Ten free things to do in Stockholm..

Many of my reader friends already know that Stockholm is an expensive place. Those  who have not step foot into Sweden, if you are going there, please know that, Stockholm or the whole Scandinavia is one expensive trip. Hostels or hotels, food or transport, tourist attractions or museums, each and everything is going to cost you. Even the Stockholm cathedral with its beautiful architechture does not offer free entry,in contrast to other places in Europe, where churches are usually open to all. So, it is not bad to get some great things to do in Stockholm for free.

1. Free walking tour :

 

There are several free walking tours in Stockholm. Generally, each company has two tours, one to the modern city and another to Gamlastan (the old town). Originally I planned for the old town tour, but I never reached to Stockholm in my planned time, that is another story. But if you are interested, I would love to share my research. I liked the profile of New Free tour Stockholm. Here the young students work as guide, the old town tour starts at 1 o’clock everyday and the modern city tour starts at 10.30 in the morning. The meeting site is quite well known, Gamlastan T bana, i.e. outside the Gamla stan subway /metro station. There is no prebooking, just show up at the right place at right time. My friend Helen went to another tour, where the modern city tour is at 10 am and the old town tour is at 4 o’clock in the evening. Though free, the guides work solely on your tips. So, you can pay a little, still you are in gain. If a family or couple is going, then for 2-4 people you are paying what is worth one ticket of standard guided tour, so you are saving money for rest of the three people.

   2.  Sjöhistoriska museet/ National Maritime museum, Sweden

Sjöhistoriska museet

Stockholm is the home for 80 Museums. And usually when you are visiting the city, you have 2-3 days in hand. So, it is physically impossible to see all the museums in one trip. So why not opt for the free ones first?  The national maritime museum is your first stop if you are into ships and boats. The entry is free, and the museum opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 10-5. Best way to go to the museum is by bus 69, it has the stop called sjöhistoriska museet. To know more about the museum see my post on Sjöhistoriska museet.

3. Museum of natural history / Naturhistoriska riksmuseet

naturhistoriska riksmuseet

This is a beautiful museum in another end of the city, connected by bus 50. It is a big museum, with extensive collection displaying the animal kingdom as a whole, fossils, human evolution, wildlife of Sweden, weather and the inorganic resources of earth.Permanent exhibition is free. If you want to visit the shows in Cosmonova, that however has a paid ticket. Good news is students have discount in Cosmonova.  If you have time for only one museum in Stockholm, I would suggest this one. For more info and photos of the museum, stay tuned for my coming post on Naturhistoriska riksmuseet.

4. Armémuseet/ Army museum

When I visited Stockholm this time, I planned for this museum to visit on tuesday evening. It used to be free on tuesday evening 5-8pm. I did not reach Stockholm tuesday as planned, but as I ‘ve already told you, that story I am going to tell in a future post 😀 At the same time while doing my  trip planning I noticed it is going to be free for all from February 2016. And while I am drafting this post, it is already February and I saw the website ….yes, in my next visit I am going here for free !!!! It is free for all now everyday. It opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 11-17. You can go by metro, Kungsträdgården T bana or Östermalmstorg T bana both are in walking distance.The museum features Swedish history, from 1500 to the present day, among fascinating historical objects and realistic scenes, living conditions for soldiers, their families and the general population.

5. Nordiska museum on Wednesday night

Nordiska museet: view from Maritime Museum

Once you are in Sweden, it is natural you will be interested in their food, culture, customs and lifestyle. To know it all, you have to visit the beautiful Nordiska museum. The rich culture of Sámi, the indigenous people of North, are preserved in the 4th floor along with the folk arts. Other floors vividly offer you a visual treat of the Swedish way of life. But all these you can see for free only on Wednesdays, from 17 to 20 pm. Actually, it is sufficient time to have a rapid look in all sections. So, catch tram 7 and get off at Djurgarden. For more about the museum, stay tuned for my coming post on Nordiska museet.

6. Tekniska museet/ Museum of sciense and technology, Stockholm on Wednesday night

If you are travelling with your kids, it is an ideal place to visit. It opens all day from 10-17, except Wednesday when it is open till 20pm and these extra three hours on Wednesday i.e. from 5-8 o’clock in the evening. Otherwise you can get 15% discount if you are booking online tickets all other days of a week. Again you have to take bus 69, very useful bus, goes many of the museums, remember it. The museum shows the history of technology, discuss it’s relevance today and what it can mean to us in the future.The museum also has an unique model railway built in the early 1960s. Very educative for the children who can learn from about 55,000 objects and artefacts, each telling  something about the development of technology, over several centuries.

7. Street music at Kungsgatan

You can enjoy the symphony of nordic music in the streets of Stockholm. If you wish you can pay any amount you like to the artist, but even if you won’t, no body will demand. While roaming around the shopping streets of Kunsgatan, Hotorget or Slojdgatan and sometimes in konserthus , you can just stop here sometime, where the instruments are played, and young artists presents their best performances to amuse you for free..

8. City panorama 

You can see city panorama from different site in stockholm, like Sky view or Käknas tower, but you have to pay for them. On the other hand, you can have the view for free as well.The highest natural point Skinnarviksberget in central Stockholm is a favorite place among the locals and the visitors. The views are stunning – across Kungsholmen, Gamla Stan, the Stockholm Town Hall, and other points of interest. The park beneath the hill has a small playground and an open-air café where you can enjoy a light lunch or an ice cream in one of the hammocks. But the best time to enjoy the park is perhaps summer. Still instead of paying hundreds of SEK in sky view, here you can get the city panorama for free.

9. Photographer’s paradise: Vasaparken, Långholmen and Fjällgatan

View from Vasaparken

 If you want to click some breathtaking photos of Stockholm, these are your destinations both in summer and winter. All are well connected by bus, do some google search for direction before you are heading for a photography day in Stockholm.

Night view from Djurgarden

 

10. Enjoy your hostel: free sauna, free iceskating  and  free pasta

Make your own flavour by adding some sauce, eggs and few spinach leaves

I do not know where you are going to stay, but tea, coffee and pasta are free in few hostels in Stockholm. I stayed in City backpackers’, which is regarded as one of the best hostels of Stockholm. Though it is not the best hostel I stayed in my life, the good points are they are clean, offers free sauna in the evening from 19-20-45 for girls and offers free 2 hour ice-skating. I regret I cannot skate, but perhaps many of you do, so it can be a good option.But be careful about the heating here, it went off at night. Some staff are very nice, while some are quite rude. I hope you get the best ones. In the kitchen, along with free pasta, you will find oil, salt and things in left over fridge like mayo, sauce, soft drinks etc for free. So, hope now you are going to have a great stay in Stockholm, and post some picture for me. Good luck 😀

Enjoy your stay @Hostel

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