Visit Stockholm on a budget

Enjoy Stockholm, even if you're on a budget! Yes, it's true that the city is quite pricy, but there are surprisingly many things you can do for free, especially during spring and summer when the sun is shining.

The beautiful capital city of Sweden offers some wonderful attractions and sights. You can find everything from miles of nature, inspiring architecture and intersting museums to crowded shopping malls and extraordinary party venues. Even though Stockholm is built on several islands and you may be tempted to jump into the water, be prepared for a cold surprise – even during summertime, swimming in the water can be a chilly experience.

The capital of Sweden, as well as the country as a whole, is well-known to be rather expensive. Since this is actually not a completely false rumour, we have prepared 7 budget tips for your wallet to survive your stay in Stockholm.

PUT ON YOUR COMFY SHOES OR TAKE THE BIKE

When staying in Stockholm, it will be easy to get around quickly, as public transportation runs smoothly and covers almost every imaginable part of the city. But for the backpackers who enjoy getting around on their own, walking and cycling are perfect options too, as the inner city is not very big. Some hostels offer loans or rental of bikes, and you can also find bikes for rental placed on stations around the city at a rather low cost.

HAVE A PICNIC IN ANY GREEN AREAS OR PARKS

One of the most popular activities is taking a walk on the big island of Djurgården, where you will find many of the city's residents taking a break from everyday life, visiting Skansen - the animal park and museum demonstrating traditional Swedish life, or Gröna Lund, the amusement park. There are green areas almost anywhere you go, which allows you to enjoy a cheap picknick with an extraordinary view of the sea and the city.

VISIT DURINg SOME OF THE FABULOUS EVENTS

Stockholm arranges many nice events for you to enjoy completely for free every year. On the 25th of April you can join the Culture Night, where many museums are open for free, and events such as concerts, shows and lectures are hosted for free. 30th of April is called Valborg, and is a day for Swedes to celebrate the arrival of spring. Big fires are made at many places in the city, accompanied by a choir singing traditional songs. On the 6th of June, the National Day of Sweden is celebrated with a food festival in Kungsträdgården. You will also have a chance to see the Swedish royalty in their traditional parade from the castle to Djurgården. Between 2-5th of july, you can enjoy Open Streets, and be entertained by magicians, comedians, acrobats and other performers.

GO SWIMMING

If you're up for it, you can take a refreshing swim completely for free! There are good places for jumping in the water at Lilla Essingen and Långholmen, but you can also visit any of the countless lakes in the area around the city.

ENJOY CHEAPER MEALS

Many of the restaurants in Stockholm are quite fancy and pricy, but there are some exceptions that will make all of you backpackers on a budget satisfied! A tip is to look for ”dagens rätt”, or dish of the day, which is commonly offered to a lower price. You can also look for the word ”bakficka”. These places are usually connected to a fancy restaurant, and serve similar meals to affordable prices. Stockholm also hosts many great buffet places and good fast food restaurants that help you get away with a cheaper meal.

Appreciate the architecture and scenery

If you don't wish to spend any money on exhibitions and museums, the city itself offers a lot of nice places. Take a walk to a spot such as Söder Mälarstrand where you will have an exceptional view of the city, enjoy the many decorative buildings and try to visit the most famous statues in the city, such as the non-violence statue by Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd. Stockholm has a lot of sights to offer, and you will never get bored even when just strolling around. If you have a subway card, visiting the most well known subway stations may be a good idea, especially for a rainy day. Stockholm is famous for its many individual and breathtaking subway stops with hours of artistic work put into each of them.

Take a free tour

There are three free tours offered in Stockholm. One of the city center, one of old town and one of the southern part of the city. All of them start in convenient locations that you can easily find and are given completely for free! However, a tip is usually appreciated and well-deserved by the nice and knowledgeable guides. You'll be sure to meet other explorers and travelers on these tours.

Where to stay in Stockholm?

The Red Boat – Enjoy a unique stay in a boat hostel! This hostel offers you comfort on Stockholm's water right in the middle of the city. You will be just minutes away from all of the main attractions.

Generator Stockholm: a brand new hostel of the Generator chain, just 5 minutes walk from the train station. There are twin,double & quad rooms and 4-6 bed & Female only shared dormitories.

Acco Hostel: right in the heart of Stockholm, very well located and super modern, this hostel offers free wifi, free lagguage storage and an amazing reception service.

Find more budget hostels here:

Photos: Flickr Creative Commons: vargklo and Let Ideas Complete