Norrmalm is Stockholm’s most central and busiest neighborhood. It’s home to the main shopping street, Drottninggatan, and to Stockholm icons like the Sergels Torg glass obelisk, the famous Hay Market with its Carl Milles sculptures, and the Hötorget Skyscrapers, a sight on every other Stockholm postcard. Norrmalm is also home to Sweden’s most traditional department stores Nordiska Kompaniet and Åhléns City juxtaposed with Stockholm’s most modern shopping mall, Mood Stockholm. Visitors to this area get to experience the unique Swedish philosophy of protecting cultural heritage while also staying on top of fashion innovation and modern architecture.

With its high-end shopping facilities and Michelin-starred restaurants, Östermalm is definitely the poshest part of central Stockholm. Here you will find Stockholm’s most majestic residential buildings, a beautiful market hall from 1888 displaying gourmet foods from around the world and the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theatre with its awe-inspiring architecture. At night, legendary nightclubs make the perfect location to observe the natives (and those aspiring to become natives of this exclusive neighborhood) in their natural habitat and to enjoy the latest produce of the Swedish house music scene.

Gamla Stan is Stockholm’s historic old town and home to the Swedish Royal Palace. It’s the most central island of Stockholm and accompanied by the small island of Riddarholmen, mainly known for its famous Riddarholm Church. Gamla Stan tends to be a bit touristy at times but is definitely worth visiting: take a stroll past the well-preserved buildings and through the small (and also Sweden’s narrowest) alleys, which will make you feel like you’ve travelled back in time. This neighborhood offers a great combination of historical buildings and traditional Swedish restaurants.

This rather quiet neighborhood revolves around a postcard-like park with a dramatic fountain in its center and is definitely one of Stockholm’s showcase neighborhoods. Mariatorget, a central residential area, is the best Stockholm has to offer when it comes to juxtaposing architectural masterpieces with sophisticated art galleries, coffee shops and bars. Stockholmers love to spend their weekends in the park or one of the nearby coffee shops, so come to Mariatorget to meet the locals. The northern part of Mariatorget boasts historic buildings, beautiful cobblestone streets, and one of Stockholm’s best observation decks, Monteliusvägen, from where you can see an amazing view of the city hall and Stockholm’s old town.

Throughout the last decades these neighborhoods transformed from a rather quiet residential area into the birthplace of Swedish hipsterism and became Sweden’s main hub for new fashion labels, independent coffee shops and innovative gastropub concepts. Despite their extreme transformation, SoFo (South of Folkungagatan) & Medborgarplatsen managed to hold on to their residential charm and quietness and became one of the most sought-after places to live among young people in Stockholm. This neighborhood is also home to Sweden’s highest student hall, Skrapan, which used to be the head office of the tax authorities and now combines a mix of student hall and shopping mall with a bar on top.