Welcome to Södermalm
Take a pinch of eccentricity, add a splash of laid-back cool and you have Stockholm’s southern island, Södermalm. Known locally as Söder, this is the city's creative engine room, with no shortage of clued-in indie fashion boutiques, vintage stores, art galleries, bars, espresso labs and music venues. The island is also home to a handful of engaging museums, not to mention smashing views of Gamla Stan and the central city from its northern edge.
Top experiences in Södermalm
Amazing hotels and hostels
We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Travel guides
Starting at $24.99
Södermalm activities
Stockholm Bridges Cruise
Board your sightseeing boat at Stromkajen and settle into the comfortable inside cabin with its picture windows or, if the weather allows, on the outdoor deck. Then, set off along the lovely waterways and listen to the informative audio commentary as you enjoy the cityscapes from the water.Absorb the panoramic views as you cruise close to the photogenic Gamla Stan (Old Town) and enjoy a fantastic vantage point over its houses, churches and other top Stockholm attractions. Then, perhaps relax with a drink or snack from the on-board café (own expense) as you sail around some of Stockholm’s central islands and glide under 15 of the city’s picturesque bridges. Keep your camera at the ready as you circle the large island of Södermalm and pass the impressive quays and boulevards of Stockholm’s buzzing new district of Hammerby Sjöstad. Savor the views, too, as you pass the islands of Lilla and Stora Essingen, and cruise by the island of Djurgården with its woodlands and parks.Along the way, your boat will also pass through two locks that allow ships to navigate between Lake Mälaren to the west and the Baltic Sea to the east — make sure you capture the working locks on camera!After almost 2 hours on the water, return to Stromkajen where your cruise finishes.
Stockholm Sightseeing and National City Park 3-Hour Bike Tour
See the best of Stockholm on a 3-hour bike tour, and discover the Swedish capital’s rich mix of modern and historical architecture, imposing public squares, lively cafés and restaurants. Meet on the island of Kungsholmen, where skilled bike guides will kit you out with the best city bikes and equipment. Then, cycle off to see the impressive Stadshuset (City Hall). Pedal into the atmospheric streets of Gamla Stan (Old Town), and enjoy superb views of Södermalm, Stockholm’s largest island. Hear engaging tales as you cruise down winding alleys that conceal quaint courtyards. Enjoy the safety of Stockholm’s dedicated bike paths. Your guide will point out some of the best shops and restaurants to return to and explore in your own time. Go to the unique eco-park of National City Park. Ride through natural surroundings close to the city center. Pedal along the waterfront to enter City Park Island and pass the enchanting theme park of Astrid Lindgren's World and the Vasa Museum. Next, go into the 18th-century quarter of Djurgårdsstaden, situated behind the Gröna Lund Amusement Park. Admire the beautiful wooden houses and pass the Skansen open-air museum and zoo before you return back to your starting point.
Royal Canal Tour
Board your sightseeing cruise at Strömkajen at your chosen time. Sit back, relax and listen to your audio commentary as you leave the city center behind and glide through the Stockholm archipelago, a cluster of some 30,000 islands, skerries and rocks spreading east into the Baltic Sea.Enter the peaceful Djurgården canal, where you’ll pass several historical buildings, museums and lovely green areas. As the canal opens out into the sea, return toward the city and pass the island of Fjaderholmarna and the Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde, the scenic former home of the Swedish Prince Eugen. Skirting the island of Djurgården, view the Vasa Museum, a maritime museum that displays the only almost fully intact 17th-century ship that has ever been salvaged, the Vasa warship that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. Admire the large, bustling island of Södermalm, whose district of the same name is one of the most densely populated districts of Scandinavia. Then view the locks and bridges around the central area of Slussen, situated on the Söderström river connecting Södermalm and Gamla stan. The area is named after the locks between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea.Soak up a beautiful Stockholm city panorama before returning to the dock to end your 50-minute cruise.
Stockholm Panoramic Sightseeing Tour
Step aboard your modern, air-conditioned coach in central Stockholm at your choice of the available departure times. Then, relax into your comfortable seat and set off on your 75-minute tour, with no frustrating waits to pick up or drop off passengers along the way. Put on your supplied headphones and listen to the informative audio commentary as you drive past Stockholm's best-known landmarks. See the handsome Stockholm Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet), and delve into a pretty corner of Gamla Stan to admire its 18th-century houses and cobbled lanes. Enjoy the scenery, too, as you pass through the picturesque island of Långholmen, and drive along the city's elegant waterfronts, where rows of townhouses are reflected in the Baltic waters. Your route will also take you across the Djurgårdsbron Bridge to Djurgården, one of Stockholm’s prettiest central islands, and home to leafy Royal Djurgården park. Ogle the views over downtown Stockholm from its shores, and check out the famous Gröna Lund theme park with its colorful, sky-high rollers. On your way, your driver will also aim to stop at Fjällgatans on Södermalm island. The views from here stretch across the water to both Gamla Stan and Djurgården, so be sure to capture the fantastic panoramas on camera! After taking a circular route around the city, your coach will return to its original starting point, where your tour concludes.
Stockholm and Islands Private Sightseeing Bike Tour
Put your feet to the peddles for a three-hour adventure around the parts of Stockholm surrounding Lake Mälaren, one of the two bodies of water in the city centre. We promise you beautiful architecture, an old prison, monks, beaches (yes, we have them in the city) and a glimpse of the island where Absolute Vodka was founded.Looking for more? How about stories about ABBA, one of Sweden’s greatest exports. What about finding cool restaurants and bars to come back to on Södermalm, the Southern Island, as you bike through lively streets? Interested in seeing the house where Alfred Nobel used to live? It’s all waiting for you to discover with your guide on Stockholms Urban Treasures Private Bike Tour!Embark on this bike tour along some of the 760 km of bike lane that can be found on the islands of Kungsholmen, Reimersholme, Långholmen, Södermalm, the Old Town (Gamla stan), and Riddarholmen. There are a few hills that you’ll encounter along the way (it’s not Denmark or southern Sweden), and you’re more than welcome to hop off your bike if you need to. Either way, toward the end of the tour there will be a well deserved traditional fika break at a local café where your guide will clue you into why Swedes and fika are like peanut butter and jelly, or two peas in a pod. Are you ready for a bike tour of a lifetime? We are, let’s go!
Stockholm: The Royal Bridges & Canal Tour
Take a boat tour of Stockholm's waterways and islands and spend 1 hour sailing through the Canal and around the Royal Island of Djurgården. This is the perfect opportunity to see the city from the water-side and enjoy panoramic views of the Stockholm skyline. The tour will take you through the narrow Djurgårds Canal canals and open bays and along the shores of islands including Old Town, Djurgården, Riddarholmen and Södermalm. All of the tour boats have been recently refurbished and are in mint condition for the season. Enjoy free Wi-Fi on board, as well as toilets and a café that sells Swedish fika, soft drinks and coffee. All passengers receive their own earphones for the audio guide commentary.