Port Description

Where You're Docked

There are two possible docking places. The best place to dock is virtually right in town. On congested cruise ship days, some vessels wind up at the city's commercial port, about a 20-minute ride from the heart of Stockholm.

Getting Around

Regardless of docking spot, cruise ships generally offer shuttles to the center of Stockholm. Taxis from the port-near-town cost about $5 - 10, depending on traffic. From the commercial terminal plan to pay about $20 each way.

The City is very walkable. Taxis are plentiful as well.

What to See and Do

Gamla Stan: The Old Town. Yes, it's touristy but it's a can't-miss attraction in Stockholm. You could easily spend a whole day in port here. Gamla Stan, largely pedestrian-only, is the original city, occupying an island that's an easy stroll (via bridge) from downtown. It's surrounded by medieval-era walls and anchored by the palace of Kungliga Slottet. The circa-18th-century Royal Palace is a good first stop (try to time your visit around the Changing of the Guard ceremonies that are held daily at noon); the palace's state apartments are well worth visiting. Another historic highlight in Gamla Stan is the city's 15th-century Gothic cathedral (Storkyrkan), where all Royal family coronations, baptisms, and weddings are held. Other interesting sites include Stortorget, a spacious and gracious plaza that one time was the spot for public hangings, as well as the location for the infamous "Bloodbath of 1520." Also intriguing is the Nobel Museum, which features "Cultures of Creativity: The Centennial Exhibition of the Nobel Prize," honoring a worldwide cadre of super-achievers.

Shopping in Gamla Stan is fabulous. The main commercial street is Vasterlanggatan, where you'll find a lot of tourist fare along with restaurants and funky boutiques. But the most interesting shops tend to be located along Osterlanggatan; among the finds we spotted included Qbus (Osterlanggatan 24), for fashionable women's rain gear (and really interesting lambswool-leather vests) and blas&knada (Osterlanggatan 39) for colorful rustic-style ceramics.

Another reason to head to Gamla Stan: the restaurant scene. Pasqua (Vasterlanggatan 72, from 11:30am - 3pm daily) offers classic Italian (right on down to the Chianti-bottle candlesticks). For a sidewalk cafe scene, head toward the plaza of Jarntorgsgatan; Cafe Nova (open all day) offers light fare. For gourmet dining check out Jarnet Matsal & Bar (Osterlanggatan 34, from 11:30am - 3pm weekdays).

Museums: The one can't-miss museum in Stockholm has to be the incredible Vasa Museet (Galarvarvsv, Djurgarden, open every day from 10am - 5pm). The museum was built around the Vasa, a 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. The ship was salvaged in 1961, almost completely intact. Other museums include the Moderna Museet (Skeppsholmen, open daily from 11am - 6pm) for its exhibition of modern art; the collection features works by Dali, Kandinsky, and Picasso, and The Nationalmuseum (Sodra Blasieholmshamnen, closed Mondays, open from 11am) features works from Swedish artists but also showcases art from other countries.

City tours come in many varieties. There are canal tours, which range in theme from history to dining in lengths of one to four hours. There are walking tours--from romantic to royal in theme.

Downtown Shopping: The city's vibrant shopping scene is centered primarily on Drottninggatan, which is pedestrian-only in many places. Highlights--particularly if you are looking for Swedish designed products, include Svenskt Hantverk (Kungsgatan 55) and the department store NK (Hamngatan 18 -20).

Staying in Touch

Cruise terminals offer a handful of Internet-accessible computers albeit at pricey rates (2 euro/dollars for 20 minutes). In Gamla Stan, however, the six computer terminals at the Riksdagens InfoCentrum (Vasterlanggatan 1) are absolutely free-of-charge with a 30-minute maximum on usage.