Experience Stockholm’s Heart, Royal Palace & Coastal Beauty
This three-day private tour itinerary blends Stockholm’s regal landmarks and rich cultural history with the natural beauty of its vast archipelago.
We have designed this vacation for you to experience the Capital and beyond in style and comfort, with your private driver-guide and expert-led tours, this journey is the ideal introduction to Sweden’s capital and its stunning coastal surroundings.
Destinations on Our 3-Day Tour of Sweden
Gamla Stan (Old Town)
The Royal Palace
Vasa Museum (Djurgården Island)
Drottningholm Palace
Palace Gardens
The Chinese Pavilion (Kina Slott)
Private Boat Tour of the Archipelago
Island Walk & Seafood Lunch
Return Cruise to Stockholm
Day 1: Royal History & Old Town Legends in Stockholm
Our itinerary gets underway as you join your guide to set off discovering Stockholm’s cobbled alleys, palace halls, and one of the world’s most iconic ship museums.
Walking Tour of Gamla Stan – Stockholm’s Storybook Old Town
Begin your first day in the Swedish capital with a private walking tour of Gamla Stan, the city’s historic heart.
Your guide will lead you through its atmospheric streets, revealing centuries of history as you walk past merchant houses, hidden courtyards, and ancient churches. As you explore, you’ll hear tales of Viking settlements, royal intrigues, and Sweden’s rise as a European power.
Stop at Stortorget, the oldest square in the city, and visit Stockholm’s oldest fountain and the site of the infamous Stockholm Bloodbath. Your guide will point out architectural quirks, noble family symbols, and the city’s oldest still-standing building, giving you a deep sense of place and time.
The Royal Palace – Ceremonial Grandeur and Daily Royal Life
Next, step inside The Royal Palace, one of Europe’s largest and most impressive working royal residences.
Along with your guide, you’ll learn about royal traditions, state ceremonies, and the lives of monarchs past and present. Our travel designers will try to ensure your visit will coincide with a changing of the guard ceremony in the outer courtyard—an elegant and time-honored ritual.
The Vasa Museum – A Warship Frozen in Time
In the afternoon, travel to Djurgården Island, a green oasis that houses many of Stockholm’s premier museums. Here, your guide will take you through the Vasa Museum, home to a breathtaking 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage and was recovered, almost fully intact, 333 years later.
Day 2: Day Trip to Drottningholm Palace
Step into the world of Swedish royalty with a private day trip to the country’s most majestic palace estate, where art, architecture, and tranquil gardens come together in a storybook setting.
Drottningholm Palace – A Living Royal Residence
This morning, meet your driver-guide for a scenic drive westward to Drottningholm Palace, located on the island of Lovön along the serene shores of Lake Mälaren. The palace, still home to Sweden’s royal family, is also open to the public and beautifully preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With your expert guide, explore the richly furnished Baroque interiors, from gilded halls and intricate ceiling frescoes to personal rooms once occupied by Swedish monarchs. Step into the 18th-century Court Theatre, one of the oldest still-operating theaters in the world. Here, you’ll learn about the Age of Enlightenment and royal leisure culture, brought vividly to life through original stage machinery and velvet-draped balconies.
The Palace Gardens – Symmetry, Sculpture & Seclusion
Outside, a stroll through the formal gardens reveals a blend of French and English landscaping traditions. The gardens unfold in layers—first with geometric Baroque parterres lined by perfectly clipped hedges and marble statues, then transitioning into more natural, wooded paths and meadows designed in the English style.
As you wander past lily-covered ponds, tree-lined vistas, and decorative fountains, your guide will share how the estate was designed to express royal power, taste, and solitude.
Visit to the Chinese Pavilion – Rococo Elegance in the Forest
Before returning to the city, your guide will lead you to one of Drottningholm’s hidden gems: the Chinese Pavilion (Kina Slott), tucked within the palace park. Built in the 18th century as a royal pleasure retreat, this exotic little palace reflects Europe’s fascination with the East.
Explore its lavish Rococo interiors, lacquered panels, silk wall coverings, and whimsical chinoiserie décor, while your guide shares stories of how the royal court used it for afternoon teas, garden parties, and intimate musical performances. The pavilion offers a more playful, personal look at royal life—and a perfect contrast to the grandeur of the main palace.
Day 3: Archipelago Adventure & Island Flavors
Conclude your Swedish escape with a day immersed in the wild beauty and timeless rhythms of the Stockholm Archipelago—where sea, sky, and quiet islands create a world away from the city’s bustle.
Private Boat Tour Through the Stockholm Archipelago
This morning, meet your captain and guide for a private boat tour through the Stockholm Archipelago, an awe-inspiring expanse of over 30,000 islands stretching into the Baltic Sea. Cruise through a maze of pine-fringed islets, smooth granite shores, and fishing cottages painted in iconic Swedish red.
As you travel through this unique seascape, your guide will share stories of archipelago life—its maritime traditions, the role of summer retreats, and the rhythms of living off the sea. You may spot seabirds, pass working fishing villages, and glimpse locals heading to their weekend cottages by boat. It’s a peaceful and photogenic journey where each bend reveals a new layer of Nordic charm.
Island Stop with Coastal Walk & Chef-Prepared Seafood Lunch
Midday, anchor at a secluded island and step ashore for a short coastal walk, where your guide will lead you along forested trails, sun-warmed rocks, and quiet beaches. Learn about the island’s flora, wildlife, and cultural heritage as you stretch your legs and breathe in the sea air.
Awaiting you is a chef-prepared seafood lunch, served outdoors in true Swedish island tradition. Enjoy freshly caught fish, wild herbs, and seasonal vegetables, paired with local bread and craft beverages. Whether served picnic-style or plated at a rustic island table, the flavors reflect the freshness and purity of the surrounding sea.
Return Cruise & Farewell Views of Stockholm
After a relaxed afternoon on the island, board your boat once more for the return cruise to Stockholm. As the skyline of the capital gradually reappears on the horizon—church spires, palace rooftops, and the modern curves of the city’s waterfront buildings—reflect on the peaceful pace and layered beauty of your Nordic journey.
