Top things to do in Stockholm in spring

In Sweden, spring officially starts in April with Walpurgis Night. From this point forwards the season really comes into its own with warmer weather, flowers in bloom and every tree growing green leaves. It is the perfect time to visit Stockholm if you want to avoid the crowds that arrive in the city in summer.

You will be able to enjoy the city as it comes out of hibernation especially the parks and gardens and of course with a tour on the water. These are some of our favourite things to do in Stockholm in spring.

Walpurgis Night (Valborg) is a traditional night of bonfires in Sweden and one of the country's biggest holidays. To join in the local celebrations in Stockholm, a visit to Skansen should be part of your itinerary if you are in the city on 30 April. Here you can attend the biggest Walpurgis celebration in all of Sweden!

Along with a bonfire, there will be singing (you can just hum along). The songs are traditional too, and have been sung at this celebration since 1894. But there is more to celebrate on this day, as it is also the birthday of King Carl XVI Gustaf, so the whole city will be celebrating that event as well!

All over the world the blossoming of cherry blossom trees indicate that spring has arrived, so too in Stockholm. The best place to see cherry blossom trees in Stockholm is the King's Garden (Kungsträdgården), which is situated across the bridge from the Royal Palace and is the most central park in Stockholm. The park hosts over 200 events every year, from festivals to an ice skating rink, is open to the public all the year round.

In August 1998, 63 sakura trees were planted in the park and now each spring, usually in April, everyone in the city can enjoy the lovely light pink to white blossoms and their scent. If you can't find the blossoms on your own, ask a local to point you in the direction of the körsbärsträd, cherry tree in Swedish.

Since Stockholm is made up of numerous islands, it is the ideal destination to explore with a boat tour. For instance, the RED Sightseeing Royal Bridges & Canal Tour, which will take you from Gamla Stan, under the Skeppsholmsbron bridge, with its gilded crown, and around Djurgården. Most of the island is a national park, so your boat tour around it will be filled with nature.

If you want to be more active while exploring the city from the water you can rent a kayak to go exploring on your own or join a kayak tour. A tour can takes around 2 to 4 hours so that a tempo can be chosen that everyone can keep up with. Of course, the tour has a guide who can tell you all sorts of stories about the city, its history, culture and local customs.

Gröna Lund, the country’s oldest amusement park, is beautifully located on the on the southwest corner of Djurgården and opens in late spring ever year. With 30 different rides and countless snack and food stalls, including six restaurants, Gröna Lund is a fun and thrilling experience for young and old. The park also offers other entertaining events such as concerts, children’s days and dance evenings.

Whether you're in the mood for exhilarating rides, such as going upside down on the 34-metre-high Monster Rollercoaster or dashing towards the ground at 100 kilometres per hour from a height of 80 metres on the Giant Drop, taking a ride on the classic Chain Carousel or competing with your family on the bumper cars, this traditional amusement park has something for everyone!

An attraction off the beaten path is the Millesgården sculpture park on the Herserud Cliff on the island of Lidingö. The artists Carl and Olga Milles once planned to build their home including art studios here but along with their success grew their ideas. Today, you can find sculptures in an Italian style garden with terraces and stairways, fountains and columns.

The sculptures include some of Carl Milles most famous works along with original castings and tools in a large art studio. From here you also have a breath-taking view over the Värten inlet towards Stockholm at Millesgården, making it the wonderful location to visit at the beginning of the year. A visit to this garden in spring is a joy.

On the southern coast of Djurgården sits a former royal residence turned museum, where you can see preserved royal common areas as well as art collections and exhibitions. Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde is one of Sweden’s most beautiful art museums. A ticket here will give you access to the mansion, gallery and the surrounding park and gardens.

Throughout the location you can see the art that was collected by Prince Eugen over the course of 60 years, as well as some of his own pieces. The park and gardens cover 70,000 square meters and are surrounded by water on all sides. Amongst the art in the park are Rodin’s The Thinker and several works by Carl Milles.