Shopping · Stockholm · Sweden
Shopping in Stockholm
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Alexandru Baboş Albabos, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Stockholm is a destination for Scandinavian design, fashion and homeware, with high-end shops in Östermalm, independent boutiques on Södermalm and food halls for edible souvenirs. Best souvenirs: Dala horse, Scandinavian design and Swedish sweets.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 5
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Dala horse
Where to shop
Drottninggatan
The long pedestrian shopping street from Gamla Stan's bridges north through Norrmalm.
Biblioteksgatan and Birger Jarlsgatan
Luxury and Swedish fashion brands around Östermalm and Stureplan.
NK department store
Nordiska Kompaniet on Hamngatan, the city's grand department store, with design, fashion and food.
SoFo
Vintage, design and independent fashion shops in the streets south of Folkungagatan on Södermalm.
Strandvägen
Interior-design stores including Svenskt Tenn, known for Josef Frank's printed fabrics.
Markets
Östermalms Saluhall
A historic food hall of fishmongers, delis and counter restaurants.
Hötorgshallen and Hötorget market
An international food hall beneath Hötorget square, with fruit and flower stalls outside.
Christmas markets
Seasonal markets at Skansen and on Stortorget in Gamla Stan in the weeks before Christmas.
What to buy
Dala horse
The red painted wooden horse from the Dalarna region, a symbol of Sweden.
Scandinavian design
Glassware, ceramics, textiles and homeware from design shops and NK.
Swedish sweets
Salty liquorice, chocolate and pick-and-mix sweets from supermarkets and specialist shops.
Cloudberry and lingonberry jam
Jars of Nordic berry jams from food halls and delis.
Wooden butter knives and kitchenware
Hand-carved Swedish wooden utensils from craft and design shops.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Östermalm
Östermalms Saluhall
The red-brick market hall, opened in 1888 and restored in recent years, has fishmongers, butchers, cheese counters and small restaurants serving herring, shrimp sandwiches and Swedish classics.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Free
- Rainy day
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Shrimp sandwich, Semla, Princess cake and Kladdkaka. Cafés, food halls and harbourside restaurants, especially in summer. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Norrmalm | $$$ | The modern centre: Central Station, department stores and Kungsträdgården |
| Östermalm | $$$$ | Elegant boulevards, a historic food hall and the waterfront of Strandvägen |
| Södermalm | $$$ | Hilly island of independent shops, cafés, bars and cliff-top views |
| Kungsholmen | $$ | Residential island west of the centre with the City Hall and lakeside promenades |
| Vasastan | $$$ | Residential grid of cafés, bistros and the Stockholm Public Library north of the centre |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in SEK. Service is included in Swedish prices. Rounding up or adding about 5–10% for good restaurant service is common but entirely optional, and tipping in bars and cafés is not expected.
- Take a queue ticket (nummerlapp) where there is a machine, in pharmacies, bakeries and some shops, and wait for your number.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February; the busiest months are July.
- August: Stockholm Culture Festival — free outdoor events (usually August)
- October: Stockholm Jazz Festival (usually October)
- November: Stockholm International Film Festival (usually November)
- November: Christmas markets open at Skansen and Stortorget (usually late November)
- December: Christmas markets at Skansen and Stortorget (usually until just before Christmas)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and budget
Norrmalm
The modern centre: Central Station, department stores and Kungsträdgården
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Stockholm?
Dala horse, Scandinavian design, Swedish sweets and Cloudberry and lingonberry jam.
+Where is the best shopping in Stockholm?
Drottninggatan: The long pedestrian shopping street from Gamla Stan's bridges north through Norrmalm.
+What are the best markets in Stockholm?
Östermalms Saluhall, Hötorgshallen and Hötorget market and Christmas markets.