Norrmalm, Vasastaden and Skeppsholmen
Norrmalm. Built between 1950 and 1970, the modern buildings that make up Norrmalm (known as "City") swept away the old Klara district, of which only the church of the same name remains today. Its steeple rises between the walls of department stores, for Norrmalm is a shopper's paradise. Here you'll find major shopping centers such as NK, Gallerian and Åhlens.
Coming from the Old Town, the Drottninggatan pedestrian street, lined with souvenir stores and restaurants, runs through the whole district to the top of Observatory Park. At number 85, you'll find the August Strindberg Museum, where you can visit the famous local writer's apartment. The main railway station (T-Centralen) and bus terminal are to the west of Norrmalm. The city center could be located at Sergels Torg, a huge square housing Kulturhuset (the House of Culture) and Plattan, an esplanade where all kinds of gatherings take place.
If you follow Hamngatan eastwards, you'll find the greenery of the Royal Garden (Kungsträdgården), with its fountains and gravel paths, small hedges framing lawns that invite you to linger, opposite the Royal Castle. On the garden's large stage, music groups and dancers perform regularly. In winter, a large skating rink keeps the place lively late into the evening, beneath the red ochre silhouette of St. Jacob's Church and the Opera House. To the north of the garden is Norrmalmstorg square, with its distinguished lines, from which the historic old tramway leaves.
Heading north, Sveavägen leads to Hötorget, where you'll find (and visit) the Concert House(Konserthuset). A daily market is held in the square, while halls extend underground. Kungsgatan Street crosses the district from east to west and offers good options for night owls: most cinemas are concentrated here, as are numerous cafés. For nightlife, the area between Sveavägen and Birger Jarls Gatan is home to a large number of restaurants, pubs and nightclubs. In the extreme southeast of the district, the small Berzelii park is home to the Berns, a party institution, and marks the border with the upmarket Östermalm district.
Vasastaden. A fast-growing district that has traded in its historic suburban status to become a lively, thriving area in the north of the city. It has a more attractive character than Norrmalm, thanks to the limited height of its buildings (5 stories maximum), which allow light to flood the streets, which are wider than in the center. The National Library (Stockholms Stadsbibliotek), with its orange plastered rotunda housing a magnificent reading room, the large parks of Vanadis and Vasaparken, and the green hillock of the Observatory, with its interesting view over the city's rooftops, are located at the heart of these perpendicular routes. On Odenplan square, traffic is constant and it's easy to find a place to dine. The Gustav Vasa Church, with its ancient temple look, lets the flow of buses and pedestrians pass in front of its immaculate facade.
To the northwest, the Red Mountains district (Röda bergen) contrasts with the straight line of Vasastaden: blocks of low-rise buildings in warm colors contrast with the rigor of the surrounding buildings.
The main thoroughfares Odengatan and St Eriksgatan intersect at St Eriksplan, a lively square with many bars, cafés and restaurants. In some ways, the area is reminiscent of Södermalm's quiet, trendy atmosphere. St Eriksgatan leads to the island of Kungsholmen via the St Erik bridge (St Eriksbron). Most of the second-hand music stores in the north of the city are concentrated here.
Skeppsholmen. Skeppsholmen, a small islet that was once of strategic and military importance, is now a very quiet island where it's pleasant to stroll between historic buildings, such as the Admiralty House and the old water tower. Access is via a bridge with two gleaming royal crowns at its center, offering typical photo opportunities. The island's western quay, with its three-masted Af Chapman, converted into a youth hostel, offers a sumptuous view of the old town. The area is best known for its three museums (of architecture, modern art and Far Eastern antiquities) and, in July, the renowned Stockholm Jazz and Blues Festival.
Gamla Stan
Literally "the old city", Gamla Stan comprises three islands that form the natural boundary between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea: Stadsholmen, the largest, is home to the royal castle and cathedral; Riddarholmen, to the east, is home to the church where the kings of Sweden are laid to rest; the islet of Helgeandsholmen, to the north, is the seat of Parliament. In general, however, Gamla Stan is the founding area of Stockholm, around which the city as we know it today grew. Surrounded by water, Gamla Stan occupies a very small area, stretching just 500 m from east to west and 800 m from north to south. Gamla Stan is not only a historic district, but also a lively area where many Stockholmers work and where cafés, pubs and nightclubs are packed at weekends.
Stadsholmen. The main island is organized around two busy pedestrian streets: Västerlånggatan and Österlånggatan, which meet to the south at the small square Järntorget (Iron Square, where the metal market was held in the days when ships loaded and unloaded their cargoes in the port of Gamla Stan). The first of these alleys is part of the classic tourist circuit, with its traditional souvenir stores, cafés and restaurants, often overpriced. The second, Österlånggatan, is wider and less crowded, offering mostly art galleries and small craft stores. On the other side of the old town, to the east, the twin streets of Stora Nygatan and Lilla Nygatan are wider, lined with more functional restaurants, pubs and stores, and descend in a straight line towards Kornhamnstorg, where most of the nightlife is to be found.
Riddarholmen. North-east of Stadsholmen, this "island of knights" can be reached via Riddarholmsbron, or from Slussen and Stadshuskajen along the pedestrian bridge that runs alongside the train tracks. Fortified in the 16th century by Gustav Vasa to prevent any attack (the two towers that made up the defences are still visible), the island was home to a monastery of Franciscan monks from 1270 onwards, who were expelled at the Reformation. The main attraction of the site is the Riddarholmen church, built on the site of the monastery and home to the tombs of most of Sweden's kings.
Helgeandsholmen. This tiny islet forms the link between Stadsholmen and Norrmalm. This is where the Swedish Parliament, or Rikstag, was built in the neoclassical style of the early 20th century.
Södermalm
A former working-class district that served to relieve overcrowding in Gamla Stan, Södermalm has become, over time, a distinct part of Stockholm that cultivates its difference, its joyful diversity and its casual character. Trendy yet relaxed, a mecca for night owls and home to many historical secrets, Söder, as it's known, stands out from the capital's other districts for its air of tranquility and the impression that time passes more slowly here. Here, Södermalm is divided into three parts: Slussen, Medborgarplatsen and the Katarina heights; SoFo and Vita Berget; and finally the Maria district, Hornstull and Långholmen.
Slussen, Medborgarplatsen and Katarina Heights. Let's start with Slussen, in the north of the island, the communication hub between the old town and Södermalm, a monstrous imbroglio of concrete that the years have finally worn away and which should have a new, modern face by 2027, the estimated completion date of the colossal redevelopment project currently underway. Here, train and metro lines intersect, as well as the automobile expressway and dozens of buses whose terminals are located in the asphalt bowels... Designed and built in the 1930s, the area is dominated by the Katarina elevator, a junction between the quays and the heights of Mosebacke, and is famous for its City Museum, located in the former Södermalm town hall. Slussen is a regular stop for Stockholmers, as you can always catch a bus here, unless you bump into a friend when changing metro lines. Götgatan begins here, and up to Medborgarplatsen is partially pedestrianized. This artery, with its countless cafés, pubs and fashion stores, is a noisy, bustling place that reaches its peak on weekend evenings. The backbone of Södermalm, it divides the island in two. To the east, streets lead up to Mosebacke Square, home to the Södra Teatern theater and nightclub. From here, charming little streets offer lovely views. The Katarina church, its garden and the surrounding area retain the memory of the 19th century, with low wooden houses and roughly cobbled streets. On the way back down, you inevitably come across Medborgarplatsen, also known as Médis, the place to be, the place where everything happens, with its market halls and French fry stalls, and where it's good to drink a cold beer on the terrace of Snaps on a sunny afternoon.
SoFo and Vita berget. South of Folkungagatan, on the outskirts of Bondegatan and Skånegatan, nestles the city's den of artists and creators. SoFo is a district with a hip, relaxed atmosphere, teeming with designer boutiques, thrift shops and small galleries. Not to be missed for its (eclectic) architecture, its people and its gentle way of life, SoFo's unique atmosphere invites you to relax in one of the area's original cafés. In the evening, dozens of restaurants offering cuisine from all over the world provide something for everyone. Further south, the Montagne Blanche district, Vita Berget, is an integral part of SoFo. Organized around the park topped by the Sofia church, this area, which was extremely poor at the turn of the century, retains many vestiges of the industrial era of the late 19th century, with an entire street intact from that era and several old buildings and gardens unaltered for over a hundred years. Take a stroll through Nytorget and Malmgårdsvägen to discover this well-preserved heritage.
Maria district, Hornstull and Långholmen. Crossed by Hornsgatan, a historic and cosmopolitan avenue, the western part of Södermalm is organized around the lovely Maria square (Mariatorget), with its small lawns and superb fountain depicting the mythological episode of the fishing party during which the god Thor fought the world serpent, Jormungandr. From here, Bellmansgatan climbs to the heights of Montelius and crosses Brännkyrkagatan, a picturesque half-level street paved in the old-fashioned style. The Monteliusvägen promenade offers a lovely panorama of the bay and Kungsholmen. To the west of Söder, Hornsgatan joins the Hornstull district. Here you'll find a number of parks, including Högalidsparken and, above all, Tantolunden, an immense haven of greenery spread out along the water's edge. Climb the path up to the rocks and you're guaranteed a fine view of the suburbs of Liljeholmen and Årstaberg. Västbron, the bridge linking Södermalm to Kungsholmen, spans Långholmen, a bathers' paradise. In summer, this is where you feel like you're on vacation in Stockholm: greenery, vast lawns, rocks, beaches, coves... You can swim in clean water, sunbathe, play sports, sleep in the former prison converted into a youth hostel... In short, Långholmen is, with a ray of sunshine, the relaxed and popular seaside resort to the south of the city.
Östermalm
Östermalm has a singular history: grazing land for royal cows in the 15th century before being opened up to peasant farmers, the area became a military exercise camp in the 17th century and served as soldiers' quarters until the end of the 19th century. It wasn't until 1880 that a modern urban plan was drawn up by the architect Lindhagen. Its rectilinear layouts, the style of the four- and five-storey bourgeois buildings (notably those proudly lining Strandvägen), the presence of large parks... are clearly reminiscent of the great Parisian boulevards. The pedestrian streets of Nybrogatan and Biblioteksgatan, and the very Parisian Norrmalmstorg, are home to famous shops and bars where the terraces are filled with radiant young people in summer. To the south, the Strandvägen quay is always very busy. It's the only road linking the City district to the island of Djurgården, home to numerous museums. When it comes to going out, Stureplan is the place to be, famous for its Svampen, the "Mushroom", a shelter with an unmistakable name that has become the symbol of this bourgeois-looking area. Luxury restaurants, clubs with endless queues... This is the place to be to see and be seen, to enjoy the night while blazing away to feel "part of this world".
Djurgården and Gärdet
This part of the city is unquestionably the greenest in Stockholm. Separated from each other by an arm of water where kayaking is recommended, Gärdet Park and Djurgården Island are the lungs of the capital and the beginning of the famous Ekopark, which stretches northwards for dozens of kilometers.
Djurgården. A royal hunting park until the 18th century, the island of Djurgården is now an immense space encompassing not only vast English lawns and woods, but also the Gröna Lund amusement park, the Vasa Museum, the Nordic Museum, the Waldemarsudde Art Museum, Aquaria and Skansen, an open-air museum which alone occupies almost a third of the island's surface. The island can be reached by boat from the Slussen and Nybroplan quays, or by bus, streetcar or, even more pleasantly, on foot along the quay and Strandvägen boulevard. Djurgården is a great place to take a stroll.
Gärdet. This is reached by following Strandvägen, leaving Djurgården on the right to walk along the waterfront into the charming Nobel Park. The large reserve contains several cultural sites: the Ethnographic Museum, the Technical Museum, the Police Museum and the Maritime History Museum, all grouped together. Further on, the Kaknäs television tower is one of the tallest buildings in Scandinavia. From its summit, there's a breathtaking view of the entire capital. Gärdet is also a reserve with vast plains where horses graze.
Kungsholmen
The island was originally inhabited by Franciscan monks, who made a living from fishing and livestock farming, and established a brickworks here as early as the 1500s (hence the original name Munklägret, "monks' camp"). Today, Kungsholmen has no major attractions other than the red-brick Town Hall (Stadshuset), built in the early 20th century in a unique style combining Italian Baroque and National Romanticism, whose three crowns of the great tower tower tower 106 meters above Stockholm. The large Rålambshovparken, to the west of Kungsholmen, is a popular gathering place (this is where the Swedish footballers celebrated their bronze medal win on their return from the 1994 World Cup), where people picnic, drink with friends, play pétanque or Frisbee when the weather's fine.
