Stockholm Life and Visitor Travel Tips

(Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden)

Visitors to the city would be advised to pick up a free copy of 'What's On Stockholm'. This is a handy booklet and does feature maps of the city, although the popular folding 'Stockholm Officiella Turistkarta' does cover a far larger proportion of the city and is available for a relatively small charge, from both hotels and Stockholm's tourist offices, such as the outlet at the Town Hall (Stadshuset).

You will also be able to book guided tours and sightseeing trips here, purchase a variety of maps and postcards, and also buy the Stockholm Card or the SL Tourist Card. Bear in mind that whilst this discount card will offer good savings, it will only do so when used extensively, so do weigh up the benefits and potential savings with the actual price before you purchase.

Useful Contact Details

Located within the Central Train Station, the Hotellcentralen is an extremely busy and well-placed tourist office, where you can pick up an array of tourist information about Stockholm, 24 hours a day. The Hotellcentralen is also a good place to book accommodation (hotels and hostels), although you will be charged a small fee for this service.

Hotellcentralen (Stockholm Tourist and Hotel Booking Centre / Central Station)
Address: Centralstationen, Stockholm, SE-11120, Sweden, SE
Tel: +46 08 5082 8508
Website: www.stockholmtown.com
Email: hotels@svb.stockholm.se

Stockholm Visitors Board
Address: Drottninggatan 33, Stockholm, SE-0325, Sweden, SE
Tel: +46 08 508 28 500
Fax: +46 08 508 28 510
Website: www.stockholmtown.com
Email: info@svb.stockholm.se

Kaknästornet Turistbyra (Stockholm Tourist information Centre / Kaknäs Tower)
Address: Mörka Kroken, Stockholm, SE-11527, Sweden, SE
Tel: +46 08 789 2435
Fax: +46 08 667 8507
Email: kaknas@stoinfo.se

Stadshuset Turistbyra (Stockholm Tourist information Centre / Town Hall)
Address: Hantverkargatan 1, Stockholm, Sweden, SE
Tel: +46 08 508 29000

Language and Dialect

Stockholm is an excellent city in which to practice your Swedish, as many of the residents actually speak English extremely well and will be more than happy to help you if you struggle. You will certainly be able to enjoy your holiday in Stockholm without uttering one single word of Swedish. However, those choosing to bring a Swedish phrase book will undoubtedly get more out of their time in Sweden. Many Swedish phrases are quite easy to grasp, such as:

• Hello - Hejsan
• What is your name? - Vad heter du?
• How much is the fare? - Hur mycket kostar biljetten?
• Are there any vacancies for tonight? - Finns det nagot ledigt ikväll
• Thank you very much - Tack sa mycket
• It was nice meeting you. - Det var trevligt att träffas
• Please speak more slowly - Var snäll och tala langsammare

Dos and Don'ts / Tourist Traps

• Internet Access - almost all of the hotels in Stockholm have at least one computer and offer some kind of Internet access for their guests. Wi-Fi access is also available at the Centralstationen if required
• Money and Currency Exchange - there are cashpoints situated all over Stockholm, including several at the Centralstationen. There are also many branches of Forex within the city, allowing you to easily obtain your Swedish Krona at a competitive rate. However, for those arriving by ferry, there are no facilities for exchanging your foreign currency at the port itself
• Seasonal Hours - many museums and similar attractions in Stockholm greatly reduce their opening hours during the winter months, with many only opening at the weekends or closing altogether. Most museums are also closed on Mondays
• Shopping - the historic and somewhat touristy Gamla Stan district many be full of interesting shops and souvenirs, but do be warned that these are generally pricier than other less popular parts of the city
• Taxis - not all taxis are out to take advantage of tourists, although many are. Do agree on the rate and fare before you start your journey, otherwise you may well end up paying far more than you expected
• Using Public Toilets - the majority of public toilets in Stockholm will charge a small fee for using them, so keep some change handy or use one of those at a free museum or restaurant