{"id":15458,"date":"2016-10-17T17:24:48","date_gmt":"2016-10-17T17:24:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/?p=15458"},"modified":"2017-12-11T20:45:25","modified_gmt":"2017-12-11T20:45:25","slug":"7-things-try-youre-stockholm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/7-things-try-youre-stockholm\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Things You Have to Try When You\u2019re in Stockholm"},"content":{"rendered":"

With its islands, bright blue waters, parks, and centuries-old architecture, Sweden\u2019s capital is definitely easy on the eye. Having spent a summer discovering its hidden corners and compiling a growing list of personal favorites, I\u2019m happy to say I\u2019ve finally managed to get to know the capital of my home country. Without further ado, here\u2019s my list of things to do when you\u2019re in the Stockholm. \"Fjaderholmarna\"<\/p>\n

1. Visiting the archipelago <\/strong><\/h3>\n

When I tire of swimming in the M\u00e4laren lake at Fredh\u00e4llsbadet, I get on the boat to Grinda island and jump into the sea. Best way to finish this day trip? With a cider at Grinda W\u00e4rdshus. Surrounded by the forest, the absence of cars, dirt roads, a little farm shop, and a 100-year-old inn, I feel like I\u2019m in another world (although I\u2019m only just a 2-hour boat ride away from the city center).<\/p>\n

For something really close to downtown I recommend Fj\u00e4derholmarna<\/a>. It\u2019s 20 minutes by boat from Stockholm and has some quaint shops selling locally-made handicrafts, and a handful of restaurants and caf\u00e9s. There are plenty of other islands to choose from, so pick your favorite and get a dose of the island life.<\/p>\n\"StockholmFood\"\n

2. Picking a neighborhood after your current mood<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s a neighborhood in Stockholm for almost every state of mind, and depending on my mood I either spend a relaxing Sunday eating suadero<\/em> tacos and quesadillas de rajas<\/em> at La Neta on S\u00f6der, lying in the grass watching tourists on Skeppsholmen, or strolling around Djurg\u00e5rden seeing the old houses and lemurs and listening to live music at Skansen<\/a>. The world\u2019s first open-air museum, Skansen was founded way back in 1891.<\/p>\n

For a luxe day, nothing beats the area of \u00d6stermalm and its boutique shops and well-stocked market hall, and for hipsters there\u2019s nothing better than the trendy neighborhood of S\u00f6der where you see an unusually high ratio of people wearing hats, Sandquist backpacks, jeans jackets, and vintage Levi\u2019s.<\/p>\n\"Crayfish\"\n

3. Celebrating one of Sweden\u2019s quirky summer festivities<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Summer in Sweden is amazing … and slightly strange; at the end of June Swedes leave town to hit the countryside and Stockholm\u2019s archipelago, dance around a pole, jump like frogs, and sing to what must sound like children\u2019s songs for those not acquainted to Swedish quirkiness.<\/p>\n

As if that wasn\u2019t enough, in August we put on some really strange hats in bright red, yellow, and blue, tie a bib around our neck, and devour crayfish<\/a>. Join in on the madness, grab a glass of schnapps, and sing along.<\/p>\n

4. Getting into Swedish design<\/strong><\/h3>\n

No one does it better than us; black on black and straight lines are always in fashion for the Swedes. For the best shot to get into Scandinavian fashion simplicity, head to Acne Studios on Norrmalmstorg, or Whyred\u2019s flagship store on M\u00e4ster Samuelsgatan. Also browse through the section for Nordic designers at Nordiska Kompaniet (NK).<\/p>\n

For the more up-and-coming Swedish brands, Greta Gram is a name to look out for; for incredibly well-tailored pieces with a splash of color, Altewai Saome is the brand. In terms of interior design, Svenskt Tenn<\/a> on Strandv\u00e4gen is a personal favorite. It\u2019s hard to leave this spot without wanting to re-decorate your whole living space.<\/p>\n

5. Eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A city is as good as the food it serves (that\u2019s a proverb I just invented), and Stockholm has its fair share of Michelin-starred restaurants. Just as Swedish designers have a minimalistic approach to fashion, at Stockholm\u2019s finest restaurants the food is unmistakably Nordic in its understated beauty. Oaxen Krog<\/a> is one of those restaurants where there\u2019s a thought behind every little detail. Honored with one Michelin-star, located on Djurg\u00e5rden in a refurbished shed at a boatyard, and serving locally-sourced Nordic produce, this spot is amazing.<\/p>\n\"TouristsExploring\"\n

6. Enjoying an afternoon fika<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fika<\/em><\/a> (sitting down for a coffee, cake, and a chat if you\u2019re more than one) must be one of the best things about being a Swede. We\u2019re so good at it, we can easily cram in two fikas<\/em> a day. There\u2019s no way I\u2019m able to pay a visit to a Swede without being offered coffee or tea and cake (if you offer me cinnamon buns, I can promise you, you\u2019re in my good books forever).<\/p>\n

My favorite spot in town is Johan Nystr\u00f6m, and during the summer I love sitting outside at one of the the tables along Swedenborgsgatan on S\u00f6der, enjoying the sun with an affogato<\/em> \u2014 with the best vanilla ice cream I\u2019ve ever had \u2014 or a cappuccino. It\u2019s with an Italian touch, but nonetheless it\u2019s a fika<\/em>.<\/p>\n

7. Visiting a museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Located just by the water, where the ferries to Finland depart, Fotografiska<\/a> hits the right spot for a brunch with a view and some darn good photography exhibitions \u2014 not to mention they have a brilliant museum shop where you can pick up a nice poster or a coffee table book. Walking through the doors of the museum, I enter a creative mindset and let the photography \u2014 whether it be Nick Brandt\u2019s black and white imagery from Eastern Africa, or Bettina Rheims\u2019 colorful and striking photos of celebrities \u2014 take me on a journey around the world. In fact, the capital is filled with interesting museums, and if you\u2019re an ABBA fan there\u2019s a whole museum<\/a> dedicated to your favorite Swedish quartet.<\/p>\n

Want more inspiration? Find additional ideas for your entire Scandinavia trip as you explore Norway<\/a>, Denmark<\/a> and Sweden<\/a> throughout our Inspire blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\t