Stockholm
Sweden's capital spreads across fourteen islands, with a medieval old town, the Vasa Museum and the Baltic archipelago close by.
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Stockholm is Sweden's capital and largest city, on the east coast where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. The city spreads across fourteen islands. Gamla Stan, the medieval Old Town, keeps its original street layout, and Stockholm Palace, the official residence and main workplace of the Swedish monarch, stands in the same district. On Djurgården, the Vasa Museum shows a 17th-century warship that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628, and Skansen, an open-air museum and zoo founded in 1891, has around 150 historic buildings.
The city has around 100 museums, and the Metro is known for its decorated stations. The archipelago lies east of the city along the coast, and Birka, a Viking Age trading site, has restored remains. Summer days are warm, with highs usually around 20 to 25 °C and midsummer daylight lasting over 18 hours. Winters are cold, with snow mainly from November to March, and daylight falls to about six hours in late December.
Stockholm in five
- Pay by card, not cashMost shops, cafes and museums in Stockholm take cards only, and some refuse cash. A contactless card or phone covers almost everything.
- Tap in on the SL networkStockholm's metro, buses, trams and some ferries take contactless bank cards at the gates, or buy an SL travel card for several days.
- Take the Arlanda Express or the commuter trainThe Arlanda Express reaches Stockholm Central in about 20 minutes. The commuter train is slower and costs less.
- Go out to the archipelago in summerFerries from the center reach islands such as Vaxholm in about an hour, with the most sailings from June to August.
- Allow time for EES at ArlandaNon-EU visitors register in the Entry/Exit System at passport control, which replaced stamps in April 2026, and a long queue can cost you the train you planned to catch.EES explained
Things to do in Stockholm
See all attractions in Stockholm
Need to know
- Airport
- Arlanda (ARN), about 20 min by Arlanda Express
- Getting there
- Trains from Gothenburg in about 3 hours, from Copenhagen in about 5
- Getting around
- Metro, trams, buses and ferries; tap a bank card
- Best base
- Norrmalm for trains, Södermalm for bars, Gamla Stan for history
- Time needed
- 3 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryCloudy10 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh1°Low-3°Dark, icyJanuaryCloudy
Poor
- High
- 1°
- Low
- -3°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Dark, icy
- FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh2°Low-3°Frozen lakesFebruaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 2°
- Low
- -3°
- Precipitation
- 34 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Frozen lakes
- MarchPartly cloudy8 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh5°Low-1°Cold, brighterMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 5°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 40 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, brighter
- AprilPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh9°Low2°ThawAprilPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 30 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Thaw
- MayPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh15°Low6°Blossom, long daysMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Blossom, long days
- JunePartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°MidsummerJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 61 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Midsummer
- JulyPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°WarmestJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 66 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warmest
- AugustPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°ArchipelagoAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Archipelago
- SeptemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°CrispSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 50 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Crisp
- OctoberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh10°Low6°Autumn colorOctoberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 64 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh5°Low2°Dark, wetNovemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 49 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Dark, wet
- DecemberCloudy12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh2°Low-1°Christmas marketsDecemberCloudy
Poor
- High
- 2°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Christmas markets
Average daily high and low in Stockholm, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jun Stockholm Early Music Festival
Right now in Stockholm
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
6
- Feels like
- 2°
- Humidity
- 84%
- Wind
- 18 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 88%
Stockholm
09:37 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today8°4°88%Monday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 88%.
- Tue7°2°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed8°4°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°4°0%Thursday: Clear. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri5°2°0%Friday: Cloudy. High 5°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat5°2°2%Saturday: Fog. High 5°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun4°0°0%Sunday: Cloudy. High 4°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 0%.
Updated 06:24 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 9.823 SEK
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Coming up
Every year
- JunStockholm Early Music FestivalStockholm
- Jul–AugUppsala Reggae FestivalUppsala, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Uppsalaabout 40 min by trainSweden's oldest university town, with a cathedral and Viking-age burial mounds.Read the guide
- Vaxholmabout 1 hour by ferryA wooden archipelago town with a fortress.
- Sigtunaabout 45 min by train and busSweden's oldest town, on Lake Mälaren.
Before you go to Stockholm
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Rules for Stockholm, checked
- Sweden is in the Schengen area. Check visa and entry rules for your passport on the Migrationsverket site before you book.Source
- Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Sweden.
- Congestion tax is due within 14 days of passing a control point, and the control points take no payment. Look up payment options on the Transportstyrelsen site.
- Tipping is not expected in Sweden, since service is included. Rounding up the bill is common.
Plan around Stockholm
Cities, trains, entry rules and money
Read the guideGothenburgWest coast city, about 3 hours by train
Read the guideGotlandIsland trip by the Nynäshamn ferry
Read the guideSwedish LaplandAurora and midnight sun in the north
Read the guideHelsinkiOvernight ferry across the Baltic
Read the guideMoney and cardsLiving with a card-only country
Read the guideTrain and transport planningRail and ferries across the Nordics
Read the guideStockholm FAQ
Can you use cash in Stockholm?
Barely. Most places take cards only and some refuse cash, so a contactless card or phone is enough.
How many days do you need in Stockholm?
Three days covers Gamla Stan, the Vasa Museum and Skansen on Djurgården, Södermalm and one archipelago trip.
When is the best time to visit Stockholm?
June to August, with long days and warm evenings. December is dark and cold but has Christmas markets.
How do I get from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm?
The Arlanda Express takes about 20 minutes to Stockholm Central. Commuter trains and airport buses are slower and cheaper.
Where should I stay in Stockholm?
Gamla Stan for atmosphere and walking, Norrmalm for trains and the airport express, Södermalm for bars and cafes, and Östermalm for a quiet, upscale base.