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Stockholm Walking Tours

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There are 4 types of free walking tours available in Stockholm, Sweden, including Old Town (Gamla Stan), New Town, alternative Södermalm, as well as ghost tours.

We let you know about your options, provide schedules, and explain what you will see on each tour.

And in the video above, Emma, a guide with Free Tours by Foot Stockholm takes you on a virtual walk through Gamla Stan, the well-preserved medieval old town of Stockholm, Sweden, all with a wonderful backdrop of some light snow.


OVERVIEW AND CALENDAR

Stockholm, Sweden is a very walking city. Its historic center, Gamla Stan, is barely a kilometer wide.

And because its streets are too narrow for buses, it's a great place for a walking tour.

For most people today, a "free tour" is really a "pay-what-you-wish tour" or a "tips-based tour". 

There is no cost to book your spots and you are under no obligation to pay anything for your experience.

At the end of the tour, if you enjoyed yourself, it's customary to pay what you think the tour was really worth or what you could afford.

You could pay for your free tour with cash, but most tour guides can accept payment by credit card or through payment apps, like PayPal, CashApp, etc.

Keep in mind, however, that these free walking tours can have quite large groups of participants.

If you'd rather have the guarantee of a smaller group - which can allow you more interaction with your guide - you might consider taking a paid small group tour.

For a truly free option, check out our suggestions for self-guided walks.

And look out for our tours in Helsinki and Tallinn.


FREE TOUR OF GAMLA STAN (OLD TOWN STOCKHOLM)

There are several companies that offer free (pay-what-you-wish) walking tours in Gamla Stan, the historic core of Stockholm.

As you might expect, this is one of the oldest areas in the city and it’s full of historic locations. It's one of Europe's most historic city centers.

If you want to learn about Swedish history and Stockholm’s past, these tours are a great place to start!

You can expect to see some of the following sites on these outings:

  • Stockholm Royal Palace
  • Parliament 
  • Royal Opera House
  • German Church
  • Nobel Museum
  • Riddarholmen
  • The Iron Boy
  • Stortorget
  • And more!

If you’re interested in visiting these locations and learning more about them, consider one of the following tours.

Below them, we also list self-guided tours of the Gamla Stan.


Audio Tour

We offer an audio tour of Gamla Stan, the old city, researched, written, and recorded by one of our own tour guides.

Starting at Gustav Adolfs Torg Square, it will take you to some of the most notable sites in Old Town Stockholm, covering the history of the oldest parts of the city in great detail.

Here’s a sample.

  1. Purchase an audio tour - $2.99
  2. Get a confirmation email with .mp3, .pdf, and embeddable Google Map
  3. Enjoy the tour(s).

The route is a little less than 3 kilometers or 2 miles. If you just walk through the route, you’d be done within an hour and a half.


Rainbow Tours

This company, with a 5-star review rating on Tripadvisor, offers three different free walking tours including this one, which focuses on the Gamla Stan district of Stockholm. 

Rainbow Tours Meeting Point

If you’re interested in taking this tour, Arturo and his team offer this tour every day at 10:00 am (except for Mondays) in both English as well as Spanish.

Check our calendar above


Nordic Freedom Tours

We really like this company. They are very well-reviewed and offer 2 free tours in English every day of the week.

They also offer both tours in Spanish.

The Old Town Tour runs every day at 10 am and 3 pm and it begins in Gamla Stan, which is conveniently just outside the metro station of the same name.


3 Crowns

Another well-reviewed tour provider, this company also offers multiple free walking tours in Stockholm, including this one which covers Gamla Stan.

They offer their tours in English, Spanish, and German. 

The Old Town Stockholm walking tour is available at 10 am and 1 pm each day and it starts at the top of the stairs by Sergels Torg.


FREE TOURS OF STOCKHOLM NEW TOWN

There are multiple pay-what-you-want walking tours that will take you to the New Town area of Stockholm. 

In addition to seeing the halls of the city government, this neighborhood is also where you’ll find some of the most notable theatres and other artistic sites in the city.

New Town is also a great place for restaurants and shopping!

Stockholm New City

You can expect to see the following landmarks while on these outings:

  • City Hall
  • Klara Church
  • Norrmalmstorg
  • Sergels Torg
  • Santiago Jacob Church
  • Royal Dramatic Theatre
  • Stockholm Concert Hall
  • Stockholm City Hall
  • Where the Nobel Prize is Awarded
  • And more!

To discover these locations and learn more about them and why the Swedish capital is often called the Venice of the North, take one of the free walking tours listed below.


Rainbow Tours

In addition to their tour of Gamla Stan, this company also offers a pay-what-you-want walking tour of New Town Stockholm.

This tour is available in English every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday at 4 pm. You will meet your guide at Gustavo Adolfo Square.

Due to the situation around COVID-19, schedules can change without notice. Check our calendar above


Nordic Tours

Aside from their Old Town tour, this company also has a pay-what-you-want walking tour of New Town which is available in both English and Spanish.

Free Stockholm Tour Meeting Point

This tour is available every day at 10 am and it actually begins in Gamla Stan, just outside the metro station of the same name.

Due to the situation around COVID-19, schedules can change without notice. Check our calendar above


3 Crowns

This is yet another option for a New Town pay-what-you-want walking tour in Stockholm, and it includes details about the origins of Stockholm Syndrome.


Södermalm (Hipster Island)

If you’re looking for a tour that will take you to one of the more unique areas of Stockholm, there are at least two companies that offer free walking tours of Södermalm, otherwise known as Hipster Island.

Free Tour Södermalm

This neighborhood is known for being a hotbed of cultural change with a variety of gardens, sculptures, and markets to peruse. 

Although this used to be an industrial area, it has since become reclaimed by an entirely different group of people and businesses, which is why the area has become known as Hipster Island.

These tours include stops at some of the following sites:

  • Björns Garden
  • Katarina Church
  • Mariatorget Park
  • Medborgarplatsen
  • Maria Magdalena Church
  • Monteliusvägen viewpoint
  • Secret Little Horse Statue
  • And more!

Visit and learn about these locations and more while on one of the following pay-what-you-want walking tours.


Rainbow Tours

Much like their other services, this company also offers a free walking tour of Södermalm which covers a lot of interesting locations and subjects in the area.

This tour is available at 4 pm every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and it’s only offered in English.

Due to the situation around COVID-19, schedules can change without notice. Check our calendar above


3 Crowns

If you’re looking for a pay-what-you-wish walking tour of Södermalm in Spanish, this company offers the only option on our list.

They also have an English tour of this location as well!

Their English tour is available daily at 3:30 pm, while the Spanish tour is offered every day at 1:30 pm.

Due to the situation around COVID-19, schedules can change without notice. Check our calendar above


FREE STOCKHOLM GHOST TOUR

In addition to all the free tours of specific neighborhoods in Stockholm, Sweden, there are two pay-what-you-wish walking tours that discuss the haunted history of the city.

Whether or not you believe in the paranormal, chances are you’ll find it interesting to learn about some of the darker aspects of Stockholm and Swedish history.

Here are just a few of the subjects you’ll learn about on these outings:

  • Hell Alley
  • Carolus Linnaeus
  • Riddarholm’s Church
  • The story of Descartes
  • The Plague and Cholera
  • Punishments given to King Gustav III’s murderer
  • And more!

If you want to learn about these disturbing details and more, please consider taking the following tours.


Rainbow Tours

This tour through Gamla Stan will last 1.5 hours to get to know the most important stories of the island and enter the darkest legends.

After the tour, join your tour guide and fellow guests on a visit to several local pubs for a mini-crawl.

  • Fridays and Saturdays @19:00 (7 pm). 

Due to the situation around COVID-19, schedules can change without notice. Check our calendar above


3 Crowns

Discover the disturbing side of Stockholm’s history on this pay-what-you-want walking tour which will take you to some of the more unique areas of the city.

This tour is typically available every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6 pm, and it’s only offered in English.

Due to the situation around COVID-19, schedules can change without notice. Check our calendar above


FREE TOURS WITH THE STOCKHOLM PASS

TIP: If you are considering or have already purchased a tourist attraction discount pass, such as the Stockholm Passthen keep in mind that these passes already include, for free, walking tours, boat tours, and bus tours throughout the city! 

This pass offers 3 tours a day for English and German-speaking travelers starting each hour from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Weekly tours based upon a theme such as art and food are also offered.

The pass includes access to over 60 other attractions and tours, so you don’t have to worry about scheduling other activities before or after your tour.


FREE WALKING TOURS IN OTHER CITIES

Enjoy free walking tours in other cities around the world with Free Tours by Foot and our recommended companies.

Here are some cities nearby to Stockholm.


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