Even if you only stay on land for your entire trip, Stockholm has a lot of interesting things to offer. You’ll find picturesque narrow walkways in Gamla Stan and cutting-edge design stores showcasing that instantly-recognizable Scandinavian aesthetic. And in between that, you can hop from café to café sampling the city’s best cinnamon buns.
But considering that Sweden’s capital is made up of 14 islands and is located in the scenic setting of Lake Mälaren, a visit would feel incomplete without taking to the water.
Fortunately, you’ll find plenty of ways to enjoy Stockholm and its surroundings by boat. And in this article, we’ll show you the city’s best boat tours.
Winter Kayaking in the Stockholm Archipelago
Winter in Stockholm is usually pretty cold, and the daylight hours are limited. However, that doesn’t stop the locals from keeping active. Kayaking is a hugely popular activity among Stockholmers, but you don’t have to live here to get involved – nor do you need to wait for warmer weather.
The Stockholm Archipelago is one of Scandinavia’s most beautiful natural sights, and you’ll feel like you’re a million miles away from the city. If you want to view these islands and skerries from a unique angle, consider taking this kayaking tour.
Besides enjoying the fresh air and beautiful scenery, you’ll also get to participate in the Swedish tradition of Fika – which typically involves cinnamon buns and coffee.
Resorts are everywhere, with beautiful sleeping areas, stunning views, and incredible restaurants to enjoy. You’ll get the full VIP treatment no matter how much you choose to spend, thanks to the friendly Swedes.
The Stockholm Archipelago Sightseeing Cruise
Although kayaking will appeal to some, not everyone wants to get into a wetsuit and brave the freezing Baltic waters. However, that doesn’t mean you need to miss out on seeing the archipelago altogether.
A calmer alternative to kayaking around the islands near Stockholm is to join a sightseeing cruise instead. This tour lasts for around two-and-a-half hours; in addition to seeing the archipelago, you’ll also get to sail through some of Stockholm’s waterways on your way there.
The archipelago sightseeing cruise features a guide, meaning you can increase your knowledge while enjoying the beautiful scenery. This cruise runs year-round.
Under the Bridges Boat Tour
While the Stockholm Archipelago is well worth checking out, you don’t need to leave Downtown Stockholm if you don’t want to. As you might expect from a city dotted across so many islands, you’ll find multiple bridges throughout the city – 57, to be exact. One of the coolest tours you can do while visiting is this under the bridges boat tour.
Operated by Stockholm Sightseeing, this tour lets you view the city from the water in relative comfort. If you’re worried about freezing temperatures or rain hampering your experience, don’t be; you’ll find plenty of indoor seating.
You can listen to audio in multiple languages. These include English, Swedish, Finnish, French, and Chinese.
Taking Public Transport
While you’ll find multiple tours worth checking out, you might also want to do things on your own schedule. Moreover, you may wish to get off the beaten path a little. Stockholm has an extensive network of ferries that effectively give you a tour of the water for the price of a public transport ticket.
If you’re in the city center, the easiest route to try is Gamla Stan – Djurgården, which takes around 10 minutes. However, you can also get the boat further afield and to some of the city’s suburbs. Note that if you’re going to the archipelago, you might need to buy a separate ticket.
You can buy tickets on the SL app or at any of Stockholm’s main metro stations. Public transport passes for the boat are also valid on the bus, tram, and metro within their designated periods.
Multi-Day Archipelago Tours
While you can get to the archipelago and back within a day, you’ll get to really soak in their magic if you stay overnight. This is especially true during the summer, when you’ll also have longer daylight hours to work with. If you’re interested in getting out of the city for longer, consider taking a multi-day tour.
This kayaking tour lasts for three days, and you can enjoy a night camping on an island that you can also have entirely to yourself. While visiting the archipelago, you can participate in multiple activities – such as fishing.
Thanks to Sweden’s “Allemansrätten”, which is the right to roam wherever you want, you can explore plenty of hidden treasures. Of course, you should ensure that you leave everything as it was when you got there – and take your garbage with you.
Cruising To and From Helsinki
If you’ve got a bit more time to linger around the Nordic region, you might want to consider visiting nearby Finland. Helsinki is one of Europe’s most underrated cities, with plenty of interesting sights and intriguing architecture. You can fly between Stockholm and Helsinki in an hour, but taking the boat is a much more enjoyable way to travel.
Cruise ships regularly run between Stockholm and Helsinki, with the journey taking 17 hours. Besides getting your transport and accommodation paid for, you can also enjoy a tour of Stockholm’s archipelago as you sail onward to Finland.
You will also stop in the Åland Islands when going from Stockholm to Helsinki. If you go during the summer, when you have more daylight to work with, you’ll get a pleasant view of the stunning archipelago. Why not stop here for a few days and rent a bike as well?
Royal Canal Boat Tour
Let’s head back to the city center to round up our list of boat tours and cruises in Stockholm. Djurgården is arguably the city’s most beautiful island, and one of its most striking features is its main canal. This tour focuses primarily on showing you around that particular part of the city.
The tour lasts for around 50 minutes and includes audio in multiple languages. After sailing along the Djurgården Canal, you’ll head back into the city.
Winter City Kayaking
If you’re visiting Stockholm in the winter, the last thing you might think is fun is to head out on a kayak and explore the city from the water. But missing out on such a thing would mean that you fail to see the city from a unique angle.
This three-and-a-half hour tour lets you tour the waterways of Sweden’s capital city with an English-speaking tour guide. You’ll receive the gear you need to stay warm and safe on the water, along with lunch or fika included in your tour price.
This tour is available in the autumn and winter months; note that if you go in the autumn, you’ll have more daylight hours to work with.
Stockholm Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour
As you might expect from a city with so much water, Stockholm has several boat tours that don’t require you to get changed into a wetsuit. One that is well worth checking out is this hop-on-hop-off tour, which allows you to board the boat from multiple locations in the city.
Like many of the other Stockholm boat tours available, you can access an audio guide available in 14 different languages. You can choose to get on in several parts of Stockholm, such as the ABBA Museum and the Gröna Luna amusement park.
Your hop-on-hop-off ticket is available for 24 hours, so you might want to look at it as an alternative to public transport.
Private Yacht Archipelago Cruise
If you really want to live the high life in Sweden, consider booking this private yacht cruise through the Stockholm Archipelago. Sure, it’s the most expensive option on our list – but it’s also arguably the best one to choose.
On the cruise, you’ll receive lunch or dinner as a part of your ticket. On top of that, bottled water – along with several other beverages – are available. Moreover, you can enjoy snacks throughout the cruise.
In addition to meat-based options, you can also ask for vegetarian meals to be made if you’ve got dietary preferences.
Electric Boat Ride
For travelers looking for a slightly different way to experience Sweden’s biggest city from the water, you might want to think about hopping on this electric boat ride. One of the biggest benefits if you’re a photographer is that you can get clearer photos than some of the other cruises on this list, thanks to the lack of glass in the way of your shots.
As part of your trip, you will receive a tour guide that will narrate what you can see around you. If you’re looking for an experience that doesn’t include huge amounts of people, this might be your best option.
Private Chartered Solar Boat
Another upscale Stockholm boat tour to consider is this private chartered solar boat, which departs from one of the wealthiest districts in the city. The tour lasts for two hours and will show you around several parts of Stockholm, and you can also potentially stop for a swim if the weather is good.
If you want to take drinks with you on board, the tour guide can provide a cooler so that you don’t have to deal with warm beverages. The tour is not available during the winter months.
Plenty of Ways to Explore Stockholm by Water
Stockholm is a dynamic city that effortlessly blends urban and nature. If you’re looking for a quiet getaway from the downtown area, you’ll find that in numerous archipelago tours. But if you want to stay a bit closer to the city, you can enjoy multiple shorter cruises.
The tours we’ve included in this list are varied, and regardless of your needs, you should be able to find something that fits your interests. You’ll gain plenty of unique photo opportunities, along with getting to see Stockholm from arguably a better angle.
Scandification: Discovering Scandinavia.
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