Hello friends and good morning! I was recently blessed to travel to Stockholm again and I am so excited to share my favorite things to do in Gamla Stan, one of my favorite areas of Stockholm, with you!
Dating back to the 13th century, the beautiful island of Gamla Stan features medieval alleyways, cobbled stone streets, stunning architecture and colorful 17th and 18th century buildings. It’s also home to the Royal Palace!
- Stay at one of The Collector’s Hotels! The Victory, where we stayed, is the flagship hotel with spacious rooms, multiple restaurants and multiple bars. The Lady Hamilton is both romantic and charming. And lastly, The Lord Nelson is a slightly more budget friendly alternative that still oozes charm. There hotels are located in the center of Gamla Stan offering a perfect location to explore the charmed old city and they are packed with charm and history!
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2. Visit the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden and with 1,430 rooms, one of the largest palaces in Europe! The Palace was largely built during the 18th century in the Italian Baroque style. The royal residences have been built on this very location since the 13th century. The palace contains apartments for the Royal family, guest Apartments, State Apartments, The Apartments of the Orders of Chivalry and the Bernadotte Apartments, which were our favorite to tour!
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3. Explore the Stortorget. The Stortorget, Swedish for grand square, is the oldest square in Stockholm. We sipped our tasty drinks in the medieval square, just thrilled to be staying in Gamla Stan!
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4. Eat at The Hairy Pig Deli. The Hairy Pig Deli is a charming and very small Swedish tapas restaurant offering cozy vibes and outstanding comfort food! It is our favorite restaurant in Stockholm. We always order the salmon pate, the sausage of the day, moose lasagna, empanadas and potato salad. This is a must for lunch or a casual dinner dinner is our favorite there).
5. Eat at Gastabud. It’s our tradition to eat at Gastabud our first night in Stockholm and its our second favorite restaurant in the city. It feels like a locals spot that is packed with charm and serves up delicious traditional Swedish dishes. I love their sausage plate and Judi loves their meatball plate. Both are divine!
6. Go antique shopping. Our two favorite antique stores in Gamla Stan are Zedell Konst och Antik and Antique Maps and Prints. At the owner is so knowledgeable and will explained every piece to you while he plays the piano. He also has an adorable shop pup! The ceilings in this shop, located on the oldest street in Stockholm, were painting during the 30 years war in 1635. So cool! Judi bought a piece of art there and I bought two! If you love antiques and art this is a shop for you! Antique Maps and Prints, another amazing antique shop is located just a minute walk from Zedell Konst och Antik. Here I purchased about a dozen pieces. One piece I got was from 1865!
7. Check out the Uppland Runic Inscription 53. This Viking stone that is embedded on a street corner is believed to be older than the city itself. Though its exact origin is unknown, it’s estimated to date back to the 11th century. Officially called “Uppland Runic Inscription 53,” the Gamla Stan stone is prominently located at the intersection of Prastgatan and Kakbrinken. The stone depicts a serpent body in decorative winding loops. I find it so fascinating to be surrounded by so much history when in Gamla Stan.
8. Eat at Den Gyldene Freden. Den Gyldene Freden, meaning “The Golden Peace” has been in business continuously since 1722. One of Sweden’s most well known restaurants, it is the second oldest restaurant in the world to have the same surroundings, according to the Guinness World Records. Its surroundings and environment are more or less unchanged since the day the restaurant opened. How cool is that?! For our dinner we split the beef wellington for two which was served on a bed of spinach. You could literally cut the meat with a spoon it was so delicious!
9. Drinks at Pharmarium. Pharmarium is beautiful cocktail lounge in the Stortorget. The cocktails are delicious and the people watching and views are prime as well!
10. Lunch at Mr. French. Mr. French is trendy water front restaurant in Gamla Stan.
My deepest thanks to The Collector’s Hotels for an amazing stay in Galma Stan!
Heading to Stockholm? Check out my full travel guides here and here!
Kisses and Swedish wishes,
