Rainy, cold and windy in Stockholm? Relax, bad weather is a great excuse to do something really fun - or relaxing. We guide you to a whole range of different activities for rainy days in the city - all inside, of course. Maybe it's time to do a little bowling, mall shopping, or enjoy an entire spa day? Or why not go old-school and go to a museum or find a cosy cinema? With our guide you're guaranteed to find an activity to cheer you up when it just won't stop raining.
Jump to
Minigolf, food and drinks - a complete package that lays the foundation for a great evening. At Golfbaren you can gather up a large or small group and kickstart your evening with a beer, a glass of wine or a cocktail while you snack on something tasty on the menu and compete to see who can swing their golf club like a true pro. What are you waiting for?
The French national sport boules is very popular in Stockholm, and it's just as fun indoors as out. At Boulebar the activity is combined with French delicacies (for the hungry), a bar and continental park feel.
Gather your friends and head to a magical world located one floor down from Gotlandsgatan. Lunarium offers bookable tables for board and role-playing games, with a selection of over 160 different games – something for every taste, in other words. Speaking of taste, you're welcome to bring your own drinks as well as takeaway food.
If you love computer games, this is the place for you. According to them, this is the world's largest gaming centre. And there are certainly plenty of games here, from action to sport and strategy. Next door is the Red Bull Gaming Sphere, an advanced gaming centre with branches in Tokyo and London.
In the former Pripps brewery malt silo in Bromma it never rains - but the wind sure does blow. This is Sweden's first -and the world's highest - indoor wind tunnel, perfect for anyone who wants to experience the sensation of flying. Enter the transparent flight chamber and test your wings, either on your own or with others.
How better to brighten up a cloudy evening than with a good belly laugh? Big Ben Standup, in the cellar of The Big Ben pub, is one of Stockholm's best-established stand-up clubs. There are both sitting and standing places and a bar serving cocktails, beer and wine. Both well-kown and rookie comedians take the stage here and do their very best to entertain you.
Escape the rain with something cultural – like a visit to Picture This Gallery in the historic Tvålpalatset ("the Soap Palace") building on Mariatorget. View works by some of the world's leading photographers here.
The rain may be bucketing down outside but it makes no difference inside Sthlm Beach Club - Stockholm's closest beach. You can play beach sports and padel tennis accompanied by music in tropical surroundings complete with palm trees, wooden decks, sand and daylight, all year round.
Escape both the rain and the city noise downstairs in Hötorget underground station. Andetag is an interactive art exhibition consisting of 50 unique works in optical fibre textile that 'breathe' in sync. By combining technology and art, the gallery has created a relaxing oasis where the viewer can unwind and connect with their own breath.
Visiting the Royal Opera at least once in a lifetime is a must. The opera, which is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet, is housed in one of Stockholm's most magnificent buildings and includes, as well as the stage itself, the magical Gold Foyer, decorated with crystal chandeliers and gold stuccos. Take a guided tour or see one of the current performances – or why not both?
Dream yourself away to the glamorous 1920s, a world away from rain and gloom. In the historic premises of Scalateatern, you can catch a performance on the main stage, listen to swinging live jazz in the basement, and enjoy dinner with Swedish-French influences. Heavy velvet curtains, chandeliers, and other period details create the perfect cosy atmosphere.
Water canons, slides, current channels and wave pools...Swap the wet weather for an even wetter experience and make your way to a fun adventure pool a short trip from the city.
Shopping malls and gallerias have become top notch entertainment destinations. Combine shopping with restaurant visits, a movie at the cinema and other experiences to make a grey day go by quickly. If you want everything in one place, guaranteed? Get yourself down to the enormous Mall of Scandinavia in Solna.
Has the low pressure front taken its toll on your energy levels? In that case a climbing wall may be the perfect place to go to load up with a bit of adrenaline. Stockholm has some really great climbing centres which attract climbers of all ages.
Hide from the rain clouds at this enormous sport bar which is as much fun for kids as it is for groups of friends or the whole family. You an have a go at everything from shuffleboards to simulators, crazy golf - and curling (!). Those of a more creative bent shouldn't miss the pottery studio which is part of the O'Learys at Tolv Stockholm.
On an anonymous sidestreet near Odenplan, you'll find Roq, which offers plenty of fun games such as arcade games, pool, ping pong, shuffleboard, and pinball. You pay for the games per person and minute, and you can also unwind with a beer or some bar food.
Spend the day with activities, food and drinks at Kungsbiljarden in the city centre. There's a large billiards hall with billiards and shuffleboard, arcade games and board games. Order something to eat and drink while you play, or relax in the restaurant and bar before or after. They serve hamburgers, beers and more.
Birka Bowling has been attracting bowling enthusiasts since the 70s, offering everything from tournaments to afterwork events and bowling parties. There are 17 lanes, a hamburger restaurant, and a sports bar. If bowling is not your thing, perhaps billiards or darts are more up your alley?
If you're looking to enjoy indoor activities well protected from the rubbish weather, there's masses to do at BallBreaker on Kungsholmen - a real activity mecca for families as well as groups of friends and couples. Choose a selection of activities or go with a ready-made package and finish the day off by winding down and replenishing your energy levels in the restaurant.
It's always tropical inside La Botanica, when it comes to the decor, at least. Enjoy the extensive buffet and then head over to their games zone. Fun activities and exciting challenges await there, such as arcade games, darts, billiards, triathlon and pentathlon, shuffleboard and lots more.
Get inspired by films such as The Big Lebowski and lace up your bowling shoes. Want to make it a bit more wacky? You can find disco bowling, "rock & bowl" and other fun themes in Stockholm.
At Vrex experience centre you can escape reality for a moment. You and your group are challenged to a virtual reality game, with the help of the latest technology and full body treacing. You could, for example, find yourself in a world inhabited by zombies where you compete together, or against each other, in a 300 square metre area.
Gather together a group of friends or colleagues and solve various challenges, such as finding a cure to a terrifying zombie virus. Fox in a Box is a large escape room on Sveavägen with several different rooms and themes, where participants have an hour to escape with the help of clues. Before or after the tricky challenges you can hang out, eat and drink at Hop & Vine right next door to Fox in a Box.
Enter a world of VR and journey through the cosmos, become Indiana Jones or outsmart the Russian maffia. Questrooms is Stockholm's first escape room, which offers both physical rooms and VR games in which you overcome challenges in teams. The games are suitable for both adults and children.
Exit Games welcomes groups of two to six people to the challenges in the Old Town. Choose between various puzzling rooms suitable for dates, hanging out with friends, colleagues, and family. You have an hour to solve the mystery before time runs out.
Scary, fun, puzzling – there are escape rooms for every taste in Stockholm. Get your thinking cap on and go into the room with your group to solve the riddle before time runs out. Clues will help you along the way.
In the underground tunnels of Skeppsholmen is the Stockholm Toy Museum, which collects and displays thousands of toys of all kinds. Untouched collectibles sit alongside well-loved favourite items in a mix where everyone will find something to spark memories, whether they were a child long ago or are a child now. The museum also has a restaurant featuring children's favourites.
At the Paradox Museum, your perception of what's real and what's not is seriously challenged: there are over 70 different rooms and interactive objects that create spectacular illusions and paradoxes here. Escape a grey day and be fascinated by spinning walls and furniture that distort your perspective, and learn all about the exciting world of paradoxes. You also get incredible photos to take home with you as a souvenir.
Spend the day at the Nobel Prize Museum in the Old Town, an exciting museum for people of all ages who are curious about the Nobel Prize, the laureates, and their stories from the early 20th century to the present day. Meet freedom fighters, authors and researchers in the museum's exhibitions, guided tours and activities. Don't miss the restaurant or the museum shop either.
The Stockholm Transport Museum is suitable for everyone, young and old. Explore the significance of public transport for the people of Stockholm over the past 150 years, from horse-drawn trams to Tram City. Take part in exhibitions, activities, and tours, including art in the underground.
Visiting a museum might just be the most classic way to spend a rainy day. And of course there are masses of choices, whether you're an adult or child. Check out current exhibitions, explore a completely new subject or attend an interesting workshop.
Centralbadet is a traditional bathhouse located on Drottninggatan, right in the city centre. Take a dip, book some relaxing treatments, and then head to the restaurant to enjoy healthy food.
Do you want to spend your day enjoying a luxurious spa experience? Then head to Nordic Spa & Fitness, the Grand Hotel's spa. They offer massages and treatments by chiropractors as well as beauty treatments and Nordic bathing rituals, as well as much more.
Sparadiset is a true oasis for relaxation and well-being. This is the place to go if you long for warmth and tropical beaches, as its full of exotic plants, bamboo, and images of beautiful beaches. Sink into a hot tub or enjoy a relaxing massage.
When the weather outside is frightful - what could be better than a day in the spa? If you're not used to the whole spa thing otherwise, now's the time to give it a go. Slide into the pool, pick out the most relaxing treatments and forget all about things grey and cloudy.
