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Voykit pocket guide · Sweden
Ekerö
Go as a day trip from Stockholm for Drottningholm and Birka; sleep here only if you want lake quiet and a car-free slow day.
Ekerö is a freshwater archipelago in Lake Mälaren, 20–40 minutes west of central Stockholm by bus. It holds two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Drottningholm Palace, where Sweden's royal family lives, and the Viking-age town of Birka on Björkö. Farms, forest and shoreline still dominate, so most visitors come for one focused day rather than a base.
- Country
- Sweden
- Best months
- May–Sep for boats and outdoor sites; Dec for a snowy palace walk
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar for Birka (boat and museum shut); check ice and dark afternoons
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SEK
- Money
- Currency is the Swedish krona (SEK, kr); the euro is not used. About 11 SEK to €1 — check.
- Daily spend
- Budget kr 350–600 excl. bed · Mid kr 600–1,100 excl. bed · High kr 1,100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU roaming applies for EU/EEA SIMs.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Police non-emergency 114 14 · Health advice 1177
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Included; add 5–10% on the card terminal for good service.; Café and bar: Nothing expected.; Taxi: Round up.; Guides: Optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent; ask for 'kranvatten', often free.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are clean but often card-paid (SEK 5–10); cafés reserve them for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and a bun | kr 60–110 |
| Lunch buffet at Ekebyhov Palace (weekdays) | kr 120–180 |
| Palace café sandwich or salad | kr 90–160 |
| SL single bus or metro ride | kr 43–50 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | kr 150–220 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | kr 100–250 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ARN · Stockholm Arlanda
- About 45–60 min to central Stockholm by Arlanda Express or commuter rail, then bus onward to Ekerö.
- BMA · Stockholm Bromma
- Closest airport to Ekerö; bus from Brommaplan, about 20–30 min. Few routes, so check your airline.
Typical fares
- Bus Brommaplan → Drottningholm
- about 20 min, SL ticket
- Boat City Hall → Drottningholm, return
- about kr 260
- Bus 312 to Adelsö
- free ferry crossing, check timetable
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
SL buses run from Brommaplan metro station (green line) across the islands; bus 176/177 and 301–336 serve Drottningholm, and 312 runs to Adelsö via a free ferry. Boats from Stockholm City Hall go to Drottningholm and Birka in summer. The land is flat, so a bike works when the weather does; Björkö has no road bridge and is reached by boat only.
See and do
Known for
- Drottningholm Palace and its theatre
- Birka Viking town on Björkö
- Hovgården on Adelsö
- Lake Mälaren shoreline and farmland
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | SL bus to Brommaplan, then metro green line to the centre | About 40–55 min |
| Sigtuna | Bus and commuter rail via Stockholm or Bålsta | About 1.5–2 h |
| Södertälje | Bus and commuter rail via Stockholm | About 1.5–2 h |
| Uppsala | Bus to Brommaplan, metro, then SJ or commuter train | About 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Ekerö town (centrum)
- Bus hub, shops and pharmacy; Hotel Stjärnan is here. Best if you have no car.
- Drottningholm and Lovön
- Walk to the palace at opening; quiet, few beds, book ahead.
- Rastaholm and Adelsö side
- Marina, hostel and restaurant near the Birka boat jetty; car or bus 312 needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hejhey |
| Thank you | Tacktack |
| How much is it? | Hur mycket kostar det?hoor MICK-eh KOSS-tar deh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan jag betala med kort?kan yag beh-TAH-la med kort |
| Where is the toilet? | Var är toaletten?var air too-ah-LETT-en |
| One ticket, please | En biljett, tacken bil-YETT tack |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake with eye contact; first names; avoid: Kissing on the cheek with new acquaintances
- Fika: Accept the invitation; it is how people connect at work; avoid: Treating it as a quick takeaway
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers or chocolates; avoid: Arriving early — or late
- Conversation: Keep calm, modest and factual; lagom; avoid: Boasting, raised voices, pushing opinions
- Queues: Take a number (nummerlapp); avoid: Jumping the queue
- Public transport: Let people off first, keep quiet, give seats to elderly; avoid: Loud phone calls
Scams and watch-outs
- Birka's boat and museum run in the summer season only: check dates before you plan the day.
- Drottningholm Palace rooms close on the royal family's schedule; the grounds stay open.
- Bus 312 to Adelsö uses a free car ferry: check the timetable, gaps are long.
- Card and Swish are normal; some small farm stalls and cafés take cash only.
Very safe. The real risks are uneven palace paths, cold water and thin lake ice in winter, and long waits between buses if you miss the last one.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ekerö yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Drottningholm Palace and its theatre
- Birka Viking town on Björkö
- Hovgården on Adelsö
- Lake Mälaren shoreline and farmland
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Stockholm — Ekerö and Drottningholm: www.visitstockholm.com/
- The Royal Palaces — Drottningholm: www.kungligaslotten.se/english/royal-palaces-and-sites/drottningholm-palace.html
- Birka Viking town: www.birkavikingastaden.se/en/
- SL — public transport in Stockholm County: sl.se/en
- Wikivoyage: Ekerö, revision 5118184 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5118184
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Ekerö
Till den här adressen, tack
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in central Stockholm; the US embassy is on Dag Hammarskjölds väg. Check your own country's list before you travel.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ekero). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.