Spending 3 days in Stockholm isn’t nearly enough time to see everything, but it’s a good place to start. The Swedish capital is home to a lot of incredible attractions, including world-class museums and a beautiful old town. The city is made up of 14 islands, and each one has something different to offer visitors. Although some of these islands are more popular than others, they’re all worth visiting if you have some extra time in your 3 days in Stockholm itinerary.
The beginning of May is the perfect time to visit Stockholm. At this time of the year the cruise ships are starting to dock more frequently, but the streets aren’t as busy as in the summer months. The main attractions in Stockholm are fairly close to one another, or there’s quick and easy public transportation between them. If the weather’s nice during your 3 days in Stockholm, you should make the most out of it and walk around the city as much as possible.
If you’re planning on visiting a lot of paid attractions in Stockholm or you’re looking to join some guided tours in Stockholm, I’d recommend buying the Stockholm Pass to save money. It’s also a good idea to go to Visit Stockholm’s website for helpful tips and recommendations before arriving in the city.
Here’s what we got up to during our 3 days in Stockholm in May. This includes some tips about places to eat in Stockholm to help you plan your trip to the Swedish capital.
Getting around Stockholm
Getting around Stockholm couldn’t be easier with the fantastic public transportation system in the city. There are several transportation passes available depending on how many days you’re going to be visiting Stockholm for. If you download the SL App you’ll be able to see all of the options and prices directly on your smartphone.
The pass includes all forms of transportation such as ferries, buses, trains, and trams around Stockholm. Unfortunately, the transportation pass doesn’t include access to and from Arlanda Airport.
The quickest way to travel between Arlanda Airport and Stockholm’s city centre is by using the Arlanda Express. This train will get you to the city centre in under 20 minutes, but it’s very expensive. If you’re travelling as a group of 2 or more people there are discounts available though.
For those of you not in a rush and wanting to save money, I would recommend buying a FlixBus ticket. The journey is longer but it’s significantly cheaper and you’ll be dropped off at the main train station.
Things to do in Stockholm
There are a lot of beautiful cities to visit in Sweden, and spending 3 days in Stockholm is a good amount of time to see the highlights of the Swedish capital. We visited Stockholm in May and we had perfect weather for the duration of our trip. Even if you plan a trip to Stockholm in the winter months, you’ll find that there are still a lot of great things to do in Stockholm to keep you entertained.
Go museum hopping
There are a lot of museums in Stockholm to get through and each one is as unique as the next. For music enthusiasts, a trip to ABBA The Museum or the Avicii Experience should be high on your list of things to do in Stockholm. More history-oriented visitors will enjoy a trip to the world-famous Vasa Museum, the Swedish History Museum, or the Royal Palace and its museums. If you’re visiting Stockholm in the spring or summer, a trip to Sweden’s largest open-air museum, Skansen, is a must as well.
Museums aren’t for everyone. But there are a lot to choose from in the Swedish capital so I bet at least one will appeal to you during your 3 days in Stockholm.
Take a boat tour
Taking a boat tour in Stockholm is a fantastic way to see the city from a different perspective. As you walk along the waterfront, you’ll see that there are a lot of tour operators eagerly trying to catch your attention.
Stromma are perhaps the most well-known of these companies. They operate numerous tours from Stockholm, with one of their most popular being the archipelago tour. These tours vary in length, from 90 minutes up to a full day tour. If you only have 3 days in Stockholm to spare, a shorter tour may be your best option.
Another short alternative is the 50 minute boat tour with Sightseeing Ride. This small boat will take you to some of the highlights around the city centre with an engaging commentary throughout. This company uses 100% electric boats for their tours as well which is a great initiative.
Explore the old town
Stockholm’s old town, Gamla Stan, is the city’s most visited district. It’s a very compact old town so it’s easy to walk between the main attractions here. Gamla Stan dates back to the 13th century and is considered to be one of the best preserved old towns in Europe.
There are plenty of places to visit in Gamla Stan such as the Nobel Prize Museum, the Royal Palace, and Stockholm Cathedral. You’ll also find a good selection of places to eat in Stockholm within Gamla Stan.
The metro stop for Gamla Stan is along its perimeter. Most of the old town is pedestrianized apart from authorized vehicles so it’s important that you bring comfortable shoes to walk along the cobbled streets.
Have a fika
If you come across the term fika in Sweden it essentially means a coffee break. If you don’t like coffee you can switch it out for another hot drink of your preference. Fika is a time to be social and usually consists of a hot drink and a baked good, popularly a cinnamon bun. There are endless places to go for fika around Stockholm so this is something you can easily add to your 3 days in Stockholm itinerary.
If you’re in Gamla Stan, one of the most popular places for fika is Chokladkoppen which is located in the main square, next to the Nobel Prize Museum.
Do some shopping
Each district of Stockholm comes with its own unique selection of shops. Within Gamla Stan you’ll find a good mixture of standard souvenir shops and artisan shops selling all sorts of goods. Outside of Gamla Stan, Drottninggatan is the main shopping street in Stockholm and Biblioteksgatan is where you’ll find all of the luxury shopping brands.
If you want a more relaxed shopping experience in Stockholm, I would recommend going over to Södermalm. This is where there’s a lot of locally run shops as well as vintage clothing shops in Stockholm.
Hopefully you find some spare time during your 3 days in Stockholm to do a bit of shopping, because this city has a lot of options.
Admire the Stockholm metro stations
Did you know that Stockholm is home to the world’s longest art exhibit? Stockholm’s metro stations are among the most impressive in the world, with no two being the same. If you don’t have the time to go on a guided tour of Stockholm’s metro stations, you can always do some research beforehand and choose a few to visit.
Among my favourites are Citybanan, Kungsträdgården, T-Centralen, and Stadion (where you’ll find the rainbow art). Visiting the metro stations in Stockholm definitely needs to be added to your 3 days in Stockholm itinerary.
Catch a performance at the Royal Swedish Opera
One of the best things to do in Stockholm at night is to catch a performance at the Royal Swedish Opera. This is Sweden’s national stage for opera and ballet, with shows put on throughout the year. The opera house sits across from the Royal Palace and it was built in the late-19th century. It’s a beautiful building both inside and out, so even if you don’t understand the performance you can sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.
Rummage through the vintage clothing shops
If you’re looking for alternative things to do in Stockholm, visiting some vintage clothing shops is a great place to start. There are a lot of vintage shops spread throughout the city, with some being more expensive than others. Södermalm has a good selection of these shops to rummage through, and many of them are independent or boutique shops which is always a nice change. You’ll probably come across some vintage shops during your 3 days in Stockholm without meaning to.
Enjoy a concert at the Friends Arena
The Friends Arena is Sweden’s national arena and it’s known for being one of the most modern multi-arenas in the world. If you’re spending 3 days in Stockholm or more, chances are that there’s something happening here. When we visited Stockholm in May we based our trip around seeing Taylor Swift perform here and it was an incredible experience.
There are always a lot of events happening in Stockholm throughout the year, not just at the Friends Arena, which is one of the many reasons that Stockholm is such a fun city to visit.
Walk around Södermalm
The Södermalm district of Stockholm is one of my favourite places to visit. It’s filled with unique shops and restaurants, and many of the streets are very picturesque and less busy with tourists. It’s known for being Stockholm’s trendiest district so there’s a lot to see and do here. Make sure you visit the SoFo area of Södermalm which is popular for its laid back and hipster vibes.
One of the best viewpoints in Stockholm can be found in this district at Mariaberget. I would recommend visiting near sunset when you’ll get an incredible view over Gamla Stan.
Stockholm at night
If you’re looking for something to do at night while spending 3 days in Stockholm, taking a walk around the city is always a good option. Gamla Stan in particular takes on a completely different vibe in the evening, and it’s always nice to see the buildings lit up.
There are a lot of interesting evening walking tours to choose from, especially in Gamla Stan. Alternatively, you can walk around the newer parts of the city at your leisure and see what you come across. Taking a stroll along the waterfront at night is something that comes highly recommended too.
Take a walk along Strandvägen
Spending 3 days in Stockholm is more than enough time to visit some areas outside of Gamla Stan. One of the most picturesque places to walk in Stockholm is Strandvägen. This boulevard runs along the waterfront and is home to a nice selection of cafes and restaurants. At one time, this area was full of rundown houses and looked very unappealing to visitors. Today it’s more lively than ever and is a must-see in Stockholm at any time of the year.
Relax on an archipelago tour
Taking an archipelago tour is one of the best things to do in Stockholm. There are several varieties of tours and tour lengths available, but we chose the 90 minute tour with Stromma as we were short on time. The tour takes place on a classic ship with a beautiful wooden interior that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
Throughout the tour our guide provided us with a lot of interesting facts about the attractions in Stockholm that we sailed past as well as the archipelago and its islands. You’ll have the option of sitting upstairs or downstairs, with a few seats set up on the deck. There’s also a small cafeteria and toilets onboard.
Taking this archipelago tour was the best way to round off our 3 days in Stockholm. Hopefully during our next trip to Stockholm we have time to go on one of the longer archipelago tours as well.
Places to eat in Stockholm
It’s no secret that Stockholm has a very vibrant food scene. There are a lot of incredible places to eat in Stockholm, especially if you look outside of Gamla Stan. During our 3 days in Stockholm, we managed to visit a handful of districts around the city and eat at some unique restaurants. Here are my top recommendations for places to eat in Stockholm outside of Gamla Stan.
For information about where to eat in the old town, check out this Gamla Stan guide.
Solros Crêperie
Our first food stop during our 3 days in Stockholm was at Solros Crêperie. This unique cafe in Stockholm is located in Södermalm and is one of the best places to go for lunch or an afternoon snack. They have a nice variety of sweet crepes on the menu, and one that I would highly recommend is their chocolate banana. It pairs perfectly with either a matcha latte or a freshly blended smoothie.
On the savoury side of things, Solros Crêperie also offers a delicious selection of galettes. There’s a very tasty guacamole and salmon galette that hits all the right spots. But there are plenty of other options if you don’t like fish as well.
You won’t find better crepes in Stockholm, or galettes, than at Solros Crêperie so make sure you add it to your 3 days in Stockholm itinerary.
Meetballs & Pancakes
We try to support local businesses wherever we travel, which is why we were really pleased to come across Meetballs & Pancakes. This independently run restaurant serves the best Swedish meatballs in Stockholm, and it’s still very much a hidden gem in Stockholm. It’s located in Södermalm and has a menu solely based around traditional Swedish meatballs and American-style pancakes.
Although the menu is small, you still have full control over your food. When you order, you’ll be given the choice of how many meatballs you want and the type of meat. There are also vegetarian and vegan meatballs available. All of the meatball dishes come served with mashed potatoes, cucumber salad, and lingonberry jam.
Meetballs & Pancakes is one of the best places to eat in Stockholm if you want traditional, homemade food at reasonable prices. It was honestly one of our favourite restaurants during our 3 days in Stockholm and we can’t wait to go back.
BANGER
One of the coolest places to eat in Stockholm is at BANGER. Their menu is based around hotdogs but they’ve turned things up a notch and created an elegant and modern fast food dining experience. As soon as you walk into the restaurant you’ll be struck by the incredible decor and atmosphere.
The deluxe hotdogs at BANGER are unlike any you’ll have seen before. If you can’t decide which one to try, it’s a good idea to order a few and share them. This way you get to try a variety of flavours in one sitting. Each hotdog is unique, and draws inspiration from different parts of the world. You’ll find everything from traditional hotdog flavours to Swedish-inspired and Asian fusion hotdogs on the menu.
This is a very budget-friendly place to eat in Stockholm and all of the ingredients are of the highest quality. Even if you aren’t a big fan of hotdogs, BANGER may pleasantly surprise you with their modern adaptation of a classic fast food dish. Make sure you indulge in a chocolate milk too!
Pom Friterie
You won’t see fried potatoes as elaborately presented than at Pom Friterie. Their fully loaded fries are made using the highest quality Dutch potatoes available. They’re sustainably grown close to the North Sea and are naturally turned into crispy Pom Frites without any additives. Normally, fries are a side dish but at Pom Friterie they’re the star of the menu.
My favourite dish was the Bali Bom. It’s vegetarian-friendly and comes with a delicious peanut sauce and coconut crumble. As well as their regular topped fries, they also have a seasonal dish which is worth considering too. On the side I would recommend ordering a couple of their bitterballen (croquettes) to munch on, and you can’t go wrong with one of their fizzy cocktails made with fresh ingredients.
Chelas
If you’re looking for a trendy and authentic Mexican restaurant in Stockholm then Chelas is the place to go. They have a lot of fantastic Mexican dishes on their menu, so it can be difficult to choose between them. Their tacos are extremely popular and are served in groups of 3 so you get a very generous portion. They all pair beautifully with a margarita or a beer.
The beer battered cod tacos are a big hit with the locals, as are the bone marrow tacos. I guarantee you won’t have tried bone marrow tacos quite like these before. If you’re looking for a unique dining experience then I would suggest ordering them along with a homemade salsa. They also have vegetarian tacos on the menu and the homemade guacamole is incredible.
Did someone say churros? Even if you’re feeling a little full from all of these delicious tacos, you have to try one of their desserts too. Make sure you add Chelas to your 3 days in Stockholm itinerary – it’s the perfect spot for dinner after a long day of exploring the city.
Tak
If you’re wondering which rooftop restaurant in Stockholm to dine at, Tak is one of the most popular in the city. This rooftop bar and terrace in Stockholm offers beautiful views of the city while you dine or sip on a cocktail at the bar. It’s a fusion restaurant that seamlessly blends Japanese flavours and cooking methods with modern Scandinavian cuisine.
Whatever time of the year you visit Tak at, all of their ingredients are selected based on the season as well as their quality, with their environmental impact in mind. Their lunch menu is smaller than the evening menu, but you’ll still have a lot to choose from.
When we visited in May the chicken donburi and the chirashi sushi were on the menu and both turned out to be great lunch options. We also started our meal with a couple of snacks which included the green pea guacamole and the TAK Toast Skagen. If you don’t feel like having an alcoholic beverage at lunch, they have a nice selection of non-alcoholic drinks, including some fizzy drinks from Japan.
Eggs Inc.
There are a lot of breakfast spots in Stockholm but if you want quick service then you have to try Eggs Inc., just a short walk from Gamla Stan. This healthy fast food restaurant is all about eggs, with everything from traditional Eggs Benedict to egg pizzas on the menu. The concept behind Eggs Inc. is that eggs are a great source of protein and vitamins, which means eating them for breakfast is a great way to start your day.
There’s a kiosk at the door where you can order your meal from, and when the food is prepared your number will appear on the screen. The bacon breakfast bun is one of my favourite options on the menu, but the egg bites and the egg pizza with cheese and mushrooms is also a nice option if you’re dining here later in the afternoon. Eggs Inc. is a very affordable place to eat in Stockholm and it’s perfect if you’re on the go because they offer takeaway too.
Art Bakery
A unique cafe in Stockholm to grab a quick snack and a hot drink at is Art Bakery. This cafe combines fine art with the art of pastry-making, and the result is a cozy but modern spot for fika in Stockholm. They have other, healthier options on their menu apart from pastries too. We stopped in for a quick cinnamon bun and a coffee before heading to one of the nearby museums in Stockholm. You’ll find a lot of cafes similar to this one if you’re spending 3 days in Stockholm, but this one left a good impression on us.
Restaurang Cypern
The best Mediterranean restaurant in Stockholm is Restaurang Cypern. It’s located a short metro ride away from the old town, but the journey will be worth it. Their Cypriot menu boasts an incredible selection of freshly prepared Mediterranean food, which is similar to a blend of Turkish and Greek cuisine.
Dishes such as the Scampi Saganaki and the Chicken Fillet on a Skewer are both great options for main dishes and can easily be shared. Their version of a Greek salad is a beautiful way to start the meal too. You should also try the halloumi with tomato jam or their unique twist on the traditional Greek spanakopita. Whatever you decide to order, and whether you share your dishes or not, Restaurang Cypern will be a big highlight during your 3 days in Stockholm.
La Gelateria
Looking for ice cream in Stockholm? It would be hard to find somewhere better than La Gelateria. We came across this ice cream shop by chance while we were walking around SoFo and we’re glad we stopped by. The ice creams here are incredibly creamy and surprisingly not too sweet.
They don’t have a huge selection of flavours but the ones that are available will blow you away. Be prepared for a mixture of traditional flavours and Nordic-inspired creations. Having some ice cream here was a great way to finish our 3 days in Stockholm before heading back to the airport.
Where to stay in Stockholm
Hotel Reisen
Basing yourself out of Gamla Stan is a good option as it provides you with easy access to other districts in Stockholm. If you want to treat yourself, staying at the 5-star Hotel Reisen is a must. This beautiful historic hotel in Stockholm offers stunning views of the waterfront from its rooms. Guests will also find a little bit of history poking through the modern Nordic design of their room.
In the morning, there’s an incredible high-quality buffet breakfast waiting for you. You’ll find everything you could ever want to eat at breakfast, and plenty of drinks such as fresh smoothies and champagne. This luxury hotel in Stockholm also boasts a popular restaurant, two bars, a library, and an underground spa. There’s no place better to stay for 3 days in Stockholm than Hotel Reisen.
Is Stockholm worth visiting?
Stockholm is a very easy city to get around thanks to its public transportation system. But is 3 days in Stockholm enough or too long?
Many of the main attractions in and around the old town are easy to walk between, and even if you visit Stockholm in the winter there are plenty of museums to visit and other indoor activities. Spending 3 days in Stockholm is just the right amount of time to see the city’s main highlights. If you can spend more days in the Swedish capital though you’ll be able to explore additional hidden gems in Stockholm and get a better understanding for what makes this city such a popular destination throughout the year.
Have you spent 3 days in Stockholm or more in the past? Or do you have any other tips regarding things to do in Stockholm? I’d love to hear about your experience so please feel free to leave me a comment below. You can also reach out via Instagram where you can follow along with my latest adventures.
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