I'm going to go a few days early to my RS Scandinavian tour. So I'll be flying in to Stockholm. Has anyone gotten the Stockholm a la carte card? It's tied to only certain hotels, but was mentioned in Rick's book. Or any recommendations on what not to miss (already will see the Vasa and town on the tour).
Thanks!
We've been to Stockholm a couple of times - such a beautiful city! Highlights for us were Vasa, Old Town, the archipelago boat tour, Skanson, and the History Museum. We've never purchased the a la carte card. There are many other good things, but these were our favorites.
I looked at the itinerary for the RS Scandinavian tour, and it apparently doesn't include Drottningholm Palace, the residence of the Swedish royal family. We toured the grounds and the 18th century Drottningholms Slottsteater, which is a perfectly preserved 18th century theater with its original stage machinery and backdrops. You can easily spend a full day touring the theater, Chinese Pavilion, lovely grounds, gardens and the palace--we didn't have time for the palace tour in our half-day. It's not to be confused with the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan, or old town. Drottningholm is outside of Stockholm on Lake Malaren, and you can use public transportation to get there. One of the more charming modes of transportation is the boat trip that leaves from City Hall Quay in Stockholm.
Skansen is really nice, and Gamla Stan (the old town) is my very favorite place in Stockholm. Also, a boat tour is very enjoyable. The city hall where they give out the Nobel Peace Prize is also interesting.
My wife and I did Rick Steves' Scandinavian tour a couple years ago and arrived three days early and there's more than enough to see that is not included in the tour. We made a list of everything of interest in Rick Steves' guide and from Lonely Planet and then crossed out anything that was included in the tour. You will end up with great outside things and some indoor ones if the weather is, well, under the weather. There are some great places posted above. Skanson could take more than one day and the boat tour of the islands that make up Stockholm is wonderful if the weather is good. Just walking around the beautiful city can take days. Have a good trip.
Stockholm is a beautiful city and there is much to do. Don’t miss the Vasa museum (a wonderful museum), the Stadshuset (City hall where the Nobel dinner is held … make sure to take an English tour as the guides are excellent), and Skansen (the open air museum). Gamla Stan (the old town) is also nice. You can also visit Drottningholm either by taking the boat or a combination of subway and bus. The gardens are beautiful and there is an interesting theatre from the 1700s on the grounds. Uppsala is a good day trip (about 45 minutes from Stockholm by train). It is a university town with a large cathedral. If the weather is nice, you could also take a boat to one of the islands on the archipelago. Another nice day trip is Gripsholm Slott in Mariefred.
Östermalms Saluhallen (www.ostermalmshallen.se)is an indoor food market that sells produce, cheeses, baked goods, etc. It is a great place to pick up things for a picnic and there are also a couple of places in the market where you can eat. You will see lots of traditional Swedish foods. There are other food markets at Hötorget and in Södermalm, but I think the one in Östermalm is the most impressive and traditional.
Another place that I love for lunch is Rosendals Trädgårdscafe www.rosendalstradgard.se. This is an apple orchard and garden on Djurgården (the island in Stockholm where Skansen and the Vasa museum are) which has a wonderful café that makes excellent sandwiches, salads, and baked goods. It is very Swedish … sit outside at picnic tables in the orchard.
Wow! Thanks to all for great ideas!
Try this site to view and compare things to do in Stockholm.
With the Wasa museum and Skanden park and Gamla Stan you're all set. I would recommend a day trip to Uppsala if you can manage.
I add my vote to the people saying "Skansen" -- it's an outdoor museum that will give you a good idea of the architecture and some history/flora/fauna of the different regions of Sweden. The ferry ride to get to it is nice, and very easy to find at the edge of Gamla Stan, so you can combine that with a few hours of wandering around the old city. Even though you're doing a tour, there's nothing like exploring the twisty streets on your own.
