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DAYS
6
TOUR CODE
STOK-27
COST
£2895
DAYS
6
TOUR CODE
STOK-27
COST
£2895
Tracing Stockholm's artistic evolution through an exploration of esteemed civic buildings, world-class museums and sublime art galleries, our tour promises a truly holistic and rich experience of Swedish art, history and culture.
Overview
Stockholm is a city where grand historical legacy meets modern urban culture, all the while blending seamlessly with the picturesque landscapes of northern Europe. Our tour goes in search of art and culture in the city, taking in a range of sites from its grand royal palaces, to its fruitful galleries, museums and important cultural landmarks.
With its original stronghold dating back to the 13th century, the Royal Place is an enduring symbol of power in the city, and has since evolved with changing tastes into a Baroque structure. Here we will explore the treasury and its abundance of fascinating regalia including ceremonial objects, such as the intricately bejewelled crown of Erik XIV, symbolic attire and weaponry.
We will continue our examination of Sweden’s regal history at Drottningholm Palace, built in the 17th century, and the permanent residence of the Swedish Royal Family. The majestic complex contains extensive gardens that blend Baroque and late 18th century English landscape schemes, as well as ornate Baroque and French Rococo interiors.
Visiting the Nobel Prize Museum, housed in the city's former stock exchange building, we will enter into a dialogue of world peace and unity through displays dedicated to laureates who have contributed to the benefit of mankind. The museum enables encounters with artefacts relating to Marie Curie, Nelson Mandela and Nigerian poet and playwright Wole Soyinka amongst others.
On the island of Djurgården we will explore the Vasa Museum which is famously home to the world's best preserved warship that dates back to 1628. Here we will also visit the Moderna Museet, featuring a plethora of masterpieces of modern and contemporary European art.
Our visit to the Nordic Museum will be particularly illuminating with its vast range of historical objects. From domestic items to diaries, fashion, art, and documentary photographs, the museum presents a diversity of Swedish and Nordic histories, many of which are deeply personal. The National Museum is another culturally significant institution: as Sweden’s principal museum of art and design, its collections encompass a range of mediums alongside dedicated displays of Swedish 18th and 19th century painting and further masterpieces from European masters including Rembrandt and Goya.
A special highlight of the tour will be a cruise to the wonderful Artipelag, a venue dedicated to contemporary art and design. As we glide along the waters we will be met with beautiful views, elevated even further once reaching our destination on the island of Värmdö. Surrounded by a sprawling pine forest, Artipelag seamlessly integrates art into the natural world, championing the Scandinavian philosophy of friluftsliv – an ‘open-air life’, and here we will enjoy its internationally acclaimed galleries alongside the outstanding outdoor exhibition, Sculpture in Nature.
Our tour will conclude with an exploration of Sweden’s oldest town, Sigtuna, with origins dating back to 980 CE, where we will encounter a series of medieval church ruins, such as St Olof’s, and multiple ancient rune stones.
Tour Director
Andrew Spira
Andrew Spira is an independent art historian and longstanding ACE Tour Director, with extensive experience guiding throughout Europe for over 20 years. He looks forward to welcoming travellers on this brand new tour and providing a holistic insight into Stockholm’s cultural and creative identity.
Andrew Spira, MA, studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art and City University, London. For several years he was a specialist in Byzantine and Russian icons at the Temple Gallery, London, before working as a curator at the V&A Museum. Andrew was subsequently Programme Director at Christie’s Education, and has been leading tours to cultural sites in Russia, Armenia, Georgia and all across Europe for over 20 years. His publications include The Invention of the Self: Personal Identity in the Age of Art (Bloomsbury Academic, 2020), Simulated Selves: The Undoing of Personal Identity in the Modern World (Bloomsbury Academic, 2020) and Foreshadowed: Malevich's Black Square and Its Precursors (Reaktion Books, 2022).
– ACE customer on 2025 tour led by Andrew Spira
Our Accommodation
We will stay throughout at the Collector’s Victory Hotel, a characterful establishment that is decorated with an array of maritime antiques. Our accommodation also enjoys a central location in the Old Town that is well-positioned for our explorations on foot.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London Gatwick 1100 on Norwegian, arriving Stockholm Arlanda 1435. Transfer to Collector’s Victory Hotel for five nights. Welcome and introductory lecture.
Day 2
Foundations of Power, Faith & the Old Town – Morning visit to Stockholm Cathedral (known as Storkyrkan, consecrated in 1306) followed by the Nobel Prize Museum (mapping developments in the last century through innovations in the natural sciences and creative culture). Afternoon visit to the Royal Palace (grand Baroque architecture with focus on the Treasury).
Day 3
Empire, Royal Landscapes & Enlightenment Ideals – Morning visit to Drottningholm Palace (subject to confirmation). Afternoon visits on Djurgården island: Vasa Museum and Nordic Museum. Free evening.
Day 4
Art, Modernism & Social Democracy – Morning visit to Stadshuset (City Hall) and the National Museum. Afternoon visit to Moderna Museet (European modern and contemporary art) followed by some free time.
Day 5
Modern & Contemporary Art on the Archipelago – Cruise to the island of Värmdö for visit to Artipelag (internationally renowned venue for art and design immersed in the landscape with sculpture trail) followed by Fotografiska (photography museum with global body of work). Free evening.
Day 6
Morning excursion to Sigtuna (Sweden’s oldest town, founded in 980 CE with medieval ruins and rune stones). Depart Stockholm Arlanda 1750, arriving Gatwick 1935.
Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Drottningholm Palace can sometimes close fully or partially at short notice due to royal events. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed. Sometimes sites have temporary exhibitions taking place, and this may affect which parts of the permanent collection are accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
A very good level of fitness is required as this tour involves a moderate amount of city-based walking, occasionally uphill, on uneven, cobbled and slippery ground. The excursion to Artipelag includes a cruise, so participants must feel comfortable embarking and disembarking the vessel, as well as walking along wooden boardwalks and grass pathways on site. Some museums do not have lifts, so the ability to climb multiple flights of stairs is necessary, and there are not always opportunities to sit down on-site. For more information on our minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Flight Information
For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a flight reduction of £185.
Cost Details
Stockholm: Islands of Art & Enlightenment
May 11 - 16, 2027
Included: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a captain's twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, one lunch, three dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, captain’s single £395, captain’s double room for single use supplement £515.
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Get in Touch
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+44(0)1223 841055
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