Hey everyone! I hope you’re all doing great. 🙂 I know some of you have had your quarantine restrictions reduced, and you’re enjoying your well-deserved summer breaks or weekends. That’s wonderful news, and I’m happy for you. I’m still in Lahore, Pakistan, waiting for THY to schedule a flight so we can join the summer break excitement. 

Anyway, I’m back with a new post about my Stockholm trip. Why? Well, I miss travelling so much, it’s the thing I miss the most from before the pandemic. Plus, my friends of course! I’ve been talking to many different friends, and missing to travel is one of the trend topics of those chats, the second being clubbing. That’s why I want to take a break from work (jk, I’m doing this after work hours) and remember the beautiful Stockholm trip I took at the beginning of February. Let’s dive back into those Stockholm memories!

My Stockholm trip mainly happened because we want to celebrate H2OCemresi’s birthday. You might remember her from the Poland trip. (By the way, her name is Cemresu but our favourite uni teacher Roy Manukyan called her sucemresi ones and then she became H20Cemresi) We were looking at common, cheap flight destinations and found Stockholm, Sweden. Both of us wanted to see Stockholm, so it was the perfect destination. The idea grew, and she invited her high school friends. Some were already in Sweden, others in Germany, and a few in Turkey. It was the perfect birthday getaway.

I want to share some of my highlights from Stockholm, my favourite pieces, and some useful tips that I believe could be helpful:

1) Stay central and walk

One of the most crucial things for my trips is the location of my accommodation. I prefer to stay central because I don’t enjoy public transportation much. It doesn’t really make sense for me to use it during my trips, as walking is much easier and allows me to see and feel the city more fully. Therefore, I stay central and walk everywhere I can. Stockholm’s main tourist area isn’t that big, so I was able to easily walk everywhere I wanted to go.

So here is a link of the Airbnb we used, It was the perfect place for us. We fit perfectly, and the location is pretty good, even though it’s a bit on the outskirts of the centre. There’s also a metro station and a bus stop just next to our accommodation, plus several market options nearby.

2) From the airport to the city 

When I arrived at the airport, I took the Flygbussarna bus to the city. It was more expensive than the Flixbus, so I recommend booking a Flixbus. I think I paid 12 euros for the Flygbussarna and 7 euros for the Flixbus. You can book it in advance or buy it from the kiosk at the airport.

3)Fika

One of the reasons I love Sweden is fika. Often translated as “a coffee and cake break,” it’s so much more than that. It’s creating time for friends and colleagues to share a cup of coffee (or tea) and a little something to eat. Swedish people, often described as distant, calm, and cold, love their fika. It gives them the opportunity to hang out with friends or get to know new people. It’s more than just a coffee; it’s a social phenomenon. For me, it’s a dream come true – the culture I’ve been looking for. There are so many cafes around that you can sit or take away a coffee. I would also recommend trying the Swedish pastries; some of them are really delicious. Here are some of my favourite spots for fika:

Skroten Café & Skeppshandel

This tiny, cute cafe stole my heart. It reminded me of a tiny fishermen’s cabin, and the neighbourhood is even cuter. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re visiting the Nordiska Museet. The cafe is just at the end of the island, and there’s a huge amusement park on the way. 

Kaffebar

The best things about this place are the amazing coffee and the fantastic neighbourhood. Södermalm, south of the city centre and Gamla Stan, is a great place to explore. You can easily get to the City Museum, Tantolunden Park, and Långholmen Island. There are so many restaurants, cafes, cool shops, bars, and art galleries to discover.

Vasatsan

These are is just full of cafes and cool restaurants, I have visited few here are them Gateau Västmannagatan, Kaffeverket, STHLM Brunch Club. Plus Gast Café I would highly recommend for breakfast. It is such a cool place and the food is amazing.

4) Gamla Stan

This is a must-see in Stockholm, a pretty well-known area known as the old town. The Royal Palace, Parliament House, Jusidka Museet, and the Nobel Museum are all located here. It’s also a lively pub area with many cool pubs to choose from if you’re looking for a drink. If you’re looking for souvenirs, this area is a bit more expensive than the rest of Stockholm, but it also offers more unique handmade items in the stores.

If you enjoy taking photos, walking around Gamla Stan for hours is a great way to capture some amazing shots. Just be aware that it’s a full island, so it can get freezing. The wind is also quite strong, so be prepared for some gusts.

5)Museums

Skansen Open-Air Museum

Skansen was the first open-air museum in Sweden, with the aim of showing the way of life in the country before the industrial revolution. Skansen is one of the most popular museums in Stockholm. The museum is located on Royal Djurgården, with a beautiful view of the city. The admission for adult is 220 kr which is around 20 euros.

The Vasa Museum

The Vasa Museum exhibits the only preserved 17th-century ship in the world. The Vasa ship sank on its voyage in Stockholm harbour in 1628. It was found after in1961 and restored to its former glory. You can walk around the majestic ship on specially designed platforms, so you don’t miss a single square of it. The admission is 150 kr.

Fotografiska

Fotografiska, is one of the largest contemporary museums of photography in the world. The museum is located in the old customs house. It is culturally protected and, besides the museum, there is an academy, cafe, conference rooms, event space and museum shop. The café on top offers a spectacular view. Make sure you follow the path correctly otherwise you might end up on the cliff above the museum instead of the museum. The admission is 170kr.

Moderna Museet

Moderna Museet is a state museum for modern and contemporary art. Here you will find one of the largest collections of 20th century art (as well as contemporary works). See the works of Picasso, Matisse, Dali and others. Moderna Museet is located on Skeppsholmen island, surrounded by nature and offering a lovely view of Djurgarden and Strandvägen. The Moderna Museet admission is free but the visiting exhibitions are around 100-150 kr.

I honestly feel like my Stockholm visit was quite short. The city has so much to offer, with so much to see. I know I’ll be returning for this beloved Fika culture, the pastel colours of the houses, and even the cold weather. I do like cold, rainy weather, and Stockholm had that magical power on me. The city didn’t feel like a stranger to me, even though I hadn’t been to Sweden before. Somehow, it captivated me. Walking on the streets, feeling the breezy cold and the rain, I felt alive. I wish I could have shared more, but I guess this is all I have. 🙂 I hope you enjoy and hope you visit Stockholm and feel the love as much as I did.