Stockholm with Kids: Vikings, Archipelago Ferries, and Cinnamon Buns

Grillska Huset

This historic bakery run by the Stadsmission charity sits right on Stortorget and serves some of the best kanelbullar (cinnamon buns) in the city. Grab a table inside or eat on the square and let the

The Nobel Museum

The Nobel Museum on Stortorget tells the stories of Nobel Prize winners through interactive displays that work surprisingly well for curious kids aged 8 and up. The cafe inside also does a famous Nobe

Gamla Stan (Old Town) Exploration

Wander the cobblestone lanes of Stockholm's medieval island core, stopping at Stortorget, the oldest square in the city. Kids love spotting the colorful narrow buildings and searching for the small ir

Skansen Open-Air Museum

Skansen is the world's oldest open-air museum and covers an entire hillside with relocated historic Swedish buildings staffed by people in period costume. There is also a zoo section with Nordic anima

Vasa Museum (Vasamuseet)

The Vasa Museum houses a nearly complete 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage and was raised from Stockholm harbor in 1961. Kids are stunned by the sheer scale of the ship, and the mult

Rosendals Trädgård

This biodynamic garden cafe on Djurgården serves open-faced sandwiches, soups, and pastries made almost entirely from ingredients grown on-site. Eat at picnic tables in the greenhouse or out in the ap

Nytorget Urban Deli

Urban Deli on Nytorget square is a beloved Stockholm institution combining a deli, grocery, and full restaurant under one roof. The brunch spread is generous and genuinely good, and the square outside

Monteliusvägen Cliff Walk

This free 500-meter walking path along the northern cliffs of Södermalm gives one of the best panoramic views of Gamla Stan, Riddarfjärden, and City Hall in Stockholm. It is flat, pram-friendly at the

Fotografiska

Fotografiska is a world-renowned photography museum in a converted waterfront customs building on Södermalm, with rotating exhibitions that are consistently thoughtful and visually arresting. Check th

Vaxholm Fortress Museum

The 16th-century Vaxholm Fortress sits on its own small island just off Vaxholm and is reached by a short boat shuttle from the harbor. Kids can explore the ramparts, cannons, and prison cells, and th

Waxholmsbolaget Ferry to Vaxholm

Waxholmsbolaget runs scheduled public ferries from Strömkajen in central Stockholm out to Vaxholm, the gateway town of the archipelago, in about an hour each way. The ferry ride itself is a highlight

Waxholms Hotell Restaurant

The classic Waxholms Hotell has a waterfront restaurant serving traditional Swedish husmanskost including meatballs, gravlax, and the famous shrimp sandwiches that locals travel out here specifically

Humlegården Park

Humlegården is a large green park in Östermalm with open lawns, a popular playground, and the Royal Library at one end. It is an easy place to let kids decompress after a museum and grab an ice cream

Östermalms Saluhall

Östermalms Saluhall is a beautifully restored 19th-century indoor market hall with vendors selling Swedish cheeses, smoked fish, reindeer, wild game, and freshly baked bread. Let the kids graze and tr

Historiska Museet (Swedish History Museum)

The Swedish History Museum on Narvavägen holds one of the finest collections of Viking Age artifacts in the world, including a dedicated Gold Room with extraordinary jewelry and ceremonial objects. Th

Stadsbiblioteket (Stockholm Public Library)

The Stockholm Public Library in Vasastan, designed by Gunnar Asplund in 1928, is one of the most visually extraordinary library buildings in the world, with a cylindrical main hall ringed floor to cei

Café Blå Porten

Directly across from Junibacken, Café Blå Porten is one of Stockholm's most charming old garden cafes with a large covered courtyard and a menu of Swedish classics including toast skagen and homemade

Junibacken

Junibacken is a storybook theme museum on Djurgården built entirely around the world of Astrid Lindgren, author of Pippi Longstocking and Emil of Lönneberga. The Story Train ride through scenes from t

Hagaparken

Hagaparken is a grand 18th-century English landscape park north of the city center with meadows, forest trails, a butterfly house, and the exotic Haga Parkmuseum inside the Turkish Pavilion. Rent bike

Haga Trädgårds Kafé

This cozy cafe inside the park serves generous portions of classic Swedish baked goods and is known locally for having some of the largest cinnamon buns in Stockholm, which they take genuine pride in.

NK (Nordiska Kompaniet) Department Store

NK on Hamngatan in central Stockholm is the city's most storied department store, with a well-curated selection of Scandinavian design, Swedish food products, and children's clothing that makes for ex