Travel guide
Gamla Stan in Stockholm: the Royal Palace, Stortorget and the narrow lanes
Gamla Stan is Stockholm as it looked before the city spread across the islands. Here is what to see, which streets to skip, and where to stay in the middle of the medieval town.
In short
Gamla Stan is small enough to walk around in a couple of hours, but worth a whole day. See the Royal Palace and the changing of the guard, Storkyrkan and Stortorget, and walk out to Riddarholmen for the view. Skip Västerlånggatan in the middle of the day and use Prästgatan and the lanes down to the water instead.
Our first choice: Lord Nelson Hotel on Västerlånggatan, four minutes from the metro and halfway between the palace and Stortorget. You see Gamla Stan before the day visitors arrive and after they leave.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Lord Nelson Hotel
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How to get to Gamla Stan
Gamla Stan has its own metro station on the red and green lines, one stop from T-Centralen. From Central Station you can walk over Vasabron or Riksbron in about ten minutes, and from Södermalm you come in via Slussen. The streets are cobbled and steep in places, so wear good shoes.
Stortorget
Stortorget is the oldest square in Stockholm and the heart of Gamla Stan. Its red, ochre and yellow gabled houses are the most photographed in the city, and the old stock exchange building, Börsen, on the north side is home to the Nobel Prize Museum and the Swedish Academy.
The square has a dark past too. This is where the Stockholm Bloodbath took place in 1520, when the Danish king Christian II had more than eighty Swedish noblemen and burghers executed. Today people sit on the benches around the well with a coffee, and in December the square fills with the Christmas market.
The Royal Palace
The Royal Palace is the King's official residence and one of the largest palaces in Europe, with more than 600 rooms. The royal family lives at Drottningholm, but here you find the state apartments, the Hall of State and the Treasury with the crown regalia, while the Royal Armoury below the palace holds royal costumes and carriages.
How to do it: Watch the changing of the guard in the outer courtyard in the middle of the day, then go inside. The time varies with the season, so check it on the day.
Stockholm at sunset, looking towards Gamla Stan
Stockholm reflected in Riddarfjärden as the sun sets over Gamla Stan.
Storkyrkan and Riddarholmen Church
Storkyrkan stands right by the palace and is Stockholm's cathedral. Crown Princess Victoria was married here in 2010, and inside is the sculpture of Saint George and the Dragon from 1489, one of the best-known medieval sculptures in the Nordics.
Riddarholmen Church, with its black cast-iron spire on the small island west of Gamla Stan, is the burial church of the Swedish kings. Carry on to Evert Taubes Terrass at the back of Riddarholmen, where you look out over Riddarfjärden towards the City Hall.
The lanes and the quiet streets
Västerlånggatan is the main street through Gamla Stan and is full of souvenir shops and people. Walk the parallel Prästgatan instead, which is quiet even at midday, and take Österlånggatan on the other side of the island.
Mårten Trotzigs Gränd is the narrowest lane in the city, with 36 steps and less than a metre wide at its tightest. Near the Finnish Church stands Järnpojken, the Iron Boy, a little statue of a boy looking up at the moon. He is about 15 centimetres tall, and in winter visitors leave coins and knitted hats at his feet.
Food and fika in Gamla Stan
Den Gyldene Freden on Österlånggatan has been serving food since 1722 and is now owned by the Swedish Academy. Order classic Swedish husmanskost in the vaulted cellars and ask about the troubadour Carl Michael Bellman, who was a regular.
For fika, head to one of the cafés around Stortorget or on Köpmangatan, ideally with a cinnamon bun and a view of the gabled houses. In the evening it is quieter, and the lanes are lit by old street lamps.
Where to stay in Gamla Stan
Lord Nelson Hotel: on Västerlånggatan
Lord Nelson Hotel is on Västerlånggatan, four minutes from Gamla Stan metro station and a few minutes from the palace and Stortorget. Breakfast is included, and the whole medieval town is right outside the door.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Lord Nelson Hotel
Hotel Sven Vintappare: small and quiet
Hotel Sven Vintappare is a small hotel on one of the side streets of Gamla Stan, three minutes from the metro and nine from Slussen. A good choice if you want peace and quiet in the middle of the lanes.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Hotel Sven Vintappare
Grand Hôtel: across the water
The Grand Hôtel stands on Blasieholmen, directly across Strömmen from the palace. You can walk to Gamla Stan in ten minutes, and rooms facing the water look straight at the palace.
Book your stay: See available rooms at the Grand Hôtel Stockholm
Hotel Rival: Södermalm, a short walk away
Hotel Rival is on Mariatorget in Södermalm. You can walk over Slussen to Gamla Stan in about fifteen minutes, and have the cafés and nightlife of Söder in the evening.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Hotel Rival
Gamla Stan: frequently asked questions
How long do you need in Gamla Stan?
A couple of hours is enough to walk around Stortorget and the lanes. If you want to visit the palace, the Nobel Prize Museum and Storkyrkan, allow a full day.
What are the main sights in Gamla Stan?
The Royal Palace and the changing of the guard, Stortorget, Storkyrkan, Mårten Trotzigs Gränd and the view from Riddarholmen.
Is Gamla Stan a good place to stay?
Yes, if you want to walk to most things and see the streets in the morning and evening, when they are quiet. The hotels are small and often in old buildings, so rooms can be smaller than elsewhere in the city.
How do you get to Gamla Stan?
Take the metro to Gamla Stan station, one stop from T-Centralen, or walk from Central Station in about ten minutes.
When is the Christmas market in Gamla Stan?
The Christmas market on Stortorget opens in late November and runs until just before Christmas. See our guide to Stockholm Christmas markets.