Taking the ferry to Vaxholm was one of the highlights of our time in Stockholm. The ferries are…read morefairly inexpensive. We paid 150kl/person for a return journey with a travel time of 2.5 hours return. Immediately next to the ferry office is the tourist boat office, which charges nearly 3x that amount. The website was fairly easy to access to obtain information and the woman at the counter was even more informative. She told us where we should go and gave us all the information. The ferries are pretty easy to use as you just turn up and get on the boat. Once on the boat you can buy your tickets. The boats we took had small cafes and tons of comfy seating. Viewing Stockholm and the surrounding area was wonderful. It provided a unique memorable experience with plenty of photo opportunities! We had a fantastic trip and really recommend this company.

Good boat service; we took it to Sandhamn from Stavnas. The website is somewhat confusing to use…read moreand it's not very efficient, but I managed to find the information I needed. The boat itself is pretty nice, and the chairs are quite comfortable. It's. A great way to go to the archipelago islands, so I would recommend it!

I was pleased to find that the ferry from Gamla Stan to Djurgarden was included in my little one…read moreday travelcard when I was in Stockholm off the Norwegian Star for the day. I had previously thought I'd have to do this convoluted bus/bus/tram connection to go around the top to get to the bridge to the island. Going across on a ferry is far easier than doing that. The ferry itself reminded me of the larger ones from Venice and of course the ones in New York, but with an interesting feature - you board and depart directly on the front of the vessel - and the ship is entirely symmetrical so it doesn't need to turn around ever. Our one issue was that we were unaware of the extra stop it sometimes makes between Gamla Stan and Djurgarden, and we got off there by mistake. We managed to grab a geocache and took some photos of Gamla Stan while we waited for the next ferry - if you do make that mistake, then just be sure to hit the call button at the ferry port, otherwise you might get skipped when the ferry goes direct. Otherwise, it was enjoyable, quick and comfortable enough for a ferry.

If you're considering how to get to Djurgården, consider Djurgårdsfärjan. Compared to the bus which…read moreis often overcrowded, the ferry offers significantly more space even if it's crowded and it runs faster totally independent of the traffic jams in the central parts of Stockholm. The main reason for taking Djurgårdsfärjan hoough, is the view you'll get of Stockholm. It's definitely a classic must-do in Stockholm, and no matter if you're going to Skansen, the amusement park Gröna Lund, the Wasa museum or any of the many other attractions on Djurgården, you can get there with Djurgårdsfärjan. Another advantage is that you can use your SL ticket on Djurgårdsfärjan - no matter if it's a montly card that most of us Stockholmers have, a tourist pass or a single zone A ticket you've just used for the subway or bus trip.

Taking a boat tour to the Archipelago Islands while visiting Stockholm is a MUST DO in my opinion…read more The islands are magnificent and vary in size from uninhabited small islands to larger islands with several homes. We took the Stromma Tour and it was the highlight of our trip

Visited here to authentic experience of small Sweden town. Charming little area but quite touristy…read more Lined with boutique shops for everything from souvenirs to food. People: Shopkeepers and local were all very welcoming/friendly towards visitors. Willing to take pictures and help with directions. Transportation: Accessible by land and bus. Ferry goes to Stockholm and small boat goes to nearby fortress (Vaxholm Fortress). Buses for Stockholm leave every 15 minutes. Bus and car friendly. Could bike around town but elevation changes would mean difficult bike ride. Farmer's Market: Sells fresh, quality produce but is cash only. Strawberries are the best I've ever had. Bottom Line: Quaint town worth visiting as day trip from Stockholm.

A ferry line included in your bus/tram/subway card. Fab! They even provide free coffee!read more

Sjovagen ferry line - or the SL (Sjovagen Line) ferry requires a bus ticket to ride around the…read moreharbor in Stockholm. It stops at the amusement park - the far side by a hotel and again near the long distance ferry. You can get a bus/ferry ticket at 7-11 for a few SEK. Inexpensive to ride around and be a tourist at minimal cost.

It's difficult to give an adequate and accurate review for an entire ferry company, when the ships…read moreand prices vary so vastly. My partner and I travelled to Turku, Finland, from Stockholm, spent a couple of days there, and then took a different ferry back, so we had two different ship experiences. We had very specific dates which worked for us, so the price ended up being about 1200 SEK for the trip there and home. I'm under the impression that you can get much cheaper prices if you are flexible - and I've heard that it can be cheaper to book two separate party cruises (23 hours usually) and then just don't go back on the cruise; stay in Finland. That can be cheaper than buying 'regular route traffic'. Anyways, for the price we got the cheapest cabins available which had private bathrooms. On the way there we took Amorella. It seemed fine, though it was a bit older of a ship. Our cabin was on Deck 2, the lowest deck for guests, below the car decks. This means it is only accessible by elevator and sometimes the wait can be long due to crowds. Our cabin was technically for 4 people, with four fold-out beds. But we like it cosy, and the single beds were still wide enough that my partner and I were able to cuddle and share one bed comfortably. The bathroom and shower were teeny tiny, as expected, but fine. We paid the 10 euro for the breakfast buffet in the morning, which was delicious and definitely worth it if you plan on hitting the town all day like we did. The buffet consists of fresh bread, scrambled eggs, bacon, meatballs, sausage, Finnish rice cakes, croissants, brie, jam, fruit, yogurt, juice, coffee, and more. We weren't even hungry for lunch after! On the way back from Finland we took the M/S Viking Grace, a much newer ship. And what a difference! We didn't mind Amorella, but Grace was much better. They have rearranged things so that the lowest cabins are deck 8 - no more waiting for the elevator and hiding out below the cardeck! We had an inner cabin so we still didn't have any window, but the cabins with windows looked amazing (we got a peek). The ship is new and clean and has modern décor, and the cabins feel nice. The beds were slightly smaller than on Amorella - we struggled to squish into one - but one of the beds is also a couch, and there's a TV with Finnish and Swedish channels, so it's definitely still an upgrade. There is a wide variety of restaurants and cafes onboard, everything from a 40 euro buffet to 9 euro pasta dishes in the 'casual dining' section. I haven't tried the spa, but entrance was 24 euros, which seems reasonable. There are also clubs, and on the Grace there was live music in several locations on the ship - even on Sunday night. We didn't pay for breakfast on the way back to Sweden, but I'm imagining it's just as good or even better than on Amorella, as everything was. I would say that the Amorella was a 3-star experience, and Grace was 4. It could be cheaper but it was fine for two people. In short, if you are travelling within Scandinavia and want to cross the Baltic, I highly recommend taking a cruise instead of flying. But whether or not you get a good deal and whether or not it feels worth it is totally dependent on your flexibility and the cabin and dates and ship you choose.

the transportation experience is decent. our trip was in February so it was nice to sail the…read morearchipelago through icy waters. the buffet is shoddy. a lot of rich and saucy overcooked foods. not enough selection of fresh foods, like greens, or salad type stuff. very limited selection of fruits that were not of very good quality. the most decent dish was the lemon sorbet. I can't recommend this buffet at all.

Airlines are a tricky one. We made it from the Bromma airport in Stockholm to the island of Visby…read morewithout any mishaps. Five stars for that. This was also considerably easier for a day trip to Visby from Stockholm... we didn't really feel like packing everything up and checking out of the hotel (and into another in Visby, and then doing the same thing all over again), and the ferry takes at least five hours. These smaller airlines and the smaller airport really make day trips like this possible. This is a commuter plane and airport, so most people are local and have the routine down to an art form. The planes are out on the tarmac so you will be walking a bit outside to board. Everything is clearly marked. Just follow the people in front of you. The plane itself was clean and new looking inside. The props on the engines made us a bit nervous. My wife was ready to turn back and make a run for the passenger area. But like I said earlier, no problems. The weather was bad the morning of our flight, despite that and a few bumps along the way we arrived safely and on time. Smooth landing.

Cruise ships are exciting, aren't they? You never know what kind of romantic shenanigans and…read moreslapstick adventures you run into on the high seas, especially if they involve Charo and Gopher. Oh, wait a minute, I'm having an acid trip and flashing back to "The Love Boat" circa 1977. No, the Victoria was big but no Pacific Princess, and I didn't see the Landers sisters anywhere near the swimming pool. Just a lot of hirsute Estonians in the communal hot tub. This was the overnight cruise Jamie W. and I took from Talinn, the capital of Estonia (yes, Estonia) to Stockholm. We already had a similar experience on the Silja Line Serenade from Stockholm to Helsinki, so we knew the routine pretty well by this point in our Scandinavian maritime vacation. The cabin was A-class again and this time a bit roomier, a nice surprise since we got tired of falling into the toilet after taking a shower (photo: http://bit.ly/2iCQ6pE). There was no central promenade which took up a lot of space on several floors of the previous boat. No, the restaurants and shops were mostly on two of the decks, and you still had to make a reservation in advance to get dinner at a reasonable hour. We shared a rather middling dinner in the central dining room starting with the €13 Mussels Mariniere (photo: http://bit.ly/2hvJnOj) and the €11 Caesar Salad with Free-Range Chicken (photo: http://bit.ly/2ige49T). Not bad but our main entrees consisted of the chewy €19 BBQ Pork Ribs with French Fries (photo: http://bit.ly/2iCNVTg) and the rubbery €21 Flank Steak with Potato Purée (photo: http://bit.ly/2id0PnX). None of these dishes appeared to reflect the chef's finest hour. However, our mutually bloated feeling meant we weren't about to embarrass ourselves in the disco where drunken Europeans of all stripes had already taken over with brio early in the trip (photo: http://bit.ly/2hMzZBW). The morning brought new hope with the complimentary Breakfast Buffet offering quite a selection of Nordic specialties like smoked salmon and a lot of sausages (photo: http://bit.ly/2iD9Dm0). However, the best part of the trip was coming upon the Stockholm Archipelago where the picturesque sight of all the islands meant we were nearing our final destination (photo: http://bit.ly/2kQlEKh). This was a far cry from the dense fog we were escaping when we left Stockholm for Helsinki and couldn't tell where we were headed. Oh look, I think I see Doc and Isaac with the Landers sisters. FOOD - 3 stars...wouldn't really come for the food if that's what draws you to a cruise AMBIANCE - 3 stars...dated but functional SERVICE - 3 stars...barely present...where's Julie McCoy when you need her? TOTAL - 3 stars...really the only way to get from Talinn to Stockholm

My husband and I took the ship Victoria 1 ( Tallink Ferry Company) from Stockholm, Sweden to…read moreTallin, Estonia. It was a delightful surprise, indeed. Taking the trip was like a mini Carnival Cruise Vacation. The ship has a large open ' Sun Deck' on the top (9th level) with chairs and tables complete with entertainment ( singer with guitar) and drinks available for purchase. We spent a long time here enjoying the beautiful Archipelago Islands. Cabins are very similiar to Carnival Line. One difference is the size of the window. Unlike the small round window typically provided on Carnival, the Victoria has a huge window that is perfect to see all the islands and birds ( see photo). There is a lot to do on the ship! The shopping was unbelievable. They have a gigantic store area complete with shopping carts! There is even a casino and disco. I have included a photo of the children's play area. The buffet food selection is so big, we decided to pass and we ate at the grill restaurant ( very nice!). There are TV's in the cabin and all announcements were made in Swedish and English. We didn't hear a sound all night, and slept well. The ship is clean and the crew were all professional. Highly recommend this trip ( bargain for $100!) That lasts 15 hours ( start time was 1700 arrival 1000 next morning)

Stockholm Central Station is HUGE ! Super beautiful and there's so much to see, shop, and explore!…read more If you're like me and forgot to grab snacks or souvenirs before heading home this is a great last stop to pick up treats. Just note things are a bit overpriced, but that's kind of expected in a station like this. One thing that really stood out to me was how friendly and helpful people are. If you ask for help, they genuinely go out of their way, which made navigating way less stressful. Overall, it's pretty easy to find your way, but it's so big that you can def get a little lost. It also has direct access to the subway, which is super convenient. One tip: if you buy the 18-minute ticket to the airport, double check exactly what you're being sold and make sure you keep your copy. The tours & ticket booth (near McDonald's) sold us the wrong ticket and we weren't able to use it nor get refunded, which was really disappointing.

This is the train hub we visit on our trip to Stockholm…read more It's a huge hub with plenty to see, do, and eat while you wait for a train! We didn't take a train during our visit, but we popped into the hub to check it out! They usually have unique dining experiences and shopping, kinda like how we treat malls back home!