I recently took a trip to Stockholm with a couple of friends this past August after a 3 years of waiting due to Covid and me moving back from Canada. I absolutely loved the city and would definitely revisit to do more but here's what we got up to.
Day 1
Arrival and Hotel
We flew with Norwegian Airlines out of LONDON GATWICK on a Monday and landed in the afternoon at STOCKHOLM ARLANDA to a clean and calm airport. There are clear directions on how to get a ticket for the bus heading towards Stockholm city centre and we were staying at The Winery Hotel in Solna, about 25 minutes drive from the airport and another 15 minutes to get to the city centre. The hotel is very stylishly done with a rooftop pool and bar, great restaurant and lovely ground floor lounge. They make their own wine in Sweden and Italy and have an abundance of it throughout the hotel. I mainly had red wine but did sample a white with my dinner on the final night, my friends both had white wine including an alcohol-free version and all were delicious. The rooms and bathroom were on the smaller side but very stylishly decorated with exposed brick and concrete, providing a Brooklyn inspired industrial feel. The staff were very friendly and helpful (especially when we got locked out of the room's safe).
Getting Our Bearings
For our first evening we decided to head to the hotel's rooftop bar for a couple of glasses of wine before heading out for dinner and took some obligatory selfies with the beautiful view. One of my friends who has travelled a lot would often seek out a familiar branded restaurant whenever she was in a new country and it ended up becoming a theme that has now turned into a challenge to visit the Hard Rock Cafe in every country they operate. Since we had just landed and not yet ventured into the city, we figured this would be a nice, easy, simple start to the evening. It was a Monday night so not busy at all, great service and decent food. The restaurant was located right on Sveavägen, one of the main streets, ideal for exploring to get a feel for the area.
First Impressions
So far, Sweden has been impressing us. The people seem very friendly, the city is clean and well maintained with lots of greenery everywhere. There's lots of options of restaurants, cafe's and bars with patio sections to enjoy the beautiful weather. We're all from the north of England so for us, it was impressive to see how many bicycles and electric scooters were about. And the trust! We watched one woman cycle up to a mini corner supermarket and just prop her bike up without locking it. Even if you locked it up in England, it's quite possible you might come back to find a part of it stolen. Stockholm felt very safe in contrast.
Day 2
Museum's Galore!
The Tragedy
We decided to hit the major museum's on our list today and started with the Vasa Museum. None of us really did any research before going to this one, my reasoning was because I specifically didn't want to know so that I could experience it fully firsthand.
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As soon as you walk through the door after getting your tickets, you're immediately hit with this impressive 17th century ship that dominates the room. It is the world's best preserved ship from this era and the tragic story is that it sank within about 20 minutes of setting sail. It's definitely worth a visit even just to see the incredible detail carved into the woodwork but you will also find out about what went wrong, why it sank and how it was salvaged.
Mamma Mia!
You can't go to Sweden and not go to the ABBA museum. This was a stark contrast to Vasa but still fabulous and a significant part of Sweden's history. ABBA brought us fantastic music, flamboyant costumes and a fun-filled musical. It was a fun, interactive museum detailing everything from pre-ABBA, to their fame, the musical and even bits about their separate careers after their break up.
Modern Art
Following this we jumped onto one of the ferries to take us from Djurgården to Skeppsholmen so that we could check out the Moderna Museet. I have to take a moment to tell you about the most incredible lunch we had there at Café Blom. The pastries and bakery snacks were delicious but I had the most interesting take on a Caesar Salad ever. I wasn't even that hungry but it was so good and packed full of delicious ingredients that I had to eat every last bit. I'm not usually a big salad fan but this one was fantastic, especially for a museum cafe! Back to the museum itself, it was very well laid out and anyone that's been to an art museum or gallery will know that exhibitions range from beautiful and thought-provoking to downright bizarre. They even had some AI generated photographs which you can always tell from the slightly off but realistic look they provide along with the mysterious additional hands that don't make sense in terms of placement or extra fingers.
On Foot
Following the art museum we headed over from Skeppsholmen to the old town of Gamla Stan on foot. It wasn't a long walk but there are also electric scooters and bikes available to rent all across the city if you fancy getting there a little quicker. Gamla Stan has some of the most iconic buildings that you'll spot in photographs and artwork representing Stockholm everywhere. This old town section is full of narrow cobblestone streets, colourful buildings, ornately carved wooden doors, ton's of shops, cafés and restaurants. Oh and a large population of tourists with their camera's and backpacks (I was one of them). It's very well catered for visitors if you're looking for souvenirs to take home but definitely do some window shopping first before purchasing and don't forget to look out for the shops that aren't in your face showcasing everything. I found some slightly more unique items this way.
That evening we headed back to the hotel to change before dinner and decided to find a local restaurant nearby in a residential area out of the city. We stumbled upon Il Palazzo where we got delicious large thin crust pizza's. One thing I noticed about Stockholm and the surrounding area, is that they don't rush you when you eat. Having spent the last few years living in Canada, where the service is usually great but prompt (including when it gets to the bill) because they want quick turnaround with their tables. The UK is a stark contrast of almost non-existent service where you get the basics and have to wave servers down to get their attention. However, in Sweden, the servers were attentive but relaxed and definitely didn't hurry you to get out the door. It was odd to get used to but such a nice feeling.
Day 3
Melt away the tension
Today was spa day! One of my friends managed to find a beautiful and traditional spa in central Stockholm called Centralbadet. We just did the basic entrance package we gave us access to their large pool, sauna, hot tub and jacuzzi, including a mini cold plunge pool. The architecture was stunning and provided a feeling of being outdoors with their abundance of plants and their greenery inspired decor. We spent just under 4 hours here but I definitely could have stayed there much longer. I had never done a cold plunge pool before so that was a new experience. I just had to remember to keep my breathing slow and steady and to breathe out not in when you first fully dip down. It was an incredible feeling though and I can see why it's a common activity in various countries.
Dessert for lunch?
Absolutely! Virtually round the corner from the spa and along the pedestrianised path of Drottninggatan was Dirty Coco. You could either order from their touchscreens (just like McDonald's) or head to the counter. They served an array of brunch items from egg based dishes to sandwiches and poké bowls but their speciality was definitely the desserts! Crepes, waffles, pancakes, French toast, chocolates and fruit, coffee's (hot and cold), milkshakes, bubble teas and dessert style hot chocolates. It was so good that one of my friends actually had two desserts! I stuck to a kinder crepe and chai tea latte, sickly sweet but just the right amount.
Who won what?
Right in the heart of Gamla Stan you'll find the Nobel Prize museum showcasing displays and artefacts from those who have won a Nobel Prize. A couple of years ago I heard a story about Alfred Nobel and how he created the Prize. Its still disputed as to whether or not its fact or myth, but back in the 1800's Alfred invented dynamite with the intention that it would help to end wars quicker, therefore, reducing the length of wars and subsequently the number of deaths but instead was seen as the 'merchant of death', when his brothers obituary was accidentally printed as Alfred instead. It is said that he chose not to be remembered in this way and as a result, donated his fortune towards founding the Nobel Prize in order to celebrate and support those who benefited humankind with their work.
Viking for an evening
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We had heard that Aifur was a place to checkout for a fun dinner experience. However, earlier in the week we had gone to book a table and unfortunately it was fully booked for about a week and a half (must be popular with tourists then). After checking out the Nobel Prize museum we thought, 'let's just go and see if they take walk-ins'. They did! Down some steps between the buildings and into the basement area was a viking experience restaurant. We were let to a communal table by servers in full viking outfits and sat on a traditional wooden bench draped with furs. As more walk-ins came, they also started to join our table and we got introduced to each other by the servers which gave more of a community feel. The food was delicious but the cutlery was a challenge (the fork was more like a mini pitch fork and not very useful for the rice my friend ordered). They served a variety of traditional beers including a selection of meads, performed live music and every time a booked table arrived there was an announcement of where the table was visiting from. It was entertaining but obviously very tourist driven.
Day 4
Dala Horse Painting
One of my friends had spotted that you could paint your own Dala Horse which is a little wooden statue that was traditionally made for children but over the years and with gaining popularity has become a symbol of Sweden. At the Dala Shop you can book a session to be taught how to paint one for yourself. They teach the traditional method but allow you creative freedom. Make sure to book in advance as this is a popular activity and there are only 4 seats available at the max per session.
The trek for Swedish Meatballs
Sometimes you look at a location on the map and think, 'oh that's not far' and then you realise it's uphill and you're out of shape on a hot day surrounded by construction. Thankfully, the meatballs were worth it. Slightly out the way in what appeared to be a more residential and student based area in Katarina-Sofia is a fun little restaurant called Meatballs for the People. As you can probably tell, they mainly focus on meatballs but do have a couple of other options available plus a small selection of desserts and lots of cocktails. What makes this place more unique is that you can pick your meat option. There's the obvious ones like chicken, pork, lamb and beef or there's a vegan option if you don't eat animal based ingredients. Then there's the more interesting meats such as veal, boar, moose, deer, reindeer and bear. I opted for the chef's choice which is a surprise of 4 different meats in 8 meatballs and received chicken, pork, beef and reindeer. It's the first time I've had reindeer but it was absolutely delicious! I wish I had a few more of the more interesting meat options but oh well.
A well deserved cocktail
The day started out nice and relaxing with the painting session but then the weather decided it was time for sunshine and heat. Following the uphill, unfit trek for food, the next destination was the Two Ants sculpture across town. We jumped on the metro train and back into the city to cut the journey in half and walked the rest of the way till we got to the sculpture. And while it was an interesting sculpture, it was a lot smaller than we anticipated so were a little disappointed. It was hot, I was tired and wanted to just lie down so we headed to a bar attached to an Urban Deli on Sveavägen for a nice cold cocktail. It was 'after work drinks' hour and we spent an hour or so just people watching while slowly sipping away at our drinks.
Day 5
Giant Waterlilies
Yes, they really were as impressive as you hope! In the Bergius Botanic Gardens there's an abundance of beautiful plants and flowers to see. If you're tired of the city and need to do something in the fresh air, then this is a lovely and calm place to visit. It was unfortunately raining on the day we went and considering it had been hot most of the week, it was a little humid in the greenhouses but it was absolutely worth it to see these incredible plants though.
The Gold Room
Before heading for lunch we popped into the Swedish History Museum to learn a little more about the country's generic history. The most impressive exhibition here was definitely the viking era as the amount of artefacts they had was just incredible but you will also find out about the conversion to Christianity, prehistory, and medieval life in Sweden. The most outstanding section for me was definitely The Gold Room housing almost 3000 gold objects from trinkets to crowns and jewellery weighing in at a total of 52 kilos making it one of Europe's largest collections of gold. The detail in some of the items were mindblowing considering the era's that they were made.
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Too many options
A quick trip to check out Östermalms Saluhall (food hall) really put ours in Yorkshire to shame. The food hall was clean, well stocked, beautifully designed and had a variety of food counters and eateries. We settled on a small location with only three options on their menu and went for the classic Swedish meatballs (this time, no choice of meat though). If I visited and stayed in an airbnb with a few extra days to spare, this definitely would have been worth doing a bulk of the grocery shopping at. I had to hold back and not get sucked in by all the delicious food on display.
Final night
We decided to head back to the hotel for dinner that night (we booked a table at the beginning of the trip). Not only was the short distance convenient considering we had a morning flight to catch the next day but considering it was a winery hotel, and (I forgot to mention) the continental breakfast selection was one of the best I've ever had, we had to see if it lived up to the hype for dinner as well. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! There was a medium sized menu with a variety of options, all of which sounded appetising. I opted for the pork schnitzel with a tiramisu for dessert. After that, it was time to pack and get ready for the airport hustle in the morning.
Departing
Upon arrival in Stockholm, my battered old suitcase finally decided to break on me, so I taped up the extendable handle that had died and chose to pay for us all to Uber to the airport instead of struggling to the bus stop. Check in, security and and boarding was all seamless with no issues and we had a smooth flight home. I was sad to be leaving and wished it could have been a longer trip to see more of other areas of Sweden (maybe a little road trip) but that will have to happen next time.
Final thoughts
I already want to go back and even though I don't speak Swedish, I would happily learn to go live there. It was a beautiful city with lots to do and what appeared to be a very calm and well balanced lifestyle given that it was a capital city. The food was all delicious and we didn't have a single disappointing meal. The people were friendly and very helpful, it felt safe and for the most part, everything was very well priced. For a group of three staying at a hotel just outside the city, it was financially better for us to Uber in and out of the city than to take public transport so just something to consider. If I was solo travelling then I would opt for the bus, metro and potentially hop onto an electric scooter for quick travel. I think the only thing I would have done differently is for each day to pick a section of the city to explore as there were a couple of of days where we darted about to different sections. While this was great exercise, it did take time out of the day so something to bear in mind.
There will be a quick reference guide uploaded following this post so be sure to check that out as well.
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