s luxury spa, along with the bar where they often hold events in the evenings! Even when not staying here or visiting Stockholm for the day I usually come here to work in their cafe or visit the bar for an afterwork.
Whether you are visiting Stockholm solo, or coming with a bigger group, this is one of the best hotels to stay at!
Find out more and book your room here!
On a Budget: Generator Stockholm
For those visiting Sweden on a budget, don’t look any further than Generator Stockholm. Technically a hostel, this is a great, cheap option for solo travelers who don’t mind sharing a dorm, or bigger groups that want a private room! I have stayed here a few times, renting a family room for four both times, and had a great experience. The rooms are big and always really fresh. In the lobby/ bar they hold events like trivia in the evenings, and the environment here is very lively and fun. The hostel is a little further from the central station but it is still walkable/ easy to reach with public transport!
Find out more and book your room here!
See more: Find all your Stockholm accommodation options here.
How to get around Stockholm
With only one day in Stockholm, you will likely be staying close to the city center. A very walkable city, part of the charm with Stockholm is being able to walk from the busy modern shopping streets to the old town, past the canals and the royal palace, without any trouble at all. However if you want to venture further out, for example on a visit to Skansen Open Air Museum or The ABBA Museum, there are a few different options to explore.
Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL)
SL is Stockholm’s public transport operator. They run trains, buses, the metro, and trams to all parts of Greater Stockholm. For the purpose of this one day Stockholm itinerary, you will probably only need to consider the trams, buses, or metro system. To buy a ticket, you can either get a SL card, download the app and buy tickets manually, or just tap your credit or debit card when you enter the bus or tram. You can find all the information you will need for this on this page. Generally though, a single ticket costs 42 SEK and lasts 75 minutes – meaning you can travel anywhere within the region for 75 minutes on that ticket.
Alternatively, you can look into guided tours like this walking tour of the old town, or the hop-on-hop-off bus that takes you past all the best parts of Stockholm in just one day.
24 Hours in Stockholm: One Day Itinerary
In this one day itinerary for Stockholm I have outlined a rough day plan with tips on the best things to see and do. After the itinerary you will find a list of different activities you could swap in if there is something that better suits your way of travelling! So, let’s get started.
Explore Gamla Stan
No visit to Stockholm is complete without a visit to Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town. You have probably already seen photos of this area; colourful stone buildings lining the narrow streets with cosy little cafes nestled alongside. This is the oldest part of Stockholm and an island in its own right. If you visit early in the day, you will find the streets deserted, only to wake up when the shops begin to open around 10.
Here’s a few spots in Gamla Stan you won’t want to miss:
- Västerlånggatan
- Mårten Trotzigs gränd (Stockholm’s Narrowest Street)
- Stortorget (Old Market Square)
- Köpmangatan
- Tyska skolgränd
- My personal favourite area is the alleyways that link Österlånggatan and Skeppsbron (map)
Tip: If you want to learn more about the old town consider taking a guided tour around Gamla Stan!
Stockholm’s Royal Palace
Just outside of Gamla Stan is Stockholm’s Royal Palace, the official residence of Sweden’s Royal Family. Every day from the 23rd April to the 31st October you can watch the Changing of the Guard outside the Royal Palace of Stockholm. On weekdays this takes place at 11.35 or 11.45 from the Army Museum or Cavalry Barracks. You can find all the details for the times and events throughout different times of the year on this page.
Take in The Views from Stockholm’s Best Lookout
Next it’s time to head to the other side of the river to Monteliusvägen where you will find the best views over Stockholm and Gamla Stan. To get here, you can either walk (20 minutes), or take bus 57 to Mariatorget from Slottsbacken. Here you will find the map location for the start of the Monteliusvägen walk which takes you around the edge of the cliff opposite the city center.
If you follow the path you will pass the beautiful Mariaberget observation point and Ivar Lo’s park. When you reach the end, you can either head back to the city, or walk a little further to Skinnarviksberget where there is another great view of the city. This viewpoint is located on a small mountain in the middle of the city.
Lunch at Asian Post Office
This is my go-to place to grab lunch when we are in Stockholm. After around 5 visits I can still say it is one of my favorite places to eat. The food here is asian inspired, and as most typical restaurants in Sweden, they serve a lunch menu. This means you can order from a smaller menu at a much cheaper price. The lunch menu often changes but is very much a reflection of the restaurant’s signature dishes. A tip is to order the Thai Basil cocktail (or virgin Thai Basil Mocktail). It is sooo delicious and something the restaurant is well known for. You can find their menu here!
Tip: Most restaurants in Sweden serve a lunch menu for around 95k to 150kr. This often includes coffee, cake and a salad buffet. It can be a great way to save money if you are traveling to Sweden on a budget.
Boat Trip into the Archipelago
Now you’ve seen the city center of Stockholm, it’s time to experience something a little different! I recommend taking a boat trip into the archipelago if you only have one day in Stockholm, however, there are so many other amazing things to do in the city that this is the activity I would swap out if you fancied something else a little more! You can find a list of other things I recommend doing a little further down in the post!
As I mentioned before, the Stockholm Archipelago is made up of over 30,000 islands. In fact, the city of Stockholm itself is spread over 14 different islands. While not all 30,000 islands are inhabited (and some are a lot smaller than you may imagine) the archipelago really brings something special to Stockholm. If you only have one day you won’t have time to visit any of the islands, however, you will have time to take a guided boat tour out into the archipelago. This way, at least you get a glimpse at the nature that surrounds the city.
Depending on how much time you want to spend, there are a few different tours you can take. I took this one last summer and thought it was really good. The boat is open-top so you can sit outside, and the guide was very chatty and gave a lot of information about the different places we passed along the way!
Find out more or book the trip here!
For something special: If you want a really special experience you can book this private archipelago sailing tour and experience the real magic of the Stockholm Archipelago.
Afternoon Fika
About Fika: If there’s one word you need to know when visiting Sweden it’s fika. This is the concept of sitting down and enjoying a coffee and pastry with friends. It is more about slowing down and enjoying the moment than the snack itself.
Vete Katten
In the afternoon, you will want to stop for a fika! My favourite place to do this in Stockholm is the cafe Vete Katten. This is one of Stockholm’s older and more traditional cafes, a 1920s style “konditori” serving all sorts of Swedish pastries. What I love about this place is that the cafe itself is so homely. It is made up of several different rooms, giving the feeling that you are sitting down for coffee in someones’ house instead of a cafe. The labyrinth of rooms gives the perfect cosy feeling that Swedish fika is all about.
Rosendals Trädgård
Another popular spot for a fika is Rosendals Trädgård – a beautiful garden on Djurgården (just around the corner from Skansen!). This is the perfect fika spot on a sunny day, especially in the spring and summer when the gardens are open! Rosendals Trädgård are well-known for their fika, especially the carrot cake which never disappoints! I recommend stopping here if you are already at one of the museums on Djurgården, otherwise it can be a little bit out of the way.
Additional Things to Do in Stockholm
The Vasa Museum
If there’s one museum in Stockholm I recommend it is the Vasa Museum. If you haven’t already heard of it, the Vasa Museum is home to the ship Vasa, a 17th century boat that sank on its maiden voyage out of the Stockholm archipelago. Hundreds of years later, the ship was found and recovered from the seabed and is today one of the most well preserved ships from that time period. In the Vasa Museum, you can get up close to the boat, while learning all about the time in which it was built and how it came to sink before it ever made it out to sea.
Did you know: The 17th century is known as “Sveriges Stormaktstid”, the time when the Swedish Empire was at its greatest. This is one of the most interesting time periods to learn about in Sweden and something you will likely hear a lot about if you travel further around the country.
A Trip to Skansen
If you want to spend the afternoon exploring a bit more of Swedish culture and history then there’s no better place to visit than Skansen. Skansen is a big open air museum (the world’s first) with a small Scandinavian animal park and aquarium. The museum part is made up of over 150 buildings that have been moved to Stockholm from all over Sweden; from traditional farmsteads and huts to an old grocers market. Visiting gives you an insight into so many different areas of Sweden – from the Sami village in Abisko, to the old fishing huts on the High Coast, and the farms of Österlen.
Book your tickets to Skansen here!
The ABBA Museum
If you are an ABBA fan, you won’t want to miss the ABBA Museum. This is an interactive museum dedicated to the band, with everything from their early days to a karaoke studio and sets from their album covers. I have been to the ABBA Museum 3 times now and loved it each and every one of them. The museum often holds temporary exhibitions in the entry way that change regularly – from Eurovision themed to Mamma Mia costumes!
It takes around 2 hours to make your way around the ABBA Museum but if you have time to fit it in then I definitely recommend it!
Other Tours and Activities
Overview: Stockholm One Day Itinerary
Stockholm is a beautiful city with so many things to see and do that it can be hard to know how to fill a one day itinerary. In this guide I have highlighted all of the best things to do in Stockholm in just 24 hours, but if you are staying for longer make sure to check out my three day Stockholm itinerary!
Where to go from here
Spending longer in Sweden? You might enjoy these guides:
- 10 Day Scandinavia Itinerary
- One Day Gothenburg Itinerary
- Northern Lights in Abisko
- One Day in Malmö
- Places to Visit in Sweden in Summer
- All Sweden Guides
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