Beautiful Stockholm Small Group Walking Tour

Duration1h 45m

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

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TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Group sizeUp to 10 travelers

Overview

Experience Stockholm! Built on 14 islands at the entrance to lake Malaren from the Baltic sea, this city is world famous for its beauty. Stockholm Old Town is the best-preserved medieval city centre in the world. We will start at the Opera house and follow "Stockholm Ström", the short river connecting Lake Mälaren to the Baltic Sea. We will then go on a walking tour of the cobblestone alleyways in Old Town

During the walking tour, you will learn about and connect with the history of Stockholm and Sweden. You will take in several historic and beautiful buildings. You will see the City Hall, the Parliament building, the Royal Palace and Stortorget in Old Town, and walk through the medieval streets of Old Town.

The tour finishes at the southern end of Kungstädgården, a beautiful park in Stockholm. At the northern end of this park, you can take the tram to Djurgården, where the Vasa museum, the Abba museum, "Skansen" and other popular Stockholm attractions are situated.

What's included

In person guide

What to expect

The Royal Swedish Opera
15m

You will begin this picturesque journey with a short introduction to Sweden and Stockholm. The formal name of Sweden is “Kingdom of Sweden”. Many of the buildings you will see at this point have a Royal connection. The majestic Royal Palace in front of you was built at the beginning of the 18th century in the magnificent Baroque style. The Opera house figured in the opera "The Masked Ball" composed by Guiseppe Verdi about the Swedish king Gustav III. The beautiful house in the classic style on the other side of the square, which now houses the Ministry of Foreign affairs, was once the Heir Presumptive palace.
Parliament Building (Riksdagshuset)
10m

Next, explore the history of the Swedish government. The Parliament Building was designed in the Neo-Renaissance style, with a Neo-Baroque style facade section. The parliament building was constructed between 1897 and 1905.

The predecessor of the parliament (riksdagen) was the “Riksdag of the Estates” (Ståndsriksdagen) where Nobility, Clergy, Burghers, and Peasants met separately for discussions before meeting the King in the palace. Until its dissolution in 1866, this institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to the King. In 1866 a parliament with two chambers was introduced, but without equal voting rights for all citizens. The first elections with general suffrage were held in 1921. This was after a long political struggle led by liberals and socialists. In 1975 the constitution was changed, and the two chambers of the parliament were merged into one. It was also confirmed that the king has only a representative role and no real power.
Riksbron
15m

From the Riksbron bridge, you can marvel at the Knights Island, the Prime Minister's residence, the Government building, and the House of Nobility. You can also see the City Hall, where the yearly Nobel prize banquet is held.
15m

"Lejonbacken" is on the north side of the Royal Palace. Lejonbacken is one of the most popular photo spots in Stockholm.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Sweden was a great power in Northern Europe. You will see the Royal Garden with a statue of Karl XII, the last of the Swedish warrior kings. To the right of the park, you will see the Financial District, built at the turn of the 20th century - the period of the flowering of architectural styles.

You also see the Grand Hotel, the most prestigious hotel in Stockholm where the Nobel laureates stay when they come for the Nobel prize awarding ceremonies.
10m

You will pass the inner courtyard of the Royal Palace and make a short visit to Palace Chapel, where the Royal family baptizes their children.

Outside the Royal Palace is a statue of Carl XIV Johan, who made an outstanding career in the Napolean army and then was adopted into the Swedish royal family. He was the first from the Bernadotte dynasty - the longest royal dynasty in the world, still ruling!

Carl XIV Johan was imported to Sweden from France to win back what we lost to the Russians in the Napolean wars. Instead, he put his efforts into diplomacy, building infrastructure and developing education. In 2014, 200 years of peace were celebrated in Sweden. The industrial revolution, natural resources and great Swedish inventions created a foundation for a welfare state.
Stortorget
15m

Stortorget is the central square in Old Town and the most photographed place in Stockholm. The square is surrounded by beautiful houses in 17th-century Scandinavian Renaissance and 18th-century Classicism styles.

At Stortorget "The Bloodbath of Stockholm" took place in November 1530. Around 100 noblemen and priests were beheaded by the Danish king Christian II. He is since known as Christian the tyrant in Sweden.

The Nobel Prize Museum is situated at Stortorget. The Swedish Royal Academies and other committees designate the winners of the most prestigious prizes in many important fields of science and art.
Stockholm Old Town
20m

From Stortorget you walk Köpmangatan, Merchants Street. This street has been mentioned in written material since 1350. You are guided through some narrow alleyways to feel the atmosphere of medieval times! You walk along Österlånggatan and down to Skeppsbron, where ships have loaded cargo since the seventeen’s century.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

On the stairs of the Opera house, facing the statue of a man on a horse. (In Sweden, a tip of about 10% is common in restaurants and taxis and also for guided tours. In Stockholm, both dollars and euros work fine. However, you should ONLY tip if you are satisfied with the tour and the service.)

End point

The tour ends at the southern end of Kungsträdgården, a beautiful park in Stockholm. It is possible to take the tram to Djurgården, the "island of the museums", where among others, the Vasa museum, the Viking museum, the Abba museum and the outdoor museum Skansen are located.

Additional information

Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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