Best Day Trips from Stockholm

The train journey north from Stockholm through scenic Swedish countryside to the ancient city of Uppsala is worth the entry price alone. It takes just 40-60 minutes to reach this, one of the country’s oldest cities. Established in the 3rd Century, Uppsala sits on the river Fyris, its cobbled streets winding uphill to 16th-century Uppsala Castle and the twin-spired medieval confection that is gothic Uppsala Cathedral. The latter, at a whopping 389 feet, holds the remarkable accolade of being the tallest church in Scandinavia.

These two ticked off, spend some time soaking up the youthful atmosphere – Uppsala is a university city with a population of some 40,000 students, and this is reflected in the many cute (and affordable!) bars and cafés that line Uppsala’s cobbled lanes. Be sure to take time out from your hectic sightseeing itinerary to indulge in the Swedish art of fika (basically a coffee break with cake and sociable chatter).

Suitably fortified, it’s well worth renting a bike for the short ride north out to Gamla (old) Uppsala, an ancient Viking site with over 300 burial mounds. It’s about a 20-minute ride from the center of town – or significantly longer for incurable Instagrammers who’ll be forced to stop for a selfie every few feet along this achingly beautiful route.

Located slap-bang between Stockholm and Uppsala, Sigtuna – a pretty port town on the banks of Lake Mälaren – was established way back in the 70s. The 970s, that is. This makes it by some margin the oldest town in Sweden. As you’d expect then, it’s something of an open-air museum, its cobbled lanes crammed full of colorful low-rise wooden houses, ruined churches and Viking runestones.

Take a stroll through the medieval old town and to discover the ancient runes (complete with English translations), 12 of which are in close proximity in the medieval old town, then bone up on your Swedish history at Sigtuna Museum, where dozens more runic inscriptions are preserved on stones, cattle ribs and, well, whatever else came to hand at the time. Scratch your selfie itch in the picturesque harbor and don’t forget to pick up souvenir handicrafts from the local village stores.

One of the best ways to experience Sigtuna is on a day cruise from Stockholm, allowing plenty of time to enjoy the royal waterways, with a few hours ashore to explore Sigtuna at your leisure. You can take the Lake Mälaren day cruise to Sigtuna with the All-Inclusive Go Stockholm pass, which can save you up to 50% on access to more than 60 Stockholm tours, activities and attractions!

The Go Stockholm pass also includes entry to a number of attractions in and around lovely Lovön island, better known as home of dreamy Drottningholm Palace and its meticulously manicured public gardens.

Take the hour-long boat trip from just outside the old town, with cameras at the ready as you pass several Lake Mälaren islands along the way. The palace – a favorite summer residence of the Swedish royal family for over four centuries – dominates the diminutive island, its pristine baroque facade overlooking hundreds of acres of gardens and a glassy mirrored lake. It’s very much worth taking a tour of the palace interior, all opulent state rooms, bedchambers and banquet halls.

But it’s the gardens (modeled on the gardens at the Palace of Versailles, no less) that are the main attraction here. You could lose yourself for hours in these stunning grounds, with their Baroque and English gardens – chock full of fountains, sculptures, statues and box hedges – and the magnificent Chinese Pavilion, a fairytale confection of the finest chinoiserie, entry to which is also included with the Go Stockholm pass, natch.

Ferries serve more than 100 islands on the archipelago, so it's no wonder that many of the best day trips from Stockholm involve getting your sea legs on. A visit to Vaxholm – gateway to the islands – is no exception, with boats departing the Strömkajen terminal north of the old town for its historic ramparts several times daily. Within those imposing ramparts lies a charming old town and harbor that are perfect for aimless wandering. Several strategically placed cafés offer further opportunities for fika and gazing dreamily out across the water. Try the highly popular Hembygdsgårds Café for some of the finest views (and cakes) in town.

Just opposite the harbor lies the imposing edifice that is Vaxholm Fortress, a remarkably well-preserved 16th-century fortification with a museum. Admire it over a gelato from the island’s sun-trap ramparts, or take the two-minute boat ride across the water for a closer look. Boats depart frequently when the fortress is open in spring and summer season.

This one’s a bit of an outlier (quite literally… it's over 250 miles from Stockholm). But if you’re looking to explore beyond the islands, you could do far worse than this epic Scandinavian wilderness in the southwest of the country.

Outdoors types will be in clover (and indeed pine) down here, where the wild moose roam, the dramatic lakes, mountains and pine forests make for some of Sweden’s best hiking opportunities, and there are about a million-and-one ways to get wet: think kayaking, waterfalls and wild swimming.

Hit up Tresticklan National Park – a vast forested wilderness that’s great for peaceful hikes, and don’t miss the aqueduct at Håverud – a truly mind-boggling feat of 19th-century Swedish engineering. Dalslan’s a 10-hour round-trip from Stockholm, so it’s definitely worth considering an overnight stay – or even longer! Fun accommodation option abound in this great outdoors: lake cabins, tipis and converted lock-keepers' cottages for the win!