Guided Tours with Stockholm Our Way

There are many great ways to explore and discover Stockholm... either with established bus & boat sightseeing tours (like with Strömma) or more intimate tours. The company Stockholm Our Way offers several guided tours of the city and allows you to explore on foot, by bike or even by kayak. All with an experienced guide! If you want a more private experience or have any special interests, you can also book a private guide through them.

They offer several guided walking tours... either a visit to the historical city center (Gamla Stan & Riddarholmen), an expanded tour which includes Gamla Stan as well as nearby sites or you can have a bit of fun and immerse yourself in Swedish culture with a Viking guide. While most tours are in either Swedish or English, they do also offer a walking tour in German. If you feel like getting more physical, then you can either try their kayak tour or their bicycle tour. Stockholm is best seen from the water as well as being an excellent city to bike in, so these two tours are perfect for the visitor who wants to leave the beaten path!

Something else they offer, which I think sounds like a fun idea, is a visit to a Stockholm home. Have you ever been in a foreign city and wondered what it looked like inside a home? I can't be the only one who is curious! This experience also includes a walking tour of Kungsholmen and a traditional Swedish "fika". So, as you can see, quite a variety of tours. Please note that certain tours are only available on certain days, check their website for dates. They can all be booked on their website or, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, you can contact me directly for help. (Edit: all pictures in this article provided by Stockholm Our Way... thank you!)

Stockholm Adventures

Photo: Stockholm Adventures

The biggest trend in tourism these days is eco-friendly and adventure tours. Travelers are moving away from the packaged bus tours and are choosing more adventurous ways to see cities and countries. Adventure tourism tends to have less of a negative impact on the environment as well as being more fun and memorable. It's also a nice way to see a part of the city and countryside not covered in guide books. Stockholm, with its archipelago, forests and national parks, is the perfect city to try a bit of adventure tourism.

Photo: Stockholm Adventures

The tour company Stockholm Adventures is a great place to start. They offer many different sightseeing tours and adventures, something for every taste and ability level. Here are some highlights of what they have to offer:

• Hikes- they have both urban wanderings in the city as well as hikes in Tyresta national park and the archipelago.
• Bikes- tours of the city.
• Kayaks- from shorter tours in the city to full-day tours in the outer archipelago.
• Wildlife Safari- see moose, boar and deer... just a 20 minute ride from the city.

So, take a chance to see Stockholm off the beaten path and/or experience Sweden's beautiful natural landscape and wildlife. Tours can be booked on their website, at the Stockholm Tourist Center or, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me directly and I can help you make a reservation.

Renting Kayaks in Stockholm

Stockholm isn't called the Venice of the North for nothing! Central Stockholm alone is built on about 15 islands, so there is water everywhere. One fun activity to do on a sunny afternoon is to rent a kayak and paddle around the islands. Stockholm is at her most beautiful when seen from the water! Kayaking is fun and you don't need to be an Olympian to do it... good as a family outing. There are several places to rent kayaks by the hour/day and it is generally quite inexpensive. Depending on the place, you are looking at about 100 SEK an hour though it is sometimes cheaper if you take the kayak for half or full day.
When choosing a kayak rental place think about where you want to paddle! Stockholm actually strides the borderline between a lake and the ocean with the Old Town being the borderline. Everything to the east is the Baltic Sea and everything to the west is Lake Mälaren. If you want to paddle in the lake then I recommend Kafé Kajak located in Rålambshovs Park on the island of Kungsholmen. Or else you can head across the bridge to the island of Långholmen where you will find Långholmen Kajak. Here you will be able to paddle by a lot of parklands and beaches as well as cliffs where Stockholmers enjoy diving and sunbathing. If you want to paddle in the Baltic Sea area, then I recommend Djurgårdens Sjöcafé located on near the bridge leading from Östermalm over to the island of Djurgården.
Stay close to the island of Djurgården so you don't stray too far out into the shipping lanes! Lots to see here... beuatiful parks as well as great architecture on Strandvägen and the villas on the southside of the island. Another option is to paddle in the lake called Brunnsviken on the northern outskirts of Stockholm. Haga Park surrounds the lake with lots of interesting things to see like Haga Castle and Stockholm University... you also don't have to worry about larger boats! The place to rent kayaks here is Brunnsvikens Kanotcentral.
Their websites, that I've linked, are in Swedish so it is better to contact me directly at the hotel for prices and directions on how to get there as well as other practical information. Have fun!

If you are feeling more adventurous then you can do a full day of kayaking out in the beautiful archipelago. Stockholm Adventures offers tours all summer, Thursdays through Sundays. The price is approximately 1,000 SEK (depends on the day) and includes lunch. You leave Stockholm at about 9am and head to the town of Stavsnäs where you will be met by the guide. You will be back in Stockholm at around 6pm.