Going Solo in Stockholm

Favorite Areas of Stockholm

Gamla Stan
Gamla Stan or Old Town, is considered one of the oldest areas in the city of Stockholm. It’s filled with cafes, bakeries, restaurants, shops, and more along cobblestone streets, alleys, and stunning architecture. You can see Stortorget, public plaza with picturesque views, the Nobel Prize Museum, the Storkyrkan, the Stockholm Cathedral, and walk through the Royale Palace grounds nearby. Gamla Stan is small, but yet can wander for hours in awe.

You can also walk along the water to view the Royale Palace, Riddarholmen, Skeppsholmen, and view of The Grand Hotel.

Probably the most used tip there is, but wear comfortable shoes. Some of the streets and alleyways can be rockier than others.

Drottningholm
Drottningholm Palace - Want to see what it’s like live to a royal lifestyle? The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family and certainly the place to visit. It is a little outside of Stockholm, but easy to get to by using the metro system from the city. The grounds of the palace seem endless and can walk around for hours. The grounds are clean and neatly kept.

Tours are limited to weekends in the off-season, but opens daily starting in May.

Monteliusvägen
This area offers one of the many breathtaking views of Stockholm. It’s located in the neighborhood of Södermalm with a cliff side view of the city. Views include Stockholm City Hall and Riddarholmen.

If you’re into movies, I realized the ending scene of the David Fincher film, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was filmed in close walking distance nearby.

Norrmalm
Norrmalm offers more of a modern look compared to historic Gamla Stan. It’s located right across multiple bridges from Gamla Stan. The walk on Drottninggatan from Gamla Stan is like taking a stroll through your favorite mall with endless shops, restaurants and cafés.

If you take the Arlanda Express from the airport, this is also the neighborhood where you’ll get off at Stockholm Central Station.

Östermalm
Have you heard why they call Stockholm the “Venice of the North?” When walking along here, it’s easy to see why this nickname sticks, especially on Strandvagen.

Skansen
This is a large outdoor museum area, which holds various exhibits, a zoo, and an aquarium with Nordic animals. It also offers a scenic view of the city. This is perfect for families and if you enjoy seeing wildlife! You could spend half the day here and does have a cafe and food options throughout the area.

Sodermalm
Try a variety of Swedish meatballs at Meatballs for the People, or see where parts of 2011 version of The Girl of the Dragon Tattoo were filmed, this is the neighborhood to visit.

There are multiple destinations where you can get a skyline view of the city in Sodermalm: Monteliusvägen, Katerina Lift, and Fjallgatan.

Stockholm City Hall
Located on the edge of the water in the Kingsholmen neighborhood, this is where the Nobel Prize banquet is held in the blue hall of the building and where local government officials meet. The interior and exterior of the hall are both quite remarkable. There are hundreds of other events held each year.

Tour times depend on events held that day. I recommend checking out its website before going.

Breakfast

• Skeppsbro Bageri - Can I interest you in a cinnamon bun or kanel bulle, and coffee for breakfast? Skeppsbro Bageri is a two minute walk from the Hotel Reisen. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and food and drink selections.

• Vete-Katten (Kungsgatan location) - This cafe offers an attractive setting with a variety of pastries and baked goods to eat in or take home with you (the family loved the semla and kanel bulle I brought home and yours will too!) They box up these items nicely and perfect to take home or for later at your hotel.

• Pom & Flora - Although it’s hard to resist having some of Stockholm’s best pastries, you may decide to change up your breakfast. Therefore, I’d recommend Pom & Flora. You can start with hot or iced coffee options and the 100% Egg on Toast was amazing.

Lunch

• Stockholms Gastabud - This was the first place I went to after checking into the Hotel Reisen. After a long flight, you gotta be thinking about the first place you’re going to eat in the city. Stockholms Gastabud was right around the corner of the hotel and was happy with this restaurant. For your first meal, a must try is traditional Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes, lingonberries, and pickled cucumber.

• Meatballs for the People - When planning for my trip, this location came up several times in my search for places to eat. After eating here, I understand why it’s such a popular destination. It’s a cozy setting and offers a variety of menu options and of course, meatball options. I recommend the Chef’s Choice, since you get more meatball options and a full plate. Keep in mind, the chef literally chooses for you, so you will not know exactly what you get when ordering. However, the meal was still fantastic.

• 800 Grader - I was curious about the pizza options in Stockholm and wanted to try a local restaurant. I had the Pepperoni Pizza, and each size is similar to a small pizza you can eat at your favorite restaurant near home. The pizza was quickly cooked and you can see them make it when waiting at your table. The restaurant is a little small, so I suggest going early. I was the only one there when they opened, but soon started to fill up.

• Bap - Burgers & Pastrami - When traveling, sometimes we miss the food we eat at home and that’s okay. Therefore, where can you go if you’re just looking for a big burger, fries, and cold Coke Zero? Bap has plentiful outdoor and indoor seating options. The Manhattan burger was an excellent selection and the other burgers and sandwiches I saw other plates going past me also looked great. Don’t eat meat? No problem! They have vegan options as well.

Dinner

• Restaurant Reiss - Maybe you’re settled in for the night or you want to try what your hotel has to offer. Restaurant Reiss, located in Hotel Reisen, was a great option with a window view and plentiful food and drink options. Each table was candlelit to offer a romantic setting for a couple or to treat yourself to dinner in a comfortable setting. I recommend The Kottbullar for dinner and the Reiss Kaffemousse for dessert.

• Restaurang Prinsen - This offered a relaxed setting and an opportunity to dress up a bit for dinner. Business casual would be appropriate for this location. If you’re looking to eat somewhere that is a bit quieter, this restaurant is for you.

Fika

Fika is a Swedish meaning for a coffee break with friends, family, or colleagues. Traveling solo? Give yourself a coffee break anyways. You’ll do a lot of exploring throughout the city each day, so take a break! There are so many options for Fika, but here are a couple of my favorite places:

• Cafe Schweizer - This was my favorite place to go for Fika and went here a few times during my stay. Right in Gamla Stan and I enjoyed the customer service at this location. I had a lot of hot coffee during my stay, but if you’re looking for an iced coffee or latte, this is the place to go. I also had three different kinds of Swedish traditional pastries: Kanel Bulle, Budapest, and Semla.

• Valhallabageriet (Östermalm location) - This is a little small for Fika, but worked since it wasn’t very busy at the time. This bakery has lots of options for bread, pastries, and coffee. If you’re looking to go to an area that’s a little quieter, this is a nice spot to visit.

A Few Tips

Most places do not ask you to tip. You do not have to tip like you do in American restaurants. They will add a service charge to your bill instead.

If you get a soda, there are no free refills like you may get back in your home town. Most of the soda offered is by glass bottle or can. You will need to pay for another drink if you want another one. The drink portion is also small (at least I thought so), so don’t it drink it too fast! However, you can get water for free.

I found the service overall was outstanding at the locations I visited and never had to wait long for my meals.