8 Best Sights in Djurgården, Stockholm

Smaller than Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens or Göteborg's Liseberg, this amusement park has managed to retain much of its historical charm, while making room for modern, hair-raising rides among the pleasure gardens, amusement arcades, and restaurants. If you're feeling especially daring, try the Giant Drop (Fritt Fall). At more than 250 feet, it's one of the best ways to see Stockholm, albeit for about three seconds, before you plummet at 10 feet per second. There isn't an adult who grew up in Stockholm who can't remember the annual excitement of Gröna Lund's April opening. Go and you will see why. Major Swedish and international artists perform on the open-air stage in the heart of the park during the height of the summer.

This gorgeous slice of greenery is a perfect place to spend a few hours on a late summer afternoon. When the weather's nice, people flock to the garden café, which is in one of the greenhouses, to enjoy tasty pastries and salads made from the locally grown vegetables. Pick your own flowers from the vast flower beds (paying by weight), stroll through the creative garden displays, or take away produce from the farm shop.

The warship Vasa sank just minutes into its maiden voyage in 1628, consigned to a watery grave until it was raised from the seabed in 1961. Its hull was preserved by the Baltic mud, free of the shipworms (really clams) that can eat through timbers. Now largely restored to her former glory (however short-lived it may have been), the man-of-war resides in a handsome museum. The sheer size of this cannon-laden hulk inspires awe and fear in equal measure. The political history of the world might have been different had she made it out of harbor.

Stockholm celebrates the country's most famous musical export with this attraction exploring the phenomenon of ABBA. The crowds of visitors are a testament to the group's enduring global popularity more than three decades after its split. Exhibits trace ABBA's history from its early days and international breakthrough at the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest to the group's breakup and legacy. Outlandish stage costumes and other original memorabilia make for entertaining displays, but even more fun are the various interactive stations where you can try your hand at recording vocals, dancing like your favorite ABBA avatar, or performing onstage with holograms of the band members. Timed tickets should be bought online in advance (admission can be higher for busier periods).

In this storybook house you travel in small carriages through the world of children's book writer Astrid Lindgren, creator of the irrepressible character Pippi Longstocking, among others. Lindgren's tales come alive as various scenes are revealed. Parents can enjoy a welcome moment of rest after the mini-train ride as the children lose themselves in the near-life-size model of Pippi Longstocking's house. It's perfect for children ages five and up.

Inside an imposing late-Victorian structure, the Nordic Museum holds exhibits on many aspects of Swedish life, including trends, traditions, clothing, costumes, folk arts, and the culture of the Sami (pronounced sah-mee)—the formerly seminomadic reindeer herders who inhabit the far north. Families with children should visit the delightful "village life" play area on the ground floor.

The world's first open-air museum, Skansen was founded in 1891 by philologist and ethnographer Artur Hazelius, who is buried here. Drawing from all parts of the country, he preserved examples of traditional Swedish architecture, including farmhouses, windmills, barns, a working glassblower's hut, and churches. Not only is Skansen a delightful trip out of time in the center of a modern city, but it also provides insight into the life and culture of Sweden's various regions. In addition, the park has a zoo of Nordic animals, carnival area, aquarium (additional entrance fee), theater, and cafés.

Dedicated to alcohol and Sweden's relationship with it, this museum comes with tasting rooms, a bar, and a restaurant as well as permanent exhibits that include "Sweden: Spirits of a Nation," which passes through the seasons of the year via scenes, scents, and sounds—all while explaining how alcohol is produced.