Stockholm Mini Guide
What can you Tell me About Stockholm?
It’s Sweden’s capital and largest city. It was founded in 1252 to protect Swedish land in the Baltic and grew following the discovery of iron ore nearby. A series of treaties and negotiations gave it control over trade in the Baltic and it continued to grow and flourish becoming the cultural and economic centre of Scandinavia. Today it is renowned for its culture, history and great standards of living in a clean and healthy environment.
How do I get Into Stockholm?
There are several airports you could choose. Arlanda is the biggest but is 25 miles from the centre. It has good connections into the city including a dedicated railway line. Bromma is a lot closer, only six miles from the airport, whilst Skavska and
Vasteras are over sixty miles away. The closest airports are used by the quality airlines whilst Skavska and Vasteras are used by the budget airlines.
What is There to see and do in Stockholm?
There’s plenty of history with the Gamla Stan old town full of narrow streets, pastel painted clapperboard houses and the old Ryddarholmskyrken church beautifully preserved. It’s easy to get to as there’s a dedicated stop on the subway. There are a lot of old palaces and government buildings to see too including the Drottningholm Palace, the home of the Swedish royal family.
You should also visit the Vasa Museum with its wonderfully preserved 17th century ship and Skansen, the outdoor museum of Swedish life. Finally, do as many of the residents do and hire a boat or yacht and sail around the islands of the Stockholm Archipelago. You won’t manage all 14,000 islands but a carefully planned day trip will find you cruising on clear inky blue seas with lush green islands scattered on your horizon.
What Should I buy in Stockholm?
Sweden is acknowledged as a world leader in design, both in youth fashion and in home items. Either of these types of purchase make great buys whilst you are here. More traditional and very beautiful is the Swedish hand-made glassware, coming in many forms and colours and providing a stunning souvenir of your visit.
What Goodies are There to eat?
A little like a Greek or Turkish meze, many Swedish restaurants offer the smorgasbord, a selection of local and traditional dishes including pickled fish, smoked ham, baked fish, meatballs etc. This can often be the best value way to eat, especially if sharing the usually huge portions as eating out in Stockholm is very expensive.
What About Festivals and Celebrations?
Many of the cities events relate to the sea around the city and include sailing regattas and other boat races, usually accompanied by music, food and drink. In the autumn there’s a good international film festival, often attended by ‘B’ list celebrities so if you want to go celebrity spotting, now’s your chance.