Gamla Stan DIY?

[pappy3393]

Does anyone know of a a good DIY walking tour and map for Gamla Stan?

[TLCOhio]

Does anyone know of a a good DIY walking tour and map for Gamla Stan?

 

Our experience was that the Gamia Stan is fairly compact and easy to just . . . WALK AROUND . . . wander, see and enjoy the sights, shops, architecture. A guide might be nice, but we didn't feel it was that needed. Another nice thing about Gamia Stan is that you explore it early in the am before some of the key places might open at 10 am. Depending on when you ship arrives and/or if you are staying there overnight after finishing your cruise, that early am walking time can be great. Below are a few of my visuals for this wonderful area that is close to the water, Royal Palace, Changing of the Guard, etc. Great outdoor options there in this charming area.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 60,049 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

From the harbor in Stockholm, here is a view of the Royal Palace, the historic Saint Nicolaus Church, or as commonly known Storkyrkan. To the left in the picture is where the historic Gamia Stan area starts.:

 

 

 

There are many outside dining options in Gamla Stan or “old town” area.

 

 

 

Here's a statute you will see as you walk around in the Gamia Stan area.:

 

 

 

In the heart of Stockholm’s historic old city with many outdoor dining places:

 

[suncityga]

Does anyone know of a a good DIY walking tour and map for Gamla Stan?

 

Two Gamla Stan walking tours with maps... National Geographics' and Frommer's.

 

Maybe destination experts or previous visitors to Gamla Stan can comment on how to adjust.

 

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/stockholm-walking-tour-1/

 

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/stockholm/0066020033.html

[CathyK2]

Suncity, I have to admit that I was just going to wander, but both of these walking tours are great. I'm printing them both out and will make comparisons by focusing on what sounds most interesting from both. Thank you for sharing. We plan to go to the Vasa museum first but then spend the rest of our time here. Thanks again for sharing.

 

Cathy

[TLCOhio]

Suncity, I have to admit that I was just going to wander, but both of these walking tours are great. I'm printing them both out and will make comparisons by focusing on what sounds most interesting from both. Thank you for sharing. We plan to go to the Vasa museum first but then spend the rest of our time here. Thanks again for sharing. Cathy

 

Great walking tour options have been posted. Consider, also, that around mid-day, there will be, next door, the "Changing of the Guard" at the Royal Palace. Very interesting. Large band, interesting uniforms, etc. We stumbled onto this option and loved it. Below are some of my visuals for this activity, etc. YES! Doing the Vasa is a wonderful idea to do early, first. It's a can't miss experience.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 60,049 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 57,071 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

At Stockholm’s Royal Palace, the changing of the guard was one of our highlights from visiting this historic capital in Sweden. Loved this part of our visit.:

 

 

 

While at the Stockholm’s Royal Palace, the changing of the guard involves this large band with their unique helmets:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the brick interior of the Saint Nicolaus Church, or as commonly known Storkyrkan. It is the oldest church in the historic Gamla Stan or “old town” area.

 

 

 

At the Vasa Museum with this large salvaged ship from the 1600’s. This is their website: http://vasamuseet.se/en/ Taking almost two years (1626-1627) to build Vasa, carpenters, sawyers, smiths, ropelayers, sailmakers, painters, carvers, gun carriage makers and other specialists struggled to complete the navy’s great, new ship. The king, Gustav II Adolf, visited the shipyard to inspect the work. With a hull built of more than a thousand oak trees with 64 cannon, masts over 50 meters high and hundreds of painted and gilded sculptures, this was a spectacular ship. BUT, it was too heavy and sunk sailing out from the harbor.:

 

 

 

[Ultima Thule]

Two videos:

 

 

 

 

Also, I notice with interest that Gamla Stan streets now have been added to Google maps. Just click on the picture (or move the small yellow figure to a blue line on the map) to start walking around:

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=sv&ll=59.326773,18.068728&spn=0.002427,0.008256&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=59.326465,18.068767&panoid=T_2goyGyUigdGA2KH5UYQg&cbp=12,192.15,,0,0.53

[suncityga]

Suncity, I have to admit that I was just going to wander, but both of these walking tours are great. I'm printing them both out and will make comparisons by focusing on what sounds most interesting from both. Thank you for sharing. We plan to go to the Vasa museum first but then spend the rest of our time here. Thanks again for sharing.

 

Cathy

 

You are welcome.

 

Many have helped me with their sharing... CC is about paying it forward.

[CintiPam]

I highly recommend the walking tour of Gamla Stan supplied by Rick Steves in his Scandinavia guidebook. (His walking tour of Tallinn is worthwhile using as well.)

 

His practical transportation information, museum tours and walking tours for European countries are wonderful IMO. I just wish he would expand beyond Europe; his Istanbul book is great, but I want more.:)

[StPetersburgPort]

Just pick the map a the port and walk around - you wouldn't need any tours and even guidelines to enjoy Gamla Stan

[Harriet1910]

Agree with TLCOhio and StPetersburgPort. All that I’ve heard or read or seen on Google maps proves that the Old Town in Stockholm is very compact and suitable for a nice independent walk.

[Giantfan13]

We found Stockholm to be our favorite city on this cruise, and Gamla Stan was a good part of that. We simply fell in love with this section of the city. The narrow, cobblestone streets are just made for exploring. The 'main drag' is full of tourists that you are literally bumping into people, but go a block or two off this street, and you could be in another world, as there may be no one on this particular street.

We spent several hours exploring this area,and we found some lovely shops, selling not your average souvenir type things. This entire section is jsut made to wander about, finding hidden treasures. Forget history for a few hours as the rest of the Baltics is teeming with history. but in Gamla Stan, just relax, wander about, find a nice shop and speak to the people who work there, find a little resaurant to have some lunch, stop in a pastry shop for some of the most wonderful desserts you will ever eat. Walk down to the water and sit for a while, taking in that you are really in Stockholm and having a marvelous time. If there is one city we want to return to, Stockholm is it.

 

Here are a few more pixs of this wonderful section, Gamla Stan

The main street in Gamla Stan, with many wonderful shops and mucho people

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster1275.jpg

 

But go a block or two away and this is what you get

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1270.jpg

 

Find a lovely little restaurant and have some lunch

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1288.jpg

 

You may want to visit the Nobel Museum, right in the heart of Gamla Stan

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1272.jpg

 

You should also try and see the Changing of the Guard ceremony. it takes about an hour, but you can leave whenever you like. It take place at the Palace which is at the very start of Gamla Stan

http://s834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/?action=view&current=europemaster1366.mp4

 

Or just wander down to the harbor area where you can sit and relax for a spell

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster1318.jpg

 

Really, no need for any sort of tour of this just wonderful section of Stockholm.

 

Cheers

 

Len