Ride the metro through Stockholm with the local commuters and become immersed in the culture by participating in typical daily activities. Upon arriving in the T-Centralen station, the main hub of Stockholm’s subway, you will notice that the walls have been painted with stylized flowers and striking leaf creepers. Artists have enhanced more than a dozen stations, making the metro the world’s longest art exhibition. This original artwork is meant to create a calming atmosphere, and it does. Continuing on, you will see that the Stadion station, one of the first cave stations, is painted with a bright rainbow to remind travelers that the sky is close by. From there, you will walk to Östermalmshallen for a snack at the beautiful 19th-century market hall. One more ride on the metro will bring you to Södermalm, perhaps the most bohemian neighborhood in Stockholm. A visit to a supermarket will present yet another glimpse into local life.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Ride the subway through Stockholm for a genuine idea of what it’s like to live there.
• See how local artists have painted the subway stations to enhance their beauty.
• Mingle with the locals in a bohemian neighborhood and at a typical supermarket.

This tour offers you an insight into the lives of the most feared warriors of old times, the famous Vikings, without missing the highlights of Stockholm.

Start with a drive to Stockholm, where you’ll visit Vikingaliv – a museum for the entire family based on historical facts that are presented in an instructive, fun and interactive way.

Ragnfrid’s Saga is an 11-minute-long ride where you are taken on a journey through life in the Viking Age year 963. The trip begins in Frösala Gård, home to Ragnfrid and her husband Harald; then you get to follow them on a journey out in the world.

Visit the exhibition where, based on the latest archaeological and historical findings, you’ll see what the Viking Age might have been like. You can learn about the role of children and women, how people lived, what they cultivated and ate, and how they travelled. You’ll see the impact of the slave trade, looting in the West, and religious practices. You’ll even meet a life-size Viking, created using DNA from bones preserved at the Sigtuna Museum.

In the old town, the historic elegance of the exterior of the imposing Royal Palace contrasts starkly with the narrow, twisting alleys and cobbled stone streets at the foot of the Palace walls. As you wander with your guide, take in the bohemian atmosphere and the sense of age and history in houses, which date from the 15th and 16th centuries, with their baroque doorways and rusting coats of arms. You will see the Great Square (Stortorget) - the hub of the Old Town, on which the Stock Exchange, now the home of the Swedish Academy, stands and the narrowest street – Mårten Trotzigs gränd.

Your guide will also draw your attention to a very specific Viking object that can be found there – a runestone hidden away in one of the buildings. After, enjoy nearly 2 hours of free time for lunch or shopping.

An orientation drive through the city takes you past the Opera House, National Museum, Diplomat Town and the fashionable district of Ostermalm.

Meet your guide and begin with a short panoramic drive of the city. Continue to Gamla Stan, the enchanting, medieval Old Town. You’ll pass the Royal Palace and the dramatic royal theater as you drive to the island of Djurgarden, home of the Vasa Museum. In the Vasa Museum, you’ll see the Swedish warship ‘Vasa’, once considered the pride of Sweden’s navy. The present museum is built around the restored 17th century warship, which sank in Stockholm’s inner harbor on her maiden voyage in 1628.

It was salvaged in 1961 with more than 12,000 objects on board and is one of the most important events in marine archaeology. Continue on your tour to Ostermalm, a fashionable neighborhood of stately apartment buildings, then on to Sergel’s Torg, a square that is the focal point of modern Stockholm. Proceed south past the Parliament Building and the House of Nobility before returning to the pier.

Visit Stockholm’s oldest and coziest quarter, the old town of Gamla Stan. Witness the historic elegance of the exterior of the dominating Royal Palace, and travel through the narrow, twisting alleys and cobblestone streets. You’ll also see Stortorget and the Great Square, the hub of the Old Town, dominated by the old Stock Exchange, today housing the Nobel Museum and the Swedish Academy. Rejoin your coach and continue through the city center and on to the Nordic Hotel in the heart of the city, where the world’s first permanent ice bar is located. The interior is kept at -5° Centigrade all year round. The whole interior, including glasses, is made of pure, clear ice from the Torne River in Northern Sweden.

A complimentary drink in an ice glass will be served and the staff will tell you more about the bar and its construction. After a tasty drink, you’ll drive to Djurgarden, a favorite getaway spot for Stockholm residents. In the Vasa Museum, you’ll see the Swedish warship ‘Vasa’, once considered the pride of Sweden’s navy. The present museum is built around the restored 17th century warship, which sank in Stockholm’s inner harbor on her maiden voyage in 1628. Its salvage in 1961, with more than 12,000 objects on board, is one of the most important events in marine archaeology.

Travel through the city districts of Norrmalm, Ostermalm, and Djurgarden.Pass the enchanting medieval Old Town, “Gamla Stan” with the Royal Palace overlooking Stockholm’s inner harbor. From the historic Island of Riddarholmen, adjacent to the Old Town, you’ll have a stunning view over lake Mälaren and the City Hall. Proceed past the Royal Dramatic Theatre along Strandvägen to the island of Djurgården. The island is home to Stockholm’s amusement and recreation centers, great parks, beautiful gardens, cafés and restaurants.

Here, you’ll also find the Gröna Lund Tivoli, the Skansen Open Air Museum and the well-known Vasa Museum, housing the 17th century warship Vasa. Continue through the Diplomat quarters and through Östermalm, a fashionable neighborhood of stately apartment buildings. On the island of Kungsholmen, you’ll pass the impressive City Hall, renowned for its architecture and site of the annual Nobel Prize before returning to your ship.