Gamla Stan: Stockholm's Old Town

Five sights, one island, a few minutes’ walk apart. Here’s what each costs, when it’s open in autumn 2026, which days to avoid, and the small rules that trip visitors up: bags, cards, Sundays and cobbles.

When you need this

You’re planning the old-town day of a Stockholm trip and want to know what needs a ticket and what doesn’t. Or you’re checking whether the palace, the cathedral or the Christmas market is actually on when you arrive. It also helps with a wheelchair, a stroller or small children, because the old town is all on foot, and much of it on cobbles.

What Gamla stan is

Gamla stan (“the old town”) is Stockholm’s historic center, on an island in the middle of the city. Visit Sweden, the national tourism board, dates it to the 13th century, though most of its buildings are from the 1600s and 1700s. The streets are narrow, winding and cobbled. Västerlånggatan and Österlånggatan are the two main streets, and Stortorget, the main square, is also Stockholm’s oldest, framed by colorful façades.

One oddity for anyone reading city notices: Gamla stan is run as part of the Södermalm district of the City of Stockholm, together with Södermalm itself, Hammarby Sjöstad, Långholmen and Reimersholme.

Getting there

Take the metro, red or green line, one stop south from T-Centralen to Gamla stan station. Slussen, the next stop, is on the south side. Tap a contactless card at SL’s gate and you have a 75-minute single.

Gamla stan is also where you catch the boat to Djurgården. While Slussen is being rebuilt, the line 82 ferry leaves from a temporary pier on Skeppsbron, about 100 m from Slussen towards the Royal Palace, and your SL ticket is valid on it. Don’t wait at the old Slussen quay.

The sights

The Royal Palace

One ticket covers the Royal Apartments (with the Apartments of the Orders of Chivalry and the Hall of State), the Treasury and the Tre Kronor Museum. The Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) is a separate state museum with its own ticket: 180 kr for adults, free up to 18.

The catch is the King’s official receptions. On those days the Royal Apartments close completely or partly, and in autumn 2026 the whole palace is closed on 29 September and 19 October. The apartments are also closed or partly closed on 12–18 and 20–21 October. Check the palace’s opening-hours page before you buy.

If you need step-free access, the palace’s stair climber must be pre-booked, and guides and assistants enter free.

The changing of the guard

The guard changes in the palace’s Outer Courtyard at 12:15 Monday to Saturday and 13:15 on Sundays and public holidays. It lasts about 40 minutes, it’s free, and the Swedish Armed Forces say times are subject to change, so check their calendar that morning. A good order: the palace opens at 10:00, Storkyrkan at 09:30, so see one of them first and be in the courtyard for the guard.

Storkyrkan

Stockholm’s cathedral, with its main entrance on Trångsund, charges adults 120 kr and seniors 90 kr; under-18s go free, and the audio guide is included. Leave the backpack behind: large bags, suitcases and backpacks are not allowed inside, for security reasons. There is an adapted entrance with a doorbell on the south-east side.

The Nobel Prize Museum

The museum on Stortorget is closed on Mondays. Tickets are sold only at the entrance desk, by card only, with no pre-booking, and a guided tour is included in the fee. Last entry is 15 minutes before closing. The Friday evening opening, to 21:00, is an easy way to fit it in.

Riddarholmen Church

Swedish monarchs are buried here, in what the Royal Court calls Stockholm’s only preserved medieval abbey. It opens only in the summer months, and no dates after September 2026 are published. It may also close occasionally from 17 to 30 September 2026 while its spire is restored. A combined ticket with the Royal Palace costs 270 kr. Out of season, the City Hall Park across the water gives the classic view of Riddarholmen for free.

Free in Gamla stan

• The changing of the guard, every day.
• The Living History Forum (Forum för levande historia) on Stora Nygatan, always free, Monday–Friday 12:00–17:00 and Saturday 12:00–16:00, closed Sundays. It sits near the palace, so it pairs well with the guard.
• Children and teenagers at Storkyrkan (under 18), the Nobel Prize Museum (0–18) and the Royal Armoury (0–18). The palace charges ages 7–17.
• Mårten Trotzigs gränd, Stockholm’s narrowest alley: Visit Sweden puts it at 90 cm at its narrowest point.

For more, see our guide to free museums in Stockholm.

Closed or uncertain in 2026

• The Medieval Museum (Medeltidsmuseet) under Norrbro has closed for relocation, with no reopening date. It now runs city walks and talks in Gamla stan instead. Visit Stockholm’s own Gamla stan page still lists it, so don’t trust a list that does.
• The Stortorget Christmas market is not confirmed. It has been held on the square since 1837 and run by Stockholms-Gillet since 1915. On 3 September 2026 the organiser said police demands for vehicle barriers and paid security made a market unaffordable unless the city covers the security cost. The “22 November–23 December” dates on travel lists are 2025’s. See Christmas markets in Sweden.
• Palace reception days: closed completely on 29 September and 19 October 2026.

Getting around on cobbles

The old town is best on foot, and the side alleys are narrow and cobbled. With a wheelchair or stroller, Visit Stockholm suggests planning your route along Västerlånggatan and around Stortorget. In winter the cobbles get slippery with ice and snow, so wear grippy shoes. Our Stockholm in a wheelchair guide has the palace lift and the metro detail.

Seasons

Practical information

FAQ

Is Gamla stan worth visiting?

Yes, for most first visits. It is Stockholm’s old town, dating to the 13th century, on an island in the middle of the city, with cobblestone streets, the Royal Palace, Storkyrkan and the Nobel Prize Museum within minutes of each other. The changing of the guard is free, and the Medieval Museum, often still listed, has closed.

How do I get to Gamla stan?

Take the metro, red or green line, one stop south from T-Centralen to Gamla stan station; Slussen is the next stop, on the south side. A contactless card tapped at the gate buys a 75-minute SL single. The Djurgården ferry leaves from a temporary pier on Skeppsbron, on the old town’s waterfront.

What time is the changing of the guard in Gamla stan?

At 12:15 Monday to Saturday and 13:15 on Sundays and public holidays, in the Outer Courtyard of the Royal Palace. It lasts about 40 minutes and costs nothing. The Swedish Armed Forces say times are subject to change and publish the day’s calendar, so check it on the morning you go.

How much does the Royal Palace cost in 2026?

Adults pay 240 kr from May to September and 220 kr the rest of the year; children aged 7–17 pay 120 or 110 kr. One ticket covers the Royal Apartments, the Treasury and the Tre Kronor Museum. Adding Riddarholmen Church costs 270 kr in total. The Royal Armoury is a separate museum.

Is the Royal Palace open every day?

Almost. In autumn 2026 it opens daily, 10:00–17:00 in September and 10:00–16:00 from October, but the whole palace is closed on 29 September and 19 October, and the Royal Apartments close on several other days for the King’s official receptions. The dates are on the palace’s opening-hours page.

What is the narrowest street in Gamla stan?

Mårten Trotzigs gränd, Stockholm’s narrowest alley, is 90 cm wide at its narrowest point, according to Visit Sweden, the national tourism board. Like the rest of the old town’s side alleys it is narrow and cobbled, so wheelchair users and strollers should follow Visit Stockholm’s advice and plan their route along Västerlånggatan and around Stortorget.

Is the Gamla stan Christmas market on in 2026?

Not confirmed. The Stortorget market, held since 1837 and run by Stockholms-Gillet since 1915, had published no 2026 dates by late September. On 3 September 2026 the organiser said police demands for vehicle barriers and paid security made a market unaffordable unless the city covers security.

Related guides

• Stockholm travel guide — how the old town fits with the other districts.
• 48 hours in Stockholm — Gamla stan as day 2, after Djurgården.
• Djurgården — the museum island, one ferry ride from Skeppsbron.
• Södermalm — the next island south, across Slussen.
• Fika in Stockholm — how the coffee break works, old town included.

Facts verified 2026-09-25. Sources: Kungliga slotten (the Royal Court), Försvarsmakten, Stockholms domkyrkoförsamling, the Nobel Prize Museum, Visit Sweden, Visit Stockholm, Stockholms stad and SL — full register in this topic’s source file. Hours and prices are the 2026 tables. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.