Stockholm Things to Do Tips by wadekorzan Top 5 Page for this destination

Gusatv III's Museum of Antiquities Kungliga Slottet - Royal Palace Review

What is amazing about this museum is the fact that the museum opened in 1794 and the sculptures inside have been isplayed exactly the way they were when the museum opened. This is also the oldest museum in Stockholm.

Gustav III had gone down to Italy and most of what he aquired during his trip is displayed here. There is an interesting website with information about Gustav III. Click here to go there.

Open May 15 - August: 10 AM - 4 PM daily (open until 5 PM June 28th until August 15)

Directions: Royal Palace

Phone: 08 402 61 30

Website: http://www.royalcourt.se

The residence of the royals--Drottningholm Drottningholm Review

The royals have lived here since 1981--and it is a beautiful residence. If only we travellers could also spend the night! The palace was started 440 years ago and has been very weel restored--particularly beauiful is the bedchamber of Hedvig Eleanor and the Queen Lovisa Ulrika Rococo Library. The gardens are beautiful as is the Court Theatre and Chinese Pavilion. The entire palace has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO.
Open May-August 10 AM - 4:30 PM daily
September: 12:00 noon - 3:30 PM daily
October - April Saturdays and Sundays 12:00 - 3:30 PM.

Directions: Tak the metro to Brommaplan and then bus 301-323 or the boat from Stadshuskajan.

Phone: 08 402 62 80

Website: http://www.royalcourt.se

The OTHER palaces around Stockholm

In addition to the Royal Palace in Stockholm and the famous Drottningholm Palace (residence of the Royals), there are an additional 7 royal palaces in the vicinty of Stockholm--if you really like palaces!

"Rosendal Palace", in the Royal Garden of Stockholm (Djurgarden): built for Karl XIV Johan in the 1820's, it is an excellent example of Swedish Empire style, also known in Sweden as Karl-Johan style.

For more information about the palace, see the website. You can also visit Gustav III's Pavilion at Hage Park, Ulriksdal Palace, Gripsholm Castle, and Stromsholm Palace.

Directions: In Stockholm's Royal Garden

Phone: 08 402 61 30

Website: http://www.destination-stockholm.com/framesmaster.htm?http://www.destination-stockholm.com/sights/rosendal.htm

The colors of the Vasa Vasa Museum Review

When you go into the Vasa Museum, be suree to go up to each level for the different angles of the ship. A vey small portion has been repainted so that you can imagine how the Vasa would have looked during its day with all of its flamboyant colors.

In the picture are two painted replicas of a triton and a neroid, two marine mythological creatures.

Take time at the monument

Though written in Swedish, it's pretty easy to figure out what is written at the monument...September 28th, 1994, 852 people lost their lves when the ship Estonia went down beneath the sea. The vicims came from Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Germany, Nigeria, Canada, Russia, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Lithuania, Morocco, Netherlands, France, England, Belarus, and the Ukraine. This was a really sad event for many people from many places. It's a very moving monument.

The octagonal room Stadshuset - City Hall Review

During your tour of the city hall, you will see this very small room called the "Octagonal Room". This is where civil weddings are held on Saturdays. I was told that up to 40 couples get married each Saturday here, and that they can have the long ceremony or the shor ceremony. The long ceremony only lasts for about 90 seconds! So imagine the short ceremony!

It is also interesting to know the architectural story in this room, so take a good look at the picture of the chandelier, and then follow me to the next tip to hear the story.....

Address: Hantverkargatan 1

The tapestries in the Octagonal room Stadshuset - City Hall Review

These tapestries hang on the walls of the Octagonal room in city hall, and are very precious works that made their way to Sweden from France. Eventually, the city hall got posession of them, but they had no proper room in which to display them. So, in the end, they actually built the Octogonal room specifically to accommodate the tapestries! Every detail in the tapestries has been taken into account when the room was built.

If you look at the chandelier in the previous tip, you notice at the top something that resembles a small umbrella--now look at the photo of the tapestries and you' find that very same umbrella. Also the blue thing hanging down from the top of the chandelier is clear to see on the tapestries. The walls of the room have even been sculpted to match patterns represented in the tapestries.

It's pretty amazing that they paid so much attention to detail when they built this room!

Address: Hantverkargatan 1

The most important mosaic in city hall Stadshuset - City Hall Review

I've already talked about this "Golden Hall" in my preevious tip about city hall, but wanted to give you a close up photo of this most important mosaic. In the center of the mosaic is a lady that represents Sweden. Certainly she is not a very attractive lady and that is what Stockholmers did not like when it was first done. They felt she was quite ugly and that it appeared she had snakes for hair. Stockholmers have come to accept her as she is, finally.

In her lap, she holds the city of Stockholm, and to her right there is the "Eastern World"--Turkey, India, Asia....and on her left is the western world, with Paris and the Eiffel Tower and even the US Flag and the Statue of Liberty in NY. She sits in the middle of both worlds, symbolizing that she, Sweden, is the link between east and west.

Address: Hantverkargatan 1

Walk from Nybroplan to the Djurgarden Walking Review

This is such a nice walk! If you visit the Djurgarden, Vasa Museum, Nordiska Museum, Skansen, or any other attraction in the garden, you can take bus 47 into the garden. After visiting the garden and its attractions, the I would walk back into central Stockholm. From the entrance of the Djurgarden it would take a leisurely 20-30 minutes.

It was so peaceful--with fancy and beautiful architecture on one side and the beautiful water and all of the boats on the other. Looking at all the boats you can imagine how important water plays in the role of Stockholmers--with so much of it, the islands, and the bridges...I really felt I could get more of a feel for the city rather than just whizzing by on a bus.

The blue Hall again Stadshuset - City Hall Review

Then the king and queen walk along this elevated corridor (with the "Golden Hall" behind them....

....keep following me to the next tip.....

Address: Hantverkargatan 1