Which would you pick?

[CAVE MAN]

If you could only choose one, which would you choose, Drottningholm Palace or The Royal Palce? We would love to see the changing of the guards, but we arrive on a Friday on the Rotterdam. From what I have read they don't do it on Friday.

Any suggestions would be so appreciated, Thank you, and blessings, Carlotta

[CintiPam]

Hi, Carlotta, it is the city versus the country experience IMO.

 

This is a quote from the website for the Royal Guards of the Swedish Armed Forces:

"Changing the Guard takes place every day of the year. However the march through the city of Stockholm with military band is usually only during the summer months from May to August." Here is the link:

http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/Organisation/The-Royal-Guards/

 

More trustworthy, Rick Steves' Scandinavia guidebook states: mid-May through mid-September, Monday through Saturday at 11:45, starting at Nybroplan, reaches Palace at 12:15. Are you going off-season? I can add those hours as well if you would like.

 

You can enjoy that ceremony, the various museums of the Royal Palace and a stroll through crowded but evocative old Gamla Stan. Note that the participants change often, a rotated honor among the Swedish military, so it is not the spit and polish you would enjoy elsewhere, such as in London.

 

In contrast, we spent most of one day of our June four-day post-cruise visit to Stockholm at Drottiningholm Palace, including the 45-minute boat ride to and from there (the boats leave right across from City Hall), the English-language guided tour, the guided tour of its jewel of an Opera House and wandering the grounds, including to and from the Chinese Pavilion. The entire experience was very fun and relaxing, a nice break from our intense museum going on our other days in the city. We had a fantastic day on this outing.

If the weather is nice, this truly is a lovely day visiting "Sweden's Versailles".

[marazul]

Carlotta,

 

I agree with CintiPam,

 

if you have only one day, stay in Stockholm - Royal palace, Gamla Stan, Vasa, etc. Plenty to see and do.

 

If you have one more FULL day, go to Drotnningholm. It opens at 10 am and you can easily spend a few hours there. The earliest you could probably get back to the city would be 3 or 3:30 pm. If you get there at 3, walk to the nearby City Hall and take the tour (guided tours only). It is amazing.

 

I assume you are going in the summer since Drottningholm is only open then. If so, there will also be a changing of the guard on Fridays. If you don't have your return tickets yet, plan to stay a couple of nights if you can.

[CAVE MAN]

Good evening, Cinti Pam and marazul,

Thank you so much for your reply. We will be in Stockholm on September 16. Hopefully the 16th will still be considered mid September.

We will try to get to the Vasa Musuem before it opens at 10, see it in an hour. look for a cab to get us to the palace in time for the changing of the guard. And then spend the rest of the time at Gamla Stan. How does that sound?

Thanks again, Carlotta

[marazul]

Good evening, Cinti Pam and marazul,

Thank you so much for your reply. We will be in Stockholm on September 16. Hopefully the 16th will still be considered mid September.

We will try to get to the Vasa Musuem before it opens at 10, see it in an hour. look for a cab to get us to the palace in time for the changing of the guard. And then spend the rest of the time at Gamla Stan. How does that sound?

Thanks again, Carlotta

 

Do not leave the Palace too fast! Take the guided tour of the Palace and don't fail to visit the Armoury (entrance outside the main palace).

http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/To-Do/Attractions/?t=The%2bRoyal%2bArmoury

 

The Gustav III and Tre Kronor museums (also part of the Palace) are not as interesting, so skip those. Then visit the Cathedral and walk around Gamla Stan.

[Ultima Thule]

Sorry to inform you that the change of guard on 16 September will be without any parade through city and without orchestra as seen on this list:

 

http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/upload/Vaktparad%20med%20musik%20w%2026-52.pdf

[marazul]

If you can make it, the guided tours in English of City Hall are at 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. You can only go in with the tour. Get there 20 minutes early to buy your ticket. It is a 15 minute walk from the Palace area. Don't forget, Gamla Stan is just the city streets, so you can walk it anytime. In mid Sept, sunset should be around 7pm

[CintiPam]

Good evening, Cinti Pam and marazul,

Thank you so much for your reply. We will be in Stockholm on September 16. Hopefully the 16th will still be considered mid September.

We will try to get to the Vasa Musuem before it opens at 10, see it in an hour. look for a cab to get us to the palace in time for the changing of the guard. And then spend the rest of the time at Gamla Stan. How does that sound?

Thanks again, Carlotta

 

Definitely start with the amazing, unique Vasa Museum and be prepared to spend at least two hours there. That by far is the top place to visit in Stockholm and something you cannot see anywhere else in the world (although I know the Mary Rose is being prepared for view in 2012 in Portsmouth, England, I believe). You definitely should see the 1/2 hour film, then use 1/2 hour for a tour, and then there is so much else to see there. I even got to sit at a computer and decide how to make the ship sail rather than sink!

 

The Changing of the guard ceremony IMO not worth scheduling your one day in port around it for sure, especially if no music. Also there is a lot of marching around after it as well plus much shooting of guns when we were there in late June.

 

Take a look at the Rick Steves' walking tour of Gamla Stan in either his Stockholm or Scandinavia guidebooks; we thought it did a great job pointing out the highlights of this lovely area.