4-Day Stockholm Itinerary: Gamla Stan, Museums and the Archipelago

Stockholm is one of those cities that looks exactly as good in person as it does in photos. The old town is genuinely old, the water is everywhere, and the design sense you associate with Sweden shows up in everything from subway stations to corner cafés.

We spent four days in Stockholm, arriving in the afternoon and exploring the city between hockey games at the Ice Hockey World Championship. We based ourselves at Hotel Reisen in Gamla Stan, walked almost everywhere, and used the metro and ferries when we needed to cover more ground.

The central city sits where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea, with the Stockholm archipelago of thousands of islands stretching out just beyond. Four days gave us time to explore the Old Town, spend a full day on Djurgården at the Vasa Museum and Skansen, take a short boat trip, and still have slow mornings.

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Getting Into the City

We took the Arlanda Express train from Stockholm Arlanda Airport into Stockholm Central Station. It takes about 18 minutes and is the simplest and most reliable way to get into the city. From the station, it was a short ride to Hotel Reisen.

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Where We Stayed

We stayed at Hotel Reisen, part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt. It is right on the waterfront in Gamla Stan, a few minutes from the Royal Palace and close to the ferries to Djurgården.

The location made it easy to walk everywhere. The harbor views in the morning and evening were an unexpected bonus.

Stockholm waterfront view

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How Dagens Lunch Works

On weekdays, many restaurants offer dagens lunch. It is a daily lunch special where you usually choose a meat, fish or vegetarian dish. Many places also include a small salad bar, bread, water and coffee.

Dagens lunch is a simple and local way to eat midday. We often made it our main meal of the day since we were rushing to get to hockey games in the evening.

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Our 4-Day Stockholm Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival, Gamla Stan, Royal Palace and Slingerbulten

We landed in the afternoon and took the Arlanda Express into the city. After checking in, we headed straight into Gamla Stan. The narrow streets around Stortorget are an easy place to wander and get a first feel for Stockholm.

Stortorget square in Gamla Stan

We grabbed lunch at Slingerbulten. It is a cozy restaurant serving traditional Swedish dishes and we enjoyed it enough that we returned later in the trip.

With the Royal Palace so close to our hotel, we decided to go inside. Touring the State Apartments and Treasury was the perfect first day activity and helped us learn more about Swedish history.

Evening

Most evenings on our trip were spent at the hockey games at Avicii Arena. If you are not in town for an event, a great alternative on your first night is a simple dinner in Gamla Stan followed by a walk along the waterfront. It is especially nice just after sunset.

Stortorget at night

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Day 2 – Jetlag Sunrise, Vasa Museum and Skansen

Early Morning

We were awake at 4:00 a.m. from jetlag, so we decided to go for a walk instead of trying to fall back asleep. We walked to Monteliusvägen in Södermalm, a clifftop path with wide views toward Gamla Stan, City Hall and the water. It was quiet and calm and became one of our favorite moments of the entire trip.

Sunrise over Stockholm

Morning: Vasa Museum

After breakfast, we took the ferry to Djurgården and visited the Vasa Museum. The nearly fully preserved seventeenth century warship is displayed across multiple levels and is one of the most impressive museum experiences we have had.

Vasa Museum interior

Afternoon: Skansen

We walked to Skansen next. Skansen is the world's first open air museum and combines a Nordic zoo with historic Swedish buildings moved here from around the country. You can see moose, reindeer and bears, then turn a corner and find yourself in a recreated town with shops, workshops and people in period clothing describing life in earlier centuries.

The glassworks studio was a highlight for us. We kept returning to watch the glassblowers work, and Skansen also offers bookable sessions where you can try glassblowing yourself.

We also liked the historic shops in the town area. You can talk to the staff about their trades and learn how things were done in the past. Our favorites were the old pharmacy and the spice shop.

Skansen

Skansen is bigger than it appears, and you are allowed to bring your own food and use the designated picnic areas, which makes it an easy place to spend a full afternoon.

Evening

We went to another hockey game in the evening. If your evenings are free, Djurgården is a nice place to stay for dinner or you can take the ferry back to Slussen for nighttime views of the city. A quiet dinner in Östermalm or a walk through Södermalm also makes a nice end to the day.

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Day 3 – City Hall, Dagens Lunch and Rosendals Garden

Morning: City Hall

We visited Stockholm City Hall, known for hosting the Nobel Prize banquet. After the guided tour, we walked along the waterfront paths nearby and enjoyed the views back toward Gamla Stan.

Lunch: Dagens in Östermalm

We took the metro to Östermalm and found another dagens lunch spot. By this point in the trip, dagens had become our favorite way to anchor the middle of the day with a relaxed meal.

Afternoon: Rosendals Garden

Instead of packing in more museums, we spent the afternoon slowly at Rosendals Trädgård on Djurgården. It is a mix of greenhouses, orchards, open gardens and a simple café where you can sit under the trees with pastries and coffee. It felt peaceful after two busy days of exploring and was a nice way to see a more local side of Stockholm.

You can walk through the gardens, visit the plant shop and explore the quiet paths nearby before heading back to the city. You can also visit other nearby museums such as the Nordic Museum or the ABBA Museum if you want to add something indoors.

Evening

We went to another hockey game later that evening. If you are not attending an event, Östermalm and the central neighborhoods have many good places for dinner. You could stay near Strandvägen for a calm meal or return to Södermalm for a more lively evening.

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Day 4 – A Taste of the Archipelago

On our last full day, we took a short ferry trip to Fjäderholmarna, the closest island group in the Stockholm archipelago. The ride takes about 25 to 30 minutes and gives you a nice sense of the islands without committing to a full day journey.

We spent the morning walking around the island, browsing small craft shops and sitting by the water.

Afternoon and Evening

We returned to the city in the early afternoon, had fika and spent our last few hours wandering through Gamla Stan. We finished our trip with another hockey game, but if your evenings are open, a final dinner near the waterfront or a walk along Strandvägen is a relaxing way to end the trip.

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What to Eat in Stockholm

Swedish food is simple but satisfying. A few things worth trying:

• Swedish meatballs (köttbullar) – The classic, usually served with lingonberry jam, cream sauce, and potatoes.
• Dagens lunch – Weekday lunch specials at most restaurants, often including salad, bread, and coffee.
• Gravlax – Cured salmon, often served with mustard dill sauce.
• Toast Skagen – Shrimp, mayo, dill, and roe on toast.
• Kanelbullar – Swedish cinnamon buns, less sweet than American versions.
• Fika – Coffee and pastry, usually in the afternoon. Swedes take fika seriously.

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Where to Stay in Stockholm

Stockholm is compact, and the metro system is efficient, so you have flexibility.

• Gamla Stan – Charming, walkable, and close to the ferries. Can be touristy but convenient.
• Norrmalm – Central, close to the train station, and easy access to everything.
• Södermalm – More local vibe, good coffee and food, great views from Monteliusvägen.
• Östermalm – Upscale, quieter, close to Djurgården and the museum district.

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Getting Around Stockholm

• Arlanda Express – Fastest way from the airport to the city center (18 minutes).
• Metro (Tunnelbana) – Clean, frequent, and covers the whole city. Many stations have impressive art installations.
• Ferries – A scenic way to reach Djurgården and the archipelago islands.
• Walking – The central islands are compact. You can walk between Gamla Stan, Norrmalm, and Södermalm easily.

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Tips for Visiting Stockholm

• Stay central if possible. Gamla Stan, Norrmalm, Södermalm and Östermalm all work well.
• Try dagens lunch. It is simple, filling and very local.
• If jetlag wakes you early, go to Monteliusvägen. Sunrise views there are worth it.
• Arlanda Express is the easiest way into the city.
• Book Vasa Museum tickets online to skip the line, especially in summer.

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Planning Your Stockholm Trip

Stockholm is easy to navigate, visually beautiful, and has enough variety that you will not run out of things to do. Four days is enough to cover the highlights without rushing, and the compact layout means you spend more time exploring and less time in transit.

If you want help planning your Stockholm trip or any other destination, you can plan your trip with Hudson.

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