A Regal Day Trip to Stockholm’s Drottningholm Palace

The young queen of Sweden, Hedvig Eleonora – whose beauty had enticed the king to marry her – needed a jaw-dropping palace.

Drottningholm Palace, to be exact…

And – after you’ve explored Gamla Stan (Stockholm’s Old Town) – visiting this Swedish royal palace today is one of the best day trips from Stockholm!

Where is Drottningholm Palace located?

The palace is built on the island of Lovon in Lake Malaren, in a suburb of Stockholm called Drottningholm.

See this link to Google maps for the Drottningholm Palace location.

Drottningholm Palace history

Now let’s step back in time and learn a little about the history of Drottningholm Palace and how it came to be…

Hedvig Eleonora

Hedvig Eleonora’s husband, the king, had recently died, and she would rule as regent of the country until their young son was old enough to become the next king.

Sweden was one of the most powerful states in Europe, and the palace she would commission had to dazzle visiting royalty and dignitaries with its grandeur.

And so, in 1662, Drottningholm Palace (Drottningholm slott in Swedish) was built in grand Baroque style.

As it turned out, Hedvig Eleonora ended up reigning for much of her life.

Even when her son assumed power, he still deferred to her and called her “the Queen.”

Later, when her grandson left to fight the Great Northern War between Russia and the Swedish empire, she assumed control of Sweden once again.

Hedwig Eleonora’s bedchamber

She used it for official purposes, to greet visitors.

No doubt she succeeded in impressing many prominent guests here during her long reign!

Louisa Ulrika’s artistic influence

After Eleonora’s passing, the palace remained the residence for the royal ladies.

Then in 1744, it was given as a wedding present to Princess Louisa Ulrika of Prussia when she married the Swedish crown prince.

A lover of the arts, Louisa thrust Drottningholm into its golden age, redecorating the interiors in the latest French Rococo style on display at the Palace of Versailles.

Louisa also added a splendid library.

Dripping with crystal chandeliers, the gilt-adorned library simply oozes luxury.

A friend of Voltaire, Louisa loved to read – she founded Sweden’s Academy of Letters (which promotes the study of humanities and social sciences).

What must it have been like to pick up one of her precious history or botany books, and read in that room?

The lovely kina slott

On her 33rd birthday, Louisa received a surprise gift from her husband – a “Chinese pleasure palace.”

In a letter to her mother, she wrote of her delight: “He led me to one side of the garden and suddenly to my surprise, I found myself gazing upon a real fairytale creation, for the King had built a Chinese palace, the loveliest imaginable.”

Chinoiserie was in fashion at the time.

This pretty pink Chinese Pavilion (Kina slott in Swedish) displays the exquisite Chinese porcelain statues, lacquered panels, china and vases that so fascinated Louisa and her friends.

Indeed, as we wandered through the red, green and yellow rooms, we easily imagined them reading, laughing, gossiping and having fun as they played cards here.

Confidence dining room

The “confidence” dining room, in a separate building beside the Chinese palace, is also intriguing.

Its dining table could be lowered underground, so servants could set the meal on it then raise it back up into the dining room.

This way, the royals could eat in private without servants overhearing their conversations.

The room is the sparest in the palace.

Nature reigns supreme here.

Louisa must have found pleasure enough in the leafy views through the glass windows encircling the one-room building and in the secrets shared here.

Where Swedish royalty still live

Drottningholm is Swedish for “Queen’s Island.”

It’s a tribute to the vision and creativity of Eleonora and Louisa – both beautiful, strong-willed, intelligent women – that the golden-hued yellow palace today is one of the finest and best-preserved palaces in Northern Europe, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Drottninholm is also still full of life.

The current Swedish king and queen make their home here.

Stockholm day trip to the “Queen’s Island”

A large part of the palace is open to the public, however.

And this Stockholm day trip – taking a century-old steamer across Lake Malaren to visit the “Queen’s Island” – is one of the best things to do in Stockholm!

Tips for visiting Drottningholm Palace

Drottningholm Palace tour

We recommend allowing three to four hours to explore Drottningholm Palace and gardens.

Sign up at the palace for a 45-minute guided tour, offered at 10:00 am, 12 noon, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm from June to September (limited tours the rest of the year).

Karmellan Café and Restaurant

There’s a lovely café in an historic building, the 1880 Karmellan Café and Restaurant, on the palace grounds – so you can have a snack or lunch at Drottningholm.

More information

The palace website has detailed information on Sweden’s Drottningholm Palace.

Boat to Drottningholm Palace

You can drive to Drottningholm Palace, but the most fun way to get there is by boat.

More Stockholm information

See the Stockholm travel guides available on Amazon.

(As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

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Photo credits: 6 to 11, 15, 16 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | 11, 13, 14 Swedish Royal Court

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