Destinations
10 Islands Near Stockholm You Can Reach by Boat
A quick list of the ten islands closest to central Stockholm by private boat, sorted by our travel times from Strandvägen, with one line on each and links to the full guides.
By Stockholm By Boat · · Updated · 3 min read
The islands nearest to Stockholm by boat are Fjäderholmarna, about 15 minutes from Strandvägen by private motorboat, Vaxholm at 45 minutes and Grinda at 1h 15min. Within 1h 50min you can also reach Birka, Svartsö, Ingmarsö, Idöborg, Nämdö, Finnhamn and Sandhamn. This is a quick list of the ten closest islands, sorted by travel time. For what to do on each island, read our full guide to the best islands in the Stockholm archipelago.
All times are our estimated cruise times from Strandvägen at 15 knots in a motorboat and 8 knots in a yacht. They are not scheduled departures, and traffic, speed limits and conditions on the water can add time.
10 islands near Stockholm, sorted by travel time
| # | Island | Motorboat | Yacht | In one line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fjäderholmarna | 15 minutes | 25 minutes | Four islands just east of Djurgården, with restaurants, a brewery and craftspeople |
| 2 | Vaxholm | 45 minutes | 1h 25min | The fortress town at the inner entrance to the archipelago, with a guest harbour |
| 3 | Grinda | 1h 15min | 2h 25min | Nature reserve with beaches, walking trails and Grinda Wärdshus from 1906 |
| 4 | Birka | 1h 30min | 2h 45min | Viking Age trading town on Björkö in Lake Mälaren, a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| 5 | Svartsö | 1h 30min | 2h 45min | Gravel roads, inland lakes and a general store at Alsvik jetty |
| 6 | Ingmarsö | 1h 40min | 3h 10min | Sheltered guest harbour and a village store trading since 1887 |
| 7 | Idöborg | 1h 45min | 3h | Privately owned island east of Nämdö, with a guest harbour and the restaurant Strandbaren |
| 8 | Nämdö | 1h 45min | 3h 15min | Car-free island with a guest harbour, store and bakery at Solvik |
| 9 | Finnhamn | 1h 50min | 3h 25min | Nature-reserve island group with three guest harbours and a sandy beach |
| 10 | Sandhamn | 1h 50min | 3h 30min | The old pilot and customs village on Sandön, home waters of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club |
Under an hour: Fjäderholmarna and Vaxholm
Fjäderholmarna is the closest island stop, an estimated 3.5 nautical miles from Strandvägen. Visitors land on Stora Fjäderholmen, where the restaurants and cafés are seasonal. Vaxholm, about 11 nautical miles away, has Vaxholm Fortress, a harbour front with restaurants, cafés and shops, and a guest harbour. On our motorboat charter page, a trip to Fjäderholmarna with dinner is about 3 hours, and Vaxholm and the inner archipelago take 4–6 hours.
Getfoten, a sailing club's island near Vaxholm, is also 40 minutes away. Visiting boats can moor there for a harbour fee, but the restaurant on the island says it is closed until further notice, so we have left it off the list.
1h 15min to 1h 50min: a full day
From Grinda onwards, plan a full day. Grinda, Svartsö, Ingmarsö and Finnhamn lie in the middle archipelago, and Nämdö and Idöborg further south. Sandhamn is in the outer part of the archipelago. Birka is the odd one out: it lies west of the city in Lake Mälaren, and the route goes through the Hammarby lock, which adds time.
On Finnhamn, Finnhamns krog has closed for the 2026 season and says it reopens at Valborg, at the end of April 2027.
Motorboat or yacht?
A yacht takes roughly twice as long as a motorboat, because our times assume 8 knots instead of 15. Sandhamn is 1h 50min by motorboat but 3h 30min by yacht, so a yacht suits the islands closest to the city. Every charter includes a licensed captain, so no boating licence is needed, and the boat is private for your group. Send a booking request with your date and group size, and we will suggest a route.
Read next
- Best islands in the Stockholm archipelago: the full guide, island by island.
- One day in the Stockholm archipelago: seven itineraries by boat.
- Stockholm archipelago restaurants you can reach by boat: where to eat on the way.
- Day trip by boat from Stockholm: how a private charter day works.