If you’re a long-term resident of Stockholm, you know that the apartment rental market here is very tough. Over 2 million residents are living in the greater Stockholm area, but there are only 924,000 housing units available. This makes the housing situation quite unfavorable for expats looking for a place to stay, even if only for a couple of months.
However, if you’re still testing the waters and are not sure if you want to make a permanent move to Sweden’s capital, you can easily visit the town and explore as much as you can within one week.
What are some of the best places to stay if you’re a tourist? Let’s take a look.
City center – best for nightlife, sports events, and fashion
Stockholm’s city center is bustling with activity. There are plans to build a huge esports and music events arena called Space Stockholm in 2021 at Sergels Torg, a central public square. It means that soon, Stockholm will become one of the top digital sports destinations. So if you travel for gaming, or want to shop around for premium brands in a super-classy department store like NK, you should aim to stay in Norrmalm, a busy commercial neighborhood.
Top places to call it a night are Hotel Kungsträdgården, situated next to a beautiful city park, and Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, beautifully situated close to Stockholm’s waters and only a couple of steps away from the central train station.
The prices here are reasonable. Expect to pay between €80 – €100 per night for a double room.
The Old Town – a stroll around the historical center
If you’re in the mood to explore a bit of the city’s history, Gamla Stan should be your primary destination. It’s filled with beautifully preserved, ornate 17th-century house lanes and cobbled streets that spread out in all directions.
To stay in the vicinity of various pubs, restaurants, and the harbor, you can check revamped, affordable studio apartments like Old Town Lodge (€60 per night), or First Hotel Reisen (€100 per night), that will provide a beautiful view of the harbor from the windows.
Norrmalm and Gamla Stan are two of the most popular neighborhoods for tourists that provide excellent accommodation regardless of your budget. If hotels you find on Booking.com are too expensive, you can always save a bit by checking options available on Airbnb or HostelWorld.
You can also choose to stay away from the main center in neighborhoods such as Södermalm or Kungsholmen to feel a bit more like a local.
