A sustainable vacation in Stockholm

Accommodations

The collective focus on protecting global resources is evident in Stockholm’s hotels. Since 2020, 8 out of 10 have been certified as sustainable, and most others have a clear strategy on how to reach that goal. So if you’re consciously choosing environmentally friendly accommodation you’ve got plenty of options. Here’s a small sample, but you'll find more tips in our guide about sustainable hotels!

• Hobo: Hobo is a creative boutique hotel situated at Brunkebergstorg, right in the heart of Stockholm. In the 1800s Brunkebergstorg was an exclusive marketplace with fashion shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Today, it's a place where modern design, urban greenery, and a neighborly local atmosphere meet. The hotel's playful interior was designed by Berlin-based Studio Aisslinger, in collaboration with leading local designers. For example design-duo Vår and tech company Teenage Engineering.
• Nolla Cabin at Lidö Värdshus (page in Swedish): Nolla Cabin on Lidö in the Stockholm archipelago is ideal for anyone wanting to be close to nature, and maybe even have a role in taking care of it. The cabins are equipped with solar panels and are part of Lidö's "Zero Island"-project, which strives to reduce the island's climate impact. As a bonus, the entire island is a beautiful nature reserve, and the cabins have floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic of the surrounding sea. Only open during the summer season.
• Downtown Camper by Scandic: By taking both small and big measures hotel chain Scandic aims to be a leader in sustainable hospitality. Activity Hotel Downtown Camper, for example, serves carbon-neutral meat in its restaurants, and the hotel is cleaned efficiently with eco-friendly detergents. Also, its showers have a small hourglass to keep guests from wasting unnecessary water.

Restaurants

Stockholm is at the forefront of sustainable eating, quickly becoming a hub for food tech. Many restaurants take great care in choosing seasonal and locally sourced ingredients or take matters into their own hands by growing many of the menu’s greens and herbs. Others find new and inventive ways to reduce food waste and emissions to either become climate-neutral or climate-positive.

This focus on sustainability has also received international acclaim. As of 2023, three Stockholm restaurants have received a Green Star in Guide Michelin. Twenty are listed by the 360° Eat Guide; two of which have received top remarks.

Here are a handful of suggestions:

• Restaurangen - Fotografiska: The restaurant at Fotografiska (called "Restaurangen") has been lauded for its sustainable kitchen. It was one of the first restaurants in Stockholm to receive a Green Star from Guide Michelin in 2020. The restaurant focuses mainly on plant-based food and works hard to reduce food waste. Fotografiska has both a Green Star in Guide Michelin and has top remarks in the 360° Eat Guide.
• Oxenstiernan: Like Fotografiska, Oxenstiernan has received both the highest score in the 360° Eat Guide and a Green Michelin Star. While sustainable ingredients and dishes are chosen carefully to reflect the seasons, Oxenstiernan has a holistic approach to its business. Everything from packaging and tableware to dishwasher detergents and electricity providers is chosen with high sustainability in mind.
• Etoile: A lauded playful restaurant that has received both a Michelin star, a Michelin Green star, and high remarks in the 360° Eat Guide. Etoile's seasonal New Nordic cuisine is always made with sustainability in mind. But the restaurant also prides itself on being a democratic working environment where everybody gets to do everything and staff members are encouraged to hone their skills through courses and training.
• Växthuset (page in Swedish): Located next to the beloved nightclub Trädgården, Växthuset offers vegan fine dining. A perfect place to start an evening of clubbing with a delicious, fresh meal prepared from seasonal ingredients. The restaurant aims to be as eco-friendly as possible, without impeding quality or taste. Växthuset also serves artisanal and craft beverages, focusing on natural wine and non-alcoholic drink experiences.
• Rosendals Trädgård: Enjoy fresh salads, soups, sandwiches, and baked goods in the lush, green environment of Djurgården. Both a market garden and café, Rosendals Trädgård serves food based on organic, biodynamic ingredients. During the growing season, they use herbs and vegetables from their garden, and the pastries are from their bakery. The garden café is open from early spring to autumn but the greenhouse is open all year round.

You'll find more suggestions in our guide about sustainable eating in Stockholm!

Things to do

• Nordiska Museet: Nordiska Museet in Stockholm is Sweden's most significant cultural history museum. Its vast collection spans the last 500 years and includes clothes, fashion, textiles, folk art, photographs, furniture, jewelry, glass, and porcelain. The exhibition, "In the Arctic – While the Ice is Melting" depicts life for humans in a dramatic and changing landscape: the Arctic region. Interpreted and portrayed by the artistic design duo MUSEEA, the exhibition tells the story of the people living in the Arctic and man's constant struggle to adapt to climate change.
• Tekniska Museet: Sweden’s largest museum of technology and a favorite destination for young geniuses. Investigate and discover how everything works and is connected, and take an exciting journey that stretches from the early days of industrialism, through the present day and onwards towards grand visions of a sustainable future. Sustainability is a cornerstone not only at the museum but also at its restaurant. In late 2023 Tekniska opened its new dome-cinema, Wisdome, in a building made almost entirely of wood and lumber.
• Guided tour with the Green Trails: The Green Trails is an adventure excursion operator for day trips, outdoor guided tours, and adventures around Stockholm. During winter they offer Nordic skating, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing excursions. In summer there are kayaking tours, sailing, and even moose safaris!
• The Wooden Bike Tour: Experience Stockholm while using a unique kind of transportation: a hand-crafted wooden bicycle. The Wooden Bike Tour lasts two hours and takes you through the heart of Stockholm, to all the most important landmarks in the city.
• Art in the subway: Stockholm's subway system is often called "The World's Longest Art Exhibition" - 110 kilometers long. Traveling by subway is like traveling through an exciting story that extends from the artistic pioneers of the 1950s to the art experiments of today.

Shopping

Many fashion stores and brands want to contribute to a more planet-friendly lifestyle by finding new wardrobes for clothes that have been thrown out, or maintaining fair and sustainable production chains. Read our guide on sustainable shopping for more tips.

• Old Touch (page in Swedish): Old Touch has a large selection of vintage dresses, jewelry, hats, and accessories from the turn of the century right through to the 1960s. Any aficionado of 1920s fashion and the flapper era will feel right at home! You will find great dresses and accessories to purchase and outfits to rent for costume parties.
• Asket: Transparency and sustainability are paramount to Asket's business philosophy. The brand offers classic designs in sustainable fabrics but also goes to great lengths to report its entire production chain; from the selection of factories and raw materials to shipping and labor costs, and customs duties. Asket's flagship store is located at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm, and the brand also runs a recycling store; Asket The Restore.
• Arkivet Second Hand: Arkivet is a second-hand store focusing on current trends. The clothes on offer are usually no older than two or three years. Primarily a women's wear boutique, you'll find cool accessories and shoes as well.
• Houdini: A Stockholm-based outdoor brand with sustainability woven into its fabric. Houdini never mixes synthetic materials with natural ones, and the company's clothes are made with longevity and versatility in mind.
• Vintage shopping in Stockholm: Second-hand and vintage have truly come into fashion. Stockholm has a great offering of vintage stores whether you're looking for clothes, records, books, or design objects. Besides second-hand chains, like Stockholms Stadsmission, Myrorna or Humana, several established fashion brands like Acne and Filippa K have opened vintage stores, selling past collections.
• Weekend Markets & Flea Markets in Stockholm: Who knows, maybe your next favorite shirt or mug is to be found at an inconspicuous garage sale? Summer is the high season for flea market treasure hunters in Stockholm and there are several web pages listing current markets.

The Stockholm archipelago

Gålö: Gålö peninsula is situated in southern Stockholm and the best way to get there is by car or one of several public transportation busses from Haninge Station. The entire area is a protected nature reserve, with beautiful forest trails and views to enjoy. You'll also find the longest sandy beaches in Stockholm County. Gålö is also home to Sälstationen, where the Navy secretly trained seals to track out foreign submarines and mines during WWII. Today, visitors can enjoy a visit to the sauna, an overnight stay, and guided tours during summer.

Grinda: Grinda is a beautiful archipelago island, approximately a one-hour boat trip away from Stockholm by way of Vaxholm. The whole island is essentially a nature reserve with idyllic surroundings, lovely beaches, and typical archipelago nature.