Stockholm between the archipelago, nature and culture

The Stockholm archipelago stretches 80 kilometres east from Stockholm into the Baltic Sea. Swimming, fishing, kayaking and cycling are among the activities on offer; you can also enjoy traditional Swedish cuisine in the fresh sea air. Stockholm County has almost 370 nature reserves. Hiking, berry picking, paddling, skiing and swimming are among the activities available in these areas.

Hiking between islands and forests

The Stockholm Archipelago Trail is a 270-kilometre hiking route across more than 20 islands. Every section is accessible by public ferry. This means you can focus on individual stages when planning, rather than considering only the route’s total length. Check the timetable for the section you plan to take.

Tyresta National Park also offers plenty of room for hiking: its trails cover 55 kilometres and pass through a landscape of ancient forest, forest lakes and mighty trees up to 400 years old. Fire pits and wind shelters complement the trail network. The park is also home to rare lichens, wood fungi, mosses and beetles. At the main entrance in Tyresta by, you’ll find a visitor centre, accessible toilets and parking.

The Royal National City Park offers a different setting close to central Stockholm. Its historic landscape brings together parks, buildings, forests, open land and beaches. Large parts of the park are accessible by bus, metro or boat; there are also walking and cycling paths. This gives you urban trails and a varied historic landscape alongside the Archipelago Trail’s extensive island routes.

Ängsö National Park is accessible only by boat. Scheduled services run from Stockholm or Furusund in spring and summer; check the timetable for your visit. Easy-to-walk trails lead through meadows and woodland around the island. Herb-rich groves and untouched forests provide a habitat for many birds. The seasonal boat services are therefore an important difference from the trails in Tyresta National Park and the nearby Royal National City Park.

Gardens, stages and cultural history

Drottningholm Palace Park is open year-round. A walk takes you through a formal garden dating from the late 17th century, an English-style park begun about a century later, and the more intimate bosquets from the 1760s by the Chinese Pavilion. The royal estate includes the palace, the Palace Theatre, the Chinese Pavilion and the gardens.

At Drottningholm Palace Theatre, the wooden stage machinery is still operated by hand, and around 30 sets have been preserved. Every summer, the programme includes opera, drama and dance performances, concerts, guided tours and events related to the 18th century. If you’re planning to attend a performance or tour, check the dates for your travel period.

Skogskyrkogården is an outstanding early 20th-century cemetery. Its design combines vegetation and architectural features; the Woodland Chapel is closely integrated with its surroundings. The site thus offers a different perspective from the palace gardens: here, the interplay of landscape and architecture shapes the cemetery’s design.

Museums and Viking Age heritage

On the islands of Björkö and Adelsö in Lake Mälaren lie Birka and Hovgården, complete and exceptionally well-preserved archaeological sites from the Viking Age. Visible remains include a trading town, a royal estate, a harbour, defensive structures and prehistoric burial grounds. These features offer a tangible impression of the range of historical remains at the two sites.

Skansen, the oldest open-air museum in Sweden and the world, brings together cultural history, nature and animals in one place. The Vasa Museum on Djurgården in Stockholm offers guided tours centred on one of the best-preserved 17th-century ships in the world. You can reach the museum by tram, bus, car or ferry. Together, these places offer different ways to explore culture and history: from an open-air museum covering several themes to tours focused on a single historic ship.

Discover more destinations: Värmdö, Österåker, Norrtälje, Haninge, Nynäshamn, Boo, Djurhamn, Drottningholm, Upplands-Bro, Enhörna, Stockholm, Sigtuna, Yxlan, Vallentuna, Solna, Danderyd, Järfälla, Södertälje, Botkyrka, Huddinge, Lidingö, Nykvarn, Nacka, Sollentuna, Sundbyberg, Täby, Tyresö, Upplands Väsby, Vaxholm, Ekerö, Björkö

For the main travel overview: Sweden.