Northern European Gems: 10-Day Split Itinerary for Amsterdam and Stockholm

Landing in Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport feels like arriving at a modern port of call—efficient, organized, and surprisingly serene for its size. Rather than battle the taxi queues, I recommend arranging a private transfer to your accommodations. The city unfolds before you like nautical charts coming to life—concentric canals forming perfect arcs, each with its own character and story.

For your first two days, anchor yourself in the heart of the Jordaan district. I chose the Pulitzer Amsterdam, a luxury hotel comprised of 25 canal houses dating back to the Golden Age. My room overlooked the Prinsengracht, offering a front-row seat to the gentle ballet of boats passing by. The windows cracked open just enough to let in that distinctive Amsterdam air—a curious mixture of water, stone, and centuries of human habitation.

On your first morning, orient yourself with a private canal cruise. Skip the crowded tourist boats and opt for a smaller, more intimate vessel. I booked with Those Dam Boat Guys, whose skippers are often historians or architects by training. As we glided under stone bridges, my skipper Matthijs pointed out architectural details I would have missed—the hooks protruding from gable tops once used to hoist goods into merchant homes, the subtle tilt of buildings settling into the soft ground over centuries.

For dinner, make reservations at Restaurant De Kas, housed in a set of greenhouses dating from 1926. Much of what you eat is grown on-site, creating a farm-to-table experience that feels both luxurious and grounded. The seasonal tasting menu paired with Dutch wines was a revelation—I never expected such vibrant flavors from a country often overlooked for its cuisine.

By your third day, you'll have your sea legs under you and be ready for deeper cultural exploration. Start with the Rijksmuseum, arriving when doors open at 9 AM. I spent nearly four hours navigating its collections, anchoring myself primarily in the 17th-century Dutch Masters section. Rembrandt's attention to light reminds me of those perfect moments on water when the sun breaks through cloud cover, illuminating everything with sudden clarity.

Afterward, walk to the nearby Van Gogh Museum. Book tickets in advance—the queues can stretch longer than a Great Lakes freighter. Van Gogh's swirling skies and vibrant colors remind me of certain underwater scenes I've photographed, where light and motion create similar patterns in marine environments.

For your fourth day, venture slightly off the typical tourist chart to the Amsterdam Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum). Housed in a former naval storehouse from 1656, it offers a comprehensive look at how the Netherlands built a global empire through maritime prowess. The replica of the East Indiaman Amsterdam ship moored outside is worth boarding—standing on its deck, you can almost feel the roll of ocean swells beneath your feet.

End your evening with dinner at Vuurtoreneiland (Lighthouse Island), a truly unique experience requiring advance booking. You'll board a boat from the city center and journey to a small island in the IJmeer where dinner is served in a glass greenhouse. The journey itself—watching Amsterdam recede as you head into open water—provides a perspective few tourists experience. I captured the sunset with my compact camera, which handles low-light conditions beautifully without the bulk of my usual underwater photography gear.

On day five, chart a course for Stockholm. Direct flights from Amsterdam take about two hours—I recommend booking a mid-morning departure to maximize your first day in Sweden's capital. The approach to Stockholm's Arlanda Airport offers a stunning preview of what awaits: countless islands dotting the waters below like stepping stones across the Baltic.

Stockholm presents a different relationship with water than Amsterdam. While Amsterdam imposed geometric order on its waterways, Stockholm embraces the natural archipelago, building around and between its 14 islands. I chose to stay at the Grand Hôtel, positioned perfectly along the waterfront with views of the Royal Palace and Gamla Stan (Old Town) across the water.

Use your arrival afternoon for a gentle orientation. The hotel provided a waterproof map that proved invaluable throughout my stay. I recommend walking along Strandvägen, the elegant waterfront boulevard, before taking a ferry to Djurgården island. This former royal hunting ground now houses several museums, but on this first evening, simply enjoy the walking paths and waterfront views.

For your sixth day, explore Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town. Founded in 1252, this island forms the historic heart of the city. Its narrow, winding streets feel more like a medieval village than a capital city. As a marine biologist, I was particularly drawn to the Stockholm Bloodbath Monument at Stortorget square—not for its grim history, but for the remarkable fact that archaeologists used the same techniques we use for aging fish to determine the age of the victims' remains found nearby during excavations.

End your day with dinner at Oaxen Krog, a two-Michelin-star restaurant located on Djurgården in a former shipyard. Their Nordic cuisine focuses heavily on local, sustainable seafood—the langoustines were among the sweetest I've tasted outside of Scotland. Request a table by the window for views of boats passing in the harbor as the northern summer light lingers well into evening.

Stockholm's maritime heritage runs as deep as its waters, and days seven and eight should be dedicated to exploring this connection. Begin with the Vasa Museum, housing the world's only preserved 17th-century warship. When the Vasa was raised from Stockholm Harbor in 1961 after 333 years underwater, it revolutionized marine archaeology. As someone who's spent decades studying Great Lakes shipwrecks, I found myself moved to near tears by the preservation quality—95% of the ship is original material.

The museum is built around the ship, allowing you to view it from multiple angles and heights. Take your time here—the side exhibits explaining the conservation techniques are fascinating for anyone interested in marine preservation. I spent nearly four hours examining everything from the carved wooden figures to the artifacts found within the ship's hold.

For your afternoon, visit the adjacent Nordic Museum for context on Swedish maritime culture and traditions. The fisheries exhibits provide excellent insight into how Scandinavian coastal communities have sustainably harvested from the sea for centuries—practices we could learn from globally.

On day eight, experience Stockholm's archipelago firsthand with a full-day boat tour. I booked with Archipelago Tours, selecting their 'Grand Tour' option that visits both inhabited and uninhabited islands. The archipelago consists of approximately 30,000 islands and skerries, each with its own character. We stopped at Sandhamn, a sailing hub with distinctive red wooden houses, and Kymmendö, which inspired many of Strindberg's works.

For serious photographers, I recommend bringing a polarizing filter for your camera lens. The combination of water, sky, and traditional red cottages creates stunning compositions, but the water reflections can be better controlled with proper filtration. Our guide, Lars, a former Swedish coast guard officer, provided fascinating commentary on the changing ecology of the Baltic Sea—a sobering reminder of how climate change affects even these northern waters.

As your journey begins to ebb, dedicate day nine to exploring Stockholm's renowned design sensibility. Begin at Fotografiska, the photography museum housed in a former customs house on the waterfront. The building itself is an architectural landmark, but the rotating exhibitions inside often feature marine and environmental photography that speaks to my professional interests. During my visit, an exhibit on Baltic Sea conservation presented underwater imagery that rivaled anything I've captured in my career.

Afterward, take the ferry to Södermalm, once a working-class district now transformed into Stockholm's hippest neighborhood. The SoFo area (south of Folkungagatan) houses independent boutiques and design shops where you can find everything from handcrafted wooden items to modern Swedish textiles. I purchased a travel journal with handmade marbled paper covers from Papercut, a shop that would feel equally at home in Brooklyn or Berlin.

For lunch, visit Pelikan, a traditional Swedish restaurant dating from 1733. Their herring plate offers five different preparations of this quintessential Nordic fish—the mustard herring particularly impressed me with its balance of sweetness and pungency.

On your final evening, treat yourselves to dinner at Frantzén, one of only two three-Michelin-star restaurants in Sweden. The 10-course tasting menu is a journey through Nordic ingredients presented with Japanese precision—much like navigating through complex waters, each turn reveals new discoveries. Reserve at least two months in advance for this extraordinary culinary experience.

For your departure day, schedule a late afternoon flight to allow for a final morning exploration. I recommend visiting Fjäderholmarna, the closest archipelago islands to the city center. Just a 25-minute ferry ride from Nybrokajen in central Stockholm, these small islands offer artisan workshops and a final taste of archipelago life before returning to the mainland. Watch glassblowers and potters at work, many creating pieces inspired by the surrounding maritime environment.

As my seaplane lifted off from Stockholm's waters, banking over the archipelago I'd spent days exploring, I felt that familiar bittersweet sensation that accompanies the end of any meaningful voyage—satisfaction at waters well-navigated, combined with the pull to return and explore the depths I'd only just begun to fathom.