If you think Sweden is only for skiing and winter vacations, think again! Stockholm and its accompanying archipelago is a beautiful summer island-hopping destination for those who long for warm (but not hot) weather, a place rich with history and embraced by nature, great food, friendly people, and summer days that stretch well into the night.
With 30,000 islands and islets, the Stockholm archipelago has a lot to offer and someone could easily spend months exploring it with a boat. Much of the nature in the archipelago remains untouched. Still, about 200 islands are inhabited and offer quaint historical towns, and dirt roads and trails perfect for biking and hiking. The shorelines are varied and feature smooth rocks, sharp cliffs, and sandy beaches to bask in the sun, enjoy a picnic, or swim.
From the ripe local strawberries to the comfortably cool but unbelievably light summer nights and the lush green vegetation surrounding you everywhere, there is something special and almost fairytale-like about a Swedish summer. You will soon learn about the lifelong memories that are inevitably created here.
Because Sweden is so far north in the hemisphere, the sun only settles for a few hours every night in the summer. The long days and short nights add magic to your experience in this romantic northern gem. Enjoy a late sunset after dinner and watch as the night finally settles over the landscape only for the sun to rise again a few hours after midnight.
Don’t be deterred by the northern location though: the Gulf Stream, which travels from Florida through the Atlantic Ocean and past the west coast of Norway, ensures a mild climate (with warm summers) despite the high latitude. In July, daytime temperatures can reach up to 77°F (25°C).
Without further ado, let’s explore all the unexpected wonders of this interesting destination from historical treasures and quaint colorful towns to untouched nature and rich wildlife.
Begin your journey by leaving our base in Lidingö and sailing to Vaxholm, the “capital” of the Stockholm archipelago. With several connecting ferry lines, Vaxholm is a hub for travelers in Stockholm and its surrounding islands.
Vaxholm invites you to walk the cobblestone streets, stop by the quaint little shops and boutiques, admire the old pastel-colored houses, enjoy a meal at a family-owned restaurant, or opt for a traditional “fika” (coffee and something sweet to eat) at a local cafe.
Make a trip to the Vaxholm Fortress, an impressive old castle from 1544, located on a separate islet but very close to Vaxholm. It was built under King Gustav Vasa with an important task: to defend Stockholm from incoming marine traffic and has done so for centuries. Unfortunately, the fortress has been demolished and rebuilt since the 16th century. Today it houses a museum, an escape room, a hotel, and a conference center.
Nearby, Bogesund Island offers hiking trails immersed in nature and another historical castle, Bogesund Castle.
Continue to the island of Grinda, known for its natural charm, farm animals, wildlife, and hospitality. Grinda is also a natural reserve with plenty of trails to hike. Kayaking is another popular activity, with the surrounding nature and wildlife a part of the main attraction.
The farm, Grinda Gård, offers the sight of farm animals including chickens, sheep, horses, and cows grazing in their natural habitat. Venturing into the surrounding trails you may find foxes, deer, and a variety of birds among other wild animals.
In the Guest Harbor, you will find a restaurant with seating on a wooden deck, overlooking the water, serving a variety of dishes with a traditional touch including fish burgers, smoked coldwater shrimp, and pizzas to name a few.
Furusund offers plenty of islets and skerries for anchoring, swimming, kayaking, and simply relaxing. Once you step ashore on Furusund, this quiet inhabited island in the northern part of the archipelago, will greet you with the typical archipelago charm, old houses, its fair share of history, and lush green nature.
For a taste of fine dining, the Furusund Värdshus, a local hotel with a renowned restaurant, is a great choice. To admire the untouched nature, there are plenty of nearby paths and roads for walking or biking and kayak rentals for those who prefer to travel on the water.
Close to the guest harbor, in Ålandsviken, is a runestone depicting a compass illustration, the oldest one found in Northern Europe. It is dated back to 1463. Around the compass are several illustrations, among them a royal crown and a weapon shield.
Southeast of the runestone, a bit further inland is an old red mill from 1722 with a peculiar history. In the 1800s, the mill started serving as a storage unit for theater props, but it was forgotten and the key was lost. In the 1930s, someone decided to break into the mill and found statuettes of the famous Swedish musician Carl Michael Bellman and King Gustav III, a theater-loving Swedish king from the late 1700s who was murdered at a masquerade ball. The collection also included hundreds of statues in plaster, death skulls, and masks.
Finnhamn is a popular island for day trips. It consists of three smaller islets: Stora Jolpan, Idholmen, and Lilla Jolpan. Located in the northern part of the archipelago, Finnhamn is a perfect place to immerse yourself in the magical nature of the Stockholm archipelago. Kayaks, rowing boats, and paddleboards are all available to rent. On Idholmen, a farmer’s market sells organic locally harvested vegetables, fresh organic eggs, and homemade jams.
If you want to enjoy the sun and maybe go for a swim, Finnhamn boasts plenty of bathing sites including beaches and smooth cliffs to soak up some rays. Perhaps go for ice cream or hike the trails to further explore the island. There are many ways to enjoy the long hours of daylight here.
Sail southeast from Finnhamn to your next two stops, Möja and Ostholmen. Peaceful and idyllic are two words to accurately describe these islands in the east part of the archipelago. Möja is the larger of the two and it’s hard to miss as it's one of the biggest islands in the Stockholm archipelago.
The gravel roads winding through the forest landscapes on Möja are perfect to explore on a bicycle, which, as always, are available to rent. So are kayaks, if you want to explore the nearby coves and skerries.
Less populated than some other islands, Möja is an ideal destination to immerse yourself in the untouched nature of the many natural reserves, which has remained more or less the same for centuries. Nature lets you truly get a glimpse into the past, and imagine the human populations that lived here as far back as the Viking era.
Speaking of nature and wildlife, seals tend to stay in the outskirts of the archipelago close to the Baltic Sea, so if you go a little further east from Möja, you have a chance to spot them in the skerries.
If you are in the mood for seafood, you are in luck on Möja as Wikströms Fisk, one of the most famous fish restaurants in Sweden is located here.
Ostholmen is particularly popular among boating people as there are many good places to moor. The island is known for its shoreline with cliffs and rocks. People come here to swim, relax, picnic, and explore on land. Picking berries and fishing are two other popular activities on both Möja and Ostholmen. Ostholmen also offers a popular sauna free of charge, but you may have to reserve a spot in advance.
Sandhamn is one of the more populated islands in the Stockholm archipelago and it’s also one of the more popular, especially during the summer months. While the island only has a hundred permanent residents, the population increases to 2000-3000 in the summer.
Sandhamn is home to the Royal Swedish Yacht Club and hosts the most prestigious sailing race in the Baltic Sea, the “Round Gotland Race”, which makes the island particularly popular among sailors.
While Sandhamn has been inhabited for hundreds of years, many of the buildings on the island are post-World War II wooden summer cottages or log houses from the early 20th century. Some buildings are more modern, particularly the shops, bakeries, tavernas, and cafes in the harbor. You will notice the common theme of the red-painted cottages with white gables, which is a traditional Swedish villa look. The red paint itself has a long history in Sweden and was mentioned as early as the 16th century. In the 18th century, the production picked up and it became the go-to paint for housebuilders all over the country.
Wrap up your sailing vacation with a nightlife scene of buzzing restaurants with outdoor seating and cozy little cafes in the vibrant coastal town of Sandhamn.
Make your way back to Lidingö for disembarkation and checkout.
We recommend spending a day or more in Stockholm before or after your sailing vacation in the archipelago. If you choose to do so, this article will give you inspiration about things to do.
Check in at our base in Lidingö, Stockholm, and sail to your first stop on the itinerary. Napoleonviken, which translates to Napoleon Bay, is a natural harbor on Ägnö, a rocky island with plenty of cliffs. The bay likely got its name after Napoleon Bonaparte’s son visited the island in the mid-19th century.
The island is a natural reserve that makes for a scenic and peaceful first stop on your sailing journey. With some luck, you may even spot seals here. Barbecuing, relaxing on the rocks, berry picking and fishing are among the most popular activities on Ägnö.
Your second stop offers one of the most picturesque scenes of the Swedish Baltic coast and is not an island but part of the mainland of Sweden.
Nynäshamn marks a historical destination with several runestones throughout the area that date back to the Viking Age. Nynäshamn is also known for its variety of family-owned cafes, restaurants, and shops, including a candy store and ice cream shops. Walking the scenic coastal road or playing disc golf or regular golf at local courses are great ways to enjoy the natural beauty of this area.
On the outskirts of the southern part of the archipelago, the large island Utö offers the best of Swedish summer. Rent bicycles to explore on land and travel on the winding dirt roads and trails that make their way across the island, or rent kayaks to explore coves and beaches along the coastline. You will find plenty of bathing sites reachable both on a bicycle or from the water.
On Utö you will also find the oldest iron mines in Sweden dating back to the 1100s and a museum to learn more about their history. A bit further inland is an old red wooden mill that is also worth a visit.
Besides beautiful nature, Utö offers restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and shops, some open year-round and some only in the summer. The nearby island Ålö is connected to Utö with a bridge and provides additional options for dining, for example, the seasonal restaurant Båtshaket where seafood and other dishes are served on a wooden terrace overlooking the water.
Travel northeast to the postcard-perfect island of Biskopsön (Bishop Island) in the eastern outskirts of the archipelago. The island is a natural reserve with rich wildlife including grey seals, fallow deer, and many bird species.
For the nature lover, this is the place to be. You will find lots of hiking trails in the forests on the island winding their way up on hills, down through thick green forests, and past coastal lookout points where rocks slope down into the water below. The fallow deer are so used to the humans that you can get fairly close to them before they run away.
Nämdö consists of a large group of islands, islets, and skerries in the central part of the archipelago. It offers a great place to watch sea eagles and grey seals at play in their natural habitats. There is no shortage of places for swimming, diving from the rocks, and relaxing in the sun.
The largest island is also called Nämdö and has a little town where you can step ashore and walk the streets among the red-painted houses. This peaceful and idyllic island also has plenty of farms and a simple neo-gothic white wooden church from the 1800s in a beautiful fairytale-like environment.
Wrap up your sailing boat rental vacation in Sweden with this picturesque town. Saltsjöbaden is part of the Swedish mainland and is well-connected with public transportation to Stockholm. It was originally developed as a vacation resort for the wealthy. The seaside town has a couple of luxury hotels, the most notable being Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden, a huge white seaside palace, with architecture inspired by the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. It’s easy to imagine the Holywood stars, royals, and wealthy families of times gone by spending their vacations here or attending fancy balls and dinners at the hotel's many halls and dining rooms.
For those who appreciate art or architecture, make a visit to the Grünewaldvillan, a villa with scenic views over the water that hosts events year-round and art exhibitions in its gallery.
Saltsjöbaden is also just a nice place to go for a walk and enjoy a traditional fika or a meal at the many different restaurants, There are several sandy beaches, which are great for kids to enjoy and just to have fun in the sun. The marina also offers plenty of amenities for those who come by boat.
Make your way back to Lidingö for disembarkation and checkout.
We recommend spending a day or more in Stockholm before or after your sailing vacation in the archipelago. If you choose to do so, this article will give you inspiration about things to do.
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