Rosendal Palace is a surprisingly intimate royal residence on Djurgården, built in the 1820s for King Karl XIV Johan. Unlike the grand Kungliga Slottet in Gamla Stan, Rosendal is modest in scale — more country retreat than seat of power. The interiors are the real draw: original Swedish Empire furnishings, painted trompe-l'oeil walls, and a remarkable collection of early 19th-century decorative arts, all preserved almost exactly as the king left them.
The palace is open for guided tours only, typically from June through August. The surrounding gardens are pleasant for a stroll, and nearby Rosendals Trädgård (a separate site) has a popular café.