Kayaking in Stockholm

Kayak on the Baltic side or...

Stockholm is located on 14 islands and straddles where the Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. This means that there is water all over the place and you have the opportunity of many water activities to keep cool during the summer months. We have beaches all throughout the city, but if you want to do something a bit more active, then perhaps renting a kayak is a good activity for you? You can even combine that with a dip in the water at a more secluded swimming spot! Kayaking is fun and you don't need to be an Olympian to do it... good as a family outing. There are several places to rent kayaks by the hour/day and it is generally quite inexpensive. Depending on the place, you are looking at about 100 to 150 SEK an hour though it is sometimes cheaper if you take the kayak for half or full day.

...the lake side of Stockholm.

When choosing a kayak rental place think about where you want to paddle! As I mentioned, Stockholm strides the borderline between a lake and the ocean with the Old Town being the borderline. Everything to the east is the Baltic Sea and everything to the west is Lake Mälaren. If you want to paddle in the lake then I recommend Rålis Kajak located in Rålambshovs Park on the island of Kungsholmen. Or else you can head across the bridge to the island of Långholmen where you will find Långholmen Kajak. They even offer guided tours for beginners. Not too far from the Hotel Rival! Here you will be able to paddle by a lot of parklands and beaches as well as cliffs where Stockholmers enjoy diving and sunbathing.

Rålis Kajak

If you want to paddle in the Baltic Sea area, then I recommend Djurgårdens Sjöcafé located near the bridge leading from Östermalm over to the island of Djurgården. Be careful though and stay close to the island of Djurgården so you don't stray too far out into the shipping lanes! Lots to see here... beuatiful parks as well as great architecture on Strandvägen and the villas on the southside of the island. Another option is to paddle in the lake called Brunnsviken on the northern outskirts of Stockholm. Haga Park surrounds the lake with lots of interesting things to see like Haga Castle and Stockholm University... you also don't have to worry about larger boats! The place to rent kayaks here is Brunnsvikens Kanotcentral.

Djurgårdens Sjöcaféet

If you are feeling more adventurous then you can do a full day of kayaking out in the beautiful archipelago. Stockholm Adventures offers tours all summer, Fridays through Mondays. The price is approximately 1,790 SEK and includes transport and lunch. You leave Stockholm at about 8:50am and head to the town of Stavsnäs where you will be met by the guide. The experience, all in all, lasts about 11 hours. They also have other options like kayaking with camping or kayaking tours in Stockholm. Another company that offers kayaking day trips in the archipelago during the summer months is Green Trails. Another option is to visit one of the islands in the archipelago and rent a kayak there. Two good islands for this are Grinda and Sandhamn.

Långholmen Kajak

If you are staying at the Hotel Rival, contact me directly for more information and for help in renting a kayak. Click here for more information and other kayaking options. Happy paddling!

Or maybe visit a beach for some swimming?