Things to do in  Central Sweden

With its baroque facade, lavish Royal Apartments, and impressive treasury, the Stockholm Royal Palace is everything you'd expect from a regal abode. Although the Swedish royal family now resides in Drottningholm Palace, the Royal Palace still holds an important role, both as a historic monument and as the host of banquets and receptions.

Built to house the wreckage of the ambitious but ill-fated Vasa warship, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628, Stockholm’s Vasa Museum (Vasamuseet) now draws over one million annual visitors—unsurprisingly as it’s the best-preserved 17th-century ship in the world. Like its sister museum, Vrak – Museum of Wrecks, the museum is located on Stockholm’s island of Djurgården.

With its tangle of cobblestone streets, brightly painted buildings, and bustling squares, Stockholm Old Town (Gamla Stan) is one of the Swedish capital's most photogenic districts. The historic center also boats the city’s oldest quarter—dating back to 1252—and plays host to some remarkably preserved medieval monuments.

Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset) looms over the Kungsholmen waterfront and is one of the capital’s most impressive landmarks, with a redbrick façade and 328-foot (100-meter) tower topped with the Three Crowns of Sweden. Dating back to 1923, the hall contains elaborate ceremonial chambers which are open to visitors via guided tours.

Uppsala Cathedral, notable for its towering spires, is one of the Nordic countries' tallest cathedrals. Originally built for Roman Catholic coronations, it's also the resting place of important historical figures, including King Gustav Vasa of Sweden. Visitors flock here to see its Treasury museum, home to a magnificent collection of medieval church fabrics.

The Royal Swedish Opera (Kungliga Operan) is Sweden’s national theater and houses the Royal Swedish Opera, Ballet, Orchestra, and Choir. It was founded in 1773 by King Gustav III who was an avid supporter of the arts and paid for the opera house’s operations out of his own pocket.

Located in the heart of Stockholm’s Old Town, the Nobel Prize Museum celebrates more than a century of natural sciences, arts, and culture, and the creative minds that have and continue to dedicate their lives promoting dialogue on their respect fields.

Uppsala Castle, a 16th-century fortress in Uppsala, Sweden, played a pivotal role in Swedish history. Built during the reign of King Gustav Vasa, it has hosted royal coronations, assassinations, and abdications. Visitors come here to see the original castle ruins at the Vasaborgen and the on-site Uppsala Art Museum exhibits.

Affectionately called Kungsan, this public park smack dab in the middle of Stockholm is one of the city's most important public spaces. Surrounded by restaurants and cafés, the park is an ideal place to rest after your walk through central Stockholm. It comes alive with blossoming cherry trees in spring and an ice skating rink during winter.

Home to the Swedish Parliament, or Riksdag, the Parliament House (Riksdagshuset) is a major historical and political landmark within Stockholm’s Old Town, or Gamla Stan. Designed by Aron Johansson and featuring two attached buildings, it was built between 1897 and 1905, and occupies about half of Helgeandsholmen Island, in the heart of the city.

This up-and-coming island district in central Stockholm was once considered the slum of the city. But today Södermalm, often referred to simply as “Söder” (Swedish for “south”), is the bohemian sector of the area full of hip cafes, cool vintage shops, and fantastic waterfront views.

The island of Djurgården is one of the Stockholm archipelago’s most visited islands, dominated by scenic parklands and former royal hunting grounds stretching along the picturesque Djurgården Canal. A haven for walkers, cyclists, and picnickers, Djurgården is also home to some of Stockholm’s top museums and cultural attractions.

The private residence of Sweden’s royal family, Drottningholm Palace (Drottningholms Slott) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the country’s best-preserved 17th-century castles. Over the years successive royal residents have renovated the palace, which is inspired by French and Dutch styles and features lush rococo interiors and multiple baroque gardens.

Set on Lake Mälaren in Sweden’s scenic Lakeland region, Sigtuna is Sweden’s oldest town and was originally populated by Vikings. While strong remnants of the town’s Viking origins remain, Sigtuna is now full of brightly painted wooden townhouses, narrow streets, restaurants, and hotels.

Skansen is the world’s oldest open-air museum and zoo. Located in Stockholm, the museum was founded in the late 19th century by Artur Hazelius, originally as a branch of the Nordic Museum (Nordiska Museet). Today it illustrates the different ways of life prevalent in old-time, pre-industrialized Sweden.