In a nutshell
- Stockholm, with its many islands, is practically made for a boat tour. You can either see the city from the water or head out into the archipelago — an endless collection of small islands off the coast.
- Want to take in the Stockholm highlights? Go for the classic boat tour through the city. Prefer nature and open water? The archipelago boat tour is the one for you.
- A great budget alternative to guided tours: Stockholm’s public ferries. The five ferry lines take you through the city and all the way out to the archipelago — we especially recommend lines 80 and 83.
Classic Boat Tour of Stockholm
- Best for: First-time visitors
- Tickets: from 27 euros
- Duration: 1 hour
- Starting point: at the pier in front of the Royal Palace – open in Google Maps
First up, let’s talk about the classic boat tour of Stockholm. This cruise takes you past some of the most iconic things to see in Stockholm — all from the water.
You start at Gamla Stan, cruise past the Old Town and the Royal Palace, and then continue along Östermalm, the museum island, and Skeppsholmen. Along the way, you’ll spot highlights like the Royal Theater, the Swedish Parliament, the museum island Djurgården, and the amusement park Gröna Lund.
One heads-up: this tour features a live guide in German, so it’s best suited for German-speaking travelers.
Book the classic Stockholm boat tour online
Boat Tour through the Archipelago
- Best for? Nature lovers
- Tickets: from 35 euros
- Duration: 1.5–3 hours
- Starting point: Strandvägen in Östermalm at dock 14–16 – open in Google Maps
If you’d rather skip the city sights and head out into the archipelago instead, we’d recommend the Stockholm archipelago tour with Stromma.
The cruise kicks off with a great view of Stockholm before heading out toward the islands. You’ll glide past green islands dotted with charming summer cottages, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot some seals. Your English-speaking guide shares interesting stories throughout the trip.
When booking, you choose how long you want to be out on the water: 1.5 hours, 2.5 hours, or 3 hours. We’d go for the 2.5- or 3-hour option — it’s seriously worth the extra time.
Both the longer tours cost the same and take you all the way to Vaxholm, the capital of the archipelago. Just pick whichever departure time fits your schedule.
Book the archipelago boat tour online
The Stockholm Archipelago
The archipelago consists of thousands of small islands off the coast of Sweden. The whole area is also known as the archipelago garden. Here you’ll find a mix of unspoiled nature, charming villages, and cozy summer cottages.
It’s perfect to explore by boat from Stockholm — and the islands that make up the city itself are already considered part of the archipelago.
Kayak Tour of Stockholm
- Best for? Active travelers, adventure seekers
- Tickets: from 55 euros
- Duration: 2 hours
- Starting point: on Långholmen – open in Google Maps
Want something a little more active? Then check out the kayak tour of Stockholm — it’s one of our favorites.
You’ll spend two hours paddling through the canals of central Stockholm in a small group with an English-speaking guide. It’s a really different way to experience the city.
By kayak, you’ll pass all the major highlights and can even duck into the narrowest canals that larger boats simply can’t reach. How cool is that?
You can paddle solo or share a kayak with someone else — super handy if you’re traveling with kids.
Book the kayak tour of Stockholm online
For something even more special, there’s also a sunset kayak tour. The atmosphere in Stockholm in the evening is seriously romantic — and Swedish fika is included.
Book the evening kayak tour online
Boat Tour of Stockholm and the Archipelago by Ferry
- Best for? First-time visitors, budget travelers
- Tickets: included in the public transit ticket. Single tickets valid for 75 minutes are available for 4 euros.
- Duration: flexible
- Starting point: at any stop on ferry lines 80, 82, 83, 84 & 89
Last but not least, here’s a great budget-friendly alternative to guided Stockholm boat tours: the public ferries.
Stockholm has five ferry lines that connect various points around the city and even run out into the archipelago.
They’re part of the public transit system, so you can ride them with a standard SL single ticket. Pick one up for 4 euros in the SL app (iOS I Android), at a ticket counter, or by tapping your credit card on the scanner.
With your ticket, you can use the ferries just like a hop-on/hop-off boat tour — jumping off in the archipelago for a short hike or to explore Vaxholm, for example. The only downside is there’s no guide on board, so you won’t get the running commentary.
Here’s a quick overview of all the ferry lines and their schedules:
- Line 80: 20 stops. From Stockholm northward to Storholmen. Departs Stockholm on weekdays at 10:00, 11:30, 18:00, 20:00, and 21:00, and on weekends at 7:00, 9:15, 11:15, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, and 21:00.
- Line 82: 3 stops. From Gamla Stan to the museum island Djurgården and Skeppsholmen. Runs approximately every 15 minutes.
- Line 83: 20 stops. From Stockholm eastward to Rindö. Departs Stockholm on weekdays at 11:00, 13:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, and 19:15, and on weekends at 10:00, 14:00, and 18:00.
- Line 84: 6 stops. From Stockholm eastward to Värmdo. Departs Stockholm on weekdays at 6:15, 8:00, 10:45, 15:00, 16:30, and 17:40, and on weekends at 11:00, 14:15, and 16:45.
- Line 89: 5 stops. From Stockholm westward to Ekerö. Departs Stockholm on weekdays approximately every hour from 7:30 to 10:30 and from 14:30 to 18:30, and on weekends at 10:00, 12:10, 15:50, 17:55, and 20:00.
We recommend Line 80 or 83. We took Line 80 ourselves — the views of Stockholm from the water are really impressive. For a stunning look at the archipelago landscape, ferry 83 is the one to take. It goes all the way to Vaxholm.
Is a Boat Tour in Stockholm Worth It?
Absolutely! Stockholm is the perfect city for a boat tour. You can cruise past the city’s many islands, take in a huge number of highlights along the way, and the whole place looks stunning from the water. A trip out to the archipelago is totally worth it too.
