Djurgården – from royal hunting ground to public park and food paradise

Most Stockholmers and visitors associate Djurgården with major attractions such as Skansen, Gröna Lund and the Vasa Museum. And of course they are worth visiting - but the island offers so much more than the obvious. Djurgården has a history that stretches back several hundred years, long before it became a public park and a gastronomic hub.

Djurgården was originally a royal hunting ground. Deer and other game roamed here, and the area was strictly reserved for the court and the royals. It was only later that the land was opened up, and became a place where people could walk, have fun and meet. That transformation, from exclusive hunting ground to an open and vibrant public park, is one of the things that makes Djurgården so unique.

Many visitors wander along the large, well-known paths. But Djurgården also contains small streets and alleys that few know about. An example is Breda gatan - a street that often surprises even Stockholmers. It is not pompous, but all the more picturesque. Here, the red and yellow wooden houses are lined with hollyhocks that climb towards the facades and give the street a rural, almost small-town feeling in the middle of Stockholm. That is why it is one of the most loved little secrets on the island.

Today, Djurgården is also a food paradise. Classic restaurants are mixed with small cafes, ice cream parlors and restaurants that cook food with both history and sustainability in focus. From a quiet coffee with a view of the water to a full evening in magnificent premises - there is something for all tastes.

There is something special about Djurgården: you never get tired of it. I notice it myself with my guests - some come back to go on the same tour again, just to discover new details and get new stories. Because on Djurgården there is always more to see, more to taste, more to discover.

So the next time you are on your way to one of the major attractions - stop for a moment, turn off the main roads, and let yourself be surprised by a street, an avenue or a building you did not know existed. Then you will see that other side of Djurgården - the one that still carries both royal splendor and popular charm.

Tips! If you want to experience Djurgården in a slightly different way, you can join my culinary walk. Two dates remain this autumn: 13 September and 18 October. Then I mix food, history and hidden places - and maybe you will see just that street you did not know existed. Read more and book

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