Maria Bielaia, your favourite guide in Stockholm!
My name is Maria Bielaia. I am a licensed Stockholm guide, an authorized guide for the Stockholm City Hall and most of the city’s museums, and a member of FSAG (the Stockholm Association of Licensed Guides).
But if we set all the titles and titles aside – I am simply someone who is deeply, endlessly in love with Stockholm!
How I got swept up in the whirlwind of guiding tours in Stockholm
My background is actually in psychology. My journey here in Sweden started after I moved, beginning as a passion project – a blog where I shared tips, tricks, and hidden gems about Sweden, along with budget-friendly ways to travel around Scandinavia. To my surprise, readers started reaching out to me, asking if I could personally show them around the city!
I went on to get a professional Swedish degree in tourism, became a licensed guide, and started opening up Stockholm to others. I absolutely love this city, and it always breaks my heart when people think there is nothing to see here besides Gamla Stan, the Skansen open-air museum, and the Vasa Museum. That is exactly why I created this project!
How I promote Stockholm to families and adults—including my free initiatives!
My goal is to make Stockholm accessible and fascinating for everyone!
I created a series of signature walks called "All of Stockholm." This is my custom tour program where I show you the city’s many different faces by exploring its various neighborhoods. After all, Stockholm is so much more than just the Old Town!
To make my tours affordable for everyone, I have been hosting open group tours alongside my private bookings since 2017. Tickets are just 290 SEK (about €29). Over time, this project grew so much that it now has its own dedicated website: wowstockholm.com, where you can find the current schedule of these "WOW!-tours."
I have put together free cheat sheets featuring my favorite "WOW!-hotels" and hostels in Stockholm, Helsinki, Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius.
I keep sharing daily stories and glimpses of local life in Stockholm on my blog and Instagram account @sweden_tours_dmc to help bring this beautiful city a little closer to everyone.
What people say about exploring Stockholm with me
The most amazing part of my job is the connections it brings! I am always so incredibly lucky to meet such fascinating people – travelers who aren't just checking sights off a list, but who are genuinely curious about the culture, the local food, and how life is lived here.
I’m so honored that so many people choose to celebrate their birthdays or wedding anniversaries in Stockholm on my tours, or trust me to show the city to their closest family and friends.
The ultimate compliment for me is when guests keep coming back for more tours to discover new sides of Stockholm together!
Thank you for your curiosity, for all the warm words you share after our walks, for taking the time to leave reviews, and for recommending me to your friends and loved ones. I hope we have plenty of reasons to meet again soon!
Join me for a guided tour of Stockholm!
Last updated: July 2026