Visit peaceful Solna, a northern Stockholm suburb offering insight into the long, varied history of Sweden. Dominated by the splendor of Haga Park, an enormous green space and palace complex designed by King Gustav III in the late 18th century, the rest of the town has hidden gems for lovers of Swedish art and architecture. Take the subway from the Stockholm city center and spend a day wandering between the sights, snapping pictures along the way.
Haga Park’s large size means it needs hours to explore. Admire the regal architecture of the three royal palaces, Haga Palace, Ulriksdal Palace and, of course, the Orientalist fantasy of the Haga Park Museum, a copper structure designed to look like a Turkish tent. See a more ancient, subdued, but no less unique architecture on display at the 12th-century Solna Church, with its unusual rounded design. A different experience awaits in the park’s Butterfly House (Fjarilshuset), where you can spot parrots, koi, lizards and of course butterflies while walking through a tropical rain forest.
Go to the very southern edge of Solna to the 17th-century Karlberg Palace or walk through the varied species in the Bergian Garden. Glimpse some of Sweden’s most enduring 20th-century cultural contributions at Filmstaden, where the famed director Ingmar Bergen shot movies including Wild Strawberries. Lounge along the shore of Brunnsviken, a picturesque saltwater lake. Then visit the Sweden Museum of Natural History on the lakeside. Save time for a tour through the Mall of Scandinavia, one of the region’s biggest shopping centers.
Solna is located north of downtown Stockholm. Drive or ride the train from Stockholm’s Central Station in 10 minutes. Parking is available at several of the district’s attractions, and the town is generally relatively car-friendly. Multiple bus lines provide connections between the area’s attractions.
Travel to Solna via the subway for the arresting public art of Solna Centrum station, whose vivid reds and greens act as a political, environmentalist rallying cry.
