This predominantly residential area of Stockholm is peppered with local restaurants and vintage shops. From summer picnics to winter ice skating, the cosy north-central district of Vasatan, which borders the posher neighbourhood of Ostermalm, is a year-round delight.
Vasastan is most appealing to art and architecture fans. The circular form of the Stockholm Public Library, designed in 1928 by Swedish architect Erik Gunnar Asplund, dominates the main stretch of Odengatan. Perched above is the cliffside Stockholm Observatory, accompanied by a museum and café. Meanwhile, Hudiksvallsgatan has become a hub for contemporary art galleries. Natalia Goldin, Brandstrom, and Andrehn-Schiptjenko are all worth a look, but for volume, there’s no beating Bonniers Konsthall, opened in 2005 to display the best of Swedish and international modern art. Other points of interest include Bellevue Park, the home of children’s book author Astrid Lindgren, and neo-Baroque church Gustaf Vasa Kyrkja.
Stockholm’s commuter rail train stops at the Karlberg station. The rest of the area can be explored on foot without much difficulty.
Originally called Vasastaden, after the street Vasagatan which honoured King Gustav Vasa, this populous neighbourhood dates to the late 19th century. Its development in this period gave it the distinctive character visitors now praise with wide streets and Neo-Renaissance facades.