Top thing to do in Stockholm Old Town - Interactive ghost walk app & time travel
GHOST WALK STOCKHOLM
KIDS' GUIDE TO
OLD TOWN STOCKHOLM
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We’re Malva and Astor!
Ever since we were little, the streets of the Old Town have been our playground because our grandma and grandpa lived here. We’ve put together this guide to share our favorite local gems – with no ads or sponsored spots.
This is our world, far beyond the tourist traps!
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Hidden spots, strange discoveries and family favourites in Old Town Stockholm
Malva & Astor
OLD TOWN STOCKHOLM'S STRANGEST DISCOVERIES FOR KIDS
From secret passages and holy relics to crime-proof bridges and a 400-year-old horse – here are our favorite discoveries in Old Town.
The guide complements our ghost walk in Gamla Stan and makes it easy to explore the area at your own pace.
1. The Castle’s Secret Guardians
See those doors built straight into the massive stone blocks at Skeppsbron?
While it looks like the entrance to a hidden troll mountain, it’s actually the machine room for the fountains outside the Royal Palace. Or could something be living in there, still watching over Old Town during the nights…?
• Kids' mission: Get really close to the doors and listen carefully. Do you hear the hum of machines - or is it actually the castle’s secret guardians snoring deep inside the darkness?
📍Skeppsbron (next to the Royal Palace)
2. The Skeleton in the Armor
The grand statue of Saint George and the Dragon in Stockholm Cathedral hides a real secret...
Inside the knight, there’s a hidden space where real bone fragments from saints and a medieval letter were found. They are still there today, tucked away right beneath the armor.
• Kids' Mission: The knight looks quite heavy in his armor, but do you see the glove he’s wearing? What do you think he is holding in his other hand?
📍Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan)
3. The 400-year-old Ghost Horse
Inside the Royal Armoury stands Streiff, who is one of the world's oldest stuffed horses.
He was ridden by King Gustav II Adolf in a great battle over 400 years ago and has been preserved ever since. Isn't it strange that he is still standing and looks so real!
• Kids' Mission: Look at the horse's ears and eyes. Does he look alert even though he's over 400 years old? What kind of treats do you think he ate in the 1600s?
📍 The Royal Armoury, Slottsbacken 3, by the Royal Palace
4. Ghost Walk & Time Travel
This is the coolest and most fun way to discover Old Town with kids!
A top-rated ghost walk that works like an interactive and self-guided time machine on your phone. No booking needed – just go whenever you want!
The app is packed with creepy stories to listen to, dramatised by child actors and exciting history. You also get one of Old Town's most detailed guides for visiting families!
It’s one of the most popular family activities in Old Town - and after the ghost walk, you get both a video greeting from the past and a ghost certificate! With VideoQuizzes and GPS maps
• Kids' Mission: Who in the family do you think will get the most points in the exciting VideoQuiz?
📍 Old Town, Stockholm – start whenever you want (start at Kungsträdgården)
👉 Read more about our Ghost Walk for the whole family & see everything included
5. The King’s Last Party
At the Royal Armoury, Gustav III’s real masquerade costume from the ball in 1792 is still preserved.
The King loved theatre and masquerades, but this night at the Opera ended in disaster. If you look closely at the back of the grey silk jacket, you can see a small, eerie hole from the bullet that hit him.
It’s like standing in the middle of one of Sweden’s most famous crime scenes, looking at real evidence!
• Kids' Mission: Can you find the little hole on the back? Also, look at the King’s shoes and hat - do they look like something you would wear to a party today?
📍 The Royal Armoury, Slottsbacken 3, by the Royal Palace
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7. Serieboden (The Comic Shop)
This isn’t just any shop; it’s one of Sweden’s oldest stores for vintage comic books.
Here, thousands of comics are stacked from floor to ceiling, from Donald Duck to rare collectibles. A paradise if you love thrilling adventures and old-school superheroes!
• Kids' Mission: Who is the very first comic character you see in the window? Can you find a comic book that your parents used to read when they were little?
📍2 Sven Vintappares gränd (Deep inside the narrow alley!)
6. The Monsters on the Roof
Look high up on the German Church tower and you’ll see them – creepy figures hanging from the roof.
They are called gargoyles, and their job is to lead rainwater away from the walls to protect the stone. But in the past, people believed in something more: that their frightening looks would scare evil spirits away from the church!
• Kids' Mission: Which monster looks the scariest? Some look like dragons and others like angry men – which one do you think would scare away a ghost best?
📍The German Church, Svartmangatan 16
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8. The Lifesaver in the phone booth
By Stockholm Cathedral stands one of the oldest phone booths from 1904.
Long ago, before mobile phones existed, people went to phone booths to make calls. Inside the booth was a real telephone, and you had to pay with coins to make a call! Today the phone no longer works, but the booth has a new super important mission - inside there is now a heart starter (a defibrillator) that can help save lives!
• Kids' Mission: Can you find the old royal mark on the booth? Doesn't the phone booth look like something out of Harry Potter?
📍 Old Town, Trångsund, by Stockholm Cathedral
9. The Thieves' Nightmare
Look up! Do you see the bridge high above your head? It was built to stop the most dangerous robbers in the Old Town.
At Järntorget, the Swedish Central Bank was founded in 1668, making it the oldest in the world. Before the bridge existed, people had to drag around giant copper coins that weighed as much as a small dog!
But when lightweight paper bills were introduced, they became the perfect target for thieves. The bridge became the bank’s final defense—a secret path through the air where fortunes could be moved in total safety.
PS. Look closely at the bars… why did they need to be so thick?
• Kids' Mission: Do you see how high up the bridge is? If you were thieves in the 1800s, how would you try to reach the money up there?
📍 Järntorget 13
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10. The Nobel Café Secret
At the Nobel Prize Museum café, you can eat the same ice cream as the guests at the grand Nobel Banquet.
But look closely under your chair before you finish! That's where Nobel Laureates and famous world leaders have signed their names right under the seat – do you think they did it in secret or...
• Kids' Mission: Sneak a peek under the chairs in the café. Can you find an autograph that looks like a piece of art or one written with giant letters?
📍 Stortorget
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11. The Hunt for the Secret Doors
At the Palace, there are doors painted to look exactly like ordinary walls.
These are called secret doors (or jib doors) and were built so that the staff could move around without disturbing the Royal Family.
• Kids' mission: How many secret doors can you find during a tour of the Royal Palace?
📍Stockholm Royal Palace
Make Old Town more fun for the whole family
After so many people asked us for more tips in Stockholm’s Old Town (Gamla Stan), we decided to collect everything we love in one single app.
It features more than just our interactive ghost walk and time travel through Old Town - it's also a guide packed with the secret spots we recommend to our own friends and families.
👉 Start anytime – no booking, no stress
Stockholm Ghost Walk – The Old Town Guide App is an interactive guide and ghost tour for families who want to discover a more exciting, mysterious, and family-friendly side of Old Town.
👻 A video greeting and a ghost certificate from Old Town are included!
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Ghost walks, time travel and the kids' favourite guide - all in one app
Inside the app, you will find:
• 👻 Our Interactive Ghost Walk & Time Travel
• 🎬 Exciting Video Quizzes
• 🎁 Video Greeting & Ghost certificate
• 🖼 AR Images (Augmented Reality)
• 🗺 Easy-to-use GPS Map
• ☕ Cosy Cafés & Bakeries
• 🍦 Great Ice Cream, Sweets & Waffles
• 🏰 Fun Museums for Kids
• 🛍️ Unique Shops
• 🍝 Restaurants We Love
Everything is shown directly on the mobile map, making it easy to explore Old Town with kids – at your own pace and whenever it suits you.
Explore Old Town in a completely new, exciting and modern way!
Tourist or local - use the Old Town Guide App as often as you like and whenever it suits you. Early morning, during the day, or late at night - all year round. You decide!
The app features two things we felt were missing in Old Town:
1. 👻 Our Interactive Ghost Walk
A dramatised time travel through the alleys of Old Town, filled with thrilling stories, sound effects, maps, VideoQuizzes, and secret spots. Created for both kids and adults – and just as spooky and cosy in the autumn as during the summer holidays.
2.🍦Our Personal Guide to Old Town.
Here, we share our own favourite spots - from cafés, bakeries, and restaurants to ice cream, sweets, museums, unique boutiques, and hidden gems that most standard guides miss.
Simply follow our easy map to find the best local treasures.
And yes - everything in the guide is tested and handpicked by us! 😊
FAQ – All about our ghost walk & guide
No booking required – start whenever you like
Download the app on the App Store & Google Play!