NEED TO KNOW

• The best time to go to Stockholm is in spring (March to May) or summer (end of May to the beginning of September) as the days are the longest. In late autumn and winter it’s cold and less conducive to walking as the pavements are slippery.

• There are various one-stop flights from SA to Stockholm. When we had a quick look back in February, the cheapest return flights were going for R8 000 in mid-May; by June they had risen to about R10 000.

• Food and drinks can be pricey. Restaurants and cocktail bars in Gamla Stan and other trendy neighbourhoods tend to be very costly, but in quieter districts groceries are surprisingly well priced at corner cafés and supermarkets. Salmon is cheap compared to what we pay at home. We feasted on pickled herring, shrimp sandwiches, prinskorvar (small sausages), köttbullar (meatballs),

knäckebröd (crispbread) and various cheeses.

• A glass of house wine or a beer at a café or bar will set you back about 80 krone – that’s about R120! You’re better off buying alcohol at Systembolaget, a government-owned chain of liquor stores that’s pretty much the only place where you can buy booze. It has a wide range of wines (including South African wines) and liquor at reasonable prices.

WHERE TO STAY

If you’re going the Airbnb route, a studio apartment in the heart of Södermalm that sleeps two goes for R1 627 per night; a studio in central Stockholm that sleeps three costs R1 643.

• TripAdvisor features a list of recommended budget hotels such as Motel L Hammarby Sjostad (less than R1 000 per person per night) and the Radisson Collection Strand Hotel (less than R1 600 per person per night).

FUN FACTS

• Swedish banknotes feature creatives like 1930s actress Greta Garbo, film director Ingmar Bergman and Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren (Junibacken, a magical cultural centre for kids, focuses on much of her literature). It’s worth noting that cash is not necessarily king in Stockholm. Many shops don’t accept hard cash, preferring cards or money transfer apps. So make sure your credit card is topped up.

• During the Stockholm Culture Festival (in August each year) the city centre streets and squares are filled with people taking in an array of entertainment like international music concerts and trapeze acts – absolutely free!

• Come August, some Swedes crack open a can of surströmming – fermented herring (above). The fish is caught in spring and left to ferment for a few months. It’s usually seasoned with potatoes, onion and garlic, and eaten on bread. Best eaten outdoors. With no one sitting downwind.

• Elks are emblazoned on T-shirts, shot glasses and just about any item a tourist could be remotely interested in buying. If you’re lucky, you might spot an elk in Western, Eastern or Central Sweden. Don’t confuse them with reindeer though – the Swedish seem personally affronted if you do!