The Stockholm Archipelago Trail opened in late 2024 and is Stockholm’s newest hiking trail and one of the most unique in the world.
This uniqueness relies on about 270 km of mixed paths around Stockholm. The trail consists of traditional hiking sections and an existing network of public ferries. Not only do visitors move between the sections by boat, but they also can reach by hiking the different sections from various places on the mainland and from other islands.
Divided into 20 legs, of varying length and difficulty, the trail is spread across 21 islands – from Arholma in the North to Landsort in the South. It takes hikers through pristine nature and picturesque fishing hamlets. Each of the 20 legs are created by tying together existing trails, either made by humans or animals. Some continue to see people today. Some others saw people along the way hundreds of years ago.
Keeping control on tourists’ movements
The purpose of the trail is to care for the the sensitive nature in the archipelago by managing the flow of people on the islands to keep tourism under control.
The trail highlights local culture and create possibilities to discover the slow pace of life of the archipelago. Hikers can meet inhabitants of the numerous coastal villages with their rich cultural heritage. They will discover historic harbors. And finally visitors will also discover and enjoy the traditional Swedish cuisine.
Visitors can choose to spend only one day along the trail. Or they can go up to two weeks for a full experience. They are plenty of opportunities. Some hikers can choose to do the trail the hard-core way and camp in available campsites. Or some will favor to stay at comfortable boutique hotels and inns along the way. Whatever the final choice, Archipelago Trail authorities promise that the experience will translate into lasting memories.
It is such a perfect way to explore Stockholm archipelago -which consists of over 30,000 islands!- that National Geographic and Time Magazine have both named the Stockholm Archipelago Trail one of the World’s best destinations in 2025. This is particularly due to its strong focus on sustainable tourism, with eco-conscious accommodation and low-impact travel options via public ferries.
