For Photographers: Best views of Stockholm for photos
Lola A. Åkerström shares some of the best views of Stockholm for photographers looking for vantage points.
For a super photogenic city like Stockholm where you’re no more than a 10-minute walk from some waterfront, finding nice vantage points for taking photos isn’t too hard. There are dozens of postcard perfect viewing points for panoramic views of Stockholm in all directions.
Here are just a handful of them.
Monteliusvägen
To escape crowds and get some fresh air, you can stroll along Söder Mälarstrand on secluded Monteliusvägen (Montelius road) with marvelous views of Lake Mälaren, Gamla stan, Riddarholmen and the City Hall on Kungsholmen. Despite ongoing construction in the area, you’ll still enjoy some of the best panoramic views of Stockholm.
The 416m walking path begins at Kattgränd on the west and ends at Skolgränd on the east. Along the way, there are terraces, park benches and picnic tables, making it easy to stop and enjoy the view.
Fåfängan
Hike uphill to Fåfängan and enjoy a cup of coffee and pastries while looking across to Djurgården and Gröna lund.
Fåfängan means “vanity” in Swedish, and the name couldn’t be more appropriate for this restaurant’s prime location, making it one of my favorite joints in town. Located on its very own hill in the northeastern corner of Södermalm, there’s about a 10-12 minute near-vertical trek uphill – reminiscent of summiting Mt. Everest to me – to get up to the restaurant.
Whenever I’m there digging into thick seafood stew or fresh gravad lax with potatoes, and taking in sweet views of Djurgården park across the bay and amusement park Gröna Lund, climbing up to get there becomes a long lost memory.
Stadshuset
Located on Kungsholmen, Stadhuset is home to municipal and governmental offices as well as conference and ceremonial halls. But as you walk through its arches to the waterfront, you get a fabulous eye-level view of Riddarholmen. Since Stadshuset is located on Kungsholmen, you can stroll along its beautiful waterfront walkways for views of Södermalm too.
Katarinahissen
From Slussen, go 38 metres up Katarinahissen (Katarina Elevator) for the ultimate bird’s eye view of Gamla Stan, Lake Mälaren, and some of Stockholm’s islands. You can also walk down elevated street Katarinavägen for stunning eye-level views of Gamla stan.
Djurgårdsbron and paths around Djurgården
To explore Djurgården, rent a bike right next to Djurgårdsbron – the bridge that connects the island to the rest of the city – and leisurely cycle its 10km circumference to get some panoramic eye-level views of various waterfronts around the city. For that postcard perfect view of Östermalm district in Stockholm, stand halfway along the bridge and look towards Östermalm.
Skeppsholmen
Similar to Djurgården, a stroll around the island of Skeppsholmen will show you some beautiful eye-level views of Södermalm and Östermalm.
Kaknäs TV Tower
For one of the best (and highest views of Stockholm), head over to Kaknäs TV Tower and the observation desk at the top of the 155m (508ft) tower.
You can stop by Fjällgatans kaffestuga to dig into some blueberry-raspberry pie topped with vanilla ice-cream and some hot chocolate. Located on historical Fjällgatan and tucked away in a corner, this little outdoor coffee cottage (kaffestuga) has some impressive views overlooking Stockholm Harbor towards Djurgården. In fact, a walk along Fjällgatan itself unveils some spectacular views looking towards Gamla stan and Djurgården.
Bredablick at Skansen
Historic open air museum Skansen itself is worth exploring but at its top is a red brick tower called Bredablick which can be seen from parts of the city. The tower was built in 1876 even before Skansen existed. Bredablick is 30 meters high and stands at 45 meters above sea level with an observation deck at its top for panoramic views of Djurgården and other islands
Skinnarviksberget
Skinnarviksberget located on Södermalm is Stockholm’s highest natural vantage point with an extensive panoramic view of the city and Riddarfjärden.
SkyView at Globen
If you don’t mind the glass globe protecting you from falling out, this glass gondola takes you to the very top of Globen (The Globe Area) for 360 degree views of Stockholm.
Globen itself is the world’s largest spherical building and the view from the top is 130 meters above sea level.
Västerbron
Västerbron is a popular bridge that links Stockholm’s islands of Södermalm and Kungsholmen and due to its height, it has one of the best vantage points with panoramic views over the city so walking over the bridge is well worth it.
For photography inspiration
Once you’re done, why not head over to Fotografiska for some of the hottest photography exhibitions in town. Opened in 2010, this contemporary photography museum remains Stockholm’s darling of museums.
It is located in a 1906 red-brick art nouveau-style industrial building with 2,500 square meters of exhibition space. Past exhibitions include select photos from the VII Photo Agency, works by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz, and a slew of Scandinavian photographers.
Do you have a favorite view of Stockholm for photography? Please share some more best views of Stockholm with us below.