Stockholm, Sweden

When, Where and Why
I went to Stockholm in early July 2017 with my friend and we really enjoyed our time there! The weather was perfect for that time of year up in the nordic country of Sweden.

About the destination
The national language is Swedish, but English is readily spoken, especially in Stockholm. Stockholm is comprised of 14 islands and over 50 bridges connecting them to one another. It’s a very populated and successful city, and remarkably clean! We wanted to visit some nordic countries, and Sweden was high on our list! The currency in Sweden is the krona SEK – they don’t use the Euro. I highly recommend exchanging your currency to the krona SEK, and making sure you have a credit card that works overseas with no fees.

Stockholm’s 14 islands are: Beckholmen, Djurgården, Helgeandsholmen, Kastellholmen, Kungsholmen, Lilla Essingen, Långholmen, Reimersholme, Riddarholmen, Skeppsholmen, Stadsholmen (aka Gamla stan), Stora Essingen, Strömsborg and Södermalm

Getting there
I flew from BOS (Boston, MA, USA) to ARN (Stockholm, Sweden) on Lufthansa. I can’t provide the cost because work paid for my flight. The public transportation in Sweden is very accessible and easy to use! We took a bus from the airport’s Norra Station to Stockholm Central Train Station and walked about 5-6 minutes from there to the hostel.

Staying there
Accommodations are very expensive in Sweden, especially in Stockholm. We booked three nights at City Backpackers Hostel through Hostel World (their website) for a total of $246.00. That provided us with 2 beds in a 4-bed all female dorm room. I would recommend staying at this hostel, as it was clean and well located. They also provide a discount if you eat in their restaurant, which serves traditional Swedish fare and was quite delicious. Included with your stay is access to the sauna, free pasta in the kitchen, coffee and tea throughout the day, and wifi.

Try This There

Take a Free Tour of Stockholm. Don’t forget to tip generously!
Visit Södermalm island. It’s kind of hipster and super cool with different cafes and art exhibits, and well loved as a favorite island. While there, you can visit Fotografiska museet – modern arts museum with photography. Mariatorget is a lovely city park and square here.
See the Vasa Museum on the island of Djurgården and walk around. It’s a beautiful island with lots of museums, a theme park, and an outdoor backyard cafe called Rosendals Trädgård
- The theme park is called Gröna Lund and it’s located on the seaward side of the island. Many of the rides have incredible views of the city!
Visit Gamla Stan (aka Stadsholmen) island, which is a beautiful old town and has the narrowest road in the world nearby. Stortorget is the center, with the famous red and orange buildings. Downstairs in the red building has delicious pastries. Go to fika: keystone of Swedish culture – going to have coffee and pastry. Visit Stockholm Cathedral, the Nobel Museum, and the Riddarholm church, and Kungliga slottet (Sweden’s baroque Royal Palace)
Visit Helgeandsholmen – it’s the location of their Parliament house Riksdag Building
Visit the cute archipelago town of Voxholm by taking the ferry there! There are cute pastel colored wooden houses and summer cottages there. You can visit the fortress and castle, and relax by the water.
Rent a bike, it’s the Nordic region! Metro and busses are safe and well run. Just wander and explore!
Stockholm’s metro system is the world’s longest art gallery. 90 of its 100 stations are decorated over the span of 60+miles with murals, sculptures, tile work, mosaics, and more. I recommend getting a 24-hour day pass and exploring the stations, avoiding rush hour times in the morning and at night. The Blue Line has the most stations to visit, but there are great stations on the Red and Green lines too! A great place to start is Kungsträdgården T-bana station, the end of the blue line, and work your way around from there.
Kungsholmen island is where you can see Stockholm’s city hall, which sits just above the water.
Visit Fjäderholmarna, which is close to downtown. Take the 20 minute ferry ride and bring beach stuff with you! There are cliffs where you can watch Finland ferries and sailboats pass by! There is a chocolate shop, brewery, and charming shops and restaurants to enjoy.
Visit the island Lovön in lake Mälaren on the outskirts of Stockholm. Drottningholm Palace, the private residence of the Swedish Royal Family since 1981, is located there.
Restaurant Recommendations: Rosendals Trädgård, Restaurang Riche is great for Swedish meatballs, Pom&Flora – breakfast in Södermalm, Greasy Spoon – breakfast in Södermalm (chain), The Flying Elk (Gamla Stan), Östermalms Saluhall, Hillenberg, Urban Deli, Blå Dörren, Kött & Fisk, Österlånggatan 17, Cafe Facile, Blue Light Yokohama, Il Tempo, Barbro
Going out Recommendations: Omnipous, Oliver twist, Akkurat, Joget, Häktet, Erlands, Österlånggatan 17, 7 Tunnan, Mister French