DJURGÅRDEN STOCKHOLM PARKRUN – 11K

Back in the day (before 1862), an entrance fee was required to visit Royal Djurgården. Today however, anyone can enjoy a visit to this historic site without charge. Royal Djurgården is also an important part of the Royal National City Park. You will see locals strolling or walking their dogs, while we see the sights in the best possible manner – running!

We start the tour at Östermalm, traditionally the area where the upper classes in Stockholm lived, and head straight for the bridge that takes us to Djurgården. There are many museums en route and one of the highlights is the Vasa museum where visitors can see the battle ship Vasa that sank on its maiden voyage 1628 short after leaving shore. Buried on the bottom of the sea for centuries it is now rescued and on display inside the museum and is remarkably well preserved thanks to the mud and cold water. Nearby is the ABBA museum, where you can learn more about the Swedish music wonder. Other museums we will pass includes Thielska, Prince Eugenes Valdemarsudde, the Viking museum and the outdoor museum Skansen that is also a zoo. You can also see, and hear the screams if it is open, from Gröna Lund, the amusement park.

There are some impressive houses in national romantic style tucked in to lush green in the park. In the distance the Kaknäs TV tower in modern brutalistic style concrete is a strong contrast. In the water that is the inlet to Stockholm you may see the daily ferry for Finland, steam boats, cruise ships, private yachts and kayaks.

Running along the canal of Djurgården we are approaching the end of the tour. We pass a row of foreign embassies overlooking the canal, before we leave the quiet park and again cross the bridge and head back to the starting point.