Around the Old City of Stockholm – Gamla Stan

Stockholm City in Sweden has lots of things to offer to people, locals and visitors alike. If you want to go on a Stockholm holiday but do not know what to do, there many kinds of things that you could enjoy in Stockholm. There are beautiful tourist spots, picturesque scenery, historical sites, and exciting sports activities that we could all enjoy in this amazing city of Sweden.

Visit the famous old town of Stockholm, the Gamla stan, or what they call as the Old City. Stan came from the word “staden”, which means city. Its name, as stated, stands for the city’s characteristic. It is an old town, dated back in the 13th century, and everything around is contemporary. The streets and the architecture all have classical designs. Currently, about 3000 people are living in this part of the city. This is a very good place to visit if you prefer to enjoy medieval designs than some bright and complex modern sights and structures.

Gamla stan is also where historical events in Stockholm took place including the famous Stockholm Bloodbath. It is historic because of the massacre of Swedish noblemen done through the order of King Christian III, a Danish king. This site in Gamla Stan is called Stotorget. Except for the Stockholm Bloodbath site, the Stockholm Stock Exchange building is also located in this large square in Stockholm. Other architecture and buildings found here in Gamla Stan are the Royal Palace, Noble Museum and Stockholm Cathedral where the statue of St. George and the Dragon was erected. All have contemporary designs especially the Royal Palace which was designed baroque style.

If you want to talk about restaurant hunting then visit Den Glyden Freden. The interiors were not changed. It is still in its original state. It even landed a page in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest restaurant.

The narrow streets in the Old City were made of cobblestones, making it more appealing to tourists. It gives a feeling of being in the old times. There is the tourist street of Vasterlanggatan formerly called Allmanninggatan west wall, which is crowded with tourist shops. These tourists shops sell different kind of items and souvenirs. The street is mostly crowded on summer. There is no dull moment in this street because there are always artists and musicians performing on the streets to entertain people with their amazing acts.

There is the Marten Trotzig Alley which also boasts of rich history. As part of Gamla Stan, it is the narrowest alley in the city. This is where the difference in the ground levels of the Old City is very important. The people in the Old City celebrated the opening of the alley in 1945, since it was closed for almost a century.

After an exhausting stroll around Gamla Stan, head to the Branda Tomten. Branda Tomten is where tourists usually head to take a rest. There are lots of big trees which offer fresh air and shadow for a more comfortable rest. Branda Totem had its name from the history of the place. There was a house which was originally located in that part of Gamla Stan but in 1728, the house was burned down. That is the reason why it is called Branda Totem, “the burnt down estate”.

Estanislao Chapel is the author of Finding the best hotels in Stockholm and maintains a website about Best Hotels Stockholm Sweden.