Combining the beauty of a grand European capital with a unique geographical setting and tons of great things to see and do, Stockholm has all the makings of a memorable city break for families.
A family interacts with animals at the Skansen Museum (Photo: Skansen)
Built across some 14 islands and connected by over 50 bridges, the Swedish capital may not be stroller-friendly, but the city’s distinctive layout does little to detract from its broader appeal with children. That’s because as well as its geological quirks, Stockholm also features all of the bells and whistles of a major urban centre, including a huge number of landmarks, attractions and activities that will appeal to little ones. We’ve hand-picked 12 of them below.
Quick Summary:
1. Step back in time at an outdoor museum
2. Take a boat ride to a historic palace
3. Let the little ones loose at a children’s museum
4. Take a hop-on hop-off bus tour
5. Discover the world of real life vikings
6. Join a kayaking tour
7. Introduce the kids to fika
8. Delve deep into maritime heritage
9. Unearth Stockholm’s spooky side
10. Head to an urban beach
11. Attend a city-wide celebration of culture
12. Check out a unique street art space
Step back in time at an outdoor museum
While the city’s many museums filled with exhibits have their own appeal, there no more immersive way of learning about Sweden’s past than by visiting the Skansen Open Air Museum. Created in 1891 by eminent Swedish scholar Artur Hazelius, the unique outdoor museum provides a captivating insight into pre-industrial life in Sweden. Painstakingly re-created as a model village, it is home to a huge collection of historic structures, including traditional buildings, houses and farmsteads transported from other parts of the country and placed in situ, along with numerous intricately detailed replicas. For children who don’t quite have the attention span for living history, the museum also houses Stockholm zoo, where numerous native Scandinavian animals reside, and two indoor aquariums.
Djurgårdsslätten 49-51 / Mon-Fri 10am-3pm Sat-Sun 10am-4pm
Take a boat ride to a historic palace
There are several boat tours on offer in Stockholm, and one of the most entertaining for kids is the one that transports you to the magnificent Drottningholm Palace. An officially designated Unesco World Heritage site, the 17th-century palace is perched on the banks of Lake Mälaren and visitors can step back in time by boarding authentic turn-of-the-century ships that transport you across the lake to the shoreline. Here, you can disembark and explore the palace – which still serves as the private residence of the Swedish royal family – and its pristinely landscaped grounds at your leisure. Round-trip tickets are also available.
Drottningholm Palace, 178 93 Drottningholm / Sat-Sun 10am-4pm Closed Mon-Fri
The imposing exterior of Drottningholm Palace seen across the water (Photo: xiquinhosilva via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Let the little ones loose at a children’s museum
Situated on the island of Djurgården in the city centre, Junibacken Children’s Museum has grown to become one of Stockholm’s favourite family attractions since opening its doors back in 1996. The brainchild of acclaimed Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, who died five years after its opening, the museum contains a vast collection of artefacts devoted to children’s literature. A temporary space hosts annual exhibitions that centre on a specific character or author from the literary canon, and there’s also an on-site theatre and a restaurant.
Galärvarvsvägen 8 / Tues-Fri 10am-5pm Sat 9am-5pm Sun 10am-5pm Closed Mon
You can book admission tickets to Junibacken Children’s Museum at GetYourGuide
Take a hop-on hop-off bus tour
With Stockholm’s landmarks and attractions spread liberally across its 14 islands, working out how to see them all can be a real challenge. Cheaper than taxis, more convenient than other public transport provisions, and easier on legs (particularly little legs) than exploring on foot, hop-on hop-off bus tours are a great and affordable way to see a lot of a place in a short space of time. Allowing you to board and disembark buses at designated stops across the city, tours offer you the chance to pick and choose which parts of the city you’d like see, all at your own pace, with the added bonus of onboard audio commentary. Tickets are usually available for anything from 1 to 3 days.
Discover the world of real life vikings
There aren’t many kids whose eyes don’t light up at the evocative image of a real life Viking. In Stockholm, The Viking Museum celebrates these fearsome Scandinavian pirates and traders who stalked the high seas over 1,000 years ago. On display are a remarkable assortment of wooden, 9th-century Viking ships, plus thousands of other objects from the Viking era, including woodcarvings, skeleton remains and other artefacts gleaned from burial tombs. But perhaps the museum’s centrepiece attraction is the immersive Ragnfrid’s Saga ride, which transports visitors on an enthralling Viking raid through 10th-century Europe.
Djurgårdsvägen 48, Djurgårdsstrand 15 / Mon-Fri 11am-5pm Sat-Sun 10am-5pm
Visitors embark on a recreation of a Viking raid at the Viking Museum (Photo: Haydn Blackey via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Among the many recreational activities that can be enjoyed on the waters between Stockholm’s islands if kayaking. And while embarking on a solo trip is eminently possible, there are also a wide number of guided kayak tours available. Among the most popular spots for organised tours is the Stockholm archipelago, an environment formed of around 30,000 separate islands amid the Baltic Sea. The landscapes here are simply breathtaking and combined with calm waters make for perfect kayaking conditions. Tours vary by length and can include optional extras such as a campfire lunch, a traditional Swedish fika (see below), and round-trip transportation.
You can book a Stockholm kayak tour at GetYourGuide
Kayakers traverse the waters surrounding Stockholm (Photo: GetYourGuide)
After a long day of sightseeing, your little ones may well have earnt themselves a sweet treat – and they are in the right place for such a reward. Something equivalent to a British High Tea, Fika is the name given to the social custom of enjoying a coffee and a piece of cake or pastry. And while the kids might eschew the former, they are likely to go for the latter without hesitation. The ritual takes place in “fik” – the word given to the cafes, bakeries or pastry stores that can be found all around Stockholm serving up these mouth-watering national delicacies to a steady stream of hungry patrons.
Delve deep into maritime heritage
Another museum that shines a light on Sweden’s rich maritime history is the Vasa Museum, whose flagship attraction, ‘Vasa’, offers kids the chance to marvel at a famous shipwreck without the inconvenience of delving to the bottom of the sea. In the 17th century, Vasa was constructed as the pride and joy of the Swedish navy, complete with a fearsome assortment of artillery power. Alas, it soon transpired that the imposing vessel was simply not fit for purpose, and on its maiden voyage in 1628, it sank. On a happier note, in the 1950s the ship was discovered by deep-sea divers, and in 1990 it became the centrepiece of the eponymous museum, together with thousands of preserved artefacts that were also found onboard.
Galärvarvsvägen 14 / Thurs-Tues 10am-5pm Weds 10am-8pm
Unearth Stockholm’s spooky side
Every city has its dark underbelly and Stockholm is no exception, steeped as it is in tales of crime, sinister plots and the supernatural. While a ghost tour of the city might be suitable for older kids only, it makes for a fun and memorable experience for all guests. As your guide takes you around some of Stockholm’s most famously haunted spots, you’ll be regaled with spine-tingling stories about the murky goings-on that have been lost to the sands of time. Tours take place entirely on foot.
You can book a Stockholm ghost tour at GetYourGuide
A spooky scene during a Stockholm ghost tour (Photo: GetYourGuide)
Stockholm’s composition allows for plenty of waterside attractions, including a number of well-maintained urban beaches. Among the most popular can be found in Hornstull Strand, situated in the city’s southern reaches where it serves up an array of beach entertainment together with sublime views of the Stockholm skyline. Adventurous types can even jump into the water from cliffs backing onto the beach, while the area also hosts a bustling weekend flea market selling a range of bric-a-brac, plus a busy programme of summer events.
Attend a city-wide celebration of culture
For five busy days each August, the streets and plazas of Stockholm city centre give themselves over to a smorgasbord of cultural entertainment. A much-loved annual event dating back almost two decades, the Stockholm Culture Festival features a packed programme of shows and activities, including live music and theatre performances, street art, dance workshops, stand-up comedy, concerts, exhibitions, movie screenings, poetry readings, author talks, guided walks and a whole lot more besides. Integrated into the event each year is a dedicated youth festival, where kids can take part in fun activities including obstacle courses, skateboard parks, and dance workshops. Admission to the festival is free.
Venues across Stockholm / 14-18 August
A live stage performance in the city centre at the Stockholm Culture Festival (Photo: Stockholm Culture Festival)
Check out a unique street art space
The Stockholm neighbourhood of Snösätragränd in the city’s suburbs had fallen into a serious state of disrepair until about a decade ago, when it was given a brand new lease of life by being converted into a vast open-air graffiti exhibition. Today almost every portion of the area’s walls has been decorated with eye-catching hand-sprayed artwork featuring everything from people to animals to everyday objects to political slogans, drawing a steady stream of admirers to this most unlikely of public arts spaces.
Snösätragränd