A fairytale, aristocratic, romantic, capital, with many interesting things to see and do and all this surrounded by sea. A city built on 14 islands. A trip to Stockholm will be memorable because it is not unjustly described as the Baltic Queen. It is a capital that is unlike any other. But should we start from the top?
It was October 2019 and our flight from Thessaloniki to Stockholm lasted about 3 hours. We were flying with a well-known low cost airline that has taken us everywhere, so we landed at Arlanda Airport which is well outside the city center. It is regularly connected to the city center in the following ways:
- The Arlanda Express train runs from Arlanda Airport to / from Stockholm Central Station every 15 minutes, all day long and takes 20 minutes.
- Flygbussarna Airport buses leave every 10-15 minutes between Arlanda Airport and the city terminal (next to Central Station) and travel time is approximately 35-45 minutes.
For our stay we chose Hotel Rex, which I can not praise enough! It had great facilities, was quite central (about a 15 minute walk from the old town) and the bed was one of the most comfortable I have ever slept in. Not to mention breakfast. I have NEVER seen a bigger variety. The absolute 10 from Evita!
Day One
We woke up and just saw our first snow in October. It wasn’t much, I would say sleet to be exact but I think you understood what temperatures we were talking about. Warm clothes and isotherms are a must if you decide to visit the Swedish capital from autumn to spring. After we ate our hearty breakfast, we spilled out into the streets and to our great surprise a huge sun had risen!
We walked along the Drottninggatan and ended up in front of the Stockholm Parliament Gate, which essentially welcomes you to the Old Town.
We started our day with a free walking tour about Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town and beyond! We gathered a lot of beautiful information and then decided to wander the city streets, which are admittedly beautiful and date back to 1252! Among them you can find super cozy shops for coffee and food and especially if the cold is bitter, the frequent stops for soups are a must!
In the heart of the Old Town is the cute Stortorget square which is surrounded by colorful houses that will steal your heart. Somewhere there is our favorite Kaffekopen Cafe where we made several stops for hot drinks because we fell in love with it.
Once you are in the square, I suggest a visit to the very interesting Nobel Museum (Nobelmuseet), which is a museum dedicated to information about the Nobel Prizes, the life of their founder Alfred Nobel, and the Nobel Prize winners from 1901 to today.
Other museums worth visiting in Stockholm are: Fotografiska (a very lively place that is neither a museum nor a photo gallery), The ABBA Museum (about the history and music of the legendary band), Nordiska Museet, Vasa Museet (where hosts an entire ship that sank just after its departure), the Museum of Natural History and really much more! All you need is time and a bit of cash!
Day Two
We spent the second day of our stay, in the subway exploring some of the most impressive and artistic metro stops that exist in the world. If you did not know, the Stockholm metro is famous for its highly photogenic stops and not unjustly so! There are also organized tours, if you want to see them all (or even the most famous)!
Then came the Vasa Museet, where we really saw an incredible spectacle! This museum is located in the Djurgården area and houses a boat of the 17th k. which was overturned and sunk on the day of its departure and after remaining at the bottom for 333 years, was finally retrieved and is now maintained at 98% of its original condition. You can also see exhibitions of sculptures and other exhibits related to this particular ship.
We continued our walk to the beautiful island of Djurgården Royal Park, which is loved and chosen for their walks by both locals and tourists. On this island you can find the ABBA Museum and Skansen, but also very green to enjoy your day!
Day Three
On our third day in the Swedish capital, the sun that accompanied us decided to leave so we decided to visit the Museum of Natural History and spend a few hours there.
Leaving we made a stop at Meatballs for the People, which many suggested us to try the famous Swedish meatballs which cost 17 euros per plate and frankly we did not go crazy.
👉 My tips:
Stockholm is a relatively expensive destination, at least for the average Greek. From the beginning, make a good calculation of your expenses and search online for the days when each museum has free admission, so you will definitely save some money. The access card is necessary for your travels as it covers metro, buses and ferries. The restaurants are as you can imagine quite expensive, we ended up at MacDonald’s several times😁
Do not forget to know first hand the meaning of “fika”. It is referred to as “a moment in the day to clear one’s mind while drinking a hot beverage”, but it is much more than just a coffee break. It is a state of mind. In all cafes and restaurants you will see that there is very low, warm lighting to create warmth and coziness, blankets and snug corners. So often breaks for fika!
Photo Album
Have fun!
Evita
