Stockholm Favorites

It’s no doubt that I love Sweden! After studying abroad there in 2010 and returning twice more to visit, it’s a place I hold near and dear. Their simple and efficient living style free from fluff is refreshing. If you’re headed to Stockholm, I’ve rounded up my favorite to-do’s in the city.

Tips
Flying from Chicago is excellent on SAS. Head to O’Hare and hop on the direct overnight flight leaving in the afternoon, and try to get a little bit of sleep on the way for an easy transition to the new time zone. Coming back, there’s a directly flight from Stockholm to Chicago in the mid-morning that gets you to Chicago by afternoon.

Stockholm is the cleanest city I’ve ever seen! And, it’s also really safe. Avoid the months between October and March, as it can be really cold and wintry during those times - also, really dark. Summer will give you the best weather, but beware that most Swedes spend time at their summer houses during end of June through July, so you might run into limited business hours. I’ve never experienced it myself, but the midnight sun makes an appearance during Summer Solstice!

Swedes are extremely tech savvy, so there’s no need to bring any cash. Expect to use a card the whole time.

Stockholm and Sweden in general are also super kid-friendly. You’ll see a lot of places for them to play, very kid-friendly amenities in stores and restaurants and lotsssss of dads pushing strollers around (they get very generous paternity leave!)

You can learn a little Swedish, but you’ll get by just fine with English. Sweden is one of the most literate countries in the world, and they also love American movies, so you’ll find that most of them will switch to English happily and might even ask you about our politics ;)

Hotels
I’ve stayed at Hotel Hansson, which is decently priced and oh-so-cute. It also included breakfast when I was there, however it might have changed since that was 10 years ago now. I would highly recommend an Air BnB though, as the Swedes are known for being so clean and efficient with their living spaces.

Transit
The subway is excellent in Stockholm, so grab a pass for however long you’re staying and enjoy the efficient and clean system they have.

Restaurants
-For authentic Swedish Meatballs (or köttbullar), I highly recommend Prinsen or Tranan. If you want to grab some for lunch, the cafe in NK (at the Kungsträdgården stop) is also great. Ask for a menu in English, and I am sure they will all have one.
-If you see signs for “dagens lunch” you’ll know that cafe is serving a daily lunch special (usually a pretty safe bet!)
-Pastries to try when you’re out and about: kannelbullar (cinnamon buns) and princesstårta (Princess Cake, sometimes shaped like a frog)
-The Italian Cousins, a cute tiny pizza cafe
-Johan & Nyström
-Cafe Pascal
-Max (the Swedish McDonald’s - a fun thing to try!)
-VaPiano fast casual Italian
-Vete Katten

Sights
-Gamla Stan - a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon in a touristy spot with lots of history and plenty of souvenirs (I love the Nobelmuseet)
-Shopping in New Town
-Fotografiska
-Moderna Museet
-The view from Fjällgatan is very photogenic
-Since there is so much water in the city, a boat ride from the central area is great
-Honestly, if you aren’t up for a lot of tours, walking around and stopping to eat is lovely, too!

A Day Trip to Uppsala
Hop on the SJ train from Centralstation and ride to Uppsala. I studied abroad in this little quaint town, and it’s home to not only some great architecture but also some lovely cafes and shops. Perfect for a getaway and a scenic ride on the oh-so-clean Swedish trains.