How to (Cheaply) See the Stockholm Archipelago by Boat
Ed (my partner) headed to Stockholm for a few days this spring, and despite how many times I have visited Sweden’s capital city throughout the years, I never went on a Stockholm archipelago boat tour!
So, I asked him to take a sightseeing boat trip in Stockholm and share his experience on my blog to let my readers know what it was like… and if it was worth it. It was his first time in the city, so I figured it would be fun for him as well.
Quick Stockholm Travel Guide
If you’re traveling to Stockholm last minute, be sure you have hotels and tours booked ahead of time. Below are some of my top picks:
🇸🇪 Best tours and activities in Stockholm:
- Stockholm archipelago boat cruise (starts at €34/per person; reviewed below)
- Swedish food walk (the most delicious option in the city!)
🎨 Top museum tickets in Stockholm:
- Vasa Museum entrance ticket (combo ticket with Vrak Museum of Wrecks)
- ABBA Museum entrance ticket (I love this museum; a Stockholm must!)
🛌 Top places to stay in Stockholm:
- Bank Hotel (a luxury option in the center; located in a historic bank building)
- Bob W Stockholm Norrmalm (my favorite mid-range accommodation in the Nordics)
- Generator Stockholm (budget-friendly; offers both dorms and private rooms)
🚗 Planning to travel around Sweden independently? Find and compare the cheapest rental car rates here!
In this guide, he will take you through everything you need to know about booking a Stockholm boat trip, what to expect on the day, and some tips to make your journey enjoyable.
Please let us know if you have any questions about booking a boat tour in Stockholm by leaving a comment. Thanks!
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the following:
Why I Booked a Stockholm Archipelago Boat Tour
There is plenty to do on land when visiting Stockholm; however, sticking only to the charming streets of the city means you miss out on the beauty that can only be experienced by taking to the sea.
Thankfully, there are plenty of boat cruises that will show you the city from the water and sail between the islands that make up Sweden’s coast.
When I was visiting, it was a sunny day in May, and I was looking for the perfect way to spend part of my day as I waited for my evening ferry back to Finland. I had exhausted the charming streets of the Gamla Stan and enjoyed plenty of Fika, and I wanted to see Stockholm from a different angle, so I opted to book a cruise of the archipelago and see something new.
30,000 islands surround Stockholm, so sticking to the land meant I would not get to experience everything the city has to offer. So… I searched for the best cruise of the archipelago and headed out onto the Baltic Sea.
How to Book a Stockholm Boat Trip
🛥️ Provider: Strömma Turism & Sjöfart AB
⏳ Duration: 1.5 – 3 hours (depending on what you choose)
ℹ️ Pick-up: not included
📆 Seasonality: available year-round
➡️ Check rates and availability here
I book the majority of my tours through GetYourGuide. Their easy-to-use platform makes booking a tour simple and stress-free. You can also book multiple tours and entrance tickets on one platform, meaning you don’t need to visit multiple sites and reenter your payment information over and over again.
GetYourGuide also tends to offer the best cancellation policies, which gives you a little extra peace of mind if your plans need to change.
To book the tour, you first need to choose the number of people, the date (dates that are crossed out are not available), the language, and then check the availability. You will then need to choose the length of the tour and the start time.
There are three tour length options you can choose from, which are as follows:
- 1.5-hour tour: This is the shortest tour and will visit the islands a bit closer to the port.
- 2.5-hour tour: You will venture much further afield, seeing plenty of the closer islands.
- 3-hour tour: This is the tour I took, and while it’s the longest option, I would recommend one of the shorter tour options.
Once you have selected your desired tour length and time, you can add it to your basket and continue building out your itinerary, or go straight to check out. Once you are ready to purchase the tour, you will need to log in to your GetYourGuide account or fill in your personal details.
Good to Know
It is important to know that not every length of a boat trip is available every day. During the winter, there are fewer trips available. During the summer (and when I went), all were up and running, however.
You will then need to decide if you will pay now or confirm your place on the tour and pay later. If you opt to pay later, you will only be able to pay by debit or credit card. If you pay straight away, you can pay via credit/debit card, or online payment places like PayPal or Klarna.
Once you have completed this step, your spot on the cruise will be confirmed, and you will receive a ticket.
Where to Meet
You will need to meet at the harbor to join your tour; there is no pickup option available. Along the harbor are little signs with the times listed. You will need to start queuing next to the time slot for which you are booked.
When boarding the boat, you will need the ticket sent to you by GetYourGuide. I recommend getting to the harbor early so that you can get good seats on the boat.
What to Expect on Your Tour
Once you board the boat, you will need to choose your seating; this will depend on the layout of the boat for the cruise. I chose a bench on one of the sides of the boat. While this provided a nice view, I missed out on things that were being pointed out on the other side of the boat. If you are looking to see the most, I would try to secure seating towards the front or back of the boat.
After everyone is on board and settled, the boat will depart and start its cruise through the archipelago. There is a guide who will talk throughout the journey, pointing out interesting buildings, explaining the Swedish culture when it comes to holiday homes on the islands, and other interesting details. The guide repeats the information in various languages so that everyone can understand.
The routes the boats take really depend on which tour you booked, the time of year, and the weather conditions. So I will avoid describing in depth what I saw along the route, as it will be different for each person!
I personally enjoyed the parts at the start of the cruise, where you got to see the more interesting architectural sights from a different angle. Once you get out into the islands, you end up looking more at fantastic summer houses that are beautiful, but not all of them are as historically relevant as some of the other buildings.
As I opted to do the longest tour, which I selected based on it being the best value for money, we spent a lot of time cruising around the islands, and to be brutally honest, it got a bit boring looking at very expensive houses.
However, I later discovered most others on this tour were sitting inside by the bar during this part of the tour, enjoying a few drinks. I am a non-drinker, so this wasn’t really something I thought about (but maybe something you’re interested in when getting off your feet).
I did head to the bar to order a cup of tea at one point, and the prices were reasonable. There is also an onboard restaurant where you can enjoy a sit-down meal. However, seating here is limited and much of it is booked in advance (this can only be done when booking directly with the tour company).
Overall, I enjoyed my trip and getting away from the bustle of the city. However, I think if I were to do it again, I would have booked a shorter tour as the three-hour cruise is far too long.
Stockholm Archipelago Cruise FAQ
What should I wear on a Stockholm sightseeing cruise?
Dress for the season, weather, and length of the tour. I went in May, and while the sun was shining and I felt warm when in the city, once we got away from the land, it started to get a bit cold.
I recommend bringing a few layers with you, even if you are planning to go on the cruise during the summer. If you do get too cold, you can always try to find a spot inside. Also factor in the wind when deciding on what headgear to wear! My hat kept trying to go for a swim!
Can I buy food or drink on board?
Yes! There is a well-stocked cafe that sells drinks including alcohol, and various snacks on the lower deck of the ship. On some boats, there is also a restaurant on the upper deck. This needs to be booked in advance directly via the tour company for guaranteed seats.
However, you might be lucky and be able to snap up any tables that have not been prebooked when you board. If you are traveling alone and want to go to the cafe during the cruise, expect to lose your seat afterwards.
The boats get quite busy, and people are seemingly always after a seat. I recommend getting a drink later in the cruise when you are tired of being seated where you are or when people seem to be settled. Once you have a drink from the cafe, you can bring it back to wherever you are seated, and that includes alcohol.
Which length of tour is best?
As I stated earlier in the post, I found the three-hour cruise to be way too long. But if you are looking for an excuse to enjoy a few drinks and cruise the water for a few hours, it will be fun.
If you are going purely for the sightseeing, I would probably opt for the hour-and-a-half option as most of the interesting buildings and sights are closer to the city.
Can I take an archipelago tour in winter?
Yes, the cruise departs year-round. However, during winter routes, tour lengths may vary depending on the sea ice buildup between the islands and weather conditions.
Also, the daylight situation should be considered when choosing your departure time!
If you have any questions about taking a Stockholm boat trip when you’re in town, let us know in the comments. Thanks!
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