Stockholm the southern inner city · The southern inner city in Stockholm
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
The southern inner city in Stockholm
The southern inner city in Stockholm
Gamla Stan? The Old Town, is the historical centre. The northern part is dominated by the Royal Palace and the Riksdag - the Swedish parliament. The rest of the island is a picturesque collection of old buildings and narrow cobblestone streets. The adjacent island Riddarholmen holds an important church and several old administrative buildings.
Södermalm, colloquially referred to as Söder, once a working-class district, was mostly gentrified during the late 20th century. The more or less bohemian area south of Folkungagatan has recently been nicknamed SoFo (with obvious inspiration from SoHo). The area has many restaurants and pubs, many of which are convivial and particularly lively when Stockholmers have their paydays. There is at lease one excellent fishmongers as well as other specialist shops and boutiques. Erstagatan, at the eastern edge of Södermalm, has excellent views of Stockholm at the northern end of the street. The hotel with the best views of Stockholm, Djurgarden and out toward the archipelago is the Ersta Hotell. Slussen ("The Lock"), the waterway lock between Södermalm and Gamla Stan, is a mass transit hub covered by road bridges. Today Slussen can appear a little rundown, and not as charming as when it was built in the 1930s but it is a lively crossping point in the city and has its charm. The major north-south street Götgatan, with many bars and shops, starts close to Slussen and passes Medborgarplatsen ("Citizens' square"), a major square surrounded by restaurants and pubs.
Kungsholmen is an island that makes up the western part of the inner city. On its eastern tip, the impressive redbrick Stockholm City Hall stands by the water. Further west, a collection of rather relaxed neighbourhood bars and restaurants can be found. West of the Fridhemsplan transport hub and the new Västermalmsgallerian shopping mall, the island becomes more suburban. Lilla Essingen and Stora Essingen are two smaller, mainly residential, islands that belong to the borough of Kungsholmen. Close to the park Rålambshovsparken is a nice natural beach, Smedsuddsbadet that suits children well. The water at Stockholms offical beaches are controlled by Miljöförvaltningen (the municipal authorities) and is sweet or brackish.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Stockholm
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Stockholm - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Stockholm hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Stockholm Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.