Travel Guide: Stockholm, Sweden – Tips for where to visit on a budget

~ Criddlemethis

I’ve been incredibly lucky this year and managed to visit heaps of places including Iceland and Italy.

My last trip of 2017 was to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, a picturesque city composed of 14 islands. Here’s my guide…

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STAY

There were five of us on the trip and we were on a budget, despite being on one of the most expensive cities in the world. Our flights only cost us around £25 return but, after trawling Air BnB and hotels, it looked like our two-night stay would cost upwards of £200.

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Then I found Generator Hostels, a chain of trendy hostels based around Europe. It cost £365 to have a six-bed private room with an ensuite, working out as £72.50 each for the two nights we stayed – bargain. 

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The place was nicer than any hostel I’ve ever stayed in before. It had a true simple Scandi feel with cute bunk beds, trunks, wall hangers and little storage cubbies. Downstairs, they have fun mixer events if you want to meet other travellers, and they also sell with cheap drinks and food.

It was hugely central and very fun to bunk with all the girls together!

Find out more about Generator Hostel Stockholm here

TIP: Remember to bring a card with you, as Stockholm is mainly cashless. I always top up my Monzo debit card when I’m travelling, there are no fees or charges for using it abroad.

EAT

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Breakfast

An easy way to save money is to take breakfast with you. We filled our cases with brioche, pain-au-chocolat and breakfast bars, so we didn’t have to eat out.

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One thing I wish we had tried is brunch on a boat. The SS Stockholm takes you on a three-hour tour of the city with a buffet of traditional dishes, cold and warm meats, salads and breads, as well as some pastries too. It cost 520 SEK (around £46) so we decided to pass this time.

Find out more about it here

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Lunch

Stockholm has so many great cafes to pick from and Kaferang is a perfect example of a Scandi lunch place with copper lights, large wooden tables and plants galore. It serves warming soups and sandwiches and has a huge selection of homemade cakes and pastries too.

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A word of warning, I ordered a sandwich and was asked if I would like it grilled. To me, that meant free of charge but instead, I was given a more expensive toasted sandwich on the menu.

We ate: chicken, bacon and avocado sandwich (115 SEK/£10.40) and tomato soup (105 SEK/£9.50) – find out more here 

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Another great find was Streetkäk, a Swedish street food app which locates outdoor mobile food vans with menus and prices. Great for grabbing food on the go.

Dinner

One of the tastiest meals we had in Stockholm was also one of the best value. Barrels, Burgers & Beer serve (you guessed it) delicious burgers and local beers. We sat outside, under the heaters, and managed to order burger, chips and a drink for under £20. Trust me, that’s cheap for Stockholm

We ate: Burger (117 SEK/£10.50) and chips (35 SEK/£3) – find out more here

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If you’re feeling fancy, which we were for one night only after all our budgeting, Riche is the top spot in town.

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A stylish brasserie, Riche serves Swedish classics with a classy vibe. Here we had the best Swedish meatballs I have EVER tasted, served with berries and heavenly creamy mash.

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We ate: Swedish Meatballs (205 SEK/£18.50) – find out more here

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Fika

The Swedish are known for having Fika, short breaks with coffee or hot chocolate and pastries. You’ll see bakeries all over Stockholm selling fresh cinnamon buns and cakes.

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Kaffekoppen is a tiny little cafe which sits in a square in Gamla Stan, the Old Town. It’s has a cosy, authentic feel with tables packed together under low ceilings. They serve amazing hot chocolates (and white hot chocolate) made from melted chocolate bars.

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We ate: Hot chocolate (51 SEK/£4.60) cinnamon bun (39 SEK/£3.50) and gluten-free chocolate cake (59 SEK/£5.30) – find out more here  

VISIT

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Stockholm is made up of tiny different islands, so a great way to sightsee is by boat. We went on the Royal Canal Tour which passes historical buildings as well as beautiful green areas. We went as the sun was setting and the colours of the views reflecting in the water were stunning.

Royal Canal Tour: 198 SEK (£17.90) for 50 minutes – find out more here

Fotografiska is one of the most popular attractions in Stockholm, with four galleries of photography exhibitions. For a unique experience, try visiting it at night at SLR 22. They open up the top floor to the public, along with a bar and music so you can have a few drinks in a cultural setting.

Fotografiska: Entry (135 SEK/£12.20) – find out more here

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ABBA is Sweden’s biggest export so a visit to the ABBA Museum is a must. Filled with fun interactive experiences, you learn all about the band as well as singing along to your favourite tunes.

(Sorry about the bad singing!)

ABBA Museum: Entry (250 SEK/£22.50) – find out more here

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And a great, cheap way to discover all Stockholm has to offer is by foot. You can walk all over the city for free. Gamla Stan was my favourite, with its old narrow streets and tall buildings that looked straight out of a fairytale.

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Best thing about walking is it’s free! Here are some free walking tours in case you want a little guidance on your trip:

Old Town Tour

  • Starts at: 1pm
  • Duration: 1hr 30mins

City Tour

  • Starts at 10am
  • Duration: 2hrs

Subway Tour

  • Starts at 4pm
  • Duration: 1hr 30 mins

That’s what we managed to get up to in two days, let me know what I should check out next time! I hope you enjoyed my mini-guide, Cristina x

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Published by Criddlemethis

67 thoughts on “Travel Guide: Stockholm, Sweden – Tips for where to visit on a budget”

  1. Incredible photos! I’ve never been to Stockholm but it looks great! I especially love the ‘Eat’ section of this post, I love finding the best restaurants and foods to try in different countries. Nikki x

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  6. I went to Stockholm a couple of years ago as I was a bridesmaid for a Swedish couple and it was a lot of fun. I remember going on a river cruise and eating a chocolate ice cream called Plop. I have to say if I came again I would definitely like the sound of the Generator Hostel, they sound brilliant!

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  7. Never been to Stockholm but I can agree that the place looks so gorgeous! It’s good to know that the place can be well explored even on a budget. I can imagine how the Royal Canal Tour is good! You had fun! Very very gorgeous pics you got there!

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  8. first of all, i love your blog’s name.. what a way to get some wordplay with your last name! and also, i was shocked seeing the nightrate for the hostel in sweden. seems like i have to wait forever until i step stockholm. 😛

    ps. abba museum looks totally awesome! 😀

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    1. Thanks for reading Sunrita! I would say ABBA Museum would be v fun for the kids as it is so interactive, even if they don’t know the songs. Also I think quite a few tours do family rates. There’s also a Moomin Cafe if they like the Moomins!

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  18. Stockholm sounds spectacular, there appears to be a lot to see and do, although as you say its expensive you have definitely shared some great money saying tips. The photos are so beautiful.

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  19. LOVE this post! Sweden is the number one place I’m hoping to visit in the next couple of years but I know it can be a little pricey to visit. Thank you for the travel tips which will come in handy and help save a little money when planning!

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  20. I love walking around cities instead of paying for tours! It’s free, you get a workout, and you get to visit beautiful side streets and little cafes whenever you want!

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  22. I have not been to Sweden but have always wished to visit this beautiful place. This post is gonna be informative for sure, as I have noted down the cafe’s and amazing foods you’ve listed here. Thanks

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  25. I can’t wait to visit there some day soon! it looks amazing (your photos really capture the beauty of Stockholms) I’d love to try the food there, as well as see the landscapes in person!

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  31. I’ll probably need to go to Stockholm in April so I basically threw myself on your post since I know that Scandinavian cities are neck cutting. So thanks for sharing your tips – whereby I still find the prices incredible. I’ll probably end up eating meat balls at IKEA 😉

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