Month guide · Stockholm · Sweden
Stockholm in May
What May is really like in Stockholm: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Holger Ellgaard, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Stockholm. Expect average highs of 17°C (63°F), lows of 8°C (46°F), about 6 rainy days and roughly 17 hours of daylight. Light, fresh and often dry, with long evenings; archipelago boats begin fuller schedules.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 17°C (63°F) / 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days
- About 6
- Daylight
- About 17 hours
- Sea temperature
- 9°C (48°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 4th-warmest month in Stockholm: days average 17°C (63°F) against a yearly average high of 12°C (54°F), and nights fall to about 8°C (46°F). Rain falls on roughly 6 of its 31 days. Compared with April (11°C (52°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 21°C (70°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 04:14
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 21:14
- Daylight
- About 17 hours
- Sea
- 9°C (48°F)
Spring (March–May). Wintry March gives way to blossom and longer evenings; by May the city is green and the archipelago boats start running more often.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in June). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- Stockholm Marathon (usually late May or early June)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Museum · Djurgården
Skansen
Take the funicular up from the Hazelius entrance and walk downhill through the park.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
Architecture · Kungsholmen
Stockholm City Hall
Completed in 1923, the red-brick City Hall on the water's edge hosts the Nobel Prize banquet in its Blue Hall each December.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- History
Gallery · Södermalm
Fotografiska
Stay late; it is open into the evening, and the café view is best at sunset.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Views
- Rainy day
- After dark
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Gallery · Skeppsholmen
Moderna Museet
Sweden's museum of modern and contemporary art on the small island of Skeppsholmen holds major works by Picasso, Dalí, Matisse, Duchamp and Warhol, as well as Nordic artists.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
What to pack
For highs near 17°C, lows near 8°C and 6 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Stockholm?
One of the best months to visit Stockholm, with a notable event on the calendar. The other best months are June–September. Compare every month.
Stockholm in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Stockholm?
It is one of the best months to visit Stockholm. Light, fresh and often dry, with long evenings; archipelago boats begin fuller schedules.
+How warm is Stockholm in May?
Average highs are around 17°C (63°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Stockholm in May?
Expect rain on about 6 days of the month.