• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Divergent Travelers

Divergent Travelers

Award-Winning Adventure Travel Blog

CLICK TO OPEN MENUMENU
  • TRAVEL TIPS
    • TRAVEL INSPIRATION
    • HOW TO PLAN A TRIP
    • HOW TO SAVE MONEY FOR TRAVEL
    • CHEAP PLACES TO TRAVEL
    • FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS
    • FIND CHEAP ACCOMMODATION
    • TRAVEL SAFETY TIPS
    • TRAVEL ITINERARIES
    • TRAVEL GEAR GUIDE
    • TRAVEL INSURANCE ADVICE
  • USA TRAVEL
    • USA TRAVEL GUIDE
    • USA NATIONAL PARKS
    • WEST COAST USA
      • ALASKA
      • CALIFORNIA
      • HAWAII
    • MOUNTAIN USA
      • COLORADO
      • MONTANA
      • WYOMING
    • MIDWEST USA
      • MINNESOTA
      • NORTH DAKOTA
      • WISCONSIN
    • NORTHEAST USA
      • NEW YORK
    • SOUTHWEST USA
      • ARIZONA
      • NEVADA
      • UTAH
    • SOUTHEAST USA
      • FLORIDA
      • NORTH CAROLINA
      • VIRGINIA
  • DESTINATIONS
    • WORLDWIDE
    • AFRICA
      • BOTSWANA
      • ETHIOPIA
      • KENYA
      • MALAWI
      • NAMIBIA
      • RWANDA
      • SOUTH AFRICA
      • TANZANIA
      • ZIMBABWE
    • ANTARCTICA
    • ASIA
      • CHINA
      • HONG KONG
      • INDIA
      • KYRGYZSTAN
      • MACAU
      • MALDIVES
      • RUSSIA
      • SOUTH KOREA
      • SRI LANKA
      • TIBET
      • TURKMENISTAN
      • UZBEKISTAN
    • SOUTHEAST ASIA
      • BORNEO
      • CAMBODIA
      • INDONESIA
      • MALAYSIA
      • MYANMAR
      • PHILIPPINES
      • SINGAPORE
      • THAILAND
      • VIETNAM
    • CARIBBEAN
    • CENTRAL AMERICA
    • EUROPE
      • NORDICS
        • DENMARK
        • FINLAND
        • ICELAND
        • NORWAY
        • SWEDEN
      • WESTERN EUROPE
        • BELGIUM
        • ENGLAND
        • FRANCE
        • IRELAND
        • LUXEMBOURG
        • NETHERLANDS
        • SCOTLAND
      • CENTRAL EUROPE
        • CZECH REPUBLIC
        • GERMANY
        • HUNGARY
        • POLAND
      • SOUTHERN EUROPE
        • ITALY
        • SPAIN
      • BALKANS
        • CROATIA
        • GREECE
        • MONTENEGRO
    • MIDDLE EAST
      • EGYPT
      • JORDAN
      • MOROCCO
      • TURKEY
    • NORTH AMERICA
      • CANADA
      • GREENLAND
      • MEXICO
      • UNITED STATES
    • OCEANIA
      • AUSTRALIA
      • EASTER ISLAND
      • FIJI
      • NEW ZEALAND
    • SOUTH AMERICA
      • ARGENTINA
      • BRAZIL
      • CHILE
      • COLOMBIA
      • ECUADOR
      • PERU
      • VENEZUELA
  • TRAVEL STYLES
    • ADVENTURE TRAVEL
    • CRUISING
    • CULTURAL
    • HIKING TRIPS
    • KAYAKING
    • POLAR EXPEDITIONS
    • ROAD TRIPS
    • TROPICAL DESTINATIONS
    • WILDLIFE EXPERIENCES
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • MASTER GOPRO PHOTOGRAPHY
    • BEST GOPRO ACCESSORIES
    • BEST CAMERA ACCESSORIES
    • BEST DRONES FOR TRAVEL
    • BEST TRAVEL TRIPOD
    • OUR PHOTO GEAR
  • ABOUT
    • MEET LINA & DAVID
    • WORK WITH US
    • CONTACT

Roof Top Tour in Stockholm: A City Adventure

You are here: Home / Europe Travel / Roof Top Tour in Stockholm: A City Adventure

By Lina Stock on September 11, 2016 • Last updated November 23, 2020 • 5 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our Disclosure here

It can be difficult to seek thrills when you’re traveling within cities unless you leave the city limits. Some cities don’t even offer adventure options to explore, so getting a good rush in can take some work and planning. That said, some cities do a good job of incorporating in some adventure activities, whether they be soft or not, to have on offer for those that seek a bit more than a walking tour on their visit. In Sweden, it was the rooftop tour in Stockholm.

I wasted no time signing up for and taking advantage of the hair-raising rooftop tour in Stockholm to check out the views. Not only would it be offering some great photography vantage points, but it would also provide a chance to get the blood pumping which turned out to be a welcomed thing after over a month of touring around Europe with not enough adventure.

Stockholm turned out to be one of the most photogenic cities we have been to and being able to take to the roofs of the city was a highlight from our 2 months in Europe this summer.

Roof Top Tour in Stockholm

After signing up for the tour I did no research about what was involved in the activity. So when I arrived at the meeting point that morning, I was going in blind. The activity leader gave us a quick briefing in the square outside of the building on Riddarholmen and then led us into the Old Parliament Building where we began our ascent to the top via the winding staircase.

Upon reaching the top, we were led inside a small room that resembled an attic space. It was dark and cluttered where the climbing harnesses, safety equipment, and helmets hung on the wall. To one side were lockers to store your personal belongings, to the other side a series of benches.

We were kitted up with equipment and given a safety briefing. They explained to us how the mechanics of our harness would work and how we should use it to navigate the rooftop lines smoothly and without interruption. Then just like that, they opened a small door and we all climbed the steps, one by one, into the light and onto the rood of the building.

Roof Top Tour in Stockholm

On a Roof Top Tour in Stockholm

I have to admit, it is completely different than I had imagined when I signed up. I had envisioned a tour that was led across the rooftops along secured walkways with safety railings.

What I actually signed up for was a rooftop tour in Stockholm that involved safety harnesses, tethers, lead tracks and a narrow metal foot track with no railings along the spines of the Old Parliament building.

While I think some people would have been terrified at that revelation, I was elated. Our summer in Europe has been wonderful, but pretty void of any good adrenaline options due to our schedule.

The prospect of balancing across these walking paths, despite being tethered, was going to be a thrill for me. So, one by one, we were hooked to the safety line and sent along the first short section to a platform to begin our tour.

Roof Top Tour in Stockholm

The track itself snaked around the top of the building, climbing at parts onto other parts of the building and then descending. As we navigated the route, I found it difficult at times to get my tether to follow efficiently behind me.

This caused me to have hang-ups while walking on the track. I didn’t find it scary, just annoying because I wasn’t able to walk continuously and look around. I had to focus on the tether line and freeing it each time it got stuck.

I thought maybe it was just me and I wasn’t lining up the tethered head correctly, but as the tour continued everyone experienced similar hang-ups. You’d have to re-position yourself to make the tether track smoothly, which posed a problem sometimes when there were no handrails to hang on to. Sometimes I ended up using my foot to gently guide the tether forward and free it from being hung up.

Roof Top Tour in Stockholm

From the top, we were rewarded with 360-degree views of Stockholm accompanied by excellent commentary from our activity guide about the history of the city. She even told us some funny stories and got us involved by quizzing us before providing answers on the facts.

At the end of the tour, we all gathered on the last platform and took turns taking pictures of each other with the fabulous city of Stockholm in the background. The rooftop tour in Stockholm did not disappoint, providing fantastic views, a balance challenge and a little adrenaline to top it all off.

Roof Top Tour in Stockholm

Tips for the Stockholm Roof Top Tour

After experiencing this activity, I think it is only fair that I pass on some tips to those of you who are considering this tour on your next visit to Stockholm.

Are you afraid of heights? This tour is not for the faint of heart or anybody that experiences vertigo. There are no handrails when you are on the rooftop and you need to be able to maintain composure and balance for the duration of the tour. If you are scared of heights or experience vertigo, I do not recommend that you take this tour.

Make sure your tether is straight: When you are getting your harness on and connecting your tether in the attic room, make sure your tether is straight. If not, you will have a twist in it and this will make it hard to lead the tether during the tour.

Roof Top Tour in Stockholm

Bring along a camera strap: If you want to take pictures from the rooftop, you will have to secure your camera to your body. This means you need a long, cross-body type strap. Yes, even for your point and shoot. They do not allow wrist straps. They do provide cell phone pouches with a neck strap so you can bring your phone if you like.

Wear long sleeves and long pants: Even at the height of summer, Stockholm brings a cool wind. When you get up above the city, there are no obstructions and the wind will be howling at you. Be prepared for this by dressing in long pants and bringing a long sleeve shirt.

Above all, enjoy the experience, it’s a spectacular one.

Looking for a Place to Stay in Stockholm?

We can recommend the Hotel Birger Jarl as the perfect base during your stay in Stockholm. The hotel is located just a 3-minute walk to the closest metro station that will connect you with the whole of Stockholm. Hotel Birger Jarl offers modern rooms with free WIFI and a large breakfast buffet with loads of selections. Amenities of the hotel include a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, a lobby bar with a fireplace and a fitness center.  Check reviews and prices at Hotel Birger Jarl to plan your stay in Stockholm.

Wonder how much it cost to visit Stockholm, Sweden. Check out, Stockholm in the Summer on a Strong U.S. Dollar.


More on Europe:

  • 15 Spectacular Things to Do in Stockholm
  • Taking the Ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki
  • When is the Best Time to Visit Europe 
  • Your Guide For Doing Laundry While Traveling
  • Ultimate Guide to Eurail Pass Train Travel in Europe
  • Travel Insurance- Do You Really Need It?
  • Ultimate Travel Photography Gear List
  • Best Drones For Travel From A Real Drone User

Travel Insurance: We use for Allianz for travel insurance and have since our first trip to Mexico in 2003. They’ve been there for us on our adventures – and many friends and readers – multiple times over! If you want to book with Allianz Travel Insurance, simply use this link to get their travel insurance!

Disclaimer: We were hosted by Takvandring on this rooftop tour in Stockholm while attending TBEX Europe, the world’s largest travel blogging conference.

If you liked this post, pin it!

rooftopstockholm

Article by Lina Stock

Lina is an award-winning photographer and writer that has been exploring the world since 2001. She has traveled to 100 countries on all 7 continents.

Member: SATW, NATJA, ATTA, ITWA

8shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Trip Planning Resources

TRAVEL GEAR & PACKING
Check out our packing lists and  travel gear guide to ensure you’re bringing the right items on your trip.

BOOK YOUR FLIGHT
Ready to fly? We use Skyscanner to compare prices and book flights. You should also check out our tips for finding cheap flights.

CAR RENTAL
We use Discover Cars to compare car prices, find deals and book rentals.

FIND ACCOMMODATION
Compare prices and book with our custom-built hotel search engine. You should also check out our tips for finding cheap accommodation.

TRY OUT AIRBNB
Get a discount with AirBNB and learn how to maximize your savings with up to $100 in discounts.

PROTECT YOUR TRIP
Don’t forget your travel insurance! Protect your investment and yourself. Read Is Travel Insurance Worth It?

Divergent Travelers - Adventure Travel Blog

Disclosure: In accordance with FTC guidelines, we disclose that we may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize links located throughout the content on this site. Some posts might be sponsored to support this blog.
Divergent Travelers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Len McCluskey says

    September 19, 2016 at 5:02 AM

    Great photos! I believe that all the Scandinavian countries should be on every traveler’s list. They’re full of amazing landscapes and landmarks. I was in Stockholm last year in late September and it was mind-blowing. The colors were exquisite.

    Reply
    • Lina says

      September 19, 2016 at 12:47 PM

      Yes, for sure! I can see that being a beautiful time of the year to visit Scandinavia.

      Reply
  2. NataszaM says

    September 15, 2016 at 9:18 AM

    I saw it once in tv program about travelling. And when I will be in Stockholm Im sure Im gonna go for it too 😉

    Reply
  3. Veronika says

    September 14, 2016 at 9:45 AM

    Hey Lina, you wrote about our experience really well! And beautiful photos btw! See you perhaps in the Philippines 🙂

    Reply
    • Lina says

      September 15, 2016 at 4:49 PM

      Thanks Veronika! Glad you like the photos. 🙂 Yes! We will be in the Philippines for TBEX, see you there!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hello & Welcome to Divergent Travelers

Divergent Travelers - Adventure Travel Blog

We are David & Lina Stock, a married couple from NW Wisconsin who have been traveling together since 2001. We’ve visited nearly 100 countries on all 7 continents. You can learn more about us here.

Looking for something?

AirBNB coupon

Latest Posts

  • What To Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand (18 Amazing Attractions, Festivals & Food)
  • How to Plan the Ultimate Alaska Bear Camp Adventure in Lake Clark National Park
  • 24 Amazing Malaysia Attractions You Cannot Miss
  • Tips for Hiking the Queens Garden Trail in Bryce Canyon
  • Tips for Hiking the Navajo Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park

Divergent Travelers

About · Blog · Press · Contact
Privacy Policy · Disclosure · Terms

CONNECT WITH US!

© 2021 Copyright · All Rights Reserved · Divergent Travel Media, LLC