Stockholm Round-Trip Across Swedish History
6 nights from kr1228
4.14Dive into the awe-inspiring scenery of the largest Swedish Archipelago
Stockholm is surrounded by the island chain of the Stockholm archipelago in Sweden, making it one of the most scenic Scandinavian landscapes to cycle around. This bike tour follows along one of Sweden's largest lakes. You'll ride through exciting and varied scenery, always accompanied by either one of the countless lakes or the sea which will never leave your side.
This tour also ventures through Södermanland, locally Sörmland meaning Land of the Southern Men. Södermanland is one of Sweden's 25 provinces, and sits between the Baltic Sea to the southeast and Lake Mälaren to the north. Its terrain is mostly flat with lots of lakes.
Learn about Swedish history from Viking times until today! It will not cease to amaze you how many interesting things there are to explore, from Drottningholm Palace and the great number of parks in Stockholm to smaller towns such as Mariefred and Trosa and the idyllic vastness of Sweden.
Photos © Henrik Trygg and Visit Sweden.
Enjoyable Cycle Trip Through Rural Sweden
“This trip was well designed to expose the rider to rural Sweden as well as some historical highlights. The length and hilliness of the individual segments allowed for five good…” Full Review
“This trip was well designed to expose the rider to rural Sweden as well as some historical highlights. The length and hilliness of the individual segments allowed for five good days’ worth of cycling, yet left enough in the tank to enjoy the evenings. The accommodations were comfortable and accessible to a number of dinner options. Breakfasts were mostly quite good. There routing via online map was excellent but for one minor glitch described below..
There were a couple of areas which need some improvement.
1. On the routes of two of the days, there were short sections where the roads were paved with extremely coarse gravel, which made cycling very difficult, especially for less powerful riders.
2. On the first day, there were well-placed lunch options in Ekerö which would be useful if put in the description.
3. The condition of several of the front bags was poor.
4. The route outlined in the phone app directed riders over the main road as it entered Trosa; the bike route was visible on the electronic map as well as the paper map, but those following the highlighted route would follow it over a busy road..
5. Cyclists would be well warned that the elevators in the Tumba station are very tight for e-bikes.
Overall, we enjoyed the trip immensely, and would recommend it to anyone who asked.” Less
—David H
Peddling in Paradise!
“A wonderful way to experience a slice of Sweden. Each day was a new adventure. Castles, cabins, fika , beautiful scenery and people filled our days. Each night we had a very…” Full Review
“A wonderful way to experience a slice of Sweden. Each day was a new adventure. Castles, cabins, fika , beautiful scenery and people filled our days. Each night we had a very different and wonderful accommodation. We enjoyed a nature reserve , a boutique hotel and a wonderful hotel in Stockholm city. Cycling through southern Sweden was a trip of a life time!” Less
—Kimberly Geritz
Gorgeous scenery and very fun tour
“This was my first self-guided bike tour, and I was traveling alone. The experience cycling in the countryside and through the smaller cities in Sweden was incredible. Because the…” Full Review
“This was my first self-guided bike tour, and I was traveling alone. The experience cycling in the countryside and through the smaller cities in Sweden was incredible. Because the tour leaves once each week, most days I was able to enjoy breakfast and short sections of the route with others on my trip. I made a friend out of one of the other solo travelers, and we ended up cycling together the last few days! Sweden is astounding--the rolling terrain, agriculture, and architecture were exactly what I needed on this trip. Everything felt cozy and welcoming to me. The tour documents recommended lunch stops or places to enjoy fika (breaks for coffee and cake!) for each day. Accommodations were terrific as well. I was able to use the turn-by-turn directions, maps, and GPS unit with no issues.” Less
—RachelB
Daily Program
Day 1: Arrival in Stockholm
Take your first stroll through Sweden’s capital and explore some of the many sights and tourist attractions.
Overnight in Stockholm.
Day 2: Stockholm – Vaxholm
19 miles/30 km + 2 ferries
After breakfast your tour begins by crossing the green island of Djurgården and along the coast to Djursholm. You will continue by ferry to the Bogesund nature reserve. Along the route, don't miss a stop to view Bogesund Castle. Vaxholm, the capital city of the archipelago, is awaiting you with its grand fortress from the 16th century.
Overnight in Vaxholm.
Day 3: Vaxholm – Värmdö
22-25 miles/35-40 km + 2 ferries
In the morning, another ferry takes you to the island of Rindö where you will explore before another ferry ride to Värmdö. Once you arrive, be sure to visit the 14th century stone church which features a magnificent altar and paintings by the well-known painter Bernt Notke.
Overnight in Värmdö.
Day 4: Värmdö – Sandhamn – Värmdö
16 miles/25 km
Today also starts with a ferry ride (approx. 2 hours). You the summer paradise island of Sandhamn. The island is lined with small streets where you will cycle past bright summer villas and find nice places to stop for a rest. Return on the same ferry.
Overnight in Värmdö.
Day 5: Värmdö – Saltsjöbaden
34 miles/55 km
Via Fågelbrolandet you will continue to Gustavsberg. Make sure to visit the Artipelag, a modern art museum with impressive art and sculptures on approx. 10,000m². After crossing the Skurusund Bridge for a photo stop, you will arrive in Saltsjöbaden, your overnight destination. This idyllic small town is a popular local recreation area.
Overnight in Saltsjöbaden.
Day 6: Saltsjöbaden – Stockholm
22 miles/35 km
On your last day of cycling you pass along wonderful coastal paths as well as a nature reserve on your way to Erstavik. You will continue onward to the world cultural heritage site of Skogskyrkogården (woodland cemetery), an impressive blend of architecture with the cultural landscape. A few more kilometers later you are back in Stockholm again.
Overnight in Stockholm
Day 7: Departure or optional extension
After breakfast, your tour ends. We are happy to book extra days for you.
Hotels
These are sample hotels and may vary by availability.
Stockholm: Hotel Birger Jarl
Vaxholm: Waxholms Hotell Vaxholm
Värmdö: Hotel Fågelbrohus Värmdö
Saltsjöbaden: Hotel Vår Gård Saltsjöbaden
Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.
Bikes
Standard Bike
A solid, easy wheeling and sturdy trekking bike which can be recommended to every guest with good conscience. Modern V-breaks, aluminium-rims, and almost indestructible tires ensure high duration. The heart of each bicycle is a modern, high-resistant aluminium frame. Traffic safety is guaranteed by lighting system, carrier, mudguard and comfortable saddle.
Unisex frame 21-gears with free wheel:
Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 43 cm
Men’s speed bikes 21-gears with free wheel and crossbar
Sizes: 64 / 60 / 56 "slopping" cm
Specifications on standard bikes
- Modern, high-resistant aluminum frame
- V-brakes
- Aluminium-rims
- Reliable tires, which ensure high duration
- Shimano Alivio derailleur on 21-speed
- Selle Royal Saddles
*Posture for 21-speed standard bikes will be upright for comfort
Premium bike
The premium bike is equipped with upgraded components, and with a dark varnish a true eye-catcher. The sportive attitude with 27 speed Shimano Deore XT guarantees highest comfort on the tour. Hydraulic Magura brakes HS 11 and a high-quality suspension fork from Suntour are only some of numerous advantages. Truly the proper choice for those who are looking for high quality with a sportive design.
Upgraded components on 27-speed standard bikes
- Hydraulic Magura HS 11 brakes
- Shimano Deore XT derailleur on 27-speed
- High-quality Suntour suspension fork
*Posture for 27-speed upgraded standard bikes will be upright and forward
Gravel bike
The gravel bike is manufactured especially for us by the bike manufacturer MAXX from Rosenheim. The lightweight yet durable frame construction ensures an agile ride, while the tyres provide optimum grip and comfort on a variety of surfaces.
Frame & Geometry
Men’s frame
Comfortable gravel geometry for a fast ride
6061-T6 aluminium diamond frame
High-quality carbon fork
Gravel handlebars (wider and more flared than racing handlebars)
Available Frame Sizes (Men’s)
S: 155–166 cm → 44 cm
M: 166–173 cm → 48 cm
L: 173–181 cm → 52 cm
XL: 181–188 cm → 56 cm
XXL: 188–196 cm → 60 cm
Drivetrain & Components
SRAM Apex gear system, 1 x 12 gears
(front chainring: 40 teeth, rear sprockets: 11–50 teeth)Hydraulic disc brakes from SRAM
Internally routed wires/cables
Wheels & Tyres
Wheels from Miche
Schwalbe G-One gravel tyres (suitable for asphalt, unpaved roads, or off-road)
Saddle & Accessories
Selle Italia gel saddle
Weight approx. 11.5 kg
Bottle cage
Vaude Trailsaddle for day luggage*
Puncture kit with air pump, spare inner tube, and small repair kit
Electrically-assisted bike
Pedelec, unisex frame
A Pedelec is an electric bike which assists with electric support only when pedalling. Composed on the basis of KTM-bikes, this bike is more than adequate for the routes. The bike is easy to handle as you have a good weight distribution and a low balance point. Overall weight amounts to approx. 23 kg. An illuminated LCD display, a computer and a wattage display add to the comfort. You cycle with 28 inch-bikes, three different modes guarantee a maximum fun of cycling.
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Accessories
Bikes will be equipped with the following at no additional charge:
- Saddlebag (water-repellent), rear
- Handlebar bag (water-repellent), with clear cover on top for easy map viewing (not for gravel bike)
- Tools
- Repair kit (with extra bicycle tube)
- Pump
- Combination lock
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals. Toe cages are not available to rent.
Seats:
If you plan to bring your own seat, please make sure it will be compatible with a 27.2 to 31.4 mm seat post. If necessary, you may also need to bring your own adapter. The tour company will assist in switching the seat post for you.
Helmets:
Helmets are not included with the bike rentals. You can buy or rent a helmet from the tour company (check the extra options in the pricing chart). You must let us know your helmet preference upon booking. If you do not rent or buy a helmet through the tour company, we recommend you bring your own.
Bike Protection:
Included with the rental
Surface and terrain
Stockholm offers well-maintained cycling paths and gravel roads as well as forest tracks and side roads. Outside the city we designed the route with an aim to minimize traffic. The route is flat to slightly hilly.
How to get there
Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Stockholm/Arlanda (ARN)
For air travel, we recommend Stockholm/Arlanda Airport. Regularly scheduled buses (Flygbuss) or trains (Arlanda Express) will take you from here to Stockholm Central Station.
Nearest train station: Stockholm
Tips on getting to and from your tour
Reviews
- ★★★★★ David H.
Stockholm Round Trip July 2025
The route was generally good although leaving Stockholm by cycling alongside a busy highway was a bit uncomfortable. We had to backtrack couple of kilometers because the trip notes did not mention a road closure near Drottningholms palace; according to a worker there the road had been closed for several weeks. The hotels were good or excellent, the navigation app worked well. We were disappointed that the final day of cycling would require us to reach a train station by early afternoon; consequently we did not cycle that day although we would have liked to have done so. Also we were not made aware that the bike tour company has a tighter bag weight limit (20 Kg) than most airlines.
- ★★★★★ David H
Enjoyable Cycle Trip Through Rural Sweden
This trip was well designed to expose the rider to rural Sweden as well as some historical highlights. The length and hilliness of the individual segments allowed for five good days’ worth of cycling, yet left enough in the tank to enjoy the evenings. The accommodations were comfortable and accessible to a number of dinner options. Breakfasts were mostly quite good. There routing via online map was excellent but for one minor glitch described below..
There were a couple of areas which need some improvement.
1. On the routes of two of the days, there were short sections where the roads were paved with extremely coarse gravel, which made cycling very difficult, especially for less powerful riders.
2. On the first day, there were well-placed lunch options in Ekerö which would be useful if put in the description.
3. The condition of several of the front bags was poor.
4. The route outlined in the phone app directed riders over the main road as it entered Trosa; the bike route was visible on the electronic map as well as the paper map, but those following the highlighted route would follow it over a busy road..
5. Cyclists would be well warned that the elevators in the Tumba station are very tight for e-bikes.
Overall, we enjoyed the trip immensely, and would recommend it to anyone who asked.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- Four organized, a good many on our own
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- ★★★★★ Kimberly Geritz
Peddling in Paradise!
A wonderful way to experience a slice of Sweden. Each day was a new adventure. Castles, cabins, fika , beautiful scenery and people filled our days. Each night we had a very different and wonderful accommodation. We enjoyed a nature reserve , a boutique hotel and a wonderful hotel in Stockholm city. Cycling through southern Sweden was a trip of a life time!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- First time on a bike tour with a company.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- ★★★★★ RachelB
Gorgeous scenery and very fun tour
This was my first self-guided bike tour, and I was traveling alone. The experience cycling in the countryside and through the smaller cities in Sweden was incredible. Because the tour leaves once each week, most days I was able to enjoy breakfast and short sections of the route with others on my trip. I made a friend out of one of the other solo travelers, and we ended up cycling together the last few days! Sweden is astounding--the rolling terrain, agriculture, and architecture were exactly what I needed on this trip. Everything felt cozy and welcoming to me. The tour documents recommended lunch stops or places to enjoy fika (breaks for coffee and cake!) for each day. Accommodations were terrific as well. I was able to use the turn-by-turn directions, maps, and GPS unit with no issues.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- ★★★★★ Wild women
Wonderful trip
Sweden was wonderful and I'm so glad I went on this tour.
My problem was with the navigation and the appropriateness of costing an electric bicycle.
Like my tour to Holland 4 years ago, no one actually sat down with any of us and went over the navigation materials beforehand. I think that it was expected that we'd simply be able to follow the path. Of 3 GPS devices, only 1 worked. Additionally, the odometer reading didn't correspond to the written materials or the GPS. It is, I find, essential to have someone from the tour group go over all those small details, and not assume that it is clear to the group.
Secondly, the GPS wasn't replaced till day 3, and I had to struggle with it to find a way to make it work. The Garmin devices were useless. Again if someone had taken the time to show us how to make them work, that may have been much better.
Thirdly, one of the women in our group ordered an e-bike. This proceeded to be a disaster - a suggestion for arranging this next time would be to help someone distinguish an e-road bike from an e-touring bike. Myself, I don't think an e-touring bike is appropriate for this trip - it's too heavy, more like a moped and not good news the gravel roads.
Once we got the hang of it, had two functioning GPS systems that functioned the entire day, and figured out how to coordinate the odometer with the GPS/written materials, it was all good. And in spite if these
difficulties, I had a fab trip!!!
The hotels/inns/route was great as well!!- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug19-23
- How many tours have you completed?
- One other
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe
So glad to hear you enjoyed Sweden and your tour! Thanks for the notes on the GPS functionality and suggestions for instruction - we'll pass this onto the tour operator so that they may improve this. We're sorry to hear your friend did not enjoy the e-bike; they do tend to be heavier as they have a battery, etc. Thanks again for your feedback; we're so glad you enjoyed the hotels and route and had a fab trip!
- ★★★★★ victoria
Great way to see region around Stockholm
This tour was a great way to see the region around Stockholm. Very scenic routes to view the landscape and good opportunities to see palace and historical buildings along the way. We were very happy with the hotels. It was difficult to shift gears on the bike that I rode because the bike was not properly tuned and the seat was uncomfortable because it wobbled. We were a group of four who requested four GPS units and received only one that functioned--an older model that does not offer the amenities of newer models. The written instructions they provided were sometimes hard to follow, which sometimes made it difficult to be sure we were on the right path. However, this could be easily fixed if they included more detail about the different kinds of roads and paths we would be take. All in all, I had a fantastic time and have no regrets.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 18, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe
Victoria - thanks for the review. We'll be sure to pass your details onto the tour operator regarding the bikes, GPS, and written instructions. It sounds like a few simple adjustments could take this tour up a notch. We're delighted to hear you had a fantastic time and liked the hotels, sights, and route!
- ★★★★★ Sweden
Stockholm and beyond
Cycling in the area south of Stockholm was very pleasant. Empty roads and beautiful scenery, lakes, forests, rocky hillsides and the occasional herd of deer. Route directions were generally clear and easy to follow and the hills mentioned were far less intimidating than we had expected. Some of the gravel roads were ‘interesting’, but nothing that the hire bikes couldn’t cope with. The local rep, Frank, was excellent both for his briefing and for seamlessly transferring our luggage every day. I would have added some photos but unfortunately this part of your review specification doesn’t seem to work!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 10 June 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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