Sweden stretches from the Arctic wilderness down to sandy beaches near Denmark. This Nordic country holds surprises around every corner. Forests cover more than half of this country, where Viking burial grounds neighbor modern design galleries. The things to do in Sweden span from Arctic aurora chases to afternoon strolls through Stockholm’s cobblestone old town.
This guide takes you through Sweden’s main cities and beyond, covering everything from 17th-century shipwrecks to Arctic wilderness. You’ll find details on museums, outdoor escapes, and seasonal attractions with current timings and admission costs.
1. Gamla Stan (Stockholm Old Town)
The heart of Stockholm beats strongest in Gamla Stan. This island district dates back to the 13th century. Narrow cobblestone alleys wind between ochre and rust-colored buildings. Stortorget, the main square, once witnessed the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520. Now cafés fill its edges. The Royal Palace stands at the island’s northern tip with 608 rooms open for tours.
Wandering these streets costs nothing. The changing of the guard happens daily at the Royal Palace, drawing crowds during the summer months. Small boutiques sell Swedish crafts and souvenirs. For those seeking the top things to do in Sweden, starting here makes sense. The Nobel Prize Museum sits right on Stortorget, telling stories of laureates through the decades.
- Google Rating: NA
- Location: Gamla Stan, Stockholm
- Timings: Accessible 24 hours, attraction timings may vary
- Price: Free to explore streets; plan to spend a couple of days in this town and explore the nearby attractions
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2. Vasa Museum
A 17th-century warship sits inside this purpose-built museum on Djurgården island. The Vasa sank on its maiden voyage in 1628, just 1,300 meters from shore. It lay on the seabed for 333 years before being salvaged in 1961. Today, 98% of the ship remains original timber.
The museum wraps around the vessel on multiple levels. You can view the ornate stern from just meters away. Eleven exhibitions explain life aboard, the sinking, and the recovery process. This stands among the must see places in Sweden for history buffs.
- Google Rating: 4.8/5
- Location: Galärvarvsvägen 14, 115 21 Stockholm, Sweden
- Timings: Daily from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Price: During May to September, ticket prices for adults, including senior citizens, SEK 230/ INR 2,309, and free for visitors aged 18 and under. During January to April and October to December, for adults, including senior citizens, SEK 195/ INR 1,957; set aside 1 to 2 hours for properly exploring the museum
3. ABBA The Museum
Four Swedish musicians became global superstars in the 1970s. ABBA The Museum celebrates its journey from Eurovision winners to pop legends. The interactive exhibits let visitors step onto a virtual stage with the band. Costumes glitter behind glass cases. Gold records line the walls.
A silent disco section plays their greatest hits through headphones. The Polar Studio recreation shows where they recorded their albums. Benny’s self-playing piano connects to his home studio and occasionally plays live. Located next to the Vasa Museum on Djurgården, both can fill a full day. Among fun things to do in Sweden, this museum ranks high for music lovers of all ages.
- Google Rating: 4.5/5
- Location: Djurgårdsvägen 68, 115 21 Stockholm, Sweden
- Timings: Daily 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Price: For adults, SEK 249 – 329/ INR 2,500 – 3,303, for children (aged 7 – 15), SEK 100 – 120/ INR 1,004 – 1,204, for students, SEK 219 – 279/ INR 2,198 – 2,801, for seniors, SEK 219-279/ INR 2,198 – 2,801, and free for children aged 0-6. A family ticket (2 adults and 1-2 children aged 7-15) costs SEK 549 – 749/ INR 5,512 – 7,520; set aside 1.5 to 2 hours for exploring this famous musuem
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4. Skansen Open-Air Museum
The world’s first open-air museum opened in 1891. Skansen brings together 150 historic buildings from across Sweden on one hillside. Farmhouses from the 1700s stand near Sami dwellings from the Arctic north. Craftspeople demonstrate traditional skills like glassblowing and bread baking in period costume.
A zoo section houses Nordic animals, including brown bears, wolves, lynx, and elk. The aquarium adds tropical creatures for variety. Summer brings folk dancing around the maypole during Midsummer celebrations. Winter transforms Skansen into a traditional Christmas market. The things to do in Sweden for tourists often start here for a complete cultural introduction.
- Google Rating: 4.5/5
- Location: Djurgårdsslätten 49-51, 115 21 Stockholm, Sweden
- Timings: Monday to Friday 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Price: Ticket price for adults, SEK 240/ INR 2,409, for seniors, SEK 200/ INR 2,008, for students, SEK 200/ INR 2,008, and free for children aged 0-12 years and children aged 13-15 years; plan to spend half to a full day to explore the museum
5. Stockholm Archipelago
About 30,000 islands, rocks, and skerries stretch eastward from Stockholm into the Baltic Sea. Ferries connect the larger inhabited islands year-round. Sandhamn hosts sailing regattas and summer parties. Grinda offers swimming beaches and kayak rentals. Vaxholm guards the main shipping lane with its historic fortress.
Day trips from central Stockholm take as little as 20 minutes by boat. Overnight stays on remote islands provide a complete escape. The Stockholm Archipelago Trail was named one of Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2025. Hiking, swimming, and fishing fill summer days. Winter brings ice skating on frozen bays.
- Google Rating: 4.7/5
- Location: East of Stockholm
- Timings: Ferries run year-round with a reduced winter schedule
- Price: Day passes vary based on operators; plan to spend a full day exploring the archipelago
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6. Gothenburg
Sweden’s second city sits on the west coast where rivers meet the sea. Canals thread through the centre. Trams rattle past grand 19th-century buildings. The Feskekôrka fish market sells the morning catch in a building shaped like a church. Gothenburg feels more relaxed than Stockholm, with fewer tourists and shorter queues.
The Gothenburg archipelago offers easier access than Stockholm’s, with ferries reaching car-free islands in 30 minutes. Seafood restaurants serve langoustines, oysters, and crayfish fresh from cold waters. The Gothenburg Museum of Art holds Nordic masterpieces. Haga district draws visitors to its wooden houses and cinnamon buns the size of dinner plates.
- Google Rating: NA
- Location: West Coast of Sweden
- Timings: City accessible 24 hours
- Price: Most outdoor areas are free, attractions vary; plan to spend a couple of days here
7. Liseberg Amusement Park
Northern Europe’s largest amusement park opened in 1923. Liseberg sits right in central Gothenburg, reachable by tram. The wooden roller coaster Balder has twice been voted the world’s best wooden coaster. Helix launches riders through inversions across the hillside terrain. AtmosFear drops visitors from 116 meters.
Kaninlandet (Rabbit Land) caters to younger children with gentle rides and character meet-ups. Summer concerts draw major acts to the outdoor stage. The Christmas market transforms the park into a winter wonderland with over 5 million lights. For families seeking fun things to do in Sweden, Liseberg delivers thrills across generations.
- Google Rating: 4.5/5
- Location: Örgrytevägen 5, 402 22 Göteborg, Sweden
- Timings: Daily 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Price: Entry fee is SEK 95/ INR 1,200, ride passes has additionalc charges; set aside a full day to explore this amusement park
8. Icehotel
Each winter, artists carve a new hotel from ice blocks taken from the Torne River. The original Icehotel opened in 1989 in the village of Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. Suites feature sculpted furniture, chandeliers, and artwork in frozen form. Temperatures hover around minus 5 degrees Celsius inside.
Guests sleep in thermal sleeping bags on beds covered with reindeer hides. Morning brings hot lingonberry juice and sauna sessions. Since 2016, a permanent section called Icehotel 365 has stayed frozen year-round using solar-powered cooling. Non-guests can tour the ice gallery and sip drinks in the Icebar. Northern Lights frequently dance overhead during the winter months.
- Google Rating: 4.5/5
- Location: Marknadsvägen 63, 981 91 Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
- Timings: Tours 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (seasonal variations)
- Price: For adults, SEK 395/ INR 3,965, for students and seniors, SEK 295/ INR 2,961, for children aged 4-12, SEK 145/ INR 1,455, and free for children (aged 0-3). Valid from December 12, 2025 to April 11, 2026; plan to spend a couple of days in this hotel
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FAQs
What are the best things to do in Sweden for first-time visitors?
Stockholm deserves your first few days with its museums, medieval Gamla Stan, and the remarkable Vasa Museum all within easy reach. Djurgården island alone holds enough attractions to fill two full days of exploration. Adding Gothenburg to your itinerary brings west coast seafood and a relaxed city atmosphere, giving you the best things to do in Sweden for tourists.
What shouldn’t you miss in Sweden?
You must not miss visiting the Vasa Museum, which displays a fully preserved 17th-century warship that exists nowhere else on earth. Winter visitors can chase the Northern Lights from Abisko or spend a night at the famous Icehotel in Lapland. The Stockholm Archipelago offers stunning natural beauty just minutes from the city center.
What are the best things to do in Sweden during the day?
Morning museum visits on Djurgården island let you experience Skansen and the Vasa Museum before crowds arrive. Sunny afternoons suit coastal walks in Gothenburg, or ferry rides through the archipelago’s scattered islands. A day trip to Uppsala adds Viking history and Sweden’s oldest university, offering fun things to do in Sweden beyond the capital.
What are the best things to do in Sweden at night?
The best things to do in Sweden at night include visiting Stockholm’s Södermalm district. The place is filled with bars, restaurants, and live music venues that keep the evening lively. Gothenburg’s Avenyn is also an amazing option because the boulevard lights up after dark with dining and entertainment options along its length.
What are the most kid-friendly activities in Sweden?
Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg thrills teenagers with roller coasters, while Kaninlandet keeps younger children happily entertained. Skansen introduces kids to Nordic animals and traditional Swedish crafts in an open-air setting. Junibacken in Stockholm brings beloved storybook characters to life through rides and play areas, ranking among the fun things to do in Sweden for families.
What are the best cultural things to do in Sweden?
Midsummer celebrations in late June bring communities together for dancing around flower-covered poles across the country. ABBA The Museum traces Swedish pop music history, while Viking heritage comes alive at Gamla Uppsala’s ancient burial mounds. Traditional Sami culture in Lapland offers reindeer experiences and handicrafts, making these top things to do in Sweden for culture seekers.
What are the top food experiences in Sweden?
Swedish meatballs with lingonberry jam and creamy gravy represent comfort food at its finest here. Feskekôrka market in Gothenburg serves the freshest west coast seafood in a cathedral-shaped hall worth visiting. Fika, the cherished daily coffee and pastry ritual, shapes Swedish culture, and oversized cinnamon buns at Haga bakeries show you why.
What are the best shopping areas in Sweden?
Stockholm’s Drottninggatan runs through the city center with major brands and Swedish labels lining pedestrian streets. The Haga district in Gothenburg fills charming wooden houses with antiques, crafts, and local designs. Christmas markets at Skansen and Liseberg sell traditional decorations during winter, offering must see places in Sweden for seasonal shopping.
What’s the best time of year to visit Sweden for sightseeing?
The best time to visit Sweden is during summer (June to August) because of the long daylight hours, warm temperatures, and attractions operating at full capacity. However, the winter season in this country also draws visitors north for Northern Lights and snow activities across Lapland’s frozen landscapes. The things to do in Sweden shift beautifully with the seasons, and the country welcomes visitors year-round.
