Biking and Kayaking in Stockholm: City Tours, Winter Paddling and Sauna
5 min read
Biking and kayaking suit different kinds of visitor, and the booking pages set limits that decide who can come. The tours below start in the city; only the winter kayak tour goes out to the archipelago.
Guided bike tours
The guided bike tour from Stockholm Adventures costs €54.87 per person, is rated 4.7 out of 5 and has 1,120 reviews. It takes 2 to 3 hours, with a live guide in English, German, Dutch or French, and the page lists stops at Riddarholmen, Gamla Stan and Djurgården. The bikes are two-speed city bikes with coaster brakes, and a helmet is included. An e-bike is available if you select that option. The page notes a limited number of rain ponchos. Check-in is 15 minutes before departure at Kungsbro strand 21, and arriving at departure time will likely mean missing the tour.
Age and height: children must be at least 12 years old, and the page says taller than 140 cm in one place and lists people under 145 cm as not suitable in another; ask the operator if your child is near the line. Child bikes are not available. The tour needs at least 2 participants and runs in all weather unless the guide considers it unsafe, in which case you are offered another date or a refund.
The E-Bike City Tour costs €44.35 per person, is rated 4.8 out of 5 and has 252 reviews. It lasts 2.5 hours for a group limited to 10, with a live guide in English, and starts at Svartmangatan 27. Electric assistance, helmets and ponchos are included. It is not suitable for children under 14, people who cannot ride a bike, or people over 120 kg.
Kayaking in the city
The 2-hour guided kayak tour in the city centre costs €53.51 per person, is rated 4.8 out of 5 and has 171 reviews. The group is limited to 10, the guide speaks English or Swedish, and you paddle in stable two-person kayaks past Långholmen, the Old Town, City Hall and Norr Mälarstrand. It is open to beginners, and children under 12 may come in the company of a parent. Swimming ability is a requirement, and the page lists non-swimmers and people with mobility impairments as not suitable. Meeting point: Långholmsbron, Alstaviksvägen 3. Life jacket and spraydeck are included; bring water and clothes that can get wet.
Winter kayak with fika and optional sauna
The winter kayaking tour with fika and sauna costs €126.06 per person, is rated 5.0 out of 5 and has 885 reviews. It lasts 3 to 6 hours with a limit of 8 participants, and paddles past Vaxholm Fortress, about 30 minutes from the city, in a drysuit that is supplied together with boots, gloves and a rain hat. Kayak, paddle, life vest and a fika afterwards are included. A one-hour wood-burning sauna with an optional dip in the Baltic Sea is added only if you select that option. There are two starting-point options, so check which one you choose.
This is the most demanding tour here. The page lists as not suitable: children under 16, pregnant women, people with back problems, anyone under 150 cm or over 115 kg, people with pre-existing medical conditions and people with a low level of fitness. If you are unsure, ask the operator before booking.
Which to choose
- First visit, no cycling habit: the guided bike tour, or the e-bike tour if hills or distance worry you.
- Comfortable on the water: the city kayak tour, provided everyone swims.
- Winter, adults who want something different: the winter paddle, with the sauna if you are fit and healthy.
- Families with children under 12: neither of the two bike tours here, which start at 12 and 14. Of the four, only the city kayak tour welcomes children under 12, and only with a parent.
See more cold-season ideas on our page for winter and sauna in Stockholm, and all rental and guided options on kayak and bike tours. For a different way along the water, read our guide to canal cruises, and for a walking alternative the Gamla Stan guide.
