Stockholm Archipelago

Hi,

Next saturday I'll be in Stockholm for three nights and I'm planning to take one whole day to visit a couple of the islands. Relatively small islands with nice view and an easy access. Any recommendation? Perhaps a best route by ferry to hop-on/-off these islands?

Thanks for everything!
Jo

PS: This is my first thread in this forum. So if there's something that I have to keep an eye on, just let me know. Thx!

From Strömkajen (in the city) take a boat to Waxholm, next one to Ljusterö. Grinda or Blidö.

The islands are not much different and there are hundeds of them. They're a great place for hiking, fishing, bicycle rides and picknincking, but not really much as sightseeing for only one day.
Had you had more time, you could buy a card valid for five days to visit more islands. One day is not much really, but you'll still enjoy it.
As an alternative you can look at sightseeing tours by boat.

Thanks Fieldgate!

I know that one day is actually not enough and the islands are not much different, that's why I want to find out what the options are and pick one or two. Just want to hang out over there.. maybe hiking, if it's possible and get the experience of island hoping of the archipelago. I think I will go to Vaxholm because of its easy access (almost any ferry will go there first before go to any further islands). Then one of the last islands at the Baltic. Blidö seems to be at the right spot ;) .. thanks!

And if I have some extra time, I want also to visit Björkö.. to the Vikingtown on the other side of Stockholm. Btw, is Björkö still part of Stockholm archipelago? Of only the hundreds islands on the east side of Stockholm?!

Remember that the trip takes time - staying on the boat and going all the way out the the "last" island and returning to Stockholm takes a full day (6 hours or so) - so unless you will return at 23 in the evening! Island hopping is relaly for a several day tour.

Study the timetable

Here's how to get to Birka/Björkö.
Stadshuskajen, where you get on the boat, is next to stadshuset (the city hall).
Birka/Björkö is an inland island.

Thanks (again) for the tips!

@Bjoern: studying the timetable is definitely necessary, if you don't have much time.. like me :)
@Fieldgate: great link.. I can plan the trip much better with this. Things that I like to see are on this site.. including duration, price, map and timetable.

My trip will take four days. I think I will skip Vaxholm and change Blidö with Sandhamm (outer archipelago). Birka and Drottningholm are also on my list. It's my 'homework' for tonight .. thanks guys!!

Last night, did my 'homework' and here is the general plan for this weekend:

DAY ONE
Landing at Arlanda, go straight to Stockholm and the hotel (relatively far from the city centre, at Bromma). Start the exploration at the city centre, but not at Gamla Stan .. yet (save it for other day). Hope I'll be on time to visit the City Hall Tower to snap some pictures over Gamla Stan. Then continue to Skeppsholmen and maybe Södermalm.

DAY TWO
Finnhamn .. the whole day!! This is my third choice (first Blidö, then Sandhamn). Hope I choosed the right island.

DAY THREE
Birka at Björkö. According to the timetable, I'll be back at the city centre round 17:00. Then I'll start the walk through Gamla Stan. I've heard that during these days, there's light till 22:00.

DAY FOUR
Djurgården: Vasamuséet and probably Skansen. Then go back to the airport.

Unfortunately, don't have more time/day for Drottningholms Slott. Otherwise the trip would be too hasty. Well, it's a good reason to go back to Stockholm in the future .. plus the five-days-card to visit the islands :)

Drottningholms Slott is very close from Bromma. Bus 323 from Brommaplan going to Strömdal. It takes 6 min.

" I've heard that during these days, there's light till 22:00. " - no - too late.
If you had cared looking it up instead of "hearing": Sunset around 20:00, "civil twilight" (then kind of twilight that is "useful"): to around 21:00.

Personally I wonder why you put Birka so high with so little time - is it for the boattrip ? Are you fully aware what you will see (and not see ) there?

I've heard it from my niece who was in Sweden and Stocholm a week before me. But you're right, the sunset was around 20:00. Still.. I've seen things that I wanted to see and I had a great time in those four days. That's the important things, right?! ;)

Why Birka?! I didn't have any special reasons for that. In my previous trip(s), I've seen 'enough' arts, painting, sculpture etc. For Stockholm-trip, I wanted to see other things. Stockholm is (also) best known of the archipelago and Birka was mentioned almost wherever I read .. on internet/books. I thought, why not! Afterwards I enjoyed every moment and the boattrip too. The guide tour is an archaeologist and he told some nice facts about Stockholm and some untrue myths about Viking.

The funny thing.. after visiting Finnhamn and Björkö, I had a 'headache' when I was in 'crowded' Gamla Stan. After a quick tour in Gamla Stan, I went to Skeppsholmen and enjoyed the sunset there.

Fieldgate, your last post made me had to think again about Drottningholm. Fortunately on the first day, I arrived in Stockholm much earlier than I expected. I went to Vasamuséet en Skansen in the evening on that day and yesterday I had the time to visit Drottningholm.

Once again: thanks to the both of you for all of your inputs!!

Good you had a nice tour.
Interesting that Birka is so much advertized (in foreign languages, I guess - and not only by those selling boattrips there?).

Birka is a "sacred place" for Swedes - the center of the first "nationlike" entity - but I had the idea that most tourists wonder WHY are we going here, WHAT is there to see here.....? it IS difficult to comapre what you can see in Birka with say Wasa and Gamla Stan IMHO

A pity that you had to visit Gamla Stan in the most terrible tourist season.

It's great to see how proud the Swedes are about their heritage (Birka and Vasa) and their huge efforts to preserve these. I agree with you that it's hard to compare these. Well, just listen to and enjoy the stories.

The thing with Gamla Stan: it wasn't overcrowded because of the tourist season. It was relatively 'crowded' compared to the other two places (Finnhamn and Birka). I don't regret it though. I guess I just shocked :)

HI There, apologies for hijacking this thread!... I am looking for a really nice hotel (spa facilities if possible) for a friday night in the archipelago's(we're staying in stockholm the rest of the time).... does anyone know of one... i dont mind spending plenty of money as long as its top class.. Its a present for my girlfriend ...we were hoping it wouldnt be that far away from stockholm... can any help?.. Thank you
date is the start of october...

Edited by: kanoute696

#12
Why don't you put up your own topic?
Not many will be looking at this thread, as it's almost a month old.

In the meantime take a look at Waxholm Hotel. It's not on an island in the archipelago, yet might be a better option.
If the weather is not nice, staying in a hotel on a small island, would be pretty boring.