Stockholm was not really on my radar for a destination I wanted to visit. Sweden in general I wanted to see just because I kind of want to see every country I possibly can. Copenhagen on the other hand is on my physical want-to-visit list.
But after the Swiftholm bonanza of 2024, this destination officially went on my wish list. After seeing how beautiful the Scandinavian city was through friends who went, I knew it was a place I wanted to see for myself.
With a direct flight from JFK to Arlanda Airport (ARN), it was an easy trip to make. And after a quick Google search of things to do, I knew it was a destination I would enjoy. It’s a walkable city, water everywhere, great food, delicious pastries and pleasant weather, especially in the summer. So off I went to Stockholm for a long weekend of solo exploring.
3 Day Itinerary Stockholm Travel Guide
My itinerary had me arriving really early on Saturday morning, and departing Tuesday morning. When I arrived, I walked around my neighborhood and made my way to Old Town and toured the Grand Palace. After a sandwich and pastry, I took a nap, and then had dinner at Symbios.
On Sunday I took a ferry to Vaxholm which was a great way to spend a few hours exploring a new destination and seeing the archipelagos. After returning to Stockholm I walked around and did some shopping before having dinner at Kvarnen. One brand I love, Ganni, had a great store to shop in and I did a little damage.
Monday was a bit more chill, and I wish I didn’t cancel my food tour (I signed up for this one and canceled last minute, regretting it after the fact). I had breakfast at my hotel and headed to Djurgården to spend most of the day. This island has the Vasa Museum, and The ABBA museum, along with a few great restaurants and parks. I then finished the day off with dinner near my hotel (did not love it, so it’s not recommended here).
This itinerary was honestly pretty light. You easily could add in another museum or two, but I enjoy taking my time and sitting at cafes and reading my book or calling a friend and catching up while sitting and taking in the views. I still feel like I saw a lot and the only thing I wish I did was the food tour.
Where To Stay
I stayed on the island of Södermalm which felt like a more local spot from everywhere else I visited in Stockholm. The hotel I stayed at was the NOFO Hotel and I absolutely loved it. It was a recommendation from my friend Katelyn who stayed there during Swiftholm.
This boutique hotel has a variety of room options from single twin rooms for the solo traveler, or suites that have a pull out couch for larger groups. Each floor has its own theme inspired by the owners’ travels. I ended up staying on the New York floor which was just ironic. It had subway signs throughout the floor and the rooms. One of the subway signs in my room was one of my subway stops. It just felt meant to be.
The NOFO Hotel is just a few blocks from great restaurants, bakeries and shopping. And just two blocks to the subway station making it really easy to get to other neighborhoods.
My favorite part about the NOFO Hotel was that it felt like it was where the locals also hung out. With a bustling wine bar and restaurant, this place had locals and hotel guests alike hanging out and enjoying the courtyard with a glass of wine. The complimentary breakfast buffet was fantastic. I loved heading down to make a plate or two and enjoy the crisp mornings in the courtyard before starting my day.
I also found this hotel to be reasonably priced. As a solo traveler, I always find it hard to book hotels that don’t break the bank and still feel cute, charming and clean.
Getting to Stockholm From ARN Airport
If you’re flying into ARN airport, there are a few options for getting into the city center. I went with the Arlanda Express train which was about $35 each way that takes you to the Central Station (Centralen) in about 20 minutes. From there, you can then take the T (their subway system) or grab a taxi to get to your hotel.
I found this very easy to do on my way into Stockholm, but completely missed the Arlanda Express on the way to the airport and ended up on a commuter train. Just keep an eye out for Arlanda Express and don’t make the same mistake I did because it can add 40 minutes to your trip.
You can also take a taxi to and from the airport. Just keep in mind traffic, and price changes based on that. Uber is also available.
Where To Eat In Stockholm
I had a long list of great restaurants to check out from recommendations. I only made it to the following ones that I really enjoyed. Every Swedish dish I had was better than the next.
Beck Kaffebar
A charming cafe with pastries and sandwiches. This was just around the corner from the NOFO hotel and was a great place to stop for an afternoon pick-me up.
Kvarnen
A traditional Swedish restaurant serving up classic dishes like meatballs with lingonberries, reindeer, shrimp toast and more.
Symbios
This was a modern restaurant with beautiful decor and ambiance. I had the beet salad which was one of the best beet salads I have ever had. I also ordered the chicken skewers which they said was one of their most popular dishes. It was served over a creamy garlic sauce with pickled chilis. It was outstanding.
Stora Bageriet
A popular bakery that has incredible pastries and coffees. They also offer a variety of savory items like salmon and shrimp toast. Everything here looks incredible. I also really appreciated that most coffee shops have a variety of milk alternatives as well as lactose-free milk.
Skroten Café & Skeppshandel
Located on Djurgården, this was a cute little cafe serving up simple Swedish dishes like fried herring, shrimp toast and more. You can sit outside overlooking the docks. I had the shrimp toast which was a hearty portion and packed with flavor yet so simple.
Fabrique
I realized on my way to Stockholm that my favorite bakery in NYC is in fact, Swedish! I quickly looked up this bakery thinking there was just maybe one in Stockholm. But turns out this is a popular spot and there is one on every corner. I saw them everywhere, and even accidentally went to one thinking it was a new to me bakery. Turns out, they just make a really fantastic cardamom bun. If you see one, stop in to try a pastry!
Where To Explore In Stockholm
Stockholm is made up a lot of islands and you can easily get to each of the main ones through public transportation, walking and by car. Here are a few that I visited.
Gamla Stan
This is where Old Town is located and several museums. Walk through the cobblestone streets and take in the beautiful architecture and history. Packed with shops, cafes and restaurants, this is a great place to spend some time during your stay.
Djurgården
This island has a lot to do on it like the ABBA museum and the Vasa museum. There’s plenty to do here and you can easily spend a good chunk of your day exploring the shops, amusement park, parks and more.
Östermalm
To me, Östermalm felt like the main city center. Grand and beautiful hotels lined the water along with high end shopping and restaurants. For shopping, head to NK which is a high end department store. Have afternoon tea at Grand Hôtel, or enjoy a cardamom bun at Stora and sit outside enjoying what feels like endless sunlight in the summer.
Södermalm
This is where my hotel was located along with a few great restaurants and cafes. There is some good shopping here as well and the Fotografiska museum. This neighborhood definitely felt like a place where locals hang out.
Vaxholm
You’ll need to take a boat to get here as it’s about an hour away on the ferry. But it’s worth it. I loved spending the afternoon here having lunch and Swedish desserts while taking in the views. Once you arrive you can simply walk the whole island. If it’s warm, pack your swimsuit as folks were taking a dip in the water at Battery Park.
Things To Do In Stockholm
Explore The Archipelagos & Have Lunch on Vaxholm
The Stockholm archiplegago is made up of over 24,000 islands. Take a boat tour of the islands to take in the beauty of the archipelagos. I did a 50 minute ferry to Vaxholm to explore the island. It was such a charming place and you could spend a good 2-3 hours there.
I had lunch at Bistro Magasinet which was delicious and had a view of the water. It sits above a cute home shop so be sure to stop in after your meal. Just a few minutes away by foot is Vaxholms Hembygdsgårds Café and I would definitely recommend trying a few desserts. They do a buffet where you fill your plate and pay at the counter. You can also get lunch here as well.
Eat Classic Swedish Foods & Pastries
One of the things I was so surprised by was how much I loved the food. I didn’t really have anything in mind of what to expect outside of Swedish meatballs and cardamom buns. I enjoyed every meal I had and wish I had more time to eat more.
Cardamom buns are a must-have and you’ll find the locals enjoying what they call Fika, a coffee break if you will, with a coffee and bun throughout the day in Stockholm. It’s a part of their culture to slow down, sit down with a friend and enjoy a coffee and pastry. And thanks to that, there are plenty of bakeries to stop into. I loved the cardamom buns at Fabrique and Stora. But seriously, I don’t think there are any bad ones in the city.
A few other sweets and pastries to try include chokladbollar, kladdkaka chocolate cake, kanelbulle and kardemummabulle (these are the cinnamon and cardamom buns), Princess cake and Silviakaka to name a few. Just try them all if you can. I found their sweets to not be overly sweet which I appreciated. And I’ve officially declared that Sweden has my favorite pastries and desserts out of any country I’ve ever visited.
For lunch or dinner, try Swedish meatballs, gravlax, pickled or fried herring, falu sausage, and toast Skagen (shrimp toast), are all great dishes and ingredients to try. I wish I had more time to have more meals because I thoroughly enjoyed everything I had and wanted to try even more.
Vasa Museum
A 17th century warship was built and unfortunately sunk within minutes of its maiden voyage. They pulled the wreckage out of the Baltic Sea years later and restored it. There is now a museum of the ship and the stories surrounding it on the island of Djurgården.
The ABBA Museum
Also located on Djurgården, is The ABBA Museum. Learn about the history and people of the ABBA music group at this museum. I would recommend getting tickets ahead of time as the line to purchase was long.
The Royal Palace
Take a look inside the Swedish monarch’s palace. You can spend a good hour or two walking through this and taking in all the history.
Swedish Food Tour
I canceled my food tour last minute and have 100% regrets. I love a food tour because they are such a great way to see a city on foot and get to try a LOT of dishes. This is especially nice when visiting somewhere for a short amount of time. I feel like I missed out on several classic dishes due to how few meals I was able to get in. This is the tour I booked that looked really great! If I ever go back to Stockholm, it’s the first thing I’m booking and doing!
Other Museums To Check Out
With only 3 days in Stockholm, I could only see so many museums. But there really are a lot of options that you could explore depending on your interests. Below are ones that were on my radar and I would love to check out on my next visit.
- Fotografiska
- Nordic Museum
- Nobel Prize Museum
- Royal Armoury
- Drottningholm Palace
- Skansen
- National Museum
- Medieval Museum
I found Stockholm to be an easy city to get around with public transportation and that most people spoke English. This city is also completely cashless. Everywhere I went was tap to pay. This was super convenient and made it really easy to get around, including the subways and buses!
If you’ve been thinking about visiting a Scandinavian city, I absolutely loved my short time in Stockholm and would definitely go back. The weather was a delight, food was great, and it was such a charming city surrounded by water.
Oct 2025 Update: I shared my recent trip to Copenhagen in this travel guide!
