9 Best Sights in Stockholm, Sweden

Opened in 2010, this contemporary photography museum housed in a 1906 red brick art nouveau building along the Södermalm waterfront spotlights edgy fine art photography. Past exhibitions have included celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz and director Anton Corbijn.

This glass-covered gondola travels along the along the outer rim of Stockholm's Globe Arena, some 140 yards above the sea. It makes for spectacular views of the city.

Once the city's hay market, this is now a popular gathering place where you're more likely to find apples, pears, and, in summer, to-die-for Swedish strawberries. Crowds come here to meet, gossip, hang out, or pick up goodies from the excellent outdoor fruit-and-vegetable market. Also lining the square are Konserthuset (the Concert Hall), fronted by a magnificent statue by Swedish-American sculptor Carl Milles, the PUB department store, and a multiscreen movie theater, Filmstaden Sergel.

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.

This market square and its neighboring streets represent old, established Stockholm. At the southwestern corner of the square, Östermalms Saluhall looks more like a collection of boutiques than the indoor food market it is; the fish displays can be especially intriguing. From 2016 to 2018, the historic market hall will be undergoing renovation. During this time vendors will operate out of a custom-built temporary hall in the square itself. At the eastern end of the square, Hedvig Eleonora Kyrka, a church with characteristically Swedish faux-marble painting throughout its wooden interior, is the site of frequent lunchtime concerts in spring and summer.

When in session, the Swedish Parliament meets in this Neoclassical building, which was inaugurated in 1905. Above the entrance, the architect placed sculptures of a peasant, a burgher, a clergyman, and a nobleman. Take a tour of the building not only to learn about Swedish government but also to see the art within. In the former First Chamber are murals by Otte Sköld illustrating different periods in the history of Stockholm, and in the current First Chamber a massive tapestry by Elisabet Hasselberg Olsson, Memory of a Landscape, hangs above the podium. An English-language guided tour is the only way to gain admission; tours are first-come, first-served and limited to 28 persons, so arrive early.

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.

The Stockholm City Library is among the most captivating buildings in town. Designed by the famous Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund and completed in 1928, the building's cylindrical, galleried main hall gives it the appearance of a large birthday cake. The collection contains some 500,000 books.

Hidden away over a bookstore, this museum is dedicated to Sweden's most important author and dramatist, August Strindberg (1849–1912), who resided here from 1908 until his death four years later. The interior has been expertly reconstructed with authentic furnishings and other objects, including one of his pens. The museum also houses a library, printing press, and picture archives, and it is the setting for literary, musical, and theatrical events.