The sun gently shining on my face, watching the glittering water from the boat and enjoying a strawberry pastry in the sunshine – that was how I imagined my trip to Vaxholm, one of the biggest islands in the Stockholm Archipelago. But, as Swedish summer sometimes is, the weather seemed not to want to play its expected role. When I arrived at the meeting point in Stockholm city center to start my tour with XperienceSthlm, the weather forecast was not looking too good. Surprisingly, though, it did not matter as much as I had expected, because I learned one thing: Vaxholm is definitely worth a visit, no matter the weather.
At Strömkajen, I met Adam, our German guide, and the two other German-speaking guests. Right from the beginning, I found myself in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, filled with jokes and laughter. While we made our way through the Archipelago on a historical steamship, Adam explained the surrounding areas to us and pointed out important landmarks along the way.
Adam, our tour guide | Historic steam boat at Strömkajen
From time to time, the clouds parted ways and the sun actually came out, transforming the sea into a glittering surface. I was able to spot dozens of little red Swedish houses in between the green, forest-covered islands as we passed by. After around 1 ½ hours, we arrived in Vaxholm and made our way through the charming little streets towards the City Hall (Vaxholms Stadshuset).
This traditional building holds a lot of history and the conference hall is a stunning example of maritime and minimalistic Scandinavian design. Especially the hidden details spread throughout the room caught our attention, and Adam was excited to tell us all about their origins and meanings. Besides the beautiful Stadshuset, Vaxholm’s town center offers many shopping opportunities to discover authentic and unique Swedish souvenirs and clothing.
We then took a stroll through the oldest part of town and came across some of the most beautiful town houses, each one different in its own way. Many were painted in the traditional Falun red, but we also spotted light yellow houses and even a pink and turquoise one. Adam gave us fascinating insights into how life used to be in these small streets and what it was like to live in one of these historic houses.
Traditional Swedish houses in Vaxholm
When we arrived at our idyllic lunch spot by the water, it started to rain – but that was completely fine. We took a seat in the middle of the historic museum section and enjoyed a traditional Swedish meal with köttbullar, potatis and lingon. The rain outside made the atmosphere even cozier and we even had time to enjoy dessert afterwards. The selection of pastries and cakes was incredible, with everything prepared freshly in-house and decorated with fresh berries.
Meatballs for lunch and pastries for dessert
After lunch, Adam introduced us to Vaxholm’s rich military history. Beside its scenic coastal views, the island has played an important strategic role in Sweden’s military past. We discovered old traces of military defense systems in a park and even an old bunker!
By boat, we continued to the fortress located on a separate island in front of Vaxholm, which used to be Stockholm’s most important defense point against the Russians. We explored not only the outer areas, where we could see from which direction the enemy would have approached, but also learned more about the daily lives of the people who once lived and worked inside the fortress walls. Adam highlighted its role as a strategic military location and connected its history well with past and current developments. We even went down into the cellar of the fortress to get a better impression of what life was like between these historic walls in the 1890’s.
View from the fortress island towards Vaxholm
After several hours in the Archipelago, we took the boat back to Stockholm at 16.00 and had some time to reflect on the day. Looking back, I can say that Vaxholm gave me everything I had hoped for – except maybe the completely sunny weather I had imagined at the beginning. But honestly, the changing Swedish weather only added to the experience. Between sparkling moments of sunshine, cozy rain showers, historic streets, beautiful landscapes and fascinating stories, it turned into a truly memorable day in the Stockholm Archipelago.
For every German visitor that is looking for an authentic Swedish experience beyond the city of Stockholm, I can highly recommend this tour. The combination of a scenic boat trip, the charming atmosphere of Vaxholm, delicious traditional food and fascinating insights about the island’s history make this experience much more than just a sightseeing trip. Especially having a German-Speaking guide like Adam made it easy to discover hidden details and really understand the stories behind the destination we visited. If you want a full day to experience the beauty, culture and history of the Stockholm Archipelago in a relaxed and personal way, this trip should definitely be on your Stockholm to-do list.