Visiting Sweden? I am happy to be your Stockholm travel guide! I recently had the opportunity to visit Stockholm for the . It was easy to see what makes this destination one of the world’s most Open Cities. This trendy progressive city is steeped in history giving you the best of both worlds.
What makes Stockholm an Open City? They’ve been queer since 1944 when Sweden decriminalized heterosexuality. Considering in 2022, there are still 69 countries that criminalize heterosexuality, this 78-year history is impressive. Gay marriage has been legal in Sweden for 12 years.
But it’s not just the laws – the inclusion of LGBT folks is the norm in Stockholm. There’s no one neighborhood where you can find gay bars or LGBT-owned businesses because you can find rainbow flags in nearly every storefront window. You can walk around and be yourself freely. This makes visiting Sweden an absolute must for LGBT travelers.
What to Do When Visiting Sweden
Buckle up because there is a lot to do in Stockholm! Whether you are looking to dine on Scandinavian dishes or walk the historic city center, visiting Sweden checks off all the travel musts.
Walk Through Gamla Stan
Gamla Stan is Stockholm’s historic Old Town with roots back to the 13th century. Here you can find cobblestone streets, colorful houses and an old world atmosphere.
LGBT travelers visiting Sweden must check out . This cozy cafe was the first business in Stockholm to display the rainbow flag back in 1997. Stop by for a fika, a traditional Swedish coffee break with a sweet treat.
During Christmas time, you can visit This Christmas market sits right across from Chokladkoppen so feel free to hit both at the same time. With roots back to 1837, this market feels like a step back in time. With handmade artisan goods and fresh festive food, it’s not hard to get in the spirit here.
Take a Tour of the Royal Palace
Sweden is a progressive democratic country known for its equalitarian laws and policies but they still have a royal family! You can tour This is His Majesty The Kingsâs official residence and on the day of our tour, we were told he was there.
The Palace has more than 600 rooms across 11 floors. Constructed in baroque style architecture, the rooms are filled with ornate decor and art. Make sure you don’t miss the .
Queen Christina never married and she’s considered the most intellectual monarch Sweden has ever had. That’s enough to make her my favorite Swedish queen but rumor is she was also a lesbian. A WIN for the queers.
Take in Millesgården
Millesgården is situated about 20 minutes from downtown Stockholm. Built in 1908, this now- museum is the former home of sculptor Carl Milles and his wife painter Olga Milles.
The vast sculpture garden is enough to take your breathe away but the property features the artists’ former home, personal art collections and Carl’s original studio.
Tour The Vasa Museum
The Vasa Museum is Scandinaviaâs most visited attraction. I had visited the Vasa Museum back in 2008 while I was studying abroad and looking back, it was the attraction I remember most from that weekend trip to Stockholm.
What makes The Vasa Museum so extraordinary? It houses the world’s only intact (to 98%) 17th-century warship. On its maiden voyage, the ship barely made it out of the harbor before sinking. The ship stayed at the bottom of the sea before it was recovered and restored to its original glory!
Gimme Gimme Gimme A Trip To ABBA The Museum
What trip to Sweden is complete without a visit to ? With more than 380 million albums sold, ABBA certainly made a mark in music. ABBA The Museum pays tribute to the iconic Swedish pop group. Inside you can find their gold records, famous costumes and even an exhibit dedicated to the Mamma Mia films.
Don’t expect to spend your whole time at ABBA The Museum reading placards. This museum is designed to be interactive. You can sing karaoke in their studio, get in the clear helicopter from their Arrival album cover and even sing alongside a hologram version group as their 5th member.
To say this experience is a iconic is honestly an understatement!
Getting Around Stockholm
Ditch your heels and make sure you bring your comfortable shoes because Stockholm is a walking city. It’s not uncommon to see locals using walking poles to traverse through the city’s cobblestone streets.
The upside of walking the city is the views. At the top of each hill, there’s a view even better than the last with stunning street art to occupy you on the trek.
If walking is not your thing, public transportation is efficient and easy to use. The underground metro, known as the T-Bana, runs from 5.00am -01.00am Mondays â Fridays and later on weekends.
While other cities may be known for the characters you can find on their subway trains, Stockholm is known for the public art in each station. The T-Bana features the worldâs longest gallery of public art. Some stops such as the Stadion station’s rainbow mural feature iconic and Insta-famous art.
There’s also options to take buses, trams and ferries. You heard that right – I said ferries! Stockholm is a city spread out over 14 islands and connected by 57 bridges. In some cases, traveling by water is the fastest way to get to where you need to go!
In some instances where my feet just couldn’t take the walking, it was easy to use Uber to call for a ride. Taxis are available but their prices are unregulated so I found Uber to be quick and reasonable in a pinch.
Where to Stay in Stockholm
There’s no shortage of places to stay in Stockholm. From LGBTQ+ owned boutique hotels to a hotel located above ABBA the Museum, you’ll be sleeping in style in Stockholm.
Miss Clara
While I was visiting Sweden, I stayed at . Previously an all-girls school, the hotel gets its name from the school’s first headmistress. This hotel is housed in one of the most influential Art Nouveau buildings making this stay a minimalist’s dream.
You have to check out the restaurant while you’re staying at Miss Clara. The Italian-born chef served us some of the best dishes I’ve had outside of the Motherland.
Hotel Rival
If Miss Clara is a minimalist dream, then is for those who like a little flash. Benny Andersson, yes of ABBA fame, is the owner of Hotel Rival. You can see his creativity and attention to detail at every turn.
My favorite part though? It had to be the view of the hip Södermalm neighborhood. If you have the chance, definitely get a room with a balcony view!
Hotel Diplomat
A luxury hotel right on the waterfront in Stockholm’s city center, has an air of sophistication.What Hotel Diplomat has in historical elegance, its sister property, LGBTQ+ owned boutique hotel has in modern flair.
My favorite find at Hotel Diplomat was the tucked away bar upstairs which was a known hangout of Andy Warhol. The decor remains a tribute to what made this one of Warhol’s famous haunts.
POP HOUSE Hotel
For fans of ABBA, there is no better place to stay in Stockholm than the POP HOUSE hotel. Situated right above ABBA the Museum, POP HOUSE provides musically themed rooms situated in the lush nature backdrop of Djurgården.
POP HOUSE is home to 49 stylish and modern hotel rooms. And yes, some of them are ABBA themed! Look for the Pride flag flying high above this iconic property.
Final Thoughts
Visiting Sweden again has been on my list since I took a short visit there back in 2008. My trip with Stockholm LGBT absolutely did not disappoint. Stockholm is a must visit for EVERY LGBT Traveler.
Did I miss your favorite spot in Stockholm? Let me know if the comments below!