Nordic light
There’s more to Stockholm than ABBA and IKEA
White-sand beaches, towering palm trees and swaying hammocks… Stockholm has none of that and yet the Swedish capital offers an island escape like no other.
AeriAl views don’t usually surprise me. I’ve soared high above Lalibela’s rocky monoliths in Ethiopia and flown over the desolate sands of the Kuwaiti desert. Although both were spectacular, I kind of knew what to expect. But flying into Stockholm’s lemon-coloured sunshine on a sparkling summer’s evening was a curious revelation: no-one told me it was an archipelago!
My Swedish partner, Andreas, was unimpressed by my lack of geographical knowledge. Yet from 2000 feet it was easy to see the patchwork of pretty isles sliced by veins of what I later learnt was brackish water. Fourteen islands in total fan out like a jewelled collar from the city’s mainland hub. Beyond that, Stockholm stretches out from Lake Mälaren into the Baltic Sea like a broken biscuit, its crumbs scattered across a mass of blue.
Since that first trip three years ago, I have visited five more times after midsummer – when the light lingers long after sunset – and fallen for the people (laid-back, friendly, speak perfect English), the food (super-creative), the architecture (like Paris but cooler) and the feeling of this hip metropolitan hive. Here are my favourite things to do in Stockholm, now that I know it’s an archipelago.
GO ISLAND HOPPING
“Pack your trainers,” Andreas told me before that first trip. “We’re going to be doing a lot of walking.” I urge anyone visiting Stockholm to heed this advice, as there’s no better way to explore the city than on foot.
A beautiful lattice of bridges connects the mainland (and 1.5 million urban Stockholmers) with each of the 14 islands. From Djurgården’s leafy parks and museums to the historic Kastellholmen (with its castle and not much else), “each island has its own personality”, says my bearded and fashionably bespectacled friend Adam Jonsson, who has lived in the city for five years and is married to a born-and-bred Stockholmer.
“To me, there is no capital city in the world that can beat Stockholm on a sunny day.”
Another way to explore the shimmering waterways is by boat – my pick is Stromma’s Hop On-Hop Off & ABBA The Museum (stromma.com), a bus and boat tour that shows you around the city’s most picturesque sights and includes entry to the fabulous ABBA The Museum (abbathemuseum.com).
To check out some of the 30,000 islands beyond Stockholm city, venture into the archipelago – again, Stromma is the go-to for English-speaking boat tours. If you don’t have time to stray too far, jump on the 80 ferry from Nybroplan for a scenic 50-minute ride to Dalénum on Lidingö island and walk the eight or so minutes to 450 Gradi (450gradi.se) for the most authentic Neapolitan pizza in Greater Stockholm.
DISCOVER THE OLD TOWN
The magical thing about Stockholm is that no matter where you walk, you’ll be rewarded with bucolic parks, storybook castles and iconic peach-, tangerine- and champagne-coloured buildings that only stand today because no-one was terribly interested in bombing the city during World War II.
Make your way to historic Gamla Stan in the city’s centre. This pretty cobblestoned Old Town is a mix of casual restaurants, inviting bars and souvenir shops.
I go to the island mainly for food and booze. There’s The Flying Elk (theflyingelk.se), chef Björn Frantzén’s cheaper, more casual diner (his three-Michelin-starred Frantzén is almost impossible to book). The quirky Pharmarium (pharmarium.se) does excellent cocktails, such as the aptly named Forest Floor, which features moss foraged from Swedish forests. And Österlånggatan 17 (osterlanggatan17.se) is a relaxed bar a few streets back from the water on the Skeppsholmen side of the island. It serves delicious meatballs by cult Stockholm restaurant Meatballs for the People (meatball.se).
VISIT STOCKHOLM’S COOLEST ISLAND
With its inventive restaurants, cutting-edge design credentials, thriving tech startup scene and fashionable locals, Stockholm is known in Europe as the capital of cool and Södermalm is its hipster heart. The island has a gritty East London vibe, with everything from retro stores to pretty parks and off-the-beaten-track taverns.
For a fun Saturday on Södermalm, start with a heavenly brunch at the Bondegatan branch of Pom & Flora (pomochflora.se) then move on to nearby Nytorget Square for people watching and shopping. “This part of town is called SoFo and has lovely design shops, restaurants, cafés and vinyl stores,” says Adam.
A 15-minute walk away is Mosebacke Torg, a quiet spot that’s still close to the pulse, where Champagnebaren at Södra Teatern (sodrateatern.com) matches a glass of bubbles with sparkling views of the city. Götgatan is Södermalm’s coolest street and at the very northern end you’ll find Bruno (brunogotgatsbacken.se), a mini mall with (more) boutiques, watering holes and cafés – hidden gem Aplace is worth dropping in to for Scandinavian clothing brands at decent prices.
From there, type “Monteliusvägen” into your GPS for a walking route lined with charming historic buildings. To browse or buy, hit Herr Judit Brandstationen (herrjudit.se) – a vintage interiors store most tourists never find – at Hornsgatan 64 or wander the equally underground Krukmakargatan, a street full of niche clothing stores and cult magazine emporium Papercut. Have a drink at bar and beer café Tjoget (tjoget.com) before heading to Häktet (haktet.se), a modern European restaurant inside a former 18th-century prison. Looking to party? Summer venue Trädgården (tradgarden.com) is the wildest club in Stockholm, with giant outdoor stages beneath a Brutalist concrete bridge. It’s just one more way to celebrate the many charms of the city.