Stockholm is the largest city of Scandinavian and with good reason should not be missed. With even less daylight in December then Copenahgen, I was skeptical but found the city so pretty lit up and covered and fresh snow. Stockholm is actually quite large, made up of fourteen islands featuring an array of things to do from historical sights, palaces, museums, parks, food and simply admiring the streets and charming buildings.
Our days didn’t nearly include as much as if we had visited in a warmer month with more daylight but I still very much enjoyed it.
Take a walking tour of the city. There are different options for a walking tour, some free, some paid for group and some private. Our tour was private and we explored both the old city and learned the tales of Stockholm as well as new town where most locals live and thrive. New town has many restaurants and all the shopping imaginable. It’s a great way to learn some of the history and culture as well as get your bearings early on.
Visit the Vasa Museum. While there are many museums to choose from, this is the most visited museum in all of Scandinavia and the only museum we visited. Vasa is the oldest preserved 17th century ship, known for the ship sinking only 30 minutes after her maiden voyage. I suggest doing the free audio guide in combination with the free guided tour (which only operates at specific times.)
Visit Skansen. Skansen is an open air museum displaying the housing and farmsteads found across Sweden before the industrial era. There are employees placed throughout the buildings to play a role as if they were from the time period and answer questions and explain their duties of the time. There is also a Nordic zoo within Skansen with…Nordic animals! We see moose, reindeer, arctic foxes, lynxes and seals. An added bonus during December is the large Christmas market found in the middle. This was my favorite Christmas market in Stockholm, it wasn’t too crowded because it was in a large space and it had such cute booths and the best hot chocolate of our trip!
Take an archipelago boat tour. I can’t speak to how these are but when doing my research they were definitely at the top of the list when in the appropriate season.
Visit Drottningholm Palace. We just missed being able to visit this beautiful palace by a few weeks. It is located outside the city but can easily be reached by public transportation. Do your research for opening times.
Buy a Dala Horse. Dala horses are traditional to Sweden for a symbol of strength and courage. They can be purchased in all of the souvenir shops. They are carved wooden horses coming in all sizes and colors, the most traditional being the red. The shop we visited had dalas dating back 60 plus years as well as newly made. Bring home a traditional souvenir.
