I’ll admit, it never occurred to me that visiting metro stations might be considered a ‘worthy’ activity for any travel itinerary. Stockholm is a wonderful city (especially in the summer), but even on a sunny day, it’s worth taking a peek at some of the amazing metro art in Stockholm underground stations.
The Stockholm metro is considered to be one of the world’s longest art galleries and almost all of the stations feature some type of art installation. Did you know? Over 240 artists contributed to the artwork in the Stockholm metro. Many of the stations have even won awards for the work! Check out my list below for the 6 best metro stations to visit in Stockholm for metro art. I’ve also added a few fun tips for Stockholm to make the most of your trip (including where to find the best Swedish cinnamon roll, you’re welcome).
1. T-Centralen Station | Blue Line: T-Centralen is Stockholm’s main and busiest metro hub. It’s also one of the most popular ‘metro photo spots’ so get there early if you can (but make sure to avoid weekday rush hour). This was one of my favorite stations to visit – the blue and beige floral patterns were absolutely gorgeous!
TIP: Close to both T-Centralen and Kungsträdgården stations is Gamla Stan, also known as Stockholm’s medieval ‘Old Town’. It’s a tourist hot-spot but definitely worth checking out. Filled with shops, bars, and cafes, it’s the perfect place to wander for an afternoon. Stortorget is the historic square in the city, and is main focal point in Gamla Stan.
2. Kungsträdgården Station | Blue Line: Kungsträdgården station is designed to represent one of Stockholm’s oldest public parks. Painted in hues of green, white, and red – the station references the old French formal garden near the station. If you’re interested in visiting this station, make sure to bring a camera that works well in low-light as this particular stop is quite dark.
TIP: If the weather is nice, visit the Skansen Open Air Museum where you can stroll through traditional Swedish-style homes and observe wild Nordic animals. It’s a great family-friendly activity (we enjoyed it too!), and is close to the Vasa Museum where you can see a massive old Viking ship.
3. Stadion Station | Red Line: Hands down my favorite station to visit in Stockholm, but that’s just because I want everything to be in rainbow colors. Stadion was one of the first ‘cave-like’ stations. At first, the concept of a ‘cave station’ was disliked by the public, so the artists painted a blue sky with rainbows to remind people of the blue sky above ground.
TIP: Close to Stadion Station is one of my favorite brunch spots in Stockholm: Pom & Flora! Featuring yummy acai bowls, yogurt with granola, bagels, and fancy toast, it’s a great place to start the day healthy!
4. Tekniska Högskolan Station | Red Line: This award winning station is based on the theme of scientific advancement and discovery. When you’re there, try to spot the installations that represent Pluto’s five elements: fire, water, air, earth, and ether.
TIP: No trip to Stockholm is complete without having a Swedish cinnamon roll. Practice the art of Swedish fika (enjoying a nice leisurely afternoon coffee/snack with family and friends) and check out my two favorites: Fabrique Bakery and Lillebrors Bageri.
5. Solna Centrum Station | Blue Line: We didn’t actually get to visit Solna Centrum because the station is the furthest out of the 6 listed here. If you have some extra time, I hear it’s worth visiting for the bright red decor. The red and green design is meant to illustrate a controversial political debate in the 70s around the importance of environmental protection.
TIP: Visit Sodermalm, a trendy and up-and-coming district featuring fashionable boutiques, restaurants, and bars.
6. Morby Centrum Station | Red Line: The walls of Morby Centrum change color depending on where you’re standing (meant to represent the changing landscape of any journey). I loved the pale pink hues of this station – so fun and happy!
TIP: For an affordable but delicious dinner spot, check out Meatballs for the People. Not only do they serve traditional Swedish meatballs (when in Sweden right?), you can mix-and-match and try a variety of more exotic types (deer, duck, lamb, you name it). Meatball offerings change daily.
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You wrote a very interesting article about special interiours of some metro stations in Stockholm.
Perhaps, our navigation system for the metro of Stockholm could be interesting as well for those who like to visit these stations.
https://www.metrocazar.com/stockholm/