Stockholm is built on water and wrapped in green. The city spreads across 14 islands, and wherever you are, you’re rarely more than a short walk from a swimming jetty, a park or a waterside path. That closeness to nature shapes how locals spend their free time: a sauna and a cold dip after work, a long walk on a Sunday, a picnic on the rocks on a summer evening. These are our guides to the outdoor and wellness side of Stockholm, so you can do the same during your visit.
Saunas and day spas
If we could recommend only one thing on this page, it would be a sauna. Our guide to the best saunas in Stockholm covers the public saunas you can actually book or drop in to as a visitor, from wood-fired saunas on lakeside jetties to the new waterside sauna at Hornstull, with prices, directions and what to bring for each.
If you’d rather have warm pools, a bathrobe and a quiet relaxation room, the guide to the best day spas in Stockholm compares our favorite central spas and two full-day escapes outside the city, with prices and the best days to go if you want to avoid the crowds.
Saunas are at their best in the cold months, when the plunge afterwards really wakes you up. Our winter in Stockholm guide pairs a sauna and ice dip at Hellasgården with ice skating, winter hiking and the rest of the season.
Swimming
From June to August, Stockholm is one of the best cities in Europe for a swim. The guide to the best places for outdoor swimming in Stockholm takes you to twelve spots in the city, from the floating pool at Norr Mälarstrand to the sandy beach at Smedsuddsbadet, all of them free and most of them under 20 minutes from the center by metro.
With a full day to spare, take a ferry out to the islands: our guide to the best beaches and swimming spots in the Stockholm archipelago covers 20 beaches and swimming spots, organized by how long it takes to get there.
Walks, parks and gardens
Stockholm is a city made for walking, and the best routes follow the water. For short, mapped routes, 10 scenic walks around Stockholm gives you walks of two to four kilometers, from Långholmen and Djurgården to Hagaparken, with directions and the sights along the way. For a longer, slower day, where to walk in Stockholm has six of our favorite routes, from City Hall to Slussen or out to Vinterviken, with our picks for coffee and lunch along the way.
When you just want a lawn and some sun, the best parks and green spaces in Stockholm goes through the parks locals actually use, from the Royal National City Park and Hagaparken to Tantolunden, Rålis and Vitabergsparken. For something quieter, Bergianska trädgården, Stockholm’s botanical garden, has a free outdoor garden that is open all year, giant water lilies in the Victoria House in summer, and a waterside path along Brunnsviken.
The right to roam
Much of this is possible because of allemansrätten, Sweden’s right of public access. Allemansrätten: Sweden’s “right to roam” explains what it lets you do as a visitor, from swimming off the rocks and picnicking almost anywhere to picking berries and camping, and the simple rule that comes with it: don’t disturb, don’t destroy.
