I’ve Spent 4 Years Living in Stockholm. Here’s Exactly Where I’d Take You in July.

First, I’d show you why everyone loves summer here

July is hands down the best month in Stockholm. The city slows down. People disappear to summer houses. Everyone is outside. Every dock, park, café, and waterfront is full. After surviving winter, Swedes take summer seriously. Before we did any shopping or sightseeing, I’d want you to understand why.

If we had time for an overnight trip, we’d head to Sandhamn or Utö or Gotland in the archipelago. This is the Sweden people picture when they imagine Scandinavian summer. Sailboats, seafood lunches, swims in the sea, and long evenings that will make you start browsing Swedish real estate websites.

If we only had a day, we’d jump on a ferry to Fjäderholmarna. It’s 30 minutes from ‌the city and still gives you that magical archipelago feeling. We’d also spend time at Hellasgården, because every visitor needs to see how much Swedes love being outdoors. Swimming. Hiking. Sitting by the lake soaking up the sun. Sauna-ing. And we’d definitely spend a day on Djurgården.

No visit is complete without Rosendals Trädgård (Bakery). I’ve probably taken more visitors there than anywhere else in Stockholm. Every time I say we’re stopping for a quick coffee, we end up staying for two hours. Rosendals has my favorite kladdkaka (chocolate cake) in the city, and if the weather is nice, we’ll grab coffee and homemade baked treats, then find a spot in the apple orchard. You’re surrounded by gardens growing ingredients for the café, and everything feels calmer there. It’s heaven.

One of my favorite walks in the city starts along the waterfront and heads toward Djurgården. We’d stop at Strandbryggan (boat bar) on the way for a drink or lunch and then continue exploring.

A quick note about museums

If you want to do the ABBA Museum or the Vasa Museum, you absolutely should. The Vasa is genuinely impressive. ABBA is ABBA. You’ll have their songs stuck in your head for the rest of the trip, and that’s part of the fun. I’ll be waiting for you at Blå Porten with a coffee and a cinnamon bun.

We’d have a sauna day

At some point, we’re dedicating an entire afternoon to sauna culture. My favorite recommendation for visitors is a day trip to Ellery Beach House. You can move between the sauna, the pool, and the sea all afternoon while pretending you’ve somehow become effortlessly Scandinavian. It’s basically a mini vacation inside your vacation.

If we wanted something more central, we’d do Eden and then walk over to Mälarpaviljongen afterward for drinks by the water. Sauna Community in Södermalm is another great option if you’re looking for something more local and off the beaten path.

We’d still do the tourist stuff

We’d definitely spend time in Gamla Stan. It’s beautiful. It’s crowded. It’s worth it. We’d wander the cobblestone streets, take the obligatory photo in Stortorget, and stop for cocktails at Pharmarium. I also love Leijontornet Bar and Kouthoofd Familie Winkel.

My perfect Stockholm evening

If I could plan one perfect summer evening, we’d grab snacks and drinks and head to Skinnarviksberget for sunset. Locals scattered across the rocks. The entire city glowing. Nobody in a hurry to leave. Then we’d walk down to Hornstull and grab dinner or drinks at Tjoget. Honestly, if you only had one summer evening in Stockholm, this might be how I’d spend it.

We’d do some shopping

Even people who swear they don’t care about design end up loving Stockholm. I’d take you to Svenskt Tenn first. It’s one of those places that feels uniquely Swedish and somehow makes everyone want to redecorate their entire home. Nearby is Stora Bageriet, which gives us the perfect excuse for another coffee and pastry. We’d browse Acne Studios, Nordiska Galleriet, Soft Goat, Chimi, and whatever else catches our eye. For lunch, we’d head straight to Östermalms Saluhall.

For food, we’d spend most of our time in Södermalm

If Stockholm has a heartbeat, it’s probably in Södermalm. I usually describe it as the Brooklyn of Stockholm. It’s creative, a little rougher around the edges, full of independent shops, great food, street art, and some of my favorite places in the city. It’s also noticeably more relaxed than neighboring Östermalm, which is known for its beautiful buildings, luxury shopping, and polished Stockholm elegance. Both are worth visiting. But if we’re spending an entire afternoon wandering around with no agenda, I’m choosing Södermalm every time.

Our mornings would start at Pom & Flora or Cafe Pascal, because I take breakfast very seriously. Then we’d wander around Nytorget, spend way too much time vintage shopping at Pop Stockholm, Stadsmissionen, and Reys Market, and generally pretend we don’t have anywhere important to be. We’d grab a cookie from Krümel because they make the best cookies in Stockholm and I will happily die on that hill. We’d stop at Bleck. We’d walk down Skånegatan while it’s closed to traffic for the summer. We’d grab wine at Bar Alba. Maybe dinner at Bar Agrikultur. Maybe pizza and natural wine at 800 Grader or Bistro Bananas. Maybe Korean food at Madam. Honestly, the exact plan doesn’t matter because every option is good.

I’d also take you over to Hornstull, one of my favorite parts of Söder. It feels a little more local and a little less polished than some of central Stockholm. At some point we’d end up at Tjoget. Probably more than once.

If you love seafood

We’re going to Lisa Elmqvist. No discussion. My favorite move is ordering the seafood tower and pretending we’re far more sophisticated than we actually are. It’s one of those meals people remember long after they’ve gone home. If we’re craving seafood another day, Sturehof is always a good idea.

For my creative friends

If you’re the friend who always wants to know where the creative crowd hangs out, I have a few places for you. I’d take my cool friends from L.A. straight to Bar Montan and the listening room at Hosoi. Great music. Great atmosphere. Interesting people. The kind of places that make a city feel current rather than curated. Stockholm has a surprisingly good creative scene. You just have to know where to find it.

We’d eat a lot

At some point I’m taking you to Pelikan or Tennstopet. Both are Stockholm institutions and some of my favorite places to introduce visitors to traditional Swedish food. This is where we’d order Toast Skagen, meatballs, herring, and probably stay at the table longer than planned.

And we’d definitely buy candy

At some point we’re stopping at an ICA. Not for groceries. For lördagsgodis. If you’ve never experienced a Swedish candy aisle, you’re in for a treat. We’ll fill a bag with a completely unreasonable amount of candy, and I’ll confidently explain which pieces are elite and which are a waste of valuable bag space.