A rainy day in Stockholm doesn’t have to be boring: as Scandinavia’s most populous and visited capital, the city offers plenty of places to hide when the skies are grey and the wind picks up – and yes, that is despite the fact that Stockholm is among the greenest cities on earth, with more open spaces and parks than many similar destinations!
If you’re a foodie or a gourmet in training, there are several options to spend a rainy day just eating and drinking your way through a restaurant menu; and if you’re more of a culture aficionado, world-class museums await. Though some might even just want to kick back at the hotel!
The Rival drips with entertainment options on a rainy day in Stockholm
This famous hotel in trendy Södermalm is a sure bet on any day, but when it pours outside, few other addresses could be this well equipped to keep you entertained. On a grey Saturday or Sunday, it’s obligatory to start the day with the Rival’s opulent brunch buffet, where varying foods each week provide plenty of variety; from Japanese sushi to American pancakes…
There’s also the hotel’s very own, large-scale theatre stage. Here, touring artists take to the stage to perform, sing, dance, play and even record podcasts in front of a live audience! For a warming nightcap as it pours outside, try the Rival’s Watson’s Bar and look out for the friendly Jack Russell after whom the bar is named. Nothing like a four-legged companion on a rainy day in Stockholm!
The Royal Palace offers days worth of exploration
This regal abode is so large, you could easily spend an entire day exploring all it has to offer, meanwhile evading the bad weather outside. Stockholm’s ‘Kungligaslottet’ in the old town is spread across some 600 rooms, and although you can’t visit all of them, there’s more than enough to keep you busy.
Start with the impressive Royal Apartments (and a bit of LGBTQ+ history, when you learn about the silver throne…), and descend into the cellar vaults to discover medieval State regalia, or make for Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities. Best of all, if another rainy day in Stockholm awaits, you can always come back for more – this place is full of treasures!
Try the comfort food at cosy Teatergrillen
Is it just us or do grey skies call for culinary treats? When it pours outside, just pour some champagne in response! The elegant Teatergrillen in the Open City’s Östermalm neighbourhood is the perfect place to do so, not least because this atmospherically lit eatery is perhaps the cosiest in all of town!
For some serious comfort food, try the arancini with bean cream, fried kale and hazelnuts, and order double-desserts: between chocolate fondant and apple compote with cardamom ice cream, you won’t be regretting the extra calories! And speaking of which, did we mention Teatergrillen’s 1,500 bottles strong wine menu? Now that’s how you do rainy days in Stockholm.
Pamper yourself all day long at Villa Dagmar
Perhaps the most hotly anticipated new hotel in recent years, Östermalm’s Villa Dagmar has opened with one of Stockholm’s most elaborate spa and wellness areas. When it drizzles outside, book yourself in for a few treatments, work out with a personal trainer or hit the sauna – there’s something for everyone here.
If the weather is starting to get to you, ‘The Healer’ treatment comes highly recommended: aimed at giving your immune system a boost, it’s the ideal antidote to grey skies and supports your body in fighting off a potential cold. Comprising a massage, acupuncture, crystal therapy and a ‘Super Latte’, this treatment might just make you love rainy days in Stockholm!