Drottningholm Palace Cruise

Recommendation

The Travelin’ Man’s Overall Recommendation: VERY GOOD*
(surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)

What did I like the most: the inside of this palace is magnificent, better than the Royal palace even
What is the biggest area for improvement: all of the outdoor walking areas are on gravel, be careful if with elders or handicapped

Logistics

This was a Strömma boat ride from Stockholm to the Drottningholm palace on Lake Mälaren (third largest lake in Sweden). It’s one hour out, and one hour back. You could easily spend a couple of hours here, especially if you also visit the Chinese pavilion and the gardens. There is also a cafe and restaurant in the immediate area, which would take even more time. Your best bet is to allow for being there for three hours, then you can always cut it short and come back sooner if you wanted. So that puts the total even time at 5 hours.

We got our tickets at Stadshusbron, Klara Mälarstrand 2, 111 52 Stockholm (this is over by City Hall). We paid 210 kr ($25) for each adult. That only covers the boat ride over and back. Entry to the palace itself is 130 kr ($15), and the Chinese pavilion is 100 kr ($12). If you’re concerned about the pricing, Strömma does offer package deals, so check their site.

Departure times vary dramatically, so check online for latest schedules leaving Stockholm. On the return trip, a boat leaves Drottningholm every hour.

The Cruise

You’ll get one of three boats that service this tour. They all feature plenty of seating, a bar, and a restaurant if you want have a meal on the way over or back. We managed to get the M/S Prins Carl Philip going out and coming back.

It was pretty warm when we went, so we were able to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery of Lake Mälaren.

When I think of Sweden, for some reason, beaches just never really comes to mind. But they have them here, and yes they swim in the cold water!

Lake Mälaren offers some really fantastic landscapes. This is one of my favorite trips since it is so beautiful, and the one hour boat ride each way is just right.

The Palace

Ok, spoiler alert here, in case you haven’t already heard, Drottningholm Palace is one of the nicest palaces in all the land! Think I’m exaggerating? Guess where the royal family lives…. Nope, not in the Royal Palace. They have lived in the Drottningholm Palace since 1981.

I haven’t reviewed the Royal Palace for you yet, but if you saw it, you would understand why everyone, including the royal family, loves this palace so much more.

While the palace grounds do not stand up to the great Château de Versailles, you can’t help but feel the influence. And it is beautiful in its own right.

We were a little pressed for time when we were there, so we did not do the Chinese pavilion but I promise I will add it in at some point.

The comments about this palace vs. the Royal Palace apply as much to the inside as the out. The Royal Palace is much more business oriented and doesn’t have nearly the luxuries of this place.

One thing you will notice is that the statues throughout the palace are made to look like expensive Rome era artwork, when in fact they are cleverly disguised painted replicas. Still, very nice and very impressive.

Once we finished our tour, we had a few minutes before the next boat, so we sat down at the cute little cafe right by the boat dock. It’s nice because you can have a nice glass of wine or coffee and still be able to see if the line for the boat starts growing.

All in all this is a great way to spend a half day.

* Each area is rated on a scale 1-5, with 1 = poor, 3 = good, 5 = exceptional
How did this do compared to what I had expected: 4
How well were the logistics handled: 3
Was the staff helpful and friendly: 3
Overall execution and presentation: 4
Total score: 14
4 – 8 is POOR (was not at all what I expected and/or was not worth the time/money)
9 – 10 is OK (quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it)
11 – 13 is GOOD (met expectations, would recommend, would do again)
14 – 15 is VERY GOOD (surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)
16 – 20 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (outperformed my expectations, great value)

Vaxholm Dinner Cruise

Recommendation

The Travelin’ Man’s Overall Recommendation: VERY GOOD*
(surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)

What did I like the most: sipping wine while watching the spectacular scenery of Sweden’s archipelago drift by
What is the biggest area for improvement: condition of the windows made photography a tad challenging in direct sunlight

Logistics

The dinner cruise is hosted by Strömma, aboard the s/s Stockholm, with restaurateurs Maria Svensson and Jesper Taube handling the culinary aspects.

We got our tickets at Strömma Kanalbolaget Terminal, Nybrohamnen 4, 111 47 Stockholm. They were 200 kr per person and do not include food or drink.

The cruise goes non-stop from Strömma Kanalbolaget Terminal (ours was slot #15) to the beautiful Vaxholm. We left the dock at 7pm sharp, and the entire trip was around 3 hours. The menus were in Swedish and English, and there is no tour guide, it is strictly scenic.

The Boat

The name of the boat was s/s Stockholm, and she was classy and cozy. We sat up on the second deck. Each table is by a window. There were three of us in our party, and we had a table to ourselves, but I don’t know if couples share a table with others or not. Will find out, though, since Jana and I will definitely be doing this again.

The Dinner

As you might imagine, dinner is handled very much like a restaurant. You order whenever you’re ready. It is possible to book your food in advance, and have it brought in by course, but we opted for à la cart. I ordered the classic steamboat steak, and it was cooked exactly to order, served hot, and tasted delicious. Combined with the gherkin, it made a surprisingly good taste combination. I did bulldoze some of those onions off though, haha. They also offered lamb tenderloin, corn fed chicken breast, and various other seafood dishes. Overall a very good menu.

The wine list was very diverse, better than most restaurants. Stockholm leans more towards the French and Italian wines, and seldom if ever have any USA representation. But the cruise had not only French, Italian, and USA, but also some selections from Spain, Italy, Chile, and Africa. We also ordered some of the desserts, which were all very good.

You really can’t go wrong here, the dinner and drinks were excellent; we and everyone around us had a marvelous time.

The Cruise

The cruise was on par with the rest of the experience, very smooth sailing, and magnificent views of the archipelago.

The noise levels inside the restaurant were acceptable, and there was no boat or engine noise whatsoever. We were blessed with absolutely gorgeous weather. I will say we sat on the starboard (right hand) side. Folks on the other side seemed to have more sun coming in, which we wouldn’t have preferred.

There was a brief stop at Vaxholm before starting back. We saw enough of it to make us want to go out there for a weekend stay. There was a really nice looking hotel right on the water and this cool palace to discover.

I should mention that photography was a tad challenging at times. As you can see above, there is a lot of glare. There is really no controlling this, nor any way to really deal with it other than to try different angles with the camera.

The other thing, which would be controllable, is that the windows could have been a little cleaner on the outside. Especially with the evening sun hitting them, any dirt becomes highly visible, which added additional challenges to photography, as you can see above. I know, first world problem, just sayin’.

But if you’re persistent and creative, you can work around these challenges. On the return trip, we got to experience a breathtaking sunset.

This was Brandi’s last evening with us. I can’t think of a better send off…..

* Each area is rated on a scale 1-5, with 1 = poor, 3 = good, 5 = exceptional
How did this do compared to what I had expected: 4
How well were the logistics handled: 3
Was the staff helpful and friendly: 4
Overall execution and presentation: 4
Total score: 15
4 – 8 is Poor (was not at all what I expected and/or was not worth the time/money)
9 – 10 is OK (quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it)
11 – 13 is Good (met expectations, would recommend, would do again)
14 – 15 is Very Good (surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)
16 – 20 is Highly Recommended (outperformed my expectations, great value)

Rooftop Tour

Recommendation

The Travelin’ Man’s Overall Recommendation: VERY GOOD*
(surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)

What did I like the most: full unrestricted 360 degree rooftop views
What is the biggest area for improvement: a better solution for using smartphone cameras

Logistics

I did the rooftop tour with our friend, Brandi, who had come out to see us from the US. Quite honestly, I had never even heard of a rooftop tour and really had no idea what to expect.

There are several companies in Stockholm that provide this service, we used Talvandring at https://takvandring.com. The cost was 595 kr (about $70), and it lasted a little over two hours.

We met at the statue of Birger Jarl, right at the center of Birger Jarls Torg, on Riddarholmen. Our two guides, Lydia and Eva, showed up in full body harnesses and exactly on time. They escorted us around the corner to the old parliament house (pictured at the very top of this article). The entire tour was in English.

The Tour

After they gave us our instructions and safety tips, we rode the elevator up, then climbed up the attic stairs, through a hatch, and onto the roof. Eight floors above the ground. As you can see from one of our guides, above, we suited up into a full body harness and helmets.

Look closely on the picture above and you can see the steel platform/walkway. It’s only about a foot wide, and you can see the cable that goes alongside on the left side of the platform. Your body harness hooks onto this with a cable so you are attached. Note the platform has no railing, a little scary. But look over to the right and that one has a railing. Some do, some don’t.

But it was very safe. I wouldn’t classify myself as a daredevil by any means, and I never felt scared or that I might fall. However, if you are in any way scared of heights or have any vertigo issues, I advise you steer clear of this event.

After you’ve been up for a few minutes, you really get the hang of it and start relaxing a little and taking in the unprecedented view you are getting. A full 360 degrees with no windows, walls, or barriers. It is truly breathtaking.

So now a word about photography. Your phone goes into a thick clear plastic case around your neck. And you’re not really supposed to take it out of the plastic. So when you take pictures, the plastic is sometimes in the way, and the screen controls through the plastic can be cumbersome.

See the picture above and how it’s a little blurry on the bottom right. This is the plastic effect and it happens on a lot of the pictures. Now if you had a real camera with strap on it, you could get some killer, I mean really killer pics up here. As it is, however, over half of my pics had to be deleted they were so bad.

Aside from the most spectacular views you will probably ever see in Stockholm, there is an educational side to this as well. The guides are quite knowledgeable of the landscape and the long history of Stockholm. So while you’re up there observing all this beauty, they are giving you some really good historic perspectives on what you’re looking at.

Our guides were Lydia and Eva, and in addition to knowing all the history, they were also very friendly, professional, and very educated on safety procedures and protocols.

* Each area is rated on a scale 1-5, with 1 = poor, 3 = good, 5 = exceptional
How did this do compared to what I had expected: 4
How well were the logistics handled: 3
Was the staff helpful and friendly: 3
Overall execution and presentation: 4
Total score: 14
4 – 8 is POOR (was not at all what I expected and/or was not worth the time/money)
9 – 10 is OK (quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it
11 – 13 is GOOD (met expectations, would recommend, would do again)
14 – 15 is VERY GOOD (surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)
16 – 20 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (outperformed my expectations, great value)

Travelin’ Man’s Guide to Stockholm

This is an index of all of the current Stockholm activities and places that I have documented. More are being added every week, so be sure to sign up for notifications at the bottom of the page so you will get notified when I add a new article.

Each entry below has a thumbnail image with the name and a description of the attraction. If you want to see the Travelin’ Man’s detailed article of that attraction in a separate window, simply click on the underlined text.

The attractions are grouped by which island they are on. The amount of time for each attraction is given. Use those two pieces of information to help plan a day of sightseeing in and around this beautiful city.

Archipelago

Fjäderholmarna [2-3 Hrs] Stockholm’s closest archipelago island, and the 30 minute boat ride was scenic and relaxing. It leaves from the Strandvägen ferry terminal. There are several great restaurants to choose from, some scenic walking trails, and a blacksmith that makes jewelry right on the island.

Vaxholm Dinner Cruise [3 Hrs] The cruise goes non-stop from Stockholm to the beautiful Vaxholm. You really can’t go wrong here, the dinner, drinks and cruise were all excellent; we and everyone around us had a marvelous time.

Lake Mälaren

Drottningholm Palace Cruise [4-5 Hrs] Ok, spoiler alert here, in case you haven’t already heard, Drottningholm Palace (aka Summer Palace) is one of the nicest palaces in all the land! It is in this palace that the royal family actually lives.

Skokloster Palace – [8-9 Hrs] It’s a boat ride from Stockholm to the Skokloster palace and back. Experience the breathtaking beauty of lake Mälaren’s shoreline. On board cafeteria and bar, and the trip includes an onboard tour guide who will call out noteworthy sights along the way.

Djurgården

Skansen [4-5 Hrs] It’s a museum, a zoo, and a historical town replica. It’s all of those things and all outdoor. There are some rides and activities for children. It also offers some fantastic views of Stockholm.

Vasa Museum [2-3 Hrs] This museum displays an almost perfectly preserved ship that sank off the coast of Stockholm in 1628. They claim that it is the worlds only fully preserved 17th century ship. And it is completely intact.

The Viking Museum [1 Hr] The big challenge for museums is how to present their wealth of information in a way that will be interesting, and also to present it in a way that you will remember it. The Viking Museum does a pretty good job at both of these things.

Gamla Stan

Rooftop Tour [2 Hrs] Walk around on the roof of the old parliament house, eight stories up! Get a full 360 degree view with no windows, walls, or barriers. And the guides give great historical perspective on what you’re looking at.

Stockholm Free Walking Tour [2 Hrs] It’s definitely a tour worth taking, even for locals since you probably walk right past a lot of this stuff but don’t know its history.

Norrmalm

Under the Bridges Boat Tour [2 Hrs 15 Mins] I listed this one under Norrmalm even though it cruises around Södermalm because the tour departs from the main island. This one was just ok, and didn’t get a good rating. Some good tour information on architecture and history.

Stockholm – Intellectual, fashionable, and very cultural. More than 100 museums, some world renowned. Picturesque, stately beauty of a city on the Baltic. Magnificent palaces, exquisite restaurants, unforgettable boat tours. By mid summer, over 18 hours of daylight per day!

Södermalm

Segway Tour [2 Hrs] We had a nice route that took us around Södermalm. I say it was a nice route because they kept us away from the heavy traffic areas and we had limited big intersections to get through.

Other

Hagaparken [All day] This is a massive and beautiful sprawling park across the lake from The Stockholm University campus. Not only is it a gorgeous display of nature, but it also has the Haga Palace, King Gustav III’s Pavillion, botanical gardens, a Chinese pavilion and gardens, a Turkish Kiosk, and it is also the site of the Swedish Royal Burial Grounds.

Boat Trip to Skokloster

Recommendation

The Travelin’ Man’s Overall Recommendation: GOOD*
(met expectations, would recommend, would do again)

What did I like the most: Breathtaking scenery on the boat ride and at the destination
What is the biggest area for improvement: food on the boat

Logistics

This is an all day event (8-9 hrs). It’s a boat ride from Stockholm to the Skokloster palace. The company that provided the boat ride was Strömma. We left the docks at 10am and got back at 6pm. We got our tickets from and left from Stadshusbron. Prices are seasonal; we did our trip at the peak of summer in July and paid 375 kr per adult. Food and drink are not included.

Breakfast is a pastry or choice of a couple of different muffins. Also have coffee and sodas. On board cafeteria serves only one selection for lunch, smoked salmon in our case. But there are sandwiches and paninis available at the snack bar.

The Boat Ride

There is a lot of time spent here on the boat. The boat ride out is around 3 hours, and it’s about the same going back. So if that’s not your scene, you won’t have fun here. It’s a big boat, and you’re free to walk around. It has multiple decks, including outdoor areas front and back, two bathrooms, and a cafeteria and bar. So if you do enjoy a good boat ride, which I do, then you will love this.

The scenery is spectacular. As you get further and further from Stockholm, you see the landscape morph from urban to rural. After you pass Hässely Strand, which is as far as the subway goes, you see the buildings get smaller and smaller until you suddenly realize you are in the northern rural countryside of Sweden. Standing out on the front deck with the wind blowing through my hair and the sun warming my face, I swear the air smells fresher, clean and crisp. Ok, the wine probably helped a little but I really felt I could smell the country freshness in the air.

As you push up and then down the Mälaren lake (3rd largest lake in Sweden), you get to see the country living of the citizens of northern Sweden. Don’t misunderstand though, living right on the lake is insanely expensive, so most of the houses are over-the-top nice with huge plots of land, and there are even several mansions as well. The trip includes an onboard tour guide who will call out noteworthy things along the way, including the really large mansions. It’s done first in Swedish, followed by English.

As you approach the palace, you will want to be on the front deck in order to get that beautiful photograph of the stunning baroque style palace. The palace is right on the lake and the photo potential here is fairytale quality. But if you missed it, it’s just as beautiful as you’re leaving.

The Palace and Grounds

The entire trip including the palace itself is just a photographer’s dream. Definitely bring your nice camera on this one. The outdoor areas around the palace and church are quite spectacular. I couldn’t stop snapping pictures the entire time.

The age of the place is a little deceiving. The outside is so well preserved that you forget it was built in 1676. So when you step inside, that’s when you go back in time. The internal archways and pillars, and the artwork tell the true age of the place. Take your time and follow the history of the owners through time.

Most of the plaques and documentation that describe the rooms and the antique collections are in Swedish. But we didn’t know that when we turned down the audio guide. I strongly recommend getting the audio guide.

We got to explore the first two floors for free. Some of them even had the original furniture and decor. And the ceiling artwork is rivaled only by the royal palaces. On the third floor is a Jane Austen presentation complete with some of the costumes from the movies. We didn’t opt for that since none in our group were familiar with her work. But if you are a fan, you should definitely opt for the 30 kr tour of that area.

The boat ride back was just as pleasant and breathtaking as the trip out. It was just a little cooler, so coming back we got a table by the window and enjoyed some wine and conversation as the beautiful scenery scrolled past the windows.

Total score interpretation: 13
4 – 8 is POOR (was not at all what I expected and/or was not worth the time/money)
9 – 10 is OK (quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it)
11 – 13 is GOOD (met expectations, would recommend, would do again)
14 – 15 is VERY GOOD (surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)
16 – 20 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (outperformed my expectations, great value)

Djurgården Itinerary

UNDER CONSTRUCTION – This is a two day itinerary. Day one is complete, day two is in progress.

Djurgården is a large island a bit south and east of Stockholm proper. The entire island is practically one giant playground for tourists (and locals too). There are a lot of primo things to do here, so you should allow a minimum of two days. And that’s only to do the things I’m recommending, you could very easily spend more time here. So this is a proposed itinerary for you to cover all of the highlights of Djurgården in two days. Below I will summarize each attraction. Note that you can click on the BLUE titles, and a new page will open with a more complete description of that activity.

Remember when planning your days that by mid summer, Stockholm has over 18 hours of daylight per day. Up with the sun means around 3am! But it doesn’t set until after 10pm, so take your time and get a good breakfast before heading out. You should also take some time here to review your maps and see where everything is and the routes you will be taking. Especially if you don’t have a European data package and are using wifi at your hotel.

Djurgården Day One

Start day one at the Vasa Museum. It opens at 8:30, plan on getting there around 9am. Take your time. Definitely start with the movie then do the guided tour. After that, spend time on all 5 floors observing some really amazing exhibits. It takes a couple of hours to get it all.

Vasa Museum. This museum displays an almost perfectly preserved ship that sank off the coast of Stockholm in 1628. They claim that it is the worlds only fully preserved 17th century ship. And it is completely intact.

Once that’s done, it should be pretty close to lunch time. If not, you are already in the middle of an amazingly beautiful part of Stockholm, so walk around and explore a bit. From your morning review, you should already have an idea of where you want to get lunch. There are some outstanding places to eat in this area. Some are further into the park than others and offer a magnificent outdoor dining experience in the park setting.

One of our favorite places to eat in this area is Ulla Windblabh. It’s a little on the pricey side, but the food, wine, and great atmosphere are well worth it. But look around and find a place that works for you. Chill out, unwind, and recharge since you will be doing a lot of walking on the next phase.

Skansen Park. It’s a museum, a zoo, and a historical town replica. It’s all of those things and all outdoor. There are some rides and activities for children. It also offers some fantastic views of Stockholm.

This is the last activity I have planned for you today. That leaves you plenty of time for a happy hour and a great dinner somewhere. I will eventually be creating a restaurant guide to Stockholm, so stay tuned for that. Sign up for a notification when it’s done by clicking the follow button at the bottom.

Djurgården Day Two

Vasa Museum

This attraction is located on Djurgården island. To do it Proper, it takes about two hours. It is all indoor. If you want help planning your days on Stockholm and to include this as part of that, go to the Stockholm button at the top and select Djurgården->Djurgården Itinerary. Or click here and I’ll take you there.

The museum opens at 8:30am most days. This museum displays an almost perfectly preserved ship that sank off the coast of Stockholm in 1628. They claim that it is the worlds only fully preserved 17th century ship. And it is completely intact.

And wow does it ever have a story to tell, you won’t even believe it! As you approach the museum, you will see some very tall masts coming from the building. This is an effect to show how tall it would be if sitting in the water.

Definitely do the free guided tour (English) on this one and allow at least a couple of hours to take it all in. Unlike most museums in Stockholm, this one isn’t free, but it’s pretty cheap and worth every cent (or SEK haha).

JUL 2017 Newsletter

Hello out there beta testers! Firstly, thank you all for your continued support and for all the help and suggestions.

This is an attempt for me to set up a way to communicate to members without having to actually “publish” a story.

So if you get this, it means I was successful! The other thing I wanted to tell you was that there is soooooo much content coming in now for Stockholm that it has made me rethink the implementation a little to make it easier to access. I’m going to be adding a new button called “Stockholm“. It will be next to the “Destinations” button at the very top level.

Once it’s all done, the Stockholm button will cascade down with grouped articles and a clickable index to better navigate through them. But I don’t have a development area and cannot implement it in one step.

So if you are ticking around on the site, please be aware it is undergoing a bit of remodeling and the Stockholm areas may behave a bit oddly until I’m done.

If all goes well for the newsletter stuff, there will be a very subtle link at the far bottom of the page called “Newsletters ” where hopefully all the newsletters get published in case our non-members browsing the page want to see what’s going on.

And I am backlogged with a ton of material (thanks Brandi). So as soon as I get this restructuring done, brace yourself for a bunch of new and exciting articles of Stockholm.

See you out there –JC

Free Walking Tour Stockholm

Recommendation

The Travelin’ Man’s Overall Recommendation: OK*
(quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it)

What did I like the most: historical information about the buildings and statues
What is the biggest area for improvement: tour guide was not very energetic

It felt more like a quick tour of the area around Kunsträdgården than a tour of Stockholm. It was informative and I am glad that we did it. But it felt hurried, and our guide was just not that enthusiastic. So the content was good, but the overall quality of the tour was below average.

I will be taking this tour again and will probably get a different guide. If so and if it turns out to be better, then I will come back and adjust this recommendation accordingly.

Logistics

This is a global walking tour company that works strictly on tips. So while their company title “Free Walking Tours” does imply it is free, keep in mind that it is a job for them and they only get paid from customer tips. The amount of the tip is based on your opinion of how good the tour was. I think generally anywhere from 130 kr to 450 kr (approx $15 to $50). But that’s just a rough guideline that I go by.

The tour we took was called “Free Walking Tour Stockholm.” It’s definitely a tour worth taking, even for locals since you probably walk right past a lot of this stuff but don’t know its history. Our tour was about an hour and a half. The advertisement said it was two hours, and I think two hours would have covered it better.

Our tour guide was Hanna. She did not put a lot of energy into it, but she was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions. The tour started in Gamla Stan and ended in Kungsträdgården. The advertisement said that it would end at the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace. So it looks as though our tour ended quite a bit earlier than it should have.

The Tour

We did learn about some of Sweden’s history, including the gruesome blood bath, but we did not get to see the square where it happened. We did see quite a few statues along the way. Our guide did a good job explaining the statues and their historical significance.

We saw the parliament building, the Royal Palace, and the old church (which is the oldest building in Stockholm). The featured image at the top of this article is the parliament building. Fantastic view. Also probably the best photograph I have ever taken in my life!

* Each area is rated on a scale 1-5, with 1 = poor, 3 = good, 5 = exceptional
How did this do compared to what I had expected: 2
How well were the logistics handled: 3
Was the staff helpful and friendly: 3
Overall execution and presentation: 2
Total score interpretation: 10

4 – 8 is POOR (was not at all what I expected and/or was not worth the time/money)
9 – 10 is OK (quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it)
11 – 13 is GOOD (met expectations, would recommend, would do again)
14 – 15 is VERY GOOD (surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)
16 – 20 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (outperformed my expectations, great value)

Fjäderholmarna Island

Yeah, say that fast one time, haha!

Recommendation

The Travelin’ Man’s Overall Recommendation: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*
(outperformed my expectations, great value)

What did I like the most: Scenic, delicious restaurants, laid back island
What is the biggest area for improvement: the boat could be better

Logistics

The tickets were SEK 150 each. The boat is usually a low rider, no frills style, but it’s comfortable enough, and it’s a short ride. It leaves from the Strandvägen ferry terminal. It’s a half hour out, and a half hour back, so if you want to have lunch and explore a bit, I’d plan for at least a couple of hours. The departure and pickup times on the island vary depending on the season, so check online before you go.

Except for Christmas julbord, the cruise is not available after September.

The Island

Hard to believe that a 30 minute boat ride could make you feel like you’re on a mini vacation. Yet that is how we felt as we sat on this island eating our lunch overlooking a beautiful marina. And despite being in the peak of the warm season, it was not crowded and most of the people we saw were from the local area. Very peaceful, quick getaway from the Stockholm hustle bustle.

Fjäderholmarna is Stockholm’s closest archipelago island, and the 30 minute boat ride was scenic and relaxing. It leaves from the Strandvägen ferry terminal and takes you out south of Djurgården.

You get to see the amusement parks and the huge Viking cruise ships from the water on your way out and back. There is a quick stop at Nacka Strand (both ways), and if you’re lucky, the water spout will be on. What water spout, you ask? Ha, it’s called “God, Our Father, on the Rainbow.” It depicts God, standing atop a 23 meter tall (75 ft) half arch waterfall. You really have to see it to understand, but it is pretty cool. A thousand apologies I didn’t snap a pick while I was there, but I promise I will get one next time and post it here.

We went out again last week with our friend Brandi. I did get this pic, but unfortunately the waterfall was not turned on. I will keep trying! But at least now you can see what I was talking about. Water is supposed to be shooting out the top.

Once you get to the island, you’re free to explore and do your own thing. It has a very country feel to it. A couple of decent restaurants (my reviews at the end of this article), some cheapo souvenir shops (they’re actually quite cute), a glass blower and even a real live blacksmith. The blacksmith makes pure silver jewelry which is really quite nice. And if you hike around a bit, you will even discover some WWII relics (but I’m not going to spoil it for you).

I recommend sitting on the left side of the boat going out. You’ll get to see Djurgården at its absolute best. On the left again coming back and you will get a great view of the water spout, the amusement park, and the Viking cruise ships.

We like to get on the 11:30 ride out, which puts us on the island at noon. Then we go to one of the restaurants and have a nice leisurely lunch, then a walk around the island. A great way to spend a warm afternoon.

Restaurants on the island that we have been to

As for the restaurants, there are several pretty decent ones there. Mind you, you’re going for the atmosphere and spectacular views, not to enjoy a rare culinary experience. So keep an open mind and be easy…

Fjäderholmarnas Krog

Venue: It was an absolutely amazing view. It’s like the wide open sea bent around into the little marina and made a small, glass smooth lake in front of the restaurant. We didn’t have a booking, but they were able to take us as it wasn’t very crowded.

Menu: I got the grilled chicken breast, and Jana got the shrimp salad, and both were very enjoyable and really hit the spot. Reasonably priced, and the service was great.

Drinks: Since we were going to be hiking around, we decided to keep it light and went with water, but they did have a decent looking wine and beer list.

Recommendation: We will definitely come back here again. Highly recommended.

Rökeriet Restaurang Café

Venue: This is the more formal restaurant of the isle, and they prefer you make a booking. They open at 12 noon. Like all the restaurants on the island, the view is spectacular. This one is to the immediate left when you get off the boat.

Menu: A little pricier than the others on the isle, and it’s primarily Swedish food. I got the Wallenbergare, and it was served hot and was delicious with the house white.

Drinks: Very good selection of wines and cocktails. They even have a seasonal cocktail menu, including the classic bellini, one of Brandi’s favs and shown above.

Recommendation: If you’re in the mood for the more formal setting and selection, this place is great. I highly recommend it.

Röda Villian

Venue: As with the other restaurants on the island, the scenery is spectacular. This one is a little different than the others in that it has some woods and more natural terrain to work with. Prices are in line with the others on the island, and really not bad over all. There is no waiter staff. You order at the bar and come get it when it’s ready.

Menu: I thought it was a “bar and grill”, but looking at the sign more closely, it’s a “bar grill boule”. I kind of had a different expectation of what I would see on the menu. Open faced hamburger without bun, over the top fancy pizza, spinach and feta cheese pie, etc. And they were all good, just, to me, not bar and grill type of food.

Drinks: They had some decent mixed cocktails, among which was the aperol spritzer, which is what we had. The first round came from an already opened bottle of champagne, so it was a little flat, but the second was fresh and delicious.

Recommendation: I recommend it with the caveat that you understand it isn’t really a bar and grill menu. I ordered the hamburger. There was no mention that it came open faced without buns. It was incredibly tasty, just not what I expected. But the laid back stance and fantastic scenery of this place make it a must see for the island.

*This rating is for the boat ride, island, and overall experience. Not related to the restaurants directly.

Each area is rated on a scale 1-5, with 1 = poor, 3 = good, 5 = exceptional
How did this do compared to what I had expected: 5
How well were the logistics handled: 4
Was the staff helpful and friendly: 3
Overall execution and presentation: 4
Total score: 16
4 – 8 is POOR (was not at all what I expected and/or was not worth the time/money)
9 – 10 is OK (quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it)
11 – 13 is GOOD (met expectations, would recommend, would do again)
14 – 15 is VERY GOOD (surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)
16 – 20 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (outperformed my expectations, great value)

	Juli Pankow on The Last VIIC U-Boat
	S Damico on The Last VIIC U-Boat
	Brian Willemssen on The Last VIIC U-Boat
	Michael Malone on The Last VIIC U-Boat
	Michael Malone on Stavanger, Norway

Recommendation

Logistics

The Cruise

The Palace

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Logistics

The Boat

The Dinner

The Cruise

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Logistics

The Tour

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Archipelago

Lake Mälaren

Djurgården

Gamla Stan

Norrmalm

Södermalm

Other

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Logistics

The Boat Ride

The Palace and Grounds

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION – This is a two day itinerary. Day one is complete, day two is in progress.

Djurgården Day One

Djurgården Day Two

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Recommendation

Logistics

The Tour

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Recommendation

Logistics

The Island

Restaurants on the island that we have been to

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