Discover Stockholm in 24 hours

The capital city of Sweden has over 50 bridges to connect its 14 islands in an extensive Baltic Sea archipelago. When you are in any city for one day, you’ll never be able to see all of it. This is definitely true if you visit Stockholm. But you can get a good sense of the city and get the most out of your stay if you follow our suggested itinerary.

To start we highly recommend buying a ticket for the Hop-on Hop-off bus. With your ticket in hand you won’t have to worry about public transportation or how to get from one place to the next as the bus stops at all the best sights in Stockholm and you can get on and off as many times as you want while your ticket is valid.

Hop on the bus from the stop nearest to your hotel or at the Cruise Terminal and enjoy listening to the audio guide as you are driven around the city to Djurgården island. Here you will find some of Stockholm’s best museums.

The Vasa Museum is Scandinavia’s most visited non-art museum. This maritime museum is named after the Vasa, a beautifully preserved 17th-century ship that forms the centrepiece of the exhibition. The ship, which sank on its maiden voyage, was discovered in Stockholm harbour in 1961 and has been painstakingly restored to its former glory.

Just around the corner from the Vasa Museum, you can take a trip back in time to the days of the Vikings. With the help of informative and interactive exhibits, as well as artifacts and reconstructions, you'll learn all about Viking live. There is even a thrilling ride, which takes you on an exciting adventure as you follow in Viking Harald on a journey through 10th-century Europe.

It will take you less than 5 minutes to walk from the Viking Museum to the next sight on our list, ABBA The Museum. Try on ABBA’s costumes (virtually), sing, play, mix original music, and become the fifth member of ABBA by performing on a large stage together with Björn, Benny, Frida and Agnetha. Keep an eye on the piano linked to the one in Benny’s studio, it starts playing whenever he does and duplicates his exact performance.

If you’ve worked up an appetite amongst the museums, there are several great options to have a nice sit-down lunch amongst the museums on the coast of Djurgården. Here you’ll be sure of great food and a great view.

Let the Hop-on Hop-off bus take you from Djurgården to Galma Stan, Stockholm oldest district and one of the best preserved medieval city centres in the world. Take a free walking tour through the winding cobblestone streets to learn more about the islands history as well as Gustav the Third, King of Sweden between 1772 and 1792, who was murdered at the opera.

When you have made your way across the island, head for the Royal Palace to enjoy an hour-long Stockholm boat tour around the city’s islands. The Royal Bridges and Canal tour will take you around the Royal Island of Djurgården and by the shores of Östermalm, Nacka Strand and Södermalm. Treat yourself to a traditional Swedish fika (coffee with a pastry) or a soft drink as you relax and take in the sights from the water.

Take the Hop-on Hop-off bus to the Fjällgatan viewpoint for some of the best views of Stockholm. From here you can look at Gamla Stan, the museum island of Skeppsholmen, and the island of Djurgården. In the background some higher buildings stand out such as the five skyscrapers at Hötorget or the television tower Kaknästornet. It is the perfect spot to take a panorama of the city.

From the viewpoint it is a short walk to the world’s largest photography museum, Fotografiska, which is set on the shore of the island. Since the museums creation in 2010, they have shown over 200 exhibitions from the world’s most famous photographers, including Anton Corbijn, David LaChapelle, Annie Leibovitz and Jimmy Nelson.

When it is time for dinner, you can simply stay in the museum and go to the top floor to enjoy some great cuisine. All your meals here will consist of locally sourced food and with minimum food waste. The restaurant at Fotografiska was named The Best Museum Restaurant in the World in 2017. Don’t worry if you’ve already left the restaurant, you’ll find plenty of other great restaurant options on Södermalm.

If you only have one day in Stockholm, these attractions will certainly give you a feel for the city. However, there is of course much more to see and do here than can be experienced in 24 hours in Stockholm. Such as a visit to the Skansen Open-Air Museum, city hall or the Nationalmuseum.

When you are planning your visit to Stockholm, you can of course follow this itinerary. But everyone has their own interests, so make sure to read up on the city and find out about all the best activities in Stockholm. From their you can make your own plan, with the help of AI or you can do it yourself with a little help from us. 

And when you arrive, our colleagues will be happy to help you. They will not be replaced by AI any time soon. So you can be sure that there will be someone to help you in Stockholm, even when our shops are closed as the locals are friendly and helpful.