48 Hours in Stockholm: A Photo Diary

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Stockholm, Sweden is one the most beautiful cities in the world! Here's a photo diary featuring inspiration for a two day (48 hour) itinerary featuring the highlights of what to do in Stockholm and what to see.

If you were to ask me, “hey Christina, what did you do when you were in Stockholm?” my answer would distill to two key points: I ate my weight in meatballs and took a lot of photos.

This answer succinctly summarizes my recent trip to Stockholm, where I, of course, ate plenty, sightsaw endlessly, and naturally, fell in love with the capital of Sweden.

One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.

A perfect blend of metropolitan and medieval, Stockholm is many things I love: it’s beautifully modern (with excellent public transportation), classically pretty (with a stunning Old Town), and it borders the sea, which makes for the waterside views I obsess over. Armed with a 48hr Stockholm Pass, I spent an action-packed two days exploring the city, which stole my heart with its beautiful architecture, cool sights and glorious food. I could write about Stockholm forever, but I figured it’d be better to simply show you what I mean through photos:

One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
I mean… look at it.
One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
seriously, just look at it.

Stockholm is comprised of 14 islands connected by 57 bridges. Of these many islands to explore, a must-see is of course is the Old Town, Gamla Stan, the original city centre. Today, it’s home to a buzzing cluster of museums, cafes, shops and adorable winding streets (ideal for frolicking and postcard worthy sights to see):

One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
the colourful buildings of Old Town

One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.

With this kind of beauty all around the city, I pretty much stopped every five seconds to catch a photo…

Happy to Wander Stockholm-0400
Constant photo stops meant I could never get anywhere!

That said, the city is far more than just aesthetically pleasing. It’s a fashion lover’s paradise dotted with an endless parade of cool shops, and a hub of diverse museums and activities sure to occupy your time. While in Stockholm, I braved the Swedish wind on board a sightseeing cruise, lived out my royal dream in the Royal Palace of Sweden, admired photography exhibits, saw 17th century ship ruins and immersed myself in the history of the Nobel Prize. There’s one thing for sure: it’s tough to be bored in Stockholm.

One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
Sergels torg
One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
Soaking up the view from our sightseeing boat
One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
Stockholm’s Royal Palace
One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
the Erik Johannson exhibit at the Fotografiska
One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
Ship ruins at the Vasa Museum
One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
The Nobel Museum

Last but not least, the cherry on top of this wonderful city was its unexpectedly good food scene. After spending six months in traditional Bavaria, my life has been devoid of decent International food options. My prayers were all answered in Stockholm, where hip eateries of every cuisine dominate the city’s foodscape. I could easily move here just to eat forever. From mouthwatering tacos and ice cream to countless all-you-can-eat buffets, this city will make sure you’re well-fed.

One of the most beautiful cities in the world? Here's photo proof that you need to visit Stockholm, Sweden ASAP.
delicious ice cream from Café Kåkbrinken

So, after that brief glimpse into the beautiful Swedish capital, some of you might be wondering…

Is a Stockholm Pass worth it?

My honest opinion is: if you plan your trip properly, then yes! Because it was my first time in the city, I wanted to visit as many of the main sights as possible, so I planned my itinerary quite carefully and ended up getting a lot of value out of the pass. If, however, you are more of a slow-paced traveller, then this might not be the best option for you. Do note that unlike many other city tourist cards, the Stockholm Pass doesn’t include public transportation (though it does include Hop On Hop Off bus tours), so factor that into your calculations. Regardless though, take the time to explore the city’s museums and attractions, because they really are great!

Now, over to you! Have you ever been to Stockholm or Sweden? Are there any cool spots that I missed?

During this trip, I was provided with two complimentary Stockholm 48hr Passes courtesy of Visit Stockholm, but opinions (and ramblings!) are still entirely my own.

My Go-To Travel Favourites:

🧳 Eagle Creek: My favourite packing cubes

💳 Wise: For FREE travel friendly credit cards

🍯 Airalo: My go-to eSIM

🏨 Booking.com: For searching hotels

📷 Sony A7IV: My (amazing) camera

✈️ Google Flights: For finding flight deals

🌎 WorldNomads: For travel insurance

🎉 GetYourGuide: For booking activities

23 thoughts on “48 Hours in Stockholm: A Photo Diary”

  1. Beautiful! The buildings are gorgeous, I feel like I could walk around all day just appreciating the architecture. Passing this on to my friend who is visiting Stockholm soon, this is a great guide.

    Reply
    • walking around all day staring at buildings is basically what I did haha 🙂 Thanks for passing the post on, Mar!

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    • I definitely did, thanks Lia! I went into Stockholm expecting things to be very, very expensive but I was pleasantly surprised. The prices for eating out are quite comparable to Munich, and things from the grocery store seemed on par or even cheaper than what I’m used to seeing back home. The one big difference though is alcohol! Drinking is not at all cheap in Stockholm, whereas in Bavaria, beer is often cheaper than water haha

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    • Do it when you get the chance, Claire! You’ve kinda nailed Stockholm perfectly with the description of ‘classy, cool and sophisticated’ haha. It’s really beautiful 🙂

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    • Yes! That museum is apparently one of the most popular in all of Scandinavia, and it was so cool to see in person because the ship is huuuge! I hope you get a chance to check it out (and Stockholm) soon, Jessica 🙂

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    • Yes, definitely a great place for foodies and photographers 🙂 as someone who’s a bit of both, Stockholm was paradise haha

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  2. Gorgeous photos Christina! I missed the sightseeing cruise (which I really wanted to do but had little time). I will consider getting the pass for my next weekend visit since I also missed all of the museums – how many days did you spend in Stockholm?

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    • Thanks Danielle! The pass is definitely good value if you’re doing a lot of attraction hopping. I was only there for 2 days, so not enough time. Definitely want to head back!

      Reply
  3. Hi Christina –
    Just wanted to drop you a note. I’ve been reading your travel blog for the past few days. Nice job! I’ve read quite a few similar blogs lately, but eventually got turned off to a few of them because of the writers’ attitude – some of them seem so “I am superior” and competitive. Bleck! Major turn-off for the readers, I must say. Your self-deprecating humor, by contrast, is refreshing! Good job, girl! Stay humble and cool.

    Reply

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