Stockholm travel guide
Sweden
Spread across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic, Stockholm is a city of water, bridges and well-kept old streets. Summer days are long and bright, while winter is dark, cold and candlelit.
Essentials
- Language
- Swedish; English widely and fluently spoken
- Currency
- Swedish krona (SEK)
- Plugs
- Type F, plus two-pin Type C; 230 V
- Emergency number
- 112
- Tipping
- Not expected; rounding up or adding around 10 percent at restaurants for good service is common.
Rough daily budget
Approximate spend per person per day, in US dollars:
- Backpacker: $70-100, with a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport.
- Mid-range: $170-250, with a private room and restaurant meals.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Where to stay in Stockholm
- Södermalm: a hilly southern island with vintage shops, cafés and views back over the city.
- Gamla stan: the medieval old town of narrow lanes and coloured houses around the Royal Palace.
- Östermalm: an elegant district with a historic food hall and easy access to Djurgården.
Getting around Stockholm
SL runs the metro, commuter trains, trams, buses and some ferries, and you can buy tickets in the SL app or load an SL Access card. Many metro stations are decorated as works of art.
Best time to visit Stockholm
June to August for long days and archipelago trips; December has Christmas markets and very short days.
Top things to do in Stockholm
- See the 17th-century warship at the Vasa Museum
- Wander the lanes of Gamla stan and watch the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace
- Visit Skansen, the open-air museum of historic Swedish buildings on Djurgården
- Ride the metro to see the painted and carved art in its stations
- Take a boat into the archipelago for swimming and island walks in summer
What to eat in Stockholm
- Köttbullar: meatballs served with gravy, lingonberries and mashed potato
- Kanelbulle: a cardamom-spiced cinnamon bun, the classic fika pastry
- Gravlax: cured salmon with dill, often served with a mustard sauce
- Toast Skagen: prawns in a creamy dill sauce on fried bread
Day trips from Stockholm
- Uppsala: a university city with a great cathedral and royal burial mounds, about 40 minutes by train
- Drottningholm Palace: the royal family's residence and gardens, around an hour by summer boat
- Vaxholm: a small island town in the archipelago, roughly an hour by boat
Local etiquette
Swedes value punctuality and personal space, and they queue using ticket numbers in many shops. Take your shoes off when entering a home.
Staying connected
Prepaid SIMs and eSIMs are easy to get, EU visitors roam at home rates, and Wi-Fi is widespread; note that many places are card-only and do not accept cash.
Staying safe
Stockholm is generally safe for visitors, though pickpockets operate in busy tourist areas and on public transport. In winter, icy pavements are a real hazard, so wear shoes with grip.
A local tip
Take a commuter ferry out into the archipelago on a summer day for island scenery without a tour price.
Visas:rules depend on your nationality and change often – check your own government's official travel advice before you go.
Meet people in Stockholm on Waypacker
Waypacker is a free travel community: stay with ID-verified local hosts, join meetups and city groups, and ask people who live in Stockholm for advice. We are new here, so if you live in Stockholm, you could be one of the first hosts.
Questions about Stockholm
- What currency is used in Stockholm?
- Stockholm uses the Swedish krona (SEK).
- What is the emergency number in Stockholm?
- In Stockholm, call 112.
- When is the best time to visit Stockholm?
- June to August for long days and archipelago trips; December has Christmas markets and very short days.
- How much does a day in Stockholm cost?
- Roughly $70-100 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $170-250 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.
- Is Waypacker free to use in Stockholm?
- Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.
- Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?
- Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.
- Can I meet locals in Stockholm without staying with anyone?
- Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.
- Will anyone see my exact location?
- No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.
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