Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
-
- Royal Palace exterior
- Parliament exterior
- Opera House
Photos & Highlights
- Orientation of the city center of Stockholm including insights from residents on the Swedish identity
- Led by a local expert
Select a date
Tour Description
On this Gamla stan walking tour, we will walk from the palaces of power to the places for the people, covering a wide swath of Old Town Stockholm. Spending time in Gamla stan (Old Town), we walk by the Riksdagen (Swedish Parliament) and the home of the Royal Family. We'll also turn towards the Kungliga Operan (Royal Opera) and depending on the day, may stop at the Medieval Museum to dive into Sweden's earliest years. Along the way, we’ll learn some of the history behind Sweden’s capital city and explore what makes Stockholm and its residents tick.
Gamla stan Walking Tour
Our time together on this orientation walk will mostly be spent on the main island district that forms Stockholm’s historical city center: Gamla stan, or Old Town. As we cross Gamla Stan, we'll develop a picture of how the city came to be and of life in Stockholm today. With cobblestone streets underfoot and waters of the archipelago rushing by, Stockholm’s atmosphere is thoroughly charming. This is a city deeply attuned to the natural environment that surrounds its urban geography.
From certain vantage points in Gamla stan, we'll also have amazing views across the water. The skyline when viewed from the west side of the Old Town is dominated by the City Hall. The municipal building is located in another island district, but luckily, the open water gives us a clear panorama of its red brick tower. We'll make sure to discuss this notable structure and take advantage of the wide-angle view to admire its distinctive architecture.
Note, we tour the interior of the City Hall on our historical Stockholm History Tour.Â
Old Town Stockholm
While on our walk together, we’ll find ourselves at the exteriors of the grandest buildings of the capital, such as the Opera House, Parliament, and the Royal Palace. (Want to go inside the home of the royals? Our Stockholm Royal Palace Tour is the walk for that.) These stops will help us weave the story of Stockholm, touching on the sociopolitical factors that have shaped this region for centuries. Depending on the day and the inclinations of the group, our route may spend more time discussing major sites, lingering over a fika on cold days, or winding through the labyrinthine alleys of Gamla stan.
As our walk draws to a close, an image of Stockholm will have begun to emerge: that of a historical city, rooted in its relationship with nature, but thriving and alive today.
FAQ
What happens if the weather is bad?
Our walks run rain or shine. That said, our experts will always make an effort to accommodate the needs of the group. On bad weather days, we may take an extra break inside, or spend extra time in an interior venue, such as the Medieval Museum (depending on venue opening hours).
Does this tour visit any of the interiors of the sites?
Due to the amount of time for the itinerary, this walking tour will focus only on the exteriors of the various stops along the way.
Our walks run rain or shine. That said, our experts will always make an effort to accommodate the needs of the group. On bad weather days, we may take an extra break inside, or spend extra time in an interior venue, such as the Medieval Museum (depending on venue opening hours).
Does this tour visit any of the interiors of the sites?
Due to the amount of time for the itinerary, this walking tour will focus only on the exteriors of the various stops along the way.
Where You'll Start
58 Reviews
–
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
We enjoyed the tour very much. Great introduction to Sweden/ Stockholm.
Daniel
Nov. 17, 2023
Loved the history of Stockholm. Excellent tour!
Steve
Nov. 17, 2023
I’m spending time on the previous tours because they set high expectations and a very high bar for Context Tours. The tour in Stockholm was informative; we learned some stuff; but by comparison it lacked the kind of focus and context of our Italian experiences. It had a lot of history but also a bit of current politics and just a bit of current life in Gamla stan. And there was little opportunity to connect with the residents.
As to our guides, once again our Italian experience set a very high bar. Our guide for the Intro to Florence was an architect and our guide in Venice has a university degree in Food Science and is a certified Italian sommelier. They clearly have deep knowledge of the focus. Again, it wasn’t that the he was a poor guide, but he didn’t rise to the same levels of knowledge and enthusiasm that we experienced in Italy.
David
Sep. 7, 2023
