Why Stockholm is the best Scandinavian capital
Stockholm Skyline (from Monteliusvägen), Sweden (ISO 2500, 22 mm, f/11, 15 s)
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Sweden is a country that I’ve always held in such high regard. It could be because of the overall friendliness of the citizens, their excellent ability to speak perfect english, the chic style they have grown accustomed to wearing, their love of nature and abundance of green spaces, etc. but the draw seems to be something more than the sum of all of these parts.
When compared to other cities in the world, its size by population is humbling (around 2.5 million people in the metropolitan area), and yet each island that make up this 14 island archipelago of a capital, has something unique to offer. You can find a Google map of the places I will discuss at the end of this post.
Also, if you’re in this part of the world, I highly suggest seeing other Nordic Capitals like:
Check out my drone video of Stockholm, Sweden below!
Even further, if you have lots of time in Sweden, I suggest checking out some of the other cities in the country. You can check out my blog posts on some of them below:
Gothenburg (Göteborg) (Blog Post Title: A Tour of Gothenburg: Sweden's 2nd Largest City)
Uppsala (Blog Post: Uppsala: the hidden gem just North of Stockholm)
Helsingborg (Blog Post: Just a few reasons to see Helsingborg in the South of Sweden)
Malmö (Blog Post: Take a weekend break in Malmö, Sweden)
Lund (Blog Post: A Day tour of the university town of Lund)
Kalmar (Blog Post: Kalmar: The town you should know more about in Sweden)
Öland (Blog Post: A Day Tour of the Swedish island of Öland)
Marstrand (Blog Post: A day trip to the Swedish island of Marstrand)
Swedish Castles (Blog Post: A Tour of Sweden’s Coolest Castles)
Fårö (Blog Post: A Guide to the Swedish Island of Fårö)
Visby (Blog Post: A Closer Look at the Hanseatic Town of Visby)
Gotland (Blog Post: A Guide to the Swedish Island of Gotland)
Rådhuset Tunnelbana Station, Stockholm, Sweden (ISO 400, 10 mm, f/11, 0.6 s)
The easiest way to get around Stockholm, is by using public transport. Stockholm boasts an excellent metro system that is extremely easy to navigate, called the Tunnelbana. Virtually every station has a different artistic element to it, usually in the form of murals and exhibitions. This makes the Tunnelbana the longest art exhibit in the world.
All you need is a metro ticket to access the Tunnelbana. The stations at Rådhuset and T-Centralen were my favorites to photograph. I have made a list of 22 tunnelbana stations in the city in this recent blog post here.
For good food in the city, there is no shortage of excellent places to try. For the morning, head out to Vete-Katten (literally translates to ‘Wheat Cat’) in Norrmalm for the Swedish favorite ‘kardemummabullar’. These cardamom rolls are my personal favorite and a staple of Swedish pastries. The Swedes love coffee and you will often find them having a 'fika' (coffee/cake break) during the workday (or any day rather). Vete-Katten is a perfect place to experience your first Swedish Fika.
If you’re looking for drinks with a view, head on over to Södermalm and get off the Tunnelbana at Slussen and you will see Erik’s Gondolen close by. You can eat here as well, but people mostly come for the sweeping views of Gamla Stan and the rest of the city. It is particularly gorgeous for sunsets.
These are just a handful of places to see and explore in Stockholm.
I also recommend seeing Djurgården, another island in the capital archipelago. Djurgården literally translates to ‘animal garden’, and fittingly, was where deer, reindeer, and elk were kept starting in the 16th century.
These days, the animals are gone, but the island has transformed into a wonderful recreational area. Here you can also see the ABBA Museum and the Vasa Museum. If you’re interested in a theme park, Gröna Lund is also on Djurgådren and also has summer concerts with great bands.
If you time it just right, you may also be able to catch your favorite artist performing at the Ericsson Globe as well as Avicii Arena.
For budding photographers that want a sweeping view of the entire city, head towards Monteliusvagen (also on Södermalm, close to Slussen Tunnelbana). This walking path is only half a kilometer long but has wonderful views of Lake Mälaren, City Hall, and Gamla Stan.
Just a little further west of Monteliusvägen is another great viewpoint called Skinnarviksberget. You can get here by taking the Tunnelbana to Mariatorget on the red line. This rocky hilltop is perfect for seeing the sunset and having a few drinks with friends.
If your timing is just right (about 2 weeks at the beginning of April with typical weather), you can see the cherry blossoms blooming in Kungsträdgården. These trees are in their largest concentration in this park and make for excellent photographic backdrops.
If you’re a new drone flyer and would love to do some aerial photography of Stockholm, one of the best places to take off/land from is on Riddarholmen (next to Gamla Stan, accessible by Gamla Stan Tunnelbana station), specifically at Norra Riddarholmenshamnen.
I also have prints available of Gamla Stan in Stockholm, as well as other places in Sweden, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames and Wooden-Frames).
UPDATE: This area of the Stockholm is now forbidden for drone flying. Download the Drönarguiden app to see what spots in Stockholm you can safely and legally fly in. My favorite place to fly from is Skeppsholmen.
Stockholm, Sweden (View from Erik’s Gondolen) (ISO 1600, 10 mm, f/22, 1/16 s)
Along the water, there is a wide open area where you can view Södermalm, Gamla Stan, and Kungsholmen in one shot. Keep an eye out for helicopters coming in and out of the city, as they are common sights and keep your elevation limit to 60 meters.
Last but not least, one of the most popular sites to see is Gamla Stan (‘Old town’). This small island sits near the center of the entire archipelago and possesses much of the architecture and rustic style that Sweden is known for. The main square, called Stortorget, has great historical significance and is the central point of Gamla Stan.
You can also see the Stockholm Cathedral, the Royal Palace, and Riddarholm church on the island as well, but it’s best to simply wander the old cobblestone streets and take in the surroundings.
You can't miss the Stenbock Palace, known for it's gorgeous pink facade. For entertainment in Gamla Stan, I recommend going to Stampen, arguably the best jazz bar in the city. It’s very chill vibe, great beer menu, and good music make it the perfect stop after a long day of sightseeing.
If you want to really enjoy Stockholm and all of its offerings, I recommend 3 days minimum to see most of the sights.
PROTIP: Get yourself a Stockholm Pass if you intend on staying for a few days, which will grab you discounts on many attractions and museums in the city.
