Gripsholms Slott

You should visit this castle:
— if you’re visiting Stockholm for more than just a few short days and want to do a day trip;
— if you’re fond of romantic castles accompanied by cute little towns;
— if you want to see Swedens National Portrait Gallery with over 5000 works of art;
— if you enjoy taking photos and want to capture pretty gardens, a cute town, lake views and a 16^th century castle (with late 19^th century renovations done in many rooms);
— if you’re a local who’s seen most of Stockholm’s highlights and needs to get away from the city/​wants to take visitors some place other than Gamla Stan and Södermalm/​likes exploring outside the city borders;
— or if you’re a fan of pretty decorated ceilings like me — I was blown away and spend most of my visit looking up!
I could actually continue this list for quite some time, but just in case you missed my point: VISIT GRIPSHOLMS SLOTT!
Gripsholms castle is situated just an hour from Stockholm Central Station. Trains run regularly but busses don’t run by the hour — make sure to plan your trip beforehand to make transport as smooth as possible. Walking from Läggesta station to Mariefred works perfectly fine as well if you want to skip (waiting for the) bus. We did that on our way back and it’s basically just straight ahead and follow the bike lane. We walked back at twilight and saw dozens of deer in the nature reserve on the way! Magical!
We visited early october but I read that during high season your ticket includes a free guided tour. Score! We decided to buy the paper guide instead since no guided tours were offered but I would definitely have been interested in a tour guide since the guidebook was a bit long and boring at points. The castle consists of three floors and the portraits start in the age of Gustav Vasa and then work their way up in time as you work your way up the stairs. On the highest level I even started recognizing people without having to read the signs first! ;) Highlight of the visit was seeing the perfectly intact 18^th century royal theater. I wasn’t expecting anything like that but it was just awesome! A few times a year concerts are being held in the theater and I’ve decided that one day I will attend one!
The castle is surrounded by beautiful gardens and Lake Mälaren. Don’t forget to go for a stroll there, sit on a bench and stare out over the water! We spent a good two hours inside the castle and another 1,5 in the gardens walking around and photographing.
Combine your visit with a walk through the former hunting grounds which are now a nature reserve (the one with all the deers!), a stroll through and fika in the adorably cute town of Mariefred and dinner in one of the restaurants the town has to offer and there you go: a full day out of the city! Highly recommended, I know this won’t be my last time!

Going into the castle itself is pretty amazing. We had the best tour guide ever! Learning about a lot of the characters throughout swedish history was actually really fun. She made it sound more like a soap opera than anything! I still want to read more about it. Dramatic stuff!
You can take the tour (recommended) or just walk around the castle – or both! There were so many rooms we just ran through after the tour finished and didn’t really get to fully experience because there wasn’t enough time! I suggest getting there early, wearing comfortable shoes and really making a day of it.
This place makes for an amazing day or weekend trip! There’s the Gripsholms hotel, which is a very historic inn just across the water from the castle. It had a delicious restaurant and an enjoyable atmosphere! You can sit outside in the summer on the patio and enjoy the view of the giant castle from across the way.
The small town Mariefred there has a lot of little shops and very old buildings that give you a feeling of the past. I also saw a miniature small steam train you can visit (possibly even ride) near the castle. I think you would probably have to google more about that.
The summer was a nice time because you can go outside and sit by the water, bring a picnic or take a break in the beautiful surroundings. I also hear there is some fun things in the city over the winter and fall like festivals and such. There is also a beautiful ruin of a church nearby you can get to easily by car and an expansive golf course.
I look forward to going again sometime. A great weekend getaway for couples!

— located in Mariefred on the shores of Lake Mälaren
— Gripsholm is known as Gustav Vasa’s castle, as it was he who built the castle here in 1537
— it is highly recommended to take time to wander slowly through the many rooms and winding passages. Gripsholm Castle is filled with over four-​hundred years of history
— the exquisite castle theatre in one of the round Renaissance towers of the castle, which was fitted out by Gustav III in the 18^th century, is very impressive. Today, the theatre is one of Europe’s most well-​preserved theatres from the 18^th century.
— admission fee: 100 SEK per person
— staff at the entrance was unfriendly
Conclusion: The Gripsholm Slott is absolutely worth a visit!