Stockholm/Östermalm

I live on Sturegatan, so there is some importance in the things I say! – A telephone complaint to Swedish Television. Made in 1966, it later turned to a catchphrase to illustrate the self-image of Östermalm. Ironically, the TV studio is a short walk from Sturegatan.

Östermalm is rich with history. Since Medieval times, the lands were known as Ladugårdslandet ("the barn land"), and consisted of royal farms. With the rise of the Swedish Empire during the 17th century, the area was militarised, with army quarters, and a drill field, Gärdet [ˈjæˈɖet], clear and open until today. In the late 19th century, the bourgeois had palatial residence blocks built along the waterfront, and the name Östermalm came into use. During the 1930s, a part of the drill field gave way to a row of plain, square modernist apartment houses, which came to inspire similar projects around the world.

The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm University, and several smaller seats of learning (Royal College of Music, University of Dance and Circus, Defense Academy etc), are in Norra Djurgården.

The harbour area, consisting of Värtahamnen, Frihamnen and Loudden was built up from the late 19th century. Today the freighters are fewer, and the harbour mostly receives Baltic Sea ferries as well as international cruiseferries. The centre of the Swedish television and motion picture industry, much of it in decommissioned warehouses in the harbour, contributes to the timeless glamour of Östermalm.

Östermalm is easily accessed by different forms of transport, as described in Stockholm#Public transport and on the public transport authority SL's website.

Many cruise ships dock at Värtahamnen [ˈvæʈaˈhamnən] and Frihamnen (if not at Södermalm). The docks are barely within walking distance from the subway station Gärdet. Taxicabs usually line up at the terminal, and as usual in Stockholm, beware of rip-off fares, and check the yellow price tag!

• The red line of the subway has several stations in Östermalm. In the centre of Östermalm is the station Östermalmstorg [østərmalmstˈɔrj] serving the Stureplan [ˈstʉrəˈplɑːn] and Östermalmstorg area of the district.

• The tram Spårväg City [ˈsporˈvɛːg ˈsɪtʏ] runs from the Central Station (Norrmalm) along Strandvägen to Djurgården making it a very scenic way to travel with ease.

Östermalm contains several museums, and other institutions of culture. At Sturegatan and Karlavägen you can find many art galleries. See Stockholm waterfront palace tour for a walking tour along the palatial buildings of Strandvägen.

• 🌍 Swedish History Museum (Historiska Museet), Narvavägen 13-17 (T Karlaplan). May-Sep: daily 10:00-17:00; Oct-Apr: Tu-Su 11:00-17:00 and Th 11:00-20:00. The history of Sweden from the Ice Age (10,000 BC) to present day, with emphasis on the Middle Ages (11th to 16th centuries). The exhibition on the Viking Age was expanded in 2021. In the Gold Room, you'll find gold treasures from the Bronze Age to the 16th century. Free. 
• 🌍 Economy Museum – Royal Coin Cabinet (Ekonomiska museet – Kungliga myntkabinettet), Narvavägen 13-17 (T Karlaplan). May-Sep: daily 10:00-17:00; Oct-Apr: Tu-Su 11:00-17:00 and Th 11:00-20:00. Based on a Royal coin collection, this museum tells the story of money, wealth and financial management. Free. 
• 🌍 Army Museum, Riddargatan 13. Displays the history of war, focused on the rise and fall of the Swedish Empire during the 16th to 18th centuries, followed by Sweden's role in the shade of World War I, World War II in Europe and Cold War Europe. The museum makes a great effort of putting warfare into a broader social context. 
• 🌍 Royal Dramatic Theatre (Dramaten), Nybroplan. Sweden's national stage for spoken-word drama. The building is impressive in its own right. Guided tours in English. 
• 🌍 Berwaldhallen ([ˈbærvaldˈhalən]), Dag Hammarskjölds väg 3. The official concert hall for the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. 
• 🌍 Swedish Performing Arts Museum (Scenkonstmuseet), Sibyllegatan 2. A museum which displays dance, theatre and music from Sweden and other countries. Since 2018, it has an exhibition for Swedish pop music. 
• 🌍 The Royal Mews, Väpnargatan 1. Guided tours and group visits only. 
• 🌍 Lars Bohman Gallery, Karlavägen 9 (within walking distance from T Rådmansgatan or T-Tekniska högskolan). M-F 12:00-18:00, Sa Su 12:00-16:00. A small art gallery. 
• 🌍 Designgalleriet, Odengatan 21. A gallery that displays fashion, arts and crafts. 
• Humlegården. Popular for recreation and sunbathing during the short summer. 
  • 🌍 National Library of Sweden (Kungliga Biblioteket). The library is a national archive and does not lend books. However, the equally beautiful Stockholm Public Library, Stockholms stadsbibliotek (Vasastan), does. 
• 🌍 Environmental obelisks (Miljöobelisker). Since 1994, these obelisks provide a live bar chart of pollution and other parameters for air and water in Stockholm. 

• 🌍 Sturebadet, Sturegallerian 36 (T Östermalmstorg), ☏ +46 8 545 015 00. M-F 06:30-22:00, Sa Su 09:00-19:00. The costliest, and possibly the most beautiful, spa in central Stockholm. For those who can afford it, this place offers luxury in a listed 1880s building (faithfully reconstructed after a fire in 1985). Entrance costs 495 kr (F-Su 595 kr). It includes rented towel, robe and slippers, and entrance to pool, spa-section, gym and saunas. Most spa treatments 540 kr and upwards. 
• 🌍 Brunnsviken ([ˈbrɵnsˈviːkən]). A brackish bay, adjacent to the National City Park. There are several fine beaches, particularly on the eastern side (T Universitetet). Popular with students as it is less than a kilometre from the university's main campus. 

• 🌍 Stockholm Stadium (Stockholms Stadion), Lidingövägen/Vallhallavägen. A red brick stadium with just above 14,000 seats, built for the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. For decades the home of Djurgårdens IF men's soccer team, but in 2013, the women's team of the same club. Also hosts track and field, the Stockholm Marathon, concerts and other events. 
  • DN-galan. The leading track and field event in Sweden, and a part of the IAAF World Athletic Tour, held annually in July in the beautiful Stockholm Olympic Stadium. 
• 🌍 Stockholm Open, Lidingövägen 75. A tennis event on the ATP Tour, held in the Royal Tennis Hall in Östermalm in October, attracting many of the world's finest tennis players. 
• 🌍 Kampementsbadet, Sandhamnsgatan 64. An outdoor swimming pool with a gym, open during summers. 
• 🌍 Östermalms IP, Fiskartorpsvägen 2. An open-air sport park, usually open for the public. Ice skating at winter. In July-August, it hosts the Stockholm Pride festival. 

Stureplan and the surrounding streets have many shopping opportunities for the well-to-do. Of course, most museums have souvenir shops.

• 🌍 Sturegallerian (Main entrance: Stureplan (T Östermalmstorg)). M-F 10:00-19:00, Sa 10:00-18:00, Su 12:00-17:00. Opened in 1989, Sturegallerian is an upmarket shopping mall in central Stockholm, with stores carrying several brands, such as Björn Borg, Marimekko and Bang & Olufsen. Also the home of the upmarket restaurants Sturehof and Tures, and the nightclub Sturecompagniet. 

• 🌍 J Lindeberg, Grev Turegatan 9 (T Östermalmstorg). Straightforward, casual men's wear. 

• Hedengrens bokhandel, Sturegallerian (T Östermalmstorg). A sophisticated bookstore with books in Swedish, English and other languages. They focus more on cultural books than best-sellers. 

• 🌍 Svenskt Tenn, Strandvägen 5 (T Östermalmstorg), ☏ +46 8 617 16 00. M-F 10:00–18:00, Sa 10:00–15:00. A well known store for high-quality Swedish design. 
• 🌍 Kosherian Blecher & Co, Nybrogatan 19 (T Östermalmstorg), ☏ +46 8 663 65 80. M Tu Th 11:00-18:00, W 11:00-21:30, F 09:00-1 hour before Shabbat (shorter opening hours during the summer). Kosherian is Stockholm's only Kosher food store. There are no kosher restaurants in Stockholm, but Kosherian offers catering and can prepare light meals. 
• 🌍 Fältöversten, Karlaplan. A shopping mall with mainstream stores and diners, as well as Östermalms konfektyr, with craft chocolate. 

Dining in Östermalm can be costly, and fast-food and ethnic restaurants that dominate the budget bracket in Stockholm are fewer than in other districts. Östermalm has however many good spots for a picnic, if the weather allows.

• The student unions at KTH (T Tekniska Högskolan) and Stockholm University (T Universitetet) hold pubs on weeknights at various campus locations, except during summer months. If you can read Swedish, you'll find a list at Fester.nu.
  • 🌍 Nymble (KTH Student Union), Drottning Kristinas Väg 19. A student union with regular pubs. 
  • Other pubs are at Konsulatet (Brinellvägen 26A) and T-Centralen (not to be confused with the subway station of the same name).
  • At T-Universitetet is Allhuset and Gröna Villan.

While Östermalm is generally safe, most risks come with nightlife. Drunk violence, pickpocketing and reckless driving can be a nuisance at weekend nights, in particular around Stureplan. Offers for a taxi ride can be for an illegal or overpriced cab; check the price tag in the right window, and the yellow license plate.