Bergianska Botanical Garden is one of my absolute favorite places in Stockholm and I always visit several times when I’m in town. It’s gorgeous and peaceful, easy to get to, and there is lots to see.
About Bergianska Botanical Garden
Two brothers started the garden as a horticultural school in the 1700s, and at that time, it was located in what is now the middle of Stockholm. In 1791, the garden was donated to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and in 1885, it was moved to its current location.
Bergianska Botanical Garden, which now lies on the banks of Brunnsviken Lake, is a research and teaching garden associated with Stockholm University. It is much larger than it first appears to be, and there are many different parts to it, including ponds, greenhouses, separate garden areas (a fruit garden, an herb garden, etc.), walkways along the water, two cafes, and lots of places to hang out and relax.
Visiting Bergianska
What I love to do is spend the morning wandering around the grounds, just looking at and learning about all the flowers and plants.
And then have lunch at the Old Orangery café. The orangery is a gorgeous old stone building, decorated in a French country, shabby chic style.
The staff is super nice, the food is great, and they have a little bit of everything: main courses, sandwiches, pastry, desserts, and of course coffee, beer and wine.
After lunch, we usually explore the parts we didn’t see in the morning, or, depending on the weather, the greenhouses, which have a lot of exotic plants divided up into different areas of the world.
We always end our visits by sitting on one of the docks, feet dangling above the water (or in it, depending on which dock you’re on), just taking in the views and listening to nature. It is so pretty and peaceful, and we always have to drag ourselves away.
Getting to Bergianska & Practical Details
Take the red line to the “Universitetet” subway stop (four stops from the Stockholm Central Station) and when you exit the station, take a left and cross the bridge over the commuter rail tracks. Right after the bridge, take a right and follow the road that runs parallel to the tracks until you get to the bottom of the hill. It’s about a 10-minute walk in total, and in spite of being next to railroad tracks, it’s pretty. Entrance to the garden is free (there is a small charge for the greenhouses), dogs are allowed, and it’s open year round.
