One day in Stockholm – 24 hours of fun

First things first: treat yourself to a good breakfast. Many cafés in Stockholm have breakfast specials. Pom and Flora, Greasy Spoon, and Nytorget 6 are some of the most popular on Södermalm. Kaferang and Campfire are good choices in central Stockholm. Pascal and Ritorno are great options in Vasastan.

If you're visiting during the weekend and would prefer a hearty brunch to kick off the day STHLM Brunch Club, Greasy Spoon, Rival, and Berns Asiatiska are good choices. Find more brunch and breakfast restaurants in our brunch guide!

While enjoying your meal, now's also a good time to decide how you'd like to spend your day.

The classics

• If you're aiming to see some of the most famous attractions, City Hall is a good starting point. The Nobel Banquet is held annually in this beautiful building, a prime example of Swedish Grace in architecture. From the tower, you get a fantastic view of the entire city.
• Just a short walk from City Hall is Gamla Stan, the Old Town. It's Stockholm's oldest district and one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in the world. Among the more notable attractions in Gamla Stan are The Royal Palace and Stockholm Cathedral.

• Many of Stockholm's most beloved attractions are located on the green island of Djurgården and can be easily reached by taking the computer ferry from Gamla Stan. The Vasa Museum, Abba The Museum, Nordiska Museet and Skansen Open Air Museum are all found here, within walking distance from one another. Visiting them all during the same day might be a little much though, so focus on one!

The newcomers

Maybe you've been to Stockholm before, one or two times, with all the classic boxes ticked already. Maybe you're eager to see what's new since your last visit. Here are some suggestions!

• In December 2023 The National Museum of Technology and Science cut the ribbon on its new dome cinema: Wisdome. Wisdome will show films and presentations about space exploration, the human body, and technology. Wisdome's key feature is its architecture; the building is made mostly out of wood. The roof, ceiling, floor, pillars, furniture, and spheric movie theaters are made out of LVL and CTL, a type of cross-laminated wood.
• The Cell – a joint venture between The National Museum of Technology and Science and The Karolinska Institue – opened in April 2024. The Cell is an exhibition hall where cutting-edge life science meets art. Discover artworks that explore scientific discoveries, questions about life and humanity, and present new finds in unique ways.
• Postmuseum (The Post Museum) in Old Town re-opened in 2024 with two new permanent exhibitions. "Post" about communication and mail in Sweden through history, and Postis! - a new interactive and playful exhibition for kids. The museum also opened its new museum restaurant Avi.

Stockholm's restaurant scene is ever-changing, with new eateries popping up monthly.

There's currently a lot of gastronomic buzz surrounding Slakthusområdet (Stockholm's former meat-packing district). In 2024, the nightclub Fållan moved into its newly renovated location, joining neighbors like Bar Montan and Solen in the gastronomic hub Hus 26.

Other newcomers are Indian-Swedish fusion restaurant India´s, Rosetta's plant-based and vegan-friendly take on American soul food, deluxe hot dogs at Banger, and Gondolen's sister restaurants/neighbors Café Klotet and Pelago.

Experience Stockholm like a local

If you're looking to experience the city as Stockholmers do every day, the first order of business should be to grab a cup of coffee. Swedes love coffee, so much so that Sweden consistently places itself among the world's 3-5 most coffee-drinking countries. And even if you've just had coffee for breakfast, you should probably plan your day to have a couple of café options along the way.

Secondly, many Stockholmers prefer taking the subway or bus, to driving a car in the city. Seeing as the metro often is described as the world's longest art exhibition you'll always have something interesting to look at while waiting for your train. As to where that train might take you, a lovely vista of Stockholm like the City Hall as mentioned earlier (T-Centralen or Rådhuset), Skinnarviksberget (Zinkensdamm), or Monteliusvägen (Mariatorget or Slussen) might be a good start.

Visiting Stockholm is a great opportunity to stock up on Scandinavian design, known for its "less is more" approach to practical design. Swedish design has also led the way in transitioning into more sustainable products and production chains. You'll find both timeless classics like Svenskt Tenn and Carl Malmsteen and contemporary boutiques like Norrgavel and Nordiska Galleriet.

While these might be on the high-end spectrum, Granit, IKEA City, and Designtorget are good options for affordable everyday items. If you're looking for Swedish fashion, Asket, Rodebjer, Hope, and Acne are good places to start.