Things to do in the Old Town of Stockholm – our best tips

Writer: Peter Bergström

Updated September 2026 | I have been walking in the Old Town since I was a child, standing guard at the castle and later showing the same alleys to friends from all over the world. Yet Helena and I still find doors, stories and small details that we have never noticed before. That is perhaps the strangest thing about the Old Town – you never really finish it.

Old Town – In the heart of Stockholm's history

Gamla stan is the historic heart of Stockholm, but it is above all a district that should be experienced on foot. In just a few blocks you can find the Royal Palace, churches, museums and some of the city's most famous sights, but also narrow alleys, hidden courtyards and small details that are easy to walk right past. That's the mix we like best.

We therefore don't usually try to browse the Old Town as a list. We walk. Sometimes towards Stortorget or the castle, sometimes into an alley just to see where it ends. And despite all the times we've been here, it still happens that one of us stops and says: "But we've never seen that one before, have we?"”

1. Start the walk at Helgeandsholmen

We start our walk on Helgeandsholmen, the small island between Norrmalm and the Old Town. Here the Riksdagshusen is located almost in the middle of Strömmen, with Riksplan on one side and the lush Strömparterren on the other. We had walked straight past it many times on our way to the Old Town – but never been inside.

That changed in 2026 when Helena and I were invited to the Riksdagshuset for a meeting about trade between Sweden and Uzbekistan. Suddenly we were standing inside the building we had passed so many times. The grand halls and architecture were impressive, but perhaps most powerful was the feeling of actually being in the middle of Sweden's democratic heart.

Check it out: Take a look at all the figures and decorations! Above the ground floor windows, there are 57 mascarons (stone portraits) representing people who the architect thought were important to the creation of the building.

2. Visit the Royal Palace

From Helgeandsholmen it is only a few steps to the Royal Palace, but for me it will never be just any tourist stop. When I did the dirty work, I myself stood guard here and stood in the same courtyard that is now filled with visitors from all over the world. Nowadays I come here together with Helena, and it still feels a little strange to stand on the other side and watch.

The Royal Palace is also huge, with over 600 rooms and several different parts to visit. Here you can walk through the state apartments, see the Swedish royal regalia in the Treasury, discover the old Tre Kronor Palace and look inside the Palace Church. If you have never been here before, we think you should set aside plenty of time – there is much more behind the facade than you first think.

The High Guard

The High Guard and the Changing of the Guard are still one of the big crowd pullers at the palace. For me, it is of course a bit difficult to see the ceremony as just any tourist attraction – I know what it feels like to stand there in uniform myself. Helena, on the other hand, has never had to guard the king, which she seems quite happy with so far.

Go down to the Armory.

The Royal Armoury is the part of the castle where history comes closest. Here you will find armour, royal robes, carriages and objects that have actually belonged to the people we otherwise mostly encounter as names in history books. We think it makes the visit much more vivid – suddenly history is not just about kings and years, but about people who have actually walked around in these things.

See the royal regalia in the Treasury

In the Treasury you get up close to some of Sweden's most symbolic objects: the royal crowns, the scepter, the orb and other royal regalia. It's quite a special feeling to stand just a few meters from objects previously mostly seen in pictures from royal ceremonies.

Walk under the castle to the Tre Kronor castle

The current castle is impressive, but one of our favorite parts is actually underground. At Museum Tre Kronor you can descend to the remains of the old medieval castle that was destroyed in the castle fire of 1697. Among the walls, models and archaeological finds, it suddenly becomes much easier to understand that there used to be a completely different castle on the same site.

We really liked this part. There's something special about first standing out in the courtyard in front of today's grand castle and a moment later finding yourself down among the remains of the old one.

Look inside the Castle Church

The castle church is easy to miss when there is so much else to see in the castle, but we think it is worth a stop. The large church room with the pillars, ceiling and magnificent interior also provides a peaceful contrast to the rest of the visit. Don't forget to look up - much of the most beautiful is above your head.

3. Experience Stortorget – the heart of the Old Town

Stortorget is the heart of the Old Town and a place we’ve passed by more times than we can count. But sometimes it takes someone who’s never been here to see your hometown with new eyes. When we brought our friends Michelle and Henri from South Africa here one sunny Sunday morning, they stopped in the middle of the square, looked around and asked: ”Where are all the people? Do you have more boats than people in Stockholm?”

We started laughing, but they actually had a point. The Old Town may be packed with visitors, but if you come early in the morning, Stortorget can still feel almost strangely peaceful. Plus, you’ll have the colorful facades, the Stock Exchange Building, and the cobblestones almost to yourself – before the rest of the world wakes up.

If you visit Stockholm in December, Stortorget is transformed into one of the city's most atmospheric places. The classic Christmas market is held here with red stalls, mulled wine, crafts and Christmas delicacies - a tradition that has attracted visitors for over a hundred years. If you have the opportunity to visit the Old Town during Advent, this is an experience we can highly recommend.

Our tip: Visit Stortorget early in the morning if you want to photograph the colorful houses without the crowds. If you come here in December, you can also expect one of Sweden's most classic Christmas markets.

Look inside the Cathedral

We've walked past Storkyrkan countless times, but when the doors are open we always stop in. The contrast is beautiful – one second you're standing among people and cameras on Stortorget, the next it's almost completely silent. And even if you only stop for a short while, there's one thing you really shouldn't miss.

See the famous wooden sculpture Saint George and the Dragon, which is considered one of Sweden's foremost medieval works of art. The sculpture was commissioned by Sten Sture the Elder after the victory at the Battle of Brunkeberg and is one of the church's absolute highlights.

Get curious about the Nobel Prize museum

We have visited the Nobel Prize Museum several times and usually leave with roughly the same feeling every time – curiosity. Because although the museum is of course about Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Prize, it is just as much about the people behind the discoveries, ideas, literature and peace work. What we like best are the personal items that Nobel laureates themselves have donated. Among all the great discoveries and world-changing efforts, small everyday things suddenly appear – and the people behind the famous names come much closer.

Also read our guide to Nobel Prize Museum, where we tell you more about our visits and what you shouldn't miss.

4. Stroll through the alleys of the Old Town

It’s only when we leave Stortorget and start walking without being too hasty that the Old Town is at its best. We’ve been walking here since we were young, but we still manage to find some gate, courtyard or detail that we’ve never noticed before. And that’s actually our best advice here: stop looking at the map sometimes and walk into an alley just to see where it leads. Because behind the big sights, a much smaller Old Town awaits – sometimes only 90 centimetres wide.

Mårten Trotzig's alley

Mårten Trotzig's alley is Stockholm's narrowest alley, only 90 centimeters wide at its narrowest point. It doesn't sound extreme until you actually try to walk through it while someone is coming from the other direction. Then the Old Town suddenly becomes very social.

The alley is named after the German merchant Mårten Trotzig, who settled in Stockholm in the 16th century. Get here early if you want to photograph the steep stone steps without half of Europe standing behind Helena.

Look for the runestone on Prästgatan

On Prästgatan, it's important to slow down and start looking at the walls. On the corner towards Kåkbrinken, there is a runestone from the 11th century, built into a house – probably reused as building material. And as if that weren't strange enough, right next to it is an old cannon barrel that was used as corner protection when a horse and carriage were going around the corner. The Old Town has its own solutions to parking damage.

Find the Burned Plot

In the middle of the alleys, a small square suddenly opens up with a large horse chestnut tree in the middle. It is Brända tomten, and the name is considerably less idyllic than the location. After a fire in 1728, the house that stood here was destroyed and never rebuilt. The plot simply remained.

Greetings from Iron Boy

Hidden on Bollhustäppan behind the Finnish Church sits the small statue The Iron Boy, or Boy looking at the moon. At 15 centimeters, he is Sweden's smallest public sculpture, but also one of the Old Town's most popular attractions. Many visitors come here precisely to discover the small figure sitting alone and looking up at the sky.

Tips: Many people put a coin or pat the Iron Boy on the head to wish him a little extra luck. In the winter, he is often given a small knitted hat and scarf by a caring Stockholmer – a detail that usually makes both children and adults smile. While you are here, also take a look at the Church of Finland. The building was originally a ballroom where various ball games were played in the 17th century before the Finnish congregation bought it in 1725.

Visit the German Church

Helena and I usually look inside churches when we travel, and the German Church is one of those places where we like to do it at home too. Outside, the alleys of the Old Town are full of people and movement, but inside the doors the pace changes immediately. And yes – it really is very beautiful.

Our tip: The tower is the tallest in the Old Town and is crowned by a gilded rooster that has become a well-known landmark. When you walk through the alleys, it is often the tower spire that helps you find your way.

Find the dragon again

Do you recognize him? At Köpmantorget, Saint George and the Dragon appear again – this time as a bronze statue outdoors. We saw the original earlier inside the Storkyrkan, and we actually think it's fun to see both.

5. Peek behind the facades of the Old Town

Come with us to the Jewish Museum

When we visited the Jewish Museum, we were lucky enough to arrive just as a guided tour was about to start. It changed the whole visit. Suddenly, the objects, the rooms and the old synagogue became not just history – they were filled with people and stories. The museum is located in Stockholm's oldest preserved synagogue and tells about Jewish life in Sweden through personal stories and objects. It is not a large museum, but perhaps that is precisely why you get close to history in a way that we really enjoyed.

Please read our article about the Jewish Museum., where we tell you more about the museum and the fascinating history behind Stockholm's oldest synagogue.

Search for a name in the Knights' House

The Knights' Hall surprised us. Of course, we had seen the grand building many times, but something completely different awaited us inside the doors. In the large Knights' Hall, the walls are covered with over 2,300 coats of arms, and pretty soon we started doing what everyone probably does – looking for names we recognized.

Farmer, De Geer, Trolle, Night and Day… and suddenly we had stayed much longer than we intended. Even if you are not particularly interested in nobility, the hall itself is worth a visit. Also look up at the ceiling painting – there is a lot to discover once you start looking.

Please read our guide to the Knight's House., where we show more of the halls and tell about the exciting history behind Sweden's nobility.

6. Riddarholmen

Riddarholm Church

The first time I entered Riddarholm Church, I got a special feeling in my body. Almost all Swedish rulers from Gustav II Adolf to Gustaf V rest here, along with queens, princes and princesses. Standing in the middle of the tombs and realizing how much Swedish history has been gathered in a single church room is impressive.

The church is no longer an ordinary parish church but a historical monument, and even if you don't normally visit churches, Helena and I think this one is worth going into. For me, it is still one of the places in the Old Town that has made the strongest impression.

READ MORE: Riddarholm Church in Stockholm - the burial place of kings

See the tower that is not Birger Jarl's

Birger Jarl's Tower has a small problem: it actually has nothing to do with Birger Jarl. The name arose through a long-lived myth, while the tower itself was only built during the reign of Gustav Vasa in the 16th century – long after Birger Jarl's death. Of course, that doesn't make the tower any less exciting. Together with the southern tower of Wrangel Palace, it is a reminder of Stockholm's old defenses and how different the city once looked. But the name? We'll just have to live with that.

Finish at Evert Taube's terrace

After churches, kings, alleys and a few thousand years of Swedish history, Evert Taube's terrace is a nice place to just sit down. Here, Taube himself sits with his guitar in his hand and looks out over Riddarfjärden, the City Hall and the boats passing by.

We like the place best in the evening when the sun starts to set over the water. Then you don't really have to do much. Sit for a while, look out over Stockholm and let your feet rest. After all, they have carried you through almost the entire article.

7. Eat and drink in the Old Town

Eat in a cellar vault

Part of the experience in the Old Town is actually underground. Several restaurants are located in old cellar vaults with vaulted ceilings and thick stone walls, and we think the environment fits almost ridiculously well with the district. We have eaten at Stortorgskällaren in the middle of Stortorget. Coming down from the tourist crowds above and settling down among the old vaults gives dinner a completely different setting – here history is literally in the walls.

Another classic is Den Gyllene Freden, which has been serving guests since the 18th century and is a well-known name for those who want to eat Swedish food in a historic setting. If you would rather have a coffee than dinner, the same feeling can be found at several cafes in the old cellar vaults of the Old Town. And here, we actually think that the environment is half the story – coffee doesn’t necessarily taste better under a 400-year-old vault, but it definitely feels more enjoyable.

More tips on things to see and do in Stockholm

If you have more time in Stockholm, we also recommend these guides:

• Things to do in Stockholm – 22 attractions and experiences
• Different things to do in Stockholm
• Museums in Stockholm - guide to the best museums