Stockholm: Weekend itinerary idea

I had the opportunity to spend a week in Stockholm and really enjoyed it. Besides offering a beautiful landscape, the city is walkable, bike-friendly, and has a very efficient public transport system; so it's very easy to get around.

After my week in Stockholm, I put together my top picks for a shorter stay (which is very doable in my opinion)! If you're going to visit Sweden's capital for a weekend, here's my itinerary suggestion:

Day 1: Gamla Stan & the Royal Palace

Start off in Gamla Stan, Stockholm's old town (and my favorite part of the city). Here are some spots to check out:

• Stortoget, a public square with the iconic colourful buildings
• Nobel Prize Museum, which is located in Stortoget. It's a small museum, so you can see it in about half an hour. You can also stop by Bistro Nobel to check out the Nobel signed chairs and taste the Nobel ice cream!
• Prästgatan 17, an ancient viking runestone
• Stop by the souvenir shops Art & Craft and Handfaste the Viking Shop

After so much walking around, stop by Fika & Wine to try my favourite coffee in town (I've tried many) and don't forget to grab a Swedish treat, like the cardamom bun.

Fika is a Swedish concept/tradition to take a moment of the day to have a hot beverage and a snack, ideally with friends or family).

Finally, don't miss out on The Royal Palace, where I'd recommend trying to catch the royal guard change and visiting the Royal Apartments if you have a chance. We spent a couple of hours checking out the Royal Apartments and the treasury.

If you're hungry enough for dinner, I'd recommend either heading back to Fika & Wine to taste some delicious Swedish meatballs or to Barrels for a smash burger.

Day 2: Djurgården and Södermalm or Östermalm

Djurgården houses many museums, some of the most notable being the ABBA Museum (self-explanatory) and Skansen, an open air Swedish history museum. But the unmissable spot will be the Vasa Museet, with a well preserved 17th-century warship. It's also the most visited museum in Scandinavia, so be sure not to miss it!

I also went to Nordiska Museet, Sweden's largest museum of cultural history. Although it had some interesting history and the building is gorgeous in a renaissance-style castle, I personally didn't love the exhibition as much.

The amusement park Gröna Lund is also in the same area, although it is temporarily closed during the winter when I visited.

From there, I'd recommend choosing either of the neighbourhoods (you can also split this into an extra day):

Södermalm

This has become one of Stockholm's trendiest neighborhoods, offering many trendy shops, restaurants, and bars. Some places to check out:

• Fotografiska Museum, a contemporary museum of photography, art and culture. It's a nice experience, especially if you're into photography and hip hop.
• Check out the panoramic view at Katarinahissen
• And of course, we couldn't miss out on some food: Stop by at Meatballs for the People!

Östermalm

I'd recommend taking the subway and getting off at Stadion so that you can check out the art.

Tip: Not only is Stockholm's public transportation very efficient, but a lot of subway stations are also decorated with art! Check out this self-guided tour to subway art.

Some places to check out here:

Finally, I'd recommend heading back over to Gamla Stan for a viking dining experience at Aifur. It's on the pricey end, but it's a unique experience. I'd highly recommend making a reservation in advance, as it's a very popular restaurant.

There you have it! I hope you enjoy Stockholm as much as I did :)