Visiting Stockholm is always a pleasure! Sweden is Finland’s neighboring country so it is fairly easy for us Finns to visit Stockholm. There are two cruise lines – well technically they are ferries since they only have two stops but they call themselves cruise lines – from Helsinki to Stockholm. The ground time in Stockholm is 6 hours which is perfect for a quick city break.
There are many nice things to do in Stockholm but it depends what you are looking for. Here’s my insight on how I have used my time in Stockholm.
Beautiful streets of Stockholm Old Town!
Old Town is a must if you haven’t previously visited Stockholm. The small alleys are covered with pastel colored buildings which are decorated with beautiful details. I’ve heard the buildings are similar to what they have in Warsaw. Old Town of Stockholm isn’t that big but big enough to wander around for a couple of hours. There are a lot of restaurants and cafees around too.
My restaurant tip for the Old Town is called Restaurant C.C. They offer original Swedish dishes starting from meatballs to mushroom soup. I really liked the decor of this small restaurant since it was chic but not overly decorated. And they had excellent service!
From Old Town you can easily go and visit the Royal Palace (or Stockholm Palace) which is one of the main sights of Stockholm. I also suggest walking by the sea around the Old Town area. On a street called Skeppsbrokajen there are few lovely bars to grab a drink by the harbour.
Narrow streets with colorful houses are the best!
I was walking back to my cruise ship when I decided to make a detour through Södermalm and Katarina-Sofia areas. Those were lovely local areas with a lot of shops, restaurants and cafees. Most of the people I know always head to Drottninggatan for shopping which is no doubt the largest pedestrian street in Stockholm filled with shops. If you want to escape the crowd then go to Södermalm and Katarina-Sofia areas for shopping. They are also good for finding local eateries and bars.
If you love museums then Vasa Museum is the right place to you. It is a maritime museum where they display a 17th century ship. Shamefully I have to admit that I haven’t been to this museum yet but next time when I go to Sweden I intend to check it out.
For thrill-seekers and families I suggest spending the day in Gröna Lund which is the amusement park in Stockholm. If you do have only half a day in use then this could be your only program for the day. I was there a few years back and I did have a blast! Totally recommended!
This balcony was my favourite one in the Old Town.
What’s your favourite place in Stockholm or what are you looking forward to seeing there? Share your thoughts to other in the comments below!