Half a day in Stockholm: Things to see and do – [6 day trip around the Baltic Sea]

We arrived in Stockholm VÄRTAHAMNEN at 9:45 in the morning.
After leaving our luggage in a locker, we went to visit the city of Stockholm.

As we only had half a day, we decided to visit most of the Gamla Stan district attractions.

At 17:00 we returned to the port to take Silja Line and head to Riga.

Access from the port VÄRTAHAMNEN to the city centre

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is built on a total of 14 islands
where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea.

Often nicknamed “Venice of the North” for its waterways and lakes,
Stockholm has an efficient public transport network including the metro, buses, and trams.

The city is about 5 km from the port and you can take the bus to the city.

We took the bus n. 76 and get off at the ‘Nybroplan’ stop and head towards the Gamla Stan district.

Royal Drama Theater [Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern]

Just behind the bus stop ‘Nybroplan’ there is a beautiful Art Nouveau building.

Berzelii Park

A few steps from there there is a small but beautiful and well-kept park!

Royal Palace [Slotet Kungliga]

The Royal Palace in Stockholm is one of the largest palaces in Europe!

There are more than 600 rooms inside the Royal Palace and offers 5 museums.
It’s also the official residence of the King of Sweden.

It is elegantly decorated with luxurious chandeliers and rococo-style furniture.

The monarchy’s treasures are kept in underground vaults.
There are crowns, swords, clothing items…

Make sure to catch the changing of the guard that happens every day at 15 minutes past noon.

Visiting address: Slottsbacken 1, Old Town (Gamla Stan)
Opening hours: May-September 10 -17  / October-April 10 -16
Price: Adult 160 SEK / 7-17 years, student 80 SEK
Official website

Gamla Stan [Old Town]

Gamla Stan, the Old Town, is one of the largest medieval centers in Europe.

The Old Town dates from the 13th century but most buildings date from the 16th and 17th centuries.
The area is full of narrow streets and charming alleys.

The main square is “Stortorget” where there are many cafes, souvenir shops
and also the Nobel Museum.

Nobel Museum [Nobelmuseet]

The Nobel Museum contains all the information on the Nobel Prize, the life of the founder Alfred Nobel and all the Nobel laureates through interactive exhibits, films, and guided tours.

Address: Stortorget 2, 103 16 Stockholm, Sweden
Opening hours: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 11 -17, Friday 11 -21
Closed: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Price: 130SEK for adults, 90 SEK for students / 65+
Up to 18 years: Free
Official site

Stockholm Cathedral [Storkyrkan]

Stockholm’s Cathedral also known as “The Great Church” was founded in the 13th century
and is the oldest church in Gamla Stan.

Since 1527 the Cathedral has been a Lutheran church.

It houses unique objects such as the St George and the Dragon sculpture.

Address: Trångsund 1, 111 29 Stockholm, Sweden
Opening hours: 10  ~ 18
Price: adults 75 SEK / up to 18 years: free (audio guides included)
Official site

Try traditional Swedish cuisine in Gamla Stan

We tried the traditional Swedish dish “Svenska köttbullar” that are meatballs served
with mashed potatoes, cream gravy, and lingonberry jam.

Services of the port of Stockholm-VÄRTAHAMNEN

Services include: bathroom (free), lockers, cafeteria, free WiFi, ATM

Lockers prices:

Small (41x35x55 cm): 60 SEK / 4 hours, 70 SEK / 1 day
Large (57x45x81cm): 80 SEK / 4 hours, 90 SEK / 1 day

★ The payment of lockers is by card only.
When you collect your luggages, it’s necessary to enter the code written on the receipt,
so make sure to keep it.

More information

The terminal one hour before departure is very crowded near the automatic check-in machines
and at the ticket doors.

We luckily checked in at the automatic machines in the morning when we arrived.

This overcrowding was due to departures from Stockholm to Helsinki and Riga from 17:00.

From Stockholm to Riga with Silja Line

Although the ship’s size is smaller and the number of duty-free shops is lower than
the ship previously taken from Helsinki to Stockholm, there are still restaurants, cafes, etc.

We enjoyed an 18-hour trip to Riga looking at the Baltic Sea from the cabin window.