Vasastan: Strindberg's Blue Tower, the observatory hill and Asplund's library

A short walk up the Stockholm esker in Vasastan: Strindberg's last home in the Blue Tower, Tegnérlunden, the old observatory on its hill in Observatorielunden, Gunnar Asplund's rotunda library of 1928 and the steep Vanadislunden park.

Best time: Weekday daytime; the city library is closed for renovation (planned to reopen in 2028), so see it from outside

The route, stop by stop

1. 1
   Strindberg Museum

   August Strindberg's last home (1908-1912) in the Blue Tower at Drottninggatan 85, a museum since 1973 with his library and furniture. Hours not verified. 45 min.

   August Strindberg's last home, the 'Blue Tower' flat where he lived until his death in 1912: bedroom, dining room and study kept as he left them, plus his library.

2. 2
   Tegnérlunden

   Park on a former mill hill on the border of Norrmalm and Vasastan, where two orphanage mills stood from 1693 and 1724. 10 min.

3. 3
   Observatorielunden

   Park on the Stockholm esker named after the old observatory at the top, the Royal Academy of Sciences' first observatory building. The observatory museum closed in 2014; walk up to see the building. 20 min.

   A park on a ridge of the Stockholm esker with Sweden's first observatory from the 1700s on top, Asplund's City Library at its foot and seats looking over Vasastan's rooftops…

4. 4
   Stockholms stadsbibliotek

   Gunnar Asplund's library of 1928 at Sveavägen and Odengatan, with its cylindrical rotunda; Asplund also planned the park beside it. Closed for renovation since 2024, planned to reopen in 2028. 10 min outside.

5. 5
   Vanadislunden

   One of the city's largest parks (about 9 hectares), very hilly, reaching 43 m on the Brunkeberg esker; the area was once a poor outskirt nicknamed "Siberia". 20 min.

   One of Stockholm's biggest parks, on the Brunkeberg esker in Vasastan, with rolling lawns, a water reservoir on top and views over Östermalm, Vasastan and the northern suburbs…

Walking directions

More walks in Stockholm

• Gamla stan beyond the crowds: Riddarholmen, Stortorget and the back lanes2.5 km · 2 h 30 min
• Söder heights at sunset: Mariaberget, Monteliusvägen and Skinnarviksberget1.7 km · 2 h
• East Södermalm: Fjällgatan, Vita bergen and the 18th-century wooden houses2.4 km · 2 h 40 min
• Djurgården: Vasa, Rosendal and the art villas to Blockhusudden5.8 km · 6 h
• Skeppsholmen and Kastellholmen: the museum island and the citadel1.3 km · 2 h 40 min
• Östermalm and Strandvägen: Hallwylska, the market hall and the waterfront boulevard2.4 km · 3 h 20 min
• Kungsholmen waterfront: City Hall, Norr Mälarstrand and Rålis to Västerbron3.2 km · 2 h 40 min
• Långholmen and Reimersholme: the prison island and the bathing rocks2.7 km · 2 h 40 min
• Hagaparken: Gustav III's pavilions and the Copper Tents on Brunnsviken2 km · 2 h 30 min
• Skogskyrkogården: Asplund and Lewerentz's Woodland Cemetery (UNESCO)1.6 km · 1 h 40 min
• Tunnelbana art ride: T-Centralen, Kungsträdgården, Rådhuset, Solna centrum, Stadion, Tekniska högskolan14.8 km · 2 h