Your Next Solo Trip Should Be to Sweden—Here’s How to Do it on a Budget

This summer, I was lucky enough to take an incredible solo trip to Gothenburg and Stockholm, Sweden, and never once needed to call a taxi or take an Uber. Stockholm is very famously the capital of Sweden, while Gothenburg is the second largest city in the country, with so much to see and do on its own.

Getting used to traveling on your own is one of the best ways to reduce travel anxiety in general. Over the past few years, I’ve ventured out more on my own than ever before, and, as a result, I’ve seen some incredible places, met some incredible people, and now, going to the airport and catching a flight doesn’t keep me up tossing and turning the night before. Traveling is a skill, and traveling solo takes that skill to the next level.

In my opinion, there’s nowhere better for solo travel than Sweden, especially if you’re a woman. Here’s everything I did on my solo trip to Sverige, including how I got around seamlessly as a solo traveler.

Gothenburg, Sweden

I took the airport shuttle bus from Gothenburg airport to City Centre, which cost about $12.45. If you get lost or want to confirm your destination, the bus driver was super helpful and knowledgable, so don’t hesitate to ask questions. Once I arrived in city center, I took the tram to my hotel (Jarntorget stop). Wherever you’re staying, Google Maps works to show which tram line you should take for wherever you’re going.

Stay at: Clarion Drake Hotel

I stayed at the Clarion Drake hotel which is now an official landmark in Gothenburg, Sweden. Since it offers 34 floors, your room is bound to have an incredible view of Gothenburg city. Room rates typically go for around $150 per night, which is super affordable for a solo stay. Plus, the breakfast that’s included in the morning will save you a meal and includes a full room buffet spread of traditional Swedish breakfast items, plus, well, anything you can think of. It made starting the day a breeze so I could get out and see the sights.

Things to Do:

One of the best things to do in any city is walk around and see where it takes you, but make sure to carve out time for these three activities.

• World of Volvo: A must-see for any car lover. They have cars on display that span the nearly 100 years Volvo has been around.
• Gothenburg Museum of Art: This was one of my favorite Gothenburg activities. You can view paintings from Carl Larsson, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, and many more. I’d suggest a guided tour so you know what you’re looking at.
• Day trip to the Gothenburg Archipelago: If you were to just do one activity in Gothenburg, this should be it. You can easily tram to the ferry that takes you to the archipelago islands, where you can take a guided tour about how to cook with seaweed, eat a traditional Swedish lunch at Isbolaget (you can also stay the night here; it’s a hotel), and do a proper Swedish sauna in the ocean at Kajkanten Vrango (where I stayed).

Where to Eat/Drink in Gothenburg

• Feskekôrka: Come to Feskekôrka for the history and architecture as well as the delicious fish-forward menu. Gothenburg locals recognize this spot as a landmark in the city and a gorgeous structure designed by Swedish architect Victor von Gegerfelt in 1874. This was one of the best seafood meals I’ve ever had. The name translates into English as the “fish church.”
• Sago: Sago is an Izakaya restaurant made with Swedish ingredients. The tasting menu was incredible.
• Swedish Fika: Make sure to make time for Swedish Fika. This is the traditional Swedish practice of taking a coffee and pastry break. I stopped by a few cafes along my journey for Swedish cinnamon rolls that kept me going as I got my steps in throughout the city. Try Cafe Husaren or Cafe Agnes.
• Wine Mechanics: For wine lovers, make sure check out the Swedish wine scene where you can sip on locally produced wines and grab a bite to eat.

Stockholm, Sweden

Easily catch a three-hour train from Gothenburg to Stockholm for the next leg of your trip. The views are immaculate, and there are gratis light refreshments on board (America could never!).

Stay at Hobo Hotel in Downtown

I stayed at the Hobo Hotel in city center, which made it super easy to catch any tram or the subway to check out the underground art (more on that later!). There are also restaurants and cafe’s attached to the hotel and an expansive breakfast spread, which is optionally included. If you want breakfast included, a room will run around $220 per night. Otherwise, it’s $192.

Things to Do:

• Visit Gamla Stan: Gamla Stan is the Old Town neighborhood of Stockholm. I’d recommend going on a walking tour, so you can understand the area more and stop by the Royal Palace to see the changing of the guards (it’s a party!). There are so many shops and restaurants to stop into.
• Go to Sodermalm: This is the young, cool neighborhood of Stockholm. And of course, everything is easily accessible by train or tram. My favorite part of visiting Sodermalm was stopping by shops like Green Little Heart, which only sells sustainable/recycled clothing and clean beauty products (I picked up a recycled jacket and vegan nail polish!), and Stockholms Stadmission (thrift meets vintage). There’s actually a vintage store collective called Slow Fashion Hub, which provides a map for tourists to easily spot all of the vintage stores in their collective.
• Vasa Museum: There are so many museums located in one area of Stockholm, making it super easy to see a few in one day. The Abba museum is super popular, but I wasn’t interested, so instead, I visited the Vasa Museum that houses a preserved ship from the 1600s and the incredible story behind its wreckage.
• See the subway art: Check out this guide here, but the underground scenes are definitely worth seeing on your visit.

Where to Eat:

• Grab Swedish meatballs at casual spots like: The Hairy Pig or Movitz Pub & Restaurang
• Tak: Tak has Nordic and Japanese fusion food, which was delicious, and I ended up sitting next to a man who did a study abroad year at my neighboring high school in San Antonio, Texas! What are the odds?

If you want to cross another European country off of your destination bucket list, Sweden has to be on your list for the new year. You won’t have to worry about renting a car or expensive Ubers here, and as a solo traveler, I felt safe the entire time, even on public transportation. Hopefully this guide will help you plan out your next 2025 adventure.