Stockholm - Djurgården

Djurgården, a green and idyllic island close to central Stockholm, is a popular recreation area and one of our favorite places in Stockholm for running. At 1,000 hectares, it’s 3x the size of New York’s Central Park. On the western side is a complex of museums (including the Abba Museum), numerous cultural attractions & venues, and stately homes. On the east side is Royal Djurgården, which includes several beautifully landscaped gardens and parks. A few recommended running routes on Djurgården are below. See this guide for info on Djurgården.

Perimeter Loop— 10.4 km. This ~10k loop is a great way to get a sense of the island, on a series of mainly gravel roads and some roadside cycle paths. Start your run at Djurgårdsbron bridge and head south along the western edge of the island along the water in the Vasa Museum area. Continue south, passing several museums. One of the most scenic sections of the run is the southern edge along the water, headed east from the Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde. There are also nice paths along the eastern edge in Blockhusuddenhis. For the northern end, choose between the paths on the island side, or the paths just north of the island.

The promenade around southern Djurgården alone is 10 km long.

Royal Djurgården (Kungliga Djurgården). Take the Folke Bernadottes bro (pedestrian bridge) to access this lovely park, which features several km of wide, gravel, forested paths. At the east end is a botanical garden. At the south end, add on with more paths in Frisens park. One can easily put together a 6-7 km route on the paths in this area. It’s ~1.5 km east-west and ~1 km north-south.

Paths Around Museum Complex. You can also choose to explore the complex of museums and cultural institutions on the western side of the island. Numerous pedestrian paths.