This was an extra cheeky trip as I went for a conference for work, and rather romantically my BF came out to meet me there!
We only had a short break, but as Stockholm is cute and compact (and expensive!), that worked out well!
Stockhom is set on the water, across several islands and peninsulas, so there is plenty of scope for a waterfront walk on a nice day. You can also take a river cruise which would literally offer a different perspective on the city! Also when flying into Stockholm, keep an eye out for the barrier islands – I hear they are beautiful from the air, although it was dark when I flew in!
However the jewel in the crown is undoubtedly the Old Town. We spent time admiring its cute cobbled streets and tiny alley-ways, and hanging around the beautiful palace waiting for the changing of the guard.
It is eminently photogenic, and you can spend hours there walking and taking photos, and stopping in a cafe for a pit-stop and to people-watch.
We also walked out past the grand opera house and the theatre, to the island of Djurgårdsvägen where you can find Abba the Museum, the Aquarium, Grona Lund theme-park, Skansen open-air museum / Zoo, a big park, and the Vasa Museum.
I asked a couple of colleagues what to do/ see in Stockholm and they both recommended the Vasa Museum. This is a museum to commemorate the Vasa, a ship which sank on its maiden voyage about 200 metres into the journey. After 300 years at the bottom of the sea, amazingly the ship was found and dredged up from the sea bed! And due to the cold temperatures of the water and the lack of salinity in the harbour, the ship was perfectly preserved. You can see it at the museum, along with a video explaining it, guided tours, and many interactive exhibits about everything from how they dredged it up, to life onboard, and the skeletons found there. My BF and I both really enjoyed the museum.
Stockholm also has a bustling new-town where you can find all the shops, cafes and restaurants you could possibly want! We noticed that there were lots of interior design shops with beautiful white scandi-style wares, and also lots of florists with gorgeous displays extending onto the pavement.
Food-wise, there is the normal array of food you would expect from a metropolitan capital, and we even found a food-court (Kungshallen) in the basement of a building off Hotorget square in the city centre. We ate there for a delicious and cheaper chinese meal. We also found a steak restaurant which was lovely but expensive.
Overall, Stockholm is a beautiful location for a short break. Our trip was indeed short and sweet, but I will forever have lovely memories of Stockholm.
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