SkyView Stockholm: Riding the Glass Gondolas on the Avicii Arena
SkyView is the glass gondola ride that climbs the outside of the Avicii Arena, the spherical hall most Stockholmers still call Globen. Two gondolas run on tracks fixed to the facade up to the building's highest point, 130 metres above sea level, which puts the whole city spread out below you. It is one ride, not a museum, so this page covers where the arena stands, what happens during the ascent, how long to allow and what sits on the same site.
The building itself opened in 1989 and is described as the largest spherical building in the world, with room for up to 16,000 spectators at concerts and sports events. SkyView has run on its exterior since 2010, engineered by Liftbyggarna from Östersund, a firm that normally builds ski lifts.
What SkyView Stockholm actually is
Two glass gondolas travel on rails bolted to the arena's exterior, carrying passengers from ground level to the top of the sphere. Because the ride is on the outside of the building rather than inside a lift shaft, the view opens up as you climb rather than arriving all at once.
The name is confusing, so keep the pieces separate. SkyView is the ride on the globe; the Avicii Experience, the museum about the artist, sits at Sergels torg in the city centre, not at the arena. Anyone planning both should treat them as two separate stops on opposite sides of town.
Where the Avicii Arena is and how to reach it
The arena stands at the southern edge of Södermalm, in the events district around Globen, served by the tunnelbana and tvärbana lines that carry the Globen name. It is not in the historic centre, so budget the journey as part of the outing rather than assuming you can walk there between Gamla Stan sights.
Allow a comfortable margin on event nights, when the surrounding streets and transport fill up well before the doors open. Checking the arena's own site for the day's programme before you set out is the simplest way to avoid arriving in the middle of a crowd.
The ascent and the view from the top
Two cabins travel together on parallel tracks up the facade, and boarding is organised in batches rather than on demand, so you share the ride with a group rather than travelling alone.
From the highest point of the sphere the view takes in the whole of Stockholm, from the islands of the centre out across the suburbs. Visitors who dislike heights describe the climb as the tense part and the time at the top as the reward, so it helps to know your own tolerance before you book.
Reviews flag the ride as short and on the pricier side for what it is, with a stop for coffee near the top as part of the experience for some visitors. If you want a long, lingering viewpoint, this is not it; if you want the novelty of climbing the outside of a globe, few places offer the same.
How long to allow
Treat SkyView as a one-hour slot including boarding rather than a half-day attraction. The gondola ride itself is brief, and the waiting, security and queuing take up more time than the ascent. Pairing it with something at ground level on the same site makes the journey south worthwhile.
On busy days the queue moves in batches, so arriving early in the day gives you more control over the rest of your schedule. If your Stockholm plan is tight, put SkyView on the day you are already heading to Södermalm rather than making a special trip.
Tickets, prices and passes
Ticket prices in kronor vary, so check the current fare on the booking page before you travel. Book ahead for weekend and holiday dates, when slots fill quickly and walk-up places are less reliable.
SkyView has appeared among the attractions included in the Stockholm Go City All-Inclusive Pass, sometimes marketed as the Stockholm Pass, as listed in January 2026. Treat that as history: pass contents are revised, so confirm the current inclusion list on the pass provider's site before you buy one on the strength of this ride alone.
Who should skip it
If heights make you grip the handrail, the exposed climb up the facade is the wrong way to spend your money; plenty of free city viewpoints, from waterfronts to squares, cost nothing and need no booking. The ride is also weather-dependent in feel rather than function, since a grey day flattens the view you have paid for.
Judge the trade-off honestly: SkyView is a short, paid novelty ride, while Stockholm's museums and waterside walks fill a day for less. It earns its place if you enjoy engineering, big views or travelling with children who like the idea of riding up a globe.
What's nearby on the same site
The arena sits in the largest events district in northern Europe, alongside the 3Arena football stadium, formerly the Tele2 Arena, and the Globen Shopping centre with its roughly 60 shops. That makes the trip south easy to extend without adding another journey.
For a calmer half of the day, head back into the centre and visit the Nationalmuseum on Södra Blasieholmshamnen, whose collections reward a longer stay than the gondola ride.
Worth the trip south?
SkyView is worth the journey if you want one big, unusual view and are happy to pay for a short ride. Book a slot, keep the visit to an hour, and combine it with the shops or a match at the same site so the trip south earns its place in a short break.