THE SWEDE SPOT
Despite the dubious honour of having a falling-in-lovewith-your-captor syndrome named after it, Stockholm is anything but ominous. It’s a city of parks, islands, beautifully preserved historical landmarks and smörgåsbords. Welcome to the world’s smallest big city.
Stockholm is a city made up of islands: 14 large ones lie within the city limits, and outside the city and along the coast, the Stockholm archipelago consists of about 30 000 islets, as well as skerries, small rocky islands that protrude out of the sea.
Despite being the economic centre of Sweden (the region accounts for more than a third of the country’s GDP), Stockholm is anything but clinical and industrialised: 30 percent of the city area is made up of waterways, with parks and green spaces, making up another 30 percent. Stockholm also claims to have more museums per capita than most other cities, and one of the largest and best-preserved medieval city centres in Europe: Gamla Stan.
GAMLA STAN
Although a visit to the Royal Palace is highly recommended, not least because it has more than 600 opulent rooms, I couldn’t tear myself away from the alleyways and neighbourhood churches in Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm. A must-visit is the Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan), Sweden’s national cathedral and the oldest church in Gamla Stan.
Nearly all the cobbled streets in the old town are pedestrianfriendly; wandering among the autumn-hued buildings feels like you’re in an open-air museum. The narrowest street, Mårten Trotzigs Gränd, is just 90cm wide.
Stortorget is the oldest square in Stockholm, from which runs Köpmangatan, the oldest street in the city. You can’t miss the burnt-orange building on the square – the 82 white stones on number 20 are said to symbolise the heads of the people beheaded by the Danish king in 1520. Too eerie to contemplate? Face the other way and relax with a coffee and cinnamon bun (kanelbullar )at Chokladkoppen, a cosy café, before you resume your wanderings. You’re sure to find these pastries, as well as the cardamom version of them (equally delicious!), at most cafés in Stockholm, many of which are designed with that minimalist, easy-on-the-eye Scandi sensibility. And boy do the Scandinavians love their coffee; they even have a word that encapsulates the concept of a coffee-and-cake break – fika.
If it gets nippy (the annual average temperature is a mere 7°C), peek into doorways in the labyrinth of side streets until you find a cosy spot that serves glögg, a spiced, sugared, mulled red wine.
Although their climate is on the bracing side, the Swedes are warm,
friendly people, greeting one another with a high-pitched, lilted
hej! (hello) all around you. You soon learn to do the same upon entering any establishment.
A PLACE OF PARKS
In spring and summer – and any other day, weather-permitting – the Swedes are out en masse in the green spaces that make up roughly a third of the city.
Rather than opting for the more crowded parks on Djurgården island (where you’ll find the ABBA museum and Gröna Lund, an amusement park with rides that range from thrilling to downright insane), we headed to Haga park (part of the Royal National City Park) to check out the whimsical
Koppartälten, blue copper ‘tents’ built in the style of Roman battle tents. At times, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel spend time in Haga Castle, though the park is never closed to the public.
Stallmästaregården restaurant just off Haga park is rustic yet fancy, if that’s not oxymoronic. An added drawcard is their separate garden cottage, colloquially known as a ‘lust house’. It’s not nearly as raunchy as it sounds; it merely means that a table for two is set in a bower with a view over the lake.
Kungsträdgården (King’s Garden) is more of a square than a park and is a popular meeting place for city folk. From April to early May the cherry trees on the square are in glorious bloom; one travel site described it as standing under a ‘cotton-candy canopy’.
SET SAIL
The Vasa Museum is the most visited museum in Scandinavia – more than a million visitors rock up annually to see the 69-metre warship Vasa that sank in the shallow waters of Stockholm harbour in 1628. The wind toppled it only 1300 metres into its maiden voyage.
The ship was salvaged 333 years later after it was rediscovered in 1956. It is almost intact and is the only preserved 17th-century ship in the world. While the ship is the main attraction, be sure to catch the fascinating Face to Face Exhibition. During excavation 11 skeletons were found, and from them mannequins were created through facial reconstructions of some of those who died in the
Vasa disaster.
GETTING AROUND
The metro (tunnelbana )isan experience in itself with its imaginatively decorated stations that feature mosaics, installations, paintings and more. It’s best to buy a weekly card (or a monthly one if you’re planning on a longer stay), as it’s much cheaper than single or return tickets. A weekly gets you on the train, trams, buses and on some boats.
One of the best ways to get a feel for Stockholm, however, is from the water; plus a boat trip allows you to experience the archipelago with a drink in hand or lunch on deck. A word of warning though: do not go on the shortest one (usually to Fjäderholmarna) as you’ll have lovely views of Stockholm but not much else.
Part of the charm of being on the water is seeing the miniscule lighthouses not much bigger than dolls’ houses and the ochrecoloured villages and sheds on the inner archipelago, as well as sailing through narrow channels and under bridges. Vaxholm is a particularly endearing archipelago town where you’ll find Hembygdsgårds Café, the spot for high tea – you won’t be able to resist the lavish display of cakes and desserts on offer. Or try toast skagen, a traditional ‘seafood sandwich’ made with shrimps or prawns, mayonnaise and dill served on fried toast.
ON TERRA FIRMA
Walking tours – including free tours with volunteer guides – abound in Stockholm. Take your pick: a ghost tour, a Viking history walking tour, a bohemian crawl, a Stockholm-by-night photography experience. Or better yet, discover the city by ditching the map and getting lost in the little streets.
Södermalm (the south island) has a bohemian feel and boutiques and stores that celebrate creativity and Scandi design. Hang out in hip Hornstull, with its weekend markets where food trucks line the riverbank and where, on the occasional sunny day, locals sun themselves in their droves, go jogging or play boules (similar to bowls) at Boulebar Tanto.
If you’re on the lookout for vintage garments, head for SoFo, a colourful neighbourhood where you’ll also find hip bars, cafés and clubs. Södermalm is also home to photographic gallery Fotografiska, where the exhibitions are almost as
fascinating as the curation of the space itself. The views of the city centre across the water don’t hurt either.
In Vasastan you will see how the trendy locals live; it has wider streets and different architectural styles as well as pavement cafés and corner stores. Chi-chi Östermalm in the city centre is where the more exclusive department stores and restaurants are found.
SOUVENIRS & SMÖRGÅSBORDS
Drottninggatan is the longest shopping street in Sweden, and runs from Vasastan to Gamla Stan. Nordiska Kompaniet (or NK), a few minutes’ walk away, is a multi-level department store that was established in 1915, and is the city’s most luxurious shopping destination. It’s built around a four-storey atrium with wroughtiron balconies on all four sides.
While you’re there, pop into Finnish design brand Marimekko’s flagship store nearby. Its cheerful, colourful accessories and homeware are sure to seduce you (if your bank balance can manage it).
The Veranda at the Grand Hôtel serves the best (albeit pricey)
smörgåsbord, an opulent buffet that features herring dishes, gravadlax (salmon with dill, juniper and lemon) and meatballs with lingonberry jam. Head to Gondolen before the sun sets – its cocktail lounge is suspended above the harbour and has stupendous views of the city.
I felt right at home in Stockholm – it could be because it is often called the world’s smallest big city or the world’s biggest small town. Or it could be because of the warmth of the people. Hej då, Stockholm – I hope to see you again soon!