Hello readers! I am right in the mix of that little move to London - you know, the whole 'expat blogger' thing? Well, I've decided to finally give truth to the title, and am on my way over.
While I am currently figuring out life across the world, I've got a few of my favorite bloggers stepping in for me to keep this page up and running - enjoy! - Caity
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Hey! I’m Van, a German girl living and travelling through Scandinavia.
I
blog over at Snow in Tromso and while
Caity is moving to London and getting settled,
I’d like to take you on a trip to
Scandinavia, namely to Stockholm in Sweden!
I spend one month in this city this year to do a Swedish course and used
my free time to explore the city and its surroundings. There are a lot of
things to see and do in Stockholm and it’s easy to get lost in the selection
process. Whether you are a shopping, museum or nature enthusiast, this city has
got it covered.
So to help you get the most out of your stay in Sweden’s capital,
I thought I’d present you today my 10 favourite things to do in Stockholm!
Globen is a newly built event hall where you can either attend a Mando
Dio concert or watch an innebandy game (for everyone who is not familiar with
innebandy: it is the Swedish version of hockey).
However that’s not all.
The
area around Globen was remodelled a few years ago and you can now shop till you
drop in the nearby shopping mall. Don’t forget to eat an ice-cream at
Ben&Jerry’s while you are there and if that is not adventurous enough for
you, then how about Skyview?
You can get to the top of the Globe Arena with a
special gondola made of glass and enjoy a view on Stockholm from above!
Östermalm is a neighbourhood in the East of Stockholm that offers you
everything from French restaurants, Gucci stores, theatres and a lively
boulevard where you can occasionally meet members of the Royal Family on their
shopping trips.
But that is not all!
If you are looking for French cuisine,
fresh exotic fruits, Swedish reindeer meat or Italian wine then you have to
visit Östermalm's Saluhall, the oldest and most beautiful market hall in
Stockholm.
After you had a feast there, you have to burn the calories of course
and what is better than a promenade along the pier or even better, in the
woods?
You can do both in Östermalm.
Just stroll along the boulevard at the
waterside and then go and explore the island of Djurgarden. Djurgarden is
connected to Östermalm by a bridge and after crossing it, you can either enjoy
one of the many museums that are situated on the island or you just hike
through the woods where encounters with the Royal Family walking their dogs are
not unlikely.
The Vasa Museum is the home of the biggest preserved item of the world:
The Vasa ship. It was built in the 17th century and sunk on its
maiden voyage.
Construction mistakes and an excessive load of bombs lead to the
disaster and about 30 people died.
The Vasa is the only ship that still exists
of that century and was rescued in the 1960s. You can see the whole original
ship in the museum plus a few exhibitions on life on board, naval warfare in
the 1600s and the preservation work of course.
There are 7 floors so that you
can see the ship from every possible angle and you can also watch a film about
it that is shown in 16 languages.
And let’s be honest, when was the last time
you saw an item that was that old?
Södermalm, or Söder as Stockholmers call it, is a young and hip
neighbourhood in the south of Stockholm.
It is a former working class district
that is now popular among young families and hipsters. You can still see some
working class apartment houses there but also some cute, little, typical
Swedish houses.
If you are into fashion then this is your must-see “sight”. Get
some inspiration on the street or go on the hunt for cute vintage items in one
of the many second hand boutiques.
If you get hungry, try some kebab or a
falafel at a snack stand that you can find at every corner.
And if you are not
into shopping, watch a movie at the Victoria Cinema that was built in the 1930s
and has not lost any of its 30s charm.
If you want to know what Stockholm looks like from above, visit
Kaknästornet.
It is the TV tower of Stockholm and also the highest building in
Sweden. For an entrance fee of 6€ you have access to the elevator that brings
you to the top of the tower.
There you have a stunning view on Stockholm and
its surroundings.
After you took dozens of pictures, have lunch or a cup of tea
in the restaurant where you can enjoy the view while you’re eating.
This is the biggest archipelago of Scandinavia and consists of 30000
islands. How amazing is that?
The islands themselves consist of bare rocks and
woods and while most of them are uninhabited most of the time, there are also
quite a few people who live in the archipelago all year round.
In winter these
people use hovercrafts and in summer ferries to do grocery shopping or take their
kids to school.
It is an adventurous life out in the Baltic Sea and while you’re
staying in Stockholm, you can easily do a day trip to one of the many islands.
Just take the ferry and enjoy a day of sunbathing and pick-nicking - 2 hours
away from the buzz of the big city.
This is where the King and Queen of Sweden live.
The castle is situated
outside the city centre of Stockholm, about 10km further west in a little
village called Bromma. It is surrounded by a beautiful park and Lake Mälaren
which makes it the perfect destination for a sunny summer day.
You can walk
through the park for hours and enjoy the little pond, the little Chinese castle
and of course the beautiful landscape.
The main castle is open to the public so
you can enjoy the beautifully decorated rooms in there as well.
And after a few
hours exploring and walking through the area, how about some marzipan cake, or
princess cake as it is called in Swedish, and a cup of strawberry tea?
Skansen is an open-air museum on Djurgarden, the island in Östermalm
that I have already mentioned.
You can get to know Swedish architecture,
Swedish animals, Swedish traditions and handcraft, Swedish food and life in 19th
century Sweden here.
You can easily spend a whole day in this museum taking
pictures of cute little Swedish houses, watching how Swedish handcraft is made
or what life in former times was like, trying Swedish food at the market place
or just sitting at the fire on colder days.
In summer you can catch a glimpse
of a bear and of reindeers, wolves and elks all year round. You can also inform
yourself about the Sami, the indigenous people living in Lapland.
And at the
end of the day, try a traditional Swedish “smörgas” (sandwich) or some
meatballs. Skansen is Sweden in a nutshell and therefore one of the top things
to do when visiting Stockholm.
Gamla Stan is the Old Town of Stockholm.
It is located in the heart of
the city and characterized by dark alleyways, three ancient churches, a
shopping mile where you can buy Swedish souvenirs or handcraft, and many cafes
and restaurants.
Gamla Stan is also the home of the Royal Palace, the workplace
of the Swedish King. You can see him there on several occasions and I was lucky
to see the Crown Princess there on my last visit to Stockholm.
But even if you
are not able to see a member of the Swedish Royal Family, the change of the
guards every day at noon also is worth a visit.
You can of course explore the
Palace’s magnificent rooms too and the ticket also includes a visit to the
Crown Jewels.
And the best place in Gamla Stan is the little island
Riddarholmen, the knight’s isle.
Sitting at the waterside on a sunny day and
looking over to Stadshuset, the town hall, was just my favourite thing to do on
Sundays.
But you have to see that for yourself!
This is my favourite place in Stockholm. Located in Södermalm, this hill
offers you a free and absolutely wonderful view on the city centre.
It is where
Stockholmers go to on summer evenings to drink, barbecue and just have a good
time. It also is a hidden gem that most tourists simply don’t know of.
So if
you are on a budget, this is the place to go! Apart from the hill, there are
also a few footpaths nearby where you can enjoy the woods and a view on the
waterside that is just stunning!
I hope I could give you some useful tips to make the most out of your stay
in Stockholm. It is a wonderful city and I can only recommend you to visit it
one day!
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