Hotels near Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet)

Kungliga Slottet, the Royal Palace on the northern edge of Gamla Stan, is one of Europe's largest royal palaces with over 600 rooms. The current baroque structure was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and completed in 1760, replacing the medieval Tre Kronor castle that burned down in 1697. The Swedish Royal Family uses the palace for official functions but lives at Drottningholm Palace, so much of the interior is open to visitors.

A single ticket covers the Royal Apartments (ornate state rooms and the Bernadotte Gallery), the Treasury (crown jewels and regalia including Karl XI's crown from 1650), and the Tre Kronor Museum in the palace foundations, which displays archaeological remains of the medieval fortress. The Changing of the Guard takes place in the outer courtyard daily at 12:15 (Sundays and holidays at 13:15) and draws a crowd - arrive 15-20 minutes early for a good view.

Pro Tip: The Treasury and Tre Kronor Museum in the basement levels are cooler and less visited than the Royal Apartments. Start there and work your way up - you will avoid the crowds that cluster on the upper floors first.