Country guide
Sweden runs from 55°N to 69°N — long enough that its north and its south keep different weather and different daylight in the same week. Of its 450,295 km², bui...
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Sweden runs from 55°N to 69°N — long enough that its north and its south keep different weather and different daylight in the same week. Of its 450,295 km², built-up land accounts for 1.5 per cent, and 88 per cent of the 10,610,485 people counted in October 2025 live in towns concentrated in the south and the centre. That is the practical division for a visitor: the southern counties hold Stockholm and most of what fits into a weekend, while the rest of the 21 counties trade density for distance. Choose by how far you are willing to travel between two things.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · JZ · CC BY-SA 3.0
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Fotografiska is a privately run museum of photography, art and culture on the Södermalm waterfront, founded in Stockholm in 2010 and now the original house of a group that also has venues in Berlin, Tallinn, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Oslo and New…
Nobelprismuseet
The Nobel Prize Museum is a cultural institution located in Stockholm's Old Town, Gamla Stan. It occupies the former Stock Exchange Building on Stortorget, the historic square.
Drottningholms slott
Drottningholm sits on the island of Lovon in Ekero Municipality, about ten kilometres west of central Stockholm, and it is a working royal home as well as a monument.
Moderna museet
Moderna Museet is Sweden's national museum of twentieth- and twenty-first-century art, standing on the island of Skeppsholmen in the middle of Stockholm's harbour.
Nordiska museet
Nordiska museet is Sweden's largest museum of cultural history, and its subject is ordinary Nordic life rather than kings and battles.
Nationalmuseum is Sweden’s national museum of art and design in central Stockholm. It occupies a prominent waterfront building on the Blasieholmen peninsula, making the architecture and setting part of the visit.
Gröna Lund is a compact amusement park on Djurgården in central Stockholm. Its waterfront setting distinguishes it from suburban theme parks, placing rides, concerts, and harbour views within the city’s cultural landscape.
Historiska museet
The Swedish History Museum, known locally as Historiska museet, is a museum in Stockholm dedicated to Sweden's history from the earliest times to the present day.
Dramaten
The Royal Dramatic Theatre, or Dramaten, is Sweden’s national stage for spoken drama. Founded in 1788, it occupies an Art Nouveau building opened in 1908 at Nybroplan.
Riddarholmskyrkan
Riddarholm Church, or Riddarholmskyrkan, is a medieval church on Riddarholmen in central Stockholm. It serves as the burial church of Swedish monarchs and now functions primarily as a royal mausoleum and heritage site.
Storkyrkan, Stockholm’s Great Church, is the oldest church in the city’s Old Town and serves as Stockholm Cathedral. The medieval brick building includes later Baroque additions and stands beside the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan.
Riksdagshuset
The Parliament House of Sweden, known locally as Riksdagshuset, serves as the seat of the Swedish Parliament. Located on the island of Helgeandsholmen in central Stockholm, the building houses the unicameral legislative assembly of Sweden.
Kungsträdgården is a central public park in Stockholm, situated between Hamngatan and Strömgatan in the Norrmalm district. The name translates to King's Garden, reflecting its historical origins as a royal kitchen garden established in the fifteenth century.
Naturhistoriska riksmuseet
The Swedish Museum of Natural History, known locally as Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, is a major natural history museum in Stockholm. It stands as one of Sweden's premier institutions dedicated to the natural world, housing extensive collections that span multiple scientific disciplines.
Kungliga Operan
The Royal Swedish Opera, known locally as Kungliga Operan, stands as Sweden's national opera house and a prominent performing arts institution in Stockholm.
Armémuseum
The Swedish Army Museum, known locally as Armémuseum, is a military history museum located in Stockholm. It occupies premises on the island of Östermalm, within the historic Garrison area.
Hallwylska palatset
Hallwyl Museum occupies Hallwylska palatset, the former central Stockholm home of the Hallwyl family. Built in the late nineteenth century, the residence became a museum after Countess Wilhelmina von Hallwyl preserved the house, interiors, and collections.
Millesgården is an art museum and sculpture garden located on the island of Lidingö near Stockholm. It was the former home and studio of sculptor Carl Milles and his wife, artist Olga Milles.
Junibacken is a family cultural attraction on Djurgården built around children's literature, especially the story world associated with Astrid Lindgren and Pippi Longstocking.
Stockholms stadion
Stockholms stadion is a historic sports arena in Stockholm, Sweden. Built for the 1912 Summer Olympics, it remains one of the world's oldest active Olympic stadiums.
Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde
Prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde is a former royal residence and artist's home on Djurgården in central Stockholm. Prince Eugen, Duke of Närke, lived here and worked as a landscape painter.
Thielska galleriet
Thiel Gallery, or Thielska galleriet, is an art museum on Djurgården in Stockholm.
Drottningholms Slottsteater
Drottningholm Palace Theatre is a historic court theatre located on the grounds of Drottningholm Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Stockholm. Built in 1766, it is one of the best-preserved 18th-century theatres in Europe.
Dansmuseet
Dansmuseet, Stockholm’s Dance Museum, explores dance as art, performance, and cultural expression. Its collections connect Swedish and international traditions through costumes, artefacts, and documentary material.
The Carl Eldh Studio Museum is an artist's studio museum located in Stockholm, Sweden. It preserves the workspace and residence of Carl Eldh, one of Sweden's foremost sculptors of the early twentieth century.
Seven to ten days gives Stockholm three or four days and allows one rail-linked city, archipelago stay or northern extension. A journey into Swedish Lapland needs extra nights and should be planned as a distinct leg.
The Swedish Migration Agency sets visitor and short-stay requirements. Check whether the passport needs a visa and which Schengen state should process an application for the complete itinerary.
Stockholm Arlanda is the largest gateway; Gothenburg and the Copenhagen–Malmö route provide alternatives. Long-distance trains link the principal cities, while ferries, regional buses and domestic flights reach the wider country.
May through August brings long daylight and the broadest summer access. Winter aurora or snow travel is a separate seasonal product, particularly in the north, with different transport and clothing requirements.
Sweden uses the krona (SEK), not the euro. Current cash and card acceptance is Not recorded in this file; check the operator’s stated payment method, particularly for unmanned or rural services.
Call 112 for emergencies in Sweden. Type C and F sockets operate at 230 V, and the recorded guidance says mains tap water is safe.
