13 BEST Day Trips from Stockholm, Sweden
Looking for day trips from Stockholm Sweden? You’re in the right place.
As someone who’s half-Swedish, I’ve been lucky to travel to Stockholm more times than I can count in my life.
When I got older, I started looking into day trips from Stockholm, because as nice as the old town (Gamla Stan) is, there’s a lot to see outside of it, that often get overlooked.
I’m going to list your day trip options from Stockholm.
I have no doubt that you’ll find something that interests you.
So, let’s jump in – the best day trips from Stockholm Sweden!
1. Drottningholm Palace
Distance from Stockholm: 12 km (7.4 miles)
Drottningholm Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the home for the King and Queen of Sweden.
Although Drottningholm Palace is considered one of the main attractions of Stockholm, it’s more of a day trip, because you need 30-40 minutes to get to it from the downtown area.
Drottningholm is located on the island of Lovön, just west of Stockholm. You can either take a boat, bike, drive or take the metro. Details here
There are a few other things to see and do on the island which make it easy to spend a full day.
Things to do at and near Drottningholm on a day trip:
- Take a tour of the inside of the castle, which takes 45 minutes. Overall, its recommended to allocate around 2 hours to exploring the whole castle, if you want to go inside
- Visit the Kina Slott (Chinese castle) which is a 15-minute walk from Drottningholm. The Chinese castle was a gift to one of the former queens of Sweden
- Eat at the elegant Drottningholm Castle Cafe, called Karamellan
- Spend some time outdoors at the Lovö Naturreservat, which is a 3,000-hectare (7413 acres) nature reserve that covers the island of Lövon. There are hikes and trails and some sandy beaches
2. Full-day Archipelago boat cruise from Stockholm
Distance from Stockholm: Varies
The city of Stockholm is surrounded by over 30,000 island, of all shapes and sizes.
Some of these islands are day trips in them selves mentioned below (Birka, Sandham and Grinda) but you can also do a full-day cruise and explore many beautiful islands of these unique looking landscape.
There are different archipelago boat tours to choose from; some full day, some half day.
Full day tours usually last 7-8 hours, and take you to several islands – some which you may not have visited otherwise.
A few suggestions for full day archipelgo boat tours from Stockholm:
- This full day (7 hour) sail boat cruise from Stockholm ($350 USD per person, but includes lunch, drinks and snacks)
- Full day (11 hour) 1,000 island cruise from Stockholm for about $175 per person. Also includes a tour guide and meals
3. Birka
Distance from Stockholm: 30 km (18 miles)
Birka (known as “the Viking city”) was a small village and important trading post area for the Vikings in the 700s BC.
It was founded in 750 on Björka island, about 30 km west of modern-day Stockholm. It’s now a UNSECO World Heritage Site.
Things to do on Bjorko island
- Visit the reconstructed Viking village that looks as it did in the 700s BC
- Learn more about the Viking history at the Birka museum
- See the Monument of Ansgar, on top of the Borgberget mountain. It’s been there since the 1800s
- Enjoy Swedish meatballs and pancakes in the café
Stromma boats offer a daytrip to Birka from Stockholm, which includes all of the above, plus lunch and a guide. The entire excursion is 7 hours, and 45 minutes long. Book here
4. Vaxhölm Fortress
Distance from Stockholm: 34 km (21 miles)
The Vaxhölm Fortress is a 16th century castle on the island of Vaxholmen which is a part of the Stockholm archipelago.
From the outside, it’s a cool-looking century fortress on the water. Inside, it’s a military history museum which you could spend a couple hours at. The fortress was built in 1548 to protect Sweden against attacks.
Vaxhölm Fortress only accessible as a day trip in the warmer months, and you can get to it via public bus or boat.
The closest town to Vaxholm Fortress is the town of Vaxholm, which is small but has a few things to do and see as well.
Things to do at Vaxhölm Fortress and nearby
- Visit the Vaxhölm Fortress Museum
- Climb to the top of the tower of the fortress to see an amazing view of the surrounding archipelago
- Vaxholm is small, but you can walk around and enjoy other things – the lighthouse, the old water tour. You can go swimming at Batteriet, badplats. See all the ideas here
- Grab delicious gelato at Glass på hörnet (Ice cream on the Corner) *currently closed, may reopen for summer 2025
- Go see the 1800s military fort (12th artillery battery) which is on the island across from Vaxholm, called Rindö
5. Sigtuna
Distance from Stockholm: 46 km (28.5 miles)
Sigtuna is known for being Sweden’s first city, and its located a 40-minute drive north of Stockholm. Needless to say, there are some fascinating things to see and do there.
It’s home to the oldest street in Sweden, and many other artifacts and old buildings.
Things to do and see in Sigtuna
- See the smallest city hall in all of Europe (Sigtuna Rådhus)
- See the St. Olof Church ruins, which date back to the 1100s
- Walk down Stora Gatden, which is known for being the oldest street in Sweden
- See a phone box library, a sculpture of a bus made out of cars, and other unusual things in Sigtuna suggested by Atlas Obscura
It’s very common for Sigtuna and Uppsala (another important Swedish town) to be combined as a day tour from Stockholm. The two of them are a must for a Sweden itinerary from Stockholm.
You see all the important things mentioned above in Sigtuna, as well as Uppsala (mentioned below.)
Tours to Sigtuna and Uppsala are usually the full day – 9 hours.
I recommend this Sigtuna and Uppsala day tour from Stockholm because you get to try Viking-style mead, and a traditional Swedish cinnamon bun. (9 hours long, and approximately $250 USD per person.)
6. Uppsala
Distance from Stockholm: 68 km (42 miles)
Uppsala is without a doubt, one of the most worthwhile day trips from Stockholm. It’s one of the four major cities of Sweden, and is also one of the oldest cities.
It used to be called Östra Aros, but the name was switched to Uppsala in the 1200s.
Uppsala is so close that its almost closer to drive there from the Arlanda airport than it is to downtown Stockholm. We stayed overnight in Uppsala because I realized after looking into it that it has a lot of things to do.
Uppsala is often combined with Sigtuna, as the two cities are only 30 km (18 miles) from each other in the same direction from Stockholm.
Things to do on a day trip to Uppsala
- See the largest burial hills in Sweden
- Admire beautiful old buildings: the Uppsala Castle and Cathedral, and old stone church which dates back to the 1200s
- Enjoy beautiful plants and the outdoors in the Botaniska trädgården (Botanical Garden)
- Have fika at Ofvandahls Hovkonditori, the oldest cafe in Uppsala – open for over 100 years!
7. Mariefred
Distance from Stockholm: 69 km (42 miles)
Mariefred is a cute small town of 7,000 inhabitants just over an hour from Stockholm. It has a beautiful castle, old town centre, and lots of historic attractions.
Things to do in Mariefred
- Visit the beautiful 400-year old Gripsholm Castle
- See wild deer in the nature reserve just beside the Gripsolm Castle, called Gripsholms hjorthage
- Ride the Narrow Gauge Railway streamtrain
- Have fika in the Callanderska gården
You can take a car, train to Mariefred, but I recommend the boat. The boat service to Mariefred takes you across Lake Mälaren.
8. Grinda
Distance from Stockholm: 29 km (18 miles)
Grinda is an island known as “the heart of the archipelago.” It’s more of an outdoor and nature based destination, and is one of the nicest places to visit in summer in Sweden.
It’s a nature reserve, very family-friendly and has many outoorsy things to do, like swimming at a beach, renting a kayak and hiking.
Grinda is a 1 hour ferry-ride from Stockholm. You can visit for the day, or even stay overnight. You can book a boat ticket to Grinda here.
9. Sandhamn
Distance from Stockholm: 48 km (29 miles)
Sandhamn is another island in the Stockholm archipelago which could be a day-trip from the city.
It’s similar to Grinda in terms of having a lot of nature-based activities, but has a bit more going on as its more built up.
Things to do on Sandham island
- Take a leisurely stroll along the cute harbour, visiting the shops. Get coffee and ice cream, and look for Swedish souvenirs
- Try Swedish waffles with whipped cream and jam at Café Strindbergsgården on the harbour
- Visit a beach. Trouville beach is a 20-minute walk from the harbour where you’d arrive via boat
- Rent a bike and cycle around the island
- Go inside the Sandhamn Museum, and find out what it has been like living on this remote archipelago island for several centuries
You can book tickets on the Cinderella boats through Sandhamn here
10. Gävle
Distance from Stockholm: 171 km (106 miles)
Gävle (pronounced “YAEH-VLUH”) is a small city of just over 100,000 north of Stockholm, which has an old town and a few local gems.
My mom’s cousin lives in Gävle, but it wasn’t until I was an adult that I wondered why we’d been through it so many times without taking some time to explore it.
Things to do on a day trip to Gavle:
- Visit old Gävle, and admire its narrow cobbled streets
- Visit the Sweden Prison Museum, and the Railway Museum
- Have fika at Elsa’s Coffeeshop
- Take a 40-minute boat ride to Limön island in the Gävle archipelago
11. Vimmerby
Distance from Stockholm: 383 km (237 miles)
Vimmerby is known for being the hometown of Astrid Lindgren, who wrote the Pippi Longstocking books.
If youre’ with kids, see the Pipp Longstocking stories come to life at Astrid Lindgren’s World. Or you can visit the childhood home of Astrid Lindgren
In addition to visiting the Pippi Longstocking based attractions, you can also do a moose safari at the Virum Älgpark (it’s about a 30 minute drive east from downtown Vimmerby.)
Vimmerby is a 3.5 hour drive from Stockholm, so this is a lengthy day trip. It may be most worth it to stay overnight.
12. Bergslagen Forest
Distance from Stockholm: 170 km (105 miles)
Bergslagen Forest is one of the best places in Sweden to encounter wildlife in their natural habitat. It is said to have the highest moose population in all of Sweden.
It’s a great spot Hiking and photography. Perfect for if you’re looking to escape into the forest wilderness on a day trip.
Bergslagen Forest is around 2 hours from Stockholm, and accessible by both car and public transit. Their website actually encourages people to take public transit for sustainability of the environment.
If you’re considering heading to Bergslagen, check out their PDF guide for cycle and hiking here.
13. Lida Friluftsgård
Distance from Stockholm: 28 km (17 miles)
Lida Friluftsgård is a recreation centre close to Stockholm. It’s a place where you can escape into Swedish nature; enjoy walking trails through old-growth forest, do tree-top trekking, play outdoor mini-golf or enjoy time by the lake.
There’s a BBQ area on site and a restaurant where you can get tasty food. If you envision a daytrip out into nature and do outdoor activities, its a nice place to go.
Lida Friluftsgård can be a day trip, or you can book an overnight stay in one of their cottages. You can book your visit to Lida Friluftsgård on their website (in Swedish only, so you’ll need to auto-translate.)
They’re open year round, and do special events for holidays. A traditional Swdeish Christmas, Midsummer and other holidays. Check out their Instagram or Facebook for updates and photos of what you can expect from the experience.
14. Tom Tits Experiment Science Museum
Distance from Stockholm: 36 km (22 miles)
If you’re in Stockholm with kids, then heading to the Tom Tits Experiment interactive museum would be a fun day trip to keep everyone busy and engaged.
I know the name sounds a bit funny, but don’t let it put you off. It is an elaborate and interactive science muscum, with hands-on displays. School aged children (and even adults) could probably be busy all day with the exhibits.
They have a restaurant and cafe on site that serves nourishing Nordic food, which makes it easy to spend the whole day.
Tom Tits Experiment is ocated in a southwestern suburb of Stockholm, and takes around 40 to get there via public transit. Plan your visit here
Stockholm Day Trips FAQ
Here are the most commonly asked questions about day trips from Stockholm
Can you do day trips from Stockholm?
You can absolutely do day trips from Stockholm; by either ferry, car or public transit (bus or train.) The Swedish transportation system is very reliable, or you could rent a car or join a tour group. It’s worth it to see some of the Swedish countryside, the archipelago of Stockholm, or lesser-known cities outside Stockholm.
Where to go from Stockholm, Sweden?
There are lots of places you can go from Stockholm, Sweden – some of the most common day trips are to Sigtuna and Uppsala. There are many tours that head to these two cities (often on a combined day trip) from Stockholm
Can you do a day trip from Stockholm to Helsinki?
Helsinki is a bit too far from Stockholm to be done as a day trip. Taking the ferry to Helsinki takes over 16 hours. A flight between Stockholm and Helskini only takes an hour, but the customs and airport time would make it not worth it to do in only a day trip from Stockholm. Plan to spend at least a few days in Helsinki to make the trip from Stockholm worth it.
Final Thoughts on Stockholm Day Trips
I hope that you found this article on day trips from Stockholm helpful. Sweden is a beautiful country, with many gems that aren’t super famous. Doing some day trips from Sweden’s capital is a great way to discover more of this beautiful and unique country!