Instead of aimlessly running around time – and let’s be honest: this approach never works out well for anyone – read about what presents to get where. And while you’re at it, why not combine your shopping with some fun sightseeing and use it to explore the different parts of Stockholm?
Västerlånggatan, a street that goes through all of Gamla Stan, offers a myriad of boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. Here’s where you find all the Christmas presents you could possibly ask for: Stockholm souvenirs, handcraft shops, and fashion stores with the creations of local designers. It can get pretty busy here during Christmas time, so if you find the crowd overwhelming, do like the Stockholmers and take Stora Nygatan, the street running parallel to Västerlånggatan. While it’s usually a bit quieter here, the store selection is just as good!
And while you’re in Gamla Stan, make sure to swing by the traditional Christmas market on Stortorget, the central square, that’s just a stone’s throw away from Västerlånggatan.
The island Södermalm, Stockholm’s hipster central, offers tons of charming stores with art, design, fashion, and vintage of all kinds. Head to the SoFo area – South of Folkungegatan, a main street on Södermalm – where the large chain stores that you usually find dominating shopping areas everywhere are gloriously absent. Instead, you’re in for a real treat if you’re looking for unique clothes, shoes, jewelry, crafts, and decoration that you just won’t find anywhere else. Here’s also the perfect area to take a break – Södermalm, and especially SoFo, is teeming with cafés and restaurants offering delicious vegetarian, vegan, and eco-friendly options.
If you’re looking for high-end boutiques, then the Östermalm area has your name written all over it. A literal red carpet is rolled out on Biblioteksgatan, the main shopping street, during the month of December which probably says a whole lot about what kind of stores you can expect to find here. Come here to shop for watches, jewelry, and designer fashion from world-famous brands. Should the weather get wet, snowy, and cold – which should perhaps be assumed as a given in Stockholm in the winter – head over to Sturegallerian, an exclusive shopping mall with historical flair located right on Stureplan, the central square in the heart of Östermalm.
The City, the district around the central square Sergels torg and just a short walk away from the central station, is where you’ll find all the big and instantly recognizable chain stores – perfect if you need to get a lot of presents in a short amount of time.
Start by making your way down Drottninggatan (the Queen’s street in Swedish) with its myriad big-brand stores offering shoes, clothes, home décor, and everything in between. Here’s also where you find the popular and famous depart store Åhléns as well as the newly renovated shopping mall Gallerian. Across the street, you’ll find the upscale department store NK, short for Nordiska Kompaniet. Even if you’re just in the mood for some window shopping, this is the perfect place to be: their annual Christmas display in the enormous NK windows has become a great favorite to visit and admire for Stockholmers of all ages. And once you’re here, you’re basically in Östermalm anyway, so why not just also head over there, too?
The best way of traveling between the shopping hotspots is by taking advantage of the flexibility of riding a Hop On – Hop Off bus. As an added bonus, you’ll be able to enjoy some sightseeing and get to know Stockholm while you’re at it.
And if your feet need a longer rest, treat yourself to a Stockholm Panorama sightseeing bus tour. Over the course of a 75-minute tour, you’ll learn all there is to know about Stockholm and enjoy some truly spectacular views over the capital of Sweden.
Turn this year’s Christmas shopping into something that you truly enjoy while you discover Stockholm’s many different sides!
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