Summers in Europe are becoming increasingly hot due to climate change with several southern popular tourist destinations being hit by heat waves and forest fires. Coolcations in northern destinations are becoming increasingly popular. Maybe an idea for the planning of your next gay vacation? I went to Stockholm to refresh. I was mainly curious about what the Sweden’s capital has to offer to LGBTQIA+ tourists. The Scandinavian country has a gay-friendly reputation, taking a top 10 place in the 2026 Rainbow Map of ILGA Europe alongside the other Scandinavian countries. But is Stockholm really hot as gay destination? It was time to take the temperature in person!

A great way to start exploring Stockholm is by getting familiar with the metro system.

The first metro tunnel was already built in the 30s of the twentieth century. Around the same time political parties started to debate on the need for a metro network. The formal construction of the Stockholm metro network started in 1944.

During the entire Second World War Sweden adopted a neutral position and didn’t actually fight with other countries. As a result the Swedish economy was less undermined by the war than in many other European countries. After the war they had the means to invest in big projects.

The city of Stockholm continued to invest in the metro network in the 50s, 60s and 70s. The investment paid off: the Stockholm metro has become a reliable and efficient way to move around the city with over 1.1 million passengers each day.

Green, red and blue

The metro consists of three colored lines: green, red and blue. In the near future existing lines will be extended and a totally new yellow line will be added to the three existing ones.

To enter the station you simply need to hold a bank card against the monitors for the entry gates to open. Make sure to always use the same card for your travels as the system keeps track of what you’ve already paid for and if a new reduction of credit is necessary.

Flower power

The real attraction in the metro is the art work. The idea to bring art into the metro system comes from painter and peace activist Vera Nilsson and artist and sculptor Siri Derkert. At first their idea didn’t receive a warm welcome but in the end they did manage to persuade officials and politicians to support it. The first major art installations appeared in the 1960s but most of the art in the metro dates from the 1970s. This also explains the flower power feel of the art with recurring themes like feminism, world peace, environmentalism and labor rights.

Many guided tours are organized to explore the art in the Stockholm Metro. I took my guided tour with Scandic Tours. Their guide Jan took us to a couple of remarkable metro stations, amongst which T-Centralen, Rådhuset and Stadion.

Construction workers

We started our tour at T-Centralen which is also the metro station where the three existing lines come together.

This very busy station was transformed by Per Olof Ultvedt into a white and blue oasis. His idea was to pay tribute to the many men who constructed the station. He did so by painting the silhouettes of workers in two variants of blue. These color tones refer to the Swedish flag which contains a light and bright blue today. But before 1906 it had a deep navy-like blue. To make the Swedish flag reference complete the station also has yellow elements like bin holders and doors.

At first Per Olof Ultvedt was considering to add all the names of the workers to the walls but since he realized this would appear too much as a sort of gravestone, he stuck to the silhouettes as a tribute.

Completing the art of this magnificent station are the painted patterns of vines on the ceiling. There are also other patterns on the ceiling which leave you guessing what they really depict. After all the best art leaves space for your own imagination.

Archaeological dig

Another metro station we visited is Rådhuset. The name of the station refers to the Stockholm Court House above it.

Artist Sigvard Olsson really enjoyed himself turning this metro station in a so-called archaeological dig that honors the history and local heritage of Kungsholmen island in which it is situated.

Olsson left some ‘traces’ of the local past in the station, like the baskets that symbolize Kungsholmen’s past as a vital market district. A sign in Swedish explains that baskets were used for shopping: “Baskets, the bags of the 1700s and 1800s”.

Another quirky trace of the past is the fake foundation of a giant chimney. It’s a historical reference to the industrialization of the area and the many factories there were in this neighborhood.

Sigvard Olsson has let his imagination really run wild by also making up a story about a beautiful gate he found right by the opening of the tunnel. The gate was modeled on site after the original from Vadstena Castle. Seeing modern metro trains arrive through this seemingly old gate is really strange.

Global Summer Olympics

Before you start wondering: “Didn’t the introduction of this article promise a look at LGBTQIA+ life and culture?” Well, we head to Stadion, the last metro station on our tour. It was my actual reason for taking the tour.

 Stadion owes its name to the nearby stadium where the 1912 Summer Olympics were held. This edition of the Summer Olympics is considered a very successful edition of the international sports event. It was the beginning of the modern era of the Olympics with the introduction of automated time-keeping, the photo finish and public electronic scoreboards.

Although only 28 nations took part in these Summer Olympics with the introduction of Japan as the first Asian country to ever compete at the games, these were the first real global Olympic Games with athletes of all five continents competing.

Sweden won the most medals that Summer Olympics. In the decades that followed the Swedes launched several bids to host the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics, never actually being appointed again to host these sports events. Nevertheless Sweden has a rich sports culture. The Swedes certainly have the sport infrastructure, the financial means and the ever burning ambition to host the event again. Nothing will keep them from bidding again!

Underground rainbow

The gay link of Stadion metro station is however the big rainbow that is painted on one the ceilings.

The funny truth is that American artist and activist Gilbert Baker created the modern six-stripe rainbow flag in 1979, whilst Swedish artists Enno Hallek and Åke Pallarp decorated the station in 1973. In other words: the artists didn’t have the intention to create a gay symbol by painting this giant rainbow on the blue ceiling. Their idea was to create an environment in which the travelers didn’t feel trapped underground. The rainbow was a kind reminder of the sun and the blue skies right above the station.

However the festival venue of the yearly Stockholm Pride is located at the nearby sport grounds Östermalms IP. So Stadion serves as the public transport access to the pride. Over the years this artwork has become an LGBT symbol.

It’s also the perfect picture opportunity to prove you’ve made it to Stockholm. To show to family, friends and potential dates that you are ready to explore the gay life of Stockholm.

Booking your tour

Scandic Tours does regular Subway Art & Photo Tours. You can book their tour via their site or via GetYourGuide. If you want an experienced guide on this particular tour, you can always ask for Jan.

Now with our socials decorated with rainbows and our metro map in hand, we can really dive into the gay life!