Palaces in Stockholm

From the baroque Royal Palace in the heart of the old town to a summer residence set in greenery – Stockholm's palaces trace the story of the Swedish crown. We've put together six worth visiting, plus the freely accessible parks around them and a look at what you can realistically combine in a single day.

The six palaces at a glance

Right in the middle of Gamla Stan stands the Royal Palace (Kungliga slottet), the official royal residence with over 600 rooms, the Treasury and a daily changing of the guard. The royal family actually lives, though, at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Drottningholm Palace on Lake Mälaren, with its baroque garden, an original 18th-century palace theatre and the China Pavilion – a scenic boat trip away in summer. Quieter still is the royal palace of Ulriksdal on Edsviken, with its Orangery Museum and the rococo Confidencen theatre. On Djurgården sits the small Empire-style pleasure palace of Rosendal, open only in summer and only by guided tour.

Then there are two historic buildings that aren't royal residences at all: the House of Nobility, Riddarhuset, built in 1660 and home to some 2,300 noble coats of arms, and – strictly speaking not a palace at all but Stockholm's working town hall – Stockholm City Hall on the waterfront, venue for the annual Nobel Banquet.

Admission, free parks and combined tickets

No palace interior is completely free to enter. The finest outdoor areas are, though: the baroque garden at Drottningholm and the palace park at Ulriksdal (part of the Royal National City Park) are free year-round, as is the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace (Mon–Sat 12:15, Sun and public holidays 13:15) and the waterside exterior of Stockholm City Hall.

Fixed prices apply to the interiors (as of 2026, adults): Royal Palace 220 SEK in low season, 240 SEK in high season (May–September); Drottningholm 170 SEK; Ulriksdal 140 SEK (Orangery Museum separately 65 SEK); Rosendal 140 SEK including a guided tour; Riddarhuset 60 SEK (card or Swish only, no cash); the Stockholm City Hall tour 150 SEK, the tower separately 100 SEK (June–August only). There is no city-wide palace pass. Combined tickets exist only in pairs, per site: Royal Palace plus Riddarholmen Church 270 SEK, Drottningholm plus the China Pavilion 250 SEK. If you're planning to see several royal palaces, the annual pass from Kungliga slotten is the best option at 500 SEK, valid for all of them.

Tips for visiting

You don't need to tick off all six for a palace-themed day out – one or two is enough. Drottningholm is a half-day trip in its own right (3 to 4 hours including travel time, reachable by boat in summer from 245 SEK). The Royal Palace in Gamla Stan takes around 1.5 to 2 hours and pairs neatly with the changing of the guard at 12:15. Ulriksdal and Rosendal make for quiet day trips and summer destinations – Rosendal opens only from June to August. Plan around the short opening window at Riddarhuset (weekdays 11:00–12:00, summer 10:00–13:00).