Stockholm Main Street

Understand

At least since the Viking Age, there was a trail along these streets, between Uppsala and Svartlöten, a thing site in Botkyrka. With the redevelopment of Norrmalm in the 1960s and 70s, pedestrian and bicycle traffic was put on exception in central Stockholm. From the 1990s, pedestrian routes have been restored, and by 2020 an extensive network of bicycle paths has opened.

Get around

The whole route is walkable with no staircases and light slopes, accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. There are a few crossings for road traffic. Car traffic from Sergels torg to Gullmarsplan is diverted to tunnels and highway bridges. While Gamla stan and Södermalm can be traversed by car, parking spaces are few, and driving is altogether impractical. The green metro (tunnelbana) line runs parallel to the streets. Cycling is a practical option unless it is too cold and rainy. The passage through Slussen has some re-routing due to construction until 2025. Northern Götgatan has a steep slope, which does not deter seasoned cyclists. Stockholm has a fleet of rental electric bicycles and scooters. They have seen increasing regulation, with speed limits in the inner old town.

Upper Drottninggatan

Drottninggatan is a pedestrianised street from the Observatorielunden park to the Riksbron bridge to Gamla stan. The section north of Kungsgatan is the most interesting, with independent cafés, restaurants and stores. Vasastan has plenty of restaurants, most in the mid-range bracket, many in ethnic style. They are usually crowded by office workers during lunch break (from noon to 13:00).

1 Stockholm Odenplan Station. The Odenplan metro station is one of the city's oldest. The artworks are modest.A commuter rail (pendeltåg) station at Odenplan below ground opened in 2017, with controlled atmosphere and contemporary art.

1 Stockholm Public Library (Stadsbiblioteket), Sveavägen 73 (T Rådmansgatan). Built in 1928 and designed by the famous Swedish architect Erik Gunnar Asplund, the interior of the cylinder-shaped main hall is spectacular, with three floors of bookshelves covering 360 degrees of circular wall. Books (fiction and non-fiction) are available in many languages, including English and German.

On the cliff above the Library is the old Stockholm Observatory, which has a fine view of the city to the east. There is also a small café. 2 Gustaf Vasa kyrka. A neo-Baroque church built in 1906. One of Stockholm's largest churches, with frequent concerts. 3 Astrid Lindgren's home. Astrid Lindgren, one of the world's most read writer of children's books, lived in this Stockholm apartment from 1941 until her death in 2002. Reservations only. Mst of Stockholm’s second-hand record shops are clustered in the area between Odenplan and St Eriksplan. Most are open M-F 11:00-18:00, Sa 11:00-15:00. Some examples (starting from the Odenplan end) are:

1 Omega Records, Upplandsgatan 47. (updated Aug 2015) 2 Stockholms Skivbörs, Upplandsgatan 47. (updated Aug 2015) 3 Nu och då, Norrtullsgatan 31. Second-hand store. (updated Aug 2015) 1 Tennstopet, Dalagatan 50 (T Odenplan). High-end Swedish cuisine. 1 Tranan, Karlbergsvägen 14 (T Odenplan). A brasserie-style restaurant opened in 1929, with a dark downstairs bar that is popular Vasastan hangout, with a mixed crowd. Occasional live music. 2 K Karaoke, Odengatan 87. A karaoke bar. 3 RoQ, Gyldéngatan 2. A game pub with v

Lower Drottninggatan

Between Kungsgatan and Sergels Torg you will find the Åhléns department store, as well as flagship stores for some national and international fashion chains, including several H&M stores. The area around Sergels Torg is dominated by mainstream fashion shopping, with several H&M stores. Alternative clothing stores can be found further north. Restaurants in Norrmalm are usually crowded by office workers during lunch break (from 12:00 to 13:00). Á la carte dining can be rather costly; expect to pay more than 120 kr for a hot lunch, and more than 250 kr for a dinner.

4 Stockholm Concert Hall (Stockholms konserthus). The home stage of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the place of the annual Nobel Prize ceremony. 4 Gamla Brogatan. A pedestrian street with all kinds of alternative fashion stores, including punk, thrasher and Japanese street fashion. 6 Haymarket by Scandic. A 1920s style hotel, with a jazz-themed bar. The building used to host a department store. 4 Hötorgshallen, Hötorget. Deli market in the basement of the cinema Filmstaden Sergel. Here you can get everything from sushi via meze to Swedish meatballs. Most places offer good value for money. 5 Åhléns City, Klarabergsgatan 50. A mid-market department store with a good selection of designer clothing brands. Also beauty products, kitchenware, interior design, as well as everything else you would expect from a major department store. 6 Sergels torg. Stockholm's busiest city square. The black-and-wine Harlequin concrete floor was laid in the 1960s. For decades, the place had bad reputation for drug-dealing and violence; a redevelopment of the street level finished in 2018. The square is a natural meeting point, attracting thousands of people daily for meet-ups, political protests, flash mobs, and retailing. 5 Avicii Experience, Sergelgatan 2. An interactive exhibition dedicated to the Swedish music producer Avicii, also known as Tim Bergling.

7 The House of Culture (Kulturhuset), Sergels torg. Kulturhuset is operated by the city, and a venue for art exhibitions and performances. The building also houses the Stockholm City Theatre, a library (with a comic book department) and a teen activity cent

Stora Nygatan

Gamla stan [gamlaˈstɑːn], the Old Town, has genuine cultural heritage, as well as tourist traps. You can seek out the great events through the Stockholm history tour, and the great architecture with Stockholm quay palace tour. Eating and drinking in Gamla stan can be expensive. Check the evening menu price rather than the boards outside - the prices displayed outside are often lunch offers only. In winter months restaurant kitchens seem to close at around 21:30, so dine early! Södermalm is typically cheaper.

Stora Nygatan (Great New Street) is accessible by bicycle and wheeled vehicles, and has a wide range of art galleries, stores, restaurants, and bars. Västerlånggatan is the traditional main street, flanked by beautiful historic buildings. The northern part of the street sell overpriced stereotypical souvenirs. In the southern part, there are stores for genuine jewelry and Swedish craft. The restaurants can be a bit overpriced. Västerlånggatan is on purpose not part of this route, as visitors are likely to end up there anyway.

12 Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan), Trångsund 1 (next to the Royal Palace, T Gamla stan). Storkyrkan is the oldest church in Gamla stan. Originating as a 13th century Gothic structure, the exterior was remodelled in Baroque style around 1740. The church is the seat of the Church of Sweden bishop of Stockholm. It contains two pieces of famous artwork: the 15th-century wooden statue of Saint George and a copy of the oldest known image of Stockholm, Vädersolstavlan ("The Sun Dog Painting"), a 1636 copy of a lost original from 1535. 13 Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet). Built between 1697 and 1754, and the official residence of the king of Sweden, though he lives at Drottningholm in Ekerö, using the Royal Palace only for official ceremonies. Open to the public unless being used for a state ceremony. Tickets to The Royal Apartments, the Tre Kronor Museum, the Treasury, and Gustav III's Museum of Antiquities. The Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) is an independent museum in the same building. The Royal Guards, Högvakten, is a ceremonial changing of the guard occurs during June-August, as well as during major holidays, with the Mounted Guards

Götgatan through Södermalm

Götgatan was since the middle age known as Göta landsväg. The steep hills of northern Södermalm has an eclectic blend of 18th century wooden cottages, industrial buildings and modern homes, and is sometimes compared to Montmartre. See Söder