The Jewels of Stockholm

Stockholm is a city built on 14 major islands. The waters reflect the city’s subtle glamour in a magical way. On a warm summer’s evening, standing by the quay near the Royal Palace, it doesn’t take much to understand why Stockholm has been known as Venice of the North.

To see the oldest and most beautiful part of Stockholm, start with Gamla Stan (the Old Town). It is situated on a small island and has the city’s narrowest alley and oldest houses. It is the ideal place to seep yourself in Stockholm’s history, shop for souvenirs and handicrafts, and enjoy a coffee or lunch alfresco in the town squares.

Stockholm is also an exceptionally green city. The natural landscape and horticulture are carefully preserved, and one-third of the city area is covered by parks. The world’s first national city park, Ekoparken, started here in the early 1990s. This park stretches from Södra Djurgården to Norra Djurgården, covering the open meadow called Gärdet, going up the bay of Brunnsviken and through Haga Park and the Ulriksdal Castle area. Royal castles, museums, rare plants and animals, recreational facilities, and restaurants are sprinkled all over this park, making it a natural haven right in the middle of the city.

Djurgården, the Royal Hunting Park, is my favorite place to visit in summer. The western tip of Southern Djurgården is the most popular among both visitors and locals, as it houses the amusement park Gröna Lund, the open museum Skansen, an art gallery, and many exquisite restaurants. What most tourists don’t do is to go a bit farther into the island, where much untouched beauty and wildlife is to be found. I will include a few itineraries to help you find the hidden jewels of this island.

If time allows, you should plan a day trip to one of the 20,000 charming islands in the Stockholm archipelago. My top choice is Drottningholm, followed by Fjärdeholmarna and Vaxholm.

For shopping, the best streets are Kungsgatan, Drottninggatan, and Hamngatan, where small boutiques and well-known department stores such as PUB (where Greta Garbo once worked--go to the basement for an exhibition), NK, and Åhlens are located.

If you want to go bar hopping or clubbing, Stureplan gathers some of the city's hippest and hottest nightclubs.

Please visit my photo album to see The Best of Stockholm.

Quick Tips:

If you are wondering which season to visit Stockholm, then I'd definitely suggest summer. The climate is most agreeable for walking around, people are generally more smiley, and many sightseeing points closed during the winter months are accessible to the public once again.

The great thing about visiting Stockholm during the summer months is that hotels usually offer a lower rate, as it is considered an off-peak season (fewer business travelers). If you are on a tight budget, there are many wonderful alternative accommodations.

But during the summer, many shops and businesses are closed for an entire month—so don’t be too surprised! Chain stores and big department stores, however, are usually open for business.

Always check the opening hours of museums and shops you are planning to visit, and make reservations at restaurants as much as possible. Shops and cafés tend to be closed rather early (around 6 or 7pm), so plan accordingly.

A good way to save money is to purchase the Stockholm Card from the tourism office. It gives you free entry to 75 museums and attractions, free travel by public transportation, free sightseeing by boat, and free parking as well as several other bonus offers.

Best Way To Get Around:

Stockholm has an excellent public transportation network. The subway takes you to almost everywhere. For some places, like Djurgården, the bus and bicycle are better choices. You can rent bicycles (and even rollerblades) at the boathouse at the foot of Djurgårdsbron (Djurgården Bridge), near the Nordic Museum. There you can also rent canoes, kayaks, and small boats for a leisurely tour of the Stockholm harbor on water.

Since the city is built on human scale, it is quite manageable to walk from place to place.

The Stockholm Sightseeing boats and the City Sightseeing double-decker buses are also pleasant and effortless ways to get an overview of the city.

Taxis are relatively expensive, although the service is excellent. No tips are expected but a small amount is always appreciated.

It is best not to rent a car, as parking spaces are limited and expensive.

Franska Matsalen exudes an old-world charm with its classic French interior, complete with chandeliers and perfectly ironed white linen. In my opinion, it is one of the few and best things that have remained from conservative sectors of the Swedish society. As you enter the restaurant, you're immediately greeted by the cordial mâitre d' and handed a warm napkin by the waiter. A sommelier soon joins the waiter and takes turn to serve. The service is friendly, attentive, and unpretensious.


The unique side of the restaurant is its open kitchen, which allows invited foreign star chefs to make guest performances. Even when the shows are not on, diners enjoy a wonderful peek of the chef's extraordinary cooking skills while waiting in great anticipation as the aroma arises from the stove. At the same time, they can indulge in the romantic view of the Stockholm harbor with the Royal Palace as the backdrop. As the sun gradually sets, the large glass windows become a big screen featuring a show of the magically transforming night sky.


And the food! I'm still in seventh heaven when I think of the dishes my husband and I had for his birthday back in 2003--Châteaubriand with foie gras and canterella mushroom lasagne. Approaching this classic steak, one has to love a bit of grease for sure. But I can assure you, the foie gras melts in your mouth more subtly than cotton candy, and it makes the steak so much smoother and richer in taste. The steak itself is a masterpiece, cooked exactly according to your wish, juicy and tender. The canterella mushroom was in season back in October, and it was a delight to try it with lasagne, quite a delicate and tasteful invention. In the summertime, the dish is served with garlic fried asparagus and bacon instead.


Before and after the main course, we were served little munchies and petits-fours--a wonderful touch that can only be found in the classiest restaurants. For dessert, a crême brûlée with port-wine berries for me and a tarte tatin for my husband. We were both speechless after this.


The portions offered at the restaurant look deceivingly small but are surprisingly filling. But if you would like to try the full course, then there are two special menus to choose from. "Menu Scandanavie" ($130) is a five-course traditional Swedish dinner, while "Menu Dégustation" is an eight-course French dinner designed to please the pickiest gourmand. Currently, this sumptuous menu is replaced by "Menu Très Special," featuring only an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert ($90).


The à la carte menu covers a wide range of choices, such as Iranian caviar, lobster, duck foie gras, frog legs, quail, turbot fillet, truffle, steaks, etc. Each item is presented in French, English, and Swedish.


Make sure you reserve a table ahead of time. But in case you have a need to improvise, the mâitre d' is always kind enough to make accommodations for you.

Despite all the good reviews in the press and its award-winning status, F12 is one of the most over-rated restaurants in Stockholm. The decor is clean and post-modern. The waiters and waitresses are, though trying their very best to be friendly and professional, appear to be just a little too stiff. The menu, divided into five themes, requires extensive explanation: each dish is in an hors d'oeuvre portion, and so in order to satisfy an appetite for a normal three-course dinner, one has to order at least four to five dishes. True, each dish looks like a miniature food sculpture, and the ingredients are carefully mixed in a most exotic manner. But the food is prepared with more precision than feelings, and the portion is insultingly small--smaller than children's portions--definitely not worth the money.

Perhaps the only compensation for our disappointing dining experience was the setting. Housed in the Royal Academy of Art, just across the water from the parliament building and Gamla Stan, the view is no doubt quite spectacular. The outdoors terrace bar, with its comfortable lounge chairs and cushions, is open after 9pm during the summer months and has a special theme every night. There is also a small, minimalist bar within the restaurant. The clientele is mostly the bon-chic-bon-genre type in their 20s and 30s. Our recommendation: if you don't have much appetite (or are on a diet) but have a thick wallet, or if you have a hot date and would rather focus more on each other's eyes than your own stomach, definitely go for F12. Otherwise, skip the meal and head straight to the disco bar instead.

The dining room and brasserie at Villa Källhagen hotel offers wonderful outdoor seating with a romantic view of the Djurgårdsbrunn Canal, overlooking Skansen and the Nordic Museum. In the summertime it is a great place to have lunch or dinner and then take a walk on Djurgården.

The clientele are mostly local Swedes who treat this as a kind of country club. The restaurant also offers group lunches and dinners for special occasions such as weddings. They have a private room for rent at the lower level near the wine cellar with indoor and outdoor seating.

On Sundays, families like to gather here for brunch. In the winter, the bistro, with its fireplace, is an especially attractive place for friendly gatherings with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee.

The service is excellent. All waiters are friendly, polite, and can speak very good English. They are internationally minded and always prepared to welcome tourists. The food is excellent. Many dishes are inspired by Provençal cooking, given that the head chef, Fredrik Eriksson, once awarded Sweden's prestigious "Chef of the Year" award, has had culinary training in Provence.

Some dishes I have tried:
* Fish stew in Provençal style, which was very well spiced, with saffron cream sauce.
* Beef carpaccio with chives, bleak roe, and sour cream - great appetizer
* Grilled salmon with bacon and mashed potatoes in a red wine sauce - rounded taste, a classic dish!
* Dijon mustard-fried herring with mashed potatoes and melted butter - the Dijon mustard gives a refreshing taste to the deep-fried herring.

Tip: the restaurant's kitchen is closed during July, but the bistro is open, serving equally high quality food (with fewer choices) at a lower price. Check with the restaurant beforehand if this is still true in the coming summer.

Nalen Restaurant is part of the entertainment hub that consists of the Nalen Theater, a restaurant, and an adjacent bar.

The restaurant is medium-size, with about a dozen tables and a very cozy atmosphere. It is a good pre-theatre dinner venue if you are heading to the Nalen Theatre next doors. The interior has a simple design that is modern and classy at the same time.

The food is beautifully presented. I had a reindeer steak, which was very well marinated and topped with a delicious sauce. For dessert I had crème brulée topped with passion fruit, which adds a new and exotic dimension to the dish. The Irish coffee there is superb.

The waiters there are very friendly and knowledgeable. They stay out of the way but know exactly when you need their attention.

The restaurant, which has a Finnish chef, pays attention to guests with special needs. That's why its menu includes vegetarian choices and even gluten-free dishes for those who are allergic to wheat products.

Godthem enjoys a great location in southern Djurgården with a view of the water. On a warm summer evening sitting by the window, you can almost imagine being transported to an idyllic world where time simply stops.

The atrium seating in the veranda section opens in late May. It is a perfect place for weddings and other special occasions (I had my wedding dinner here).

There are a great number of choices on the menu offering mostly traditional Swedish and some classic French dishes. The house specialty is planked steak served with a béarnaise sauce. It has also a famous dish called Coeur de fillet Provençal, which comes in a very large portion and must be ordered by at least two people. A special dessert is the vanilla ice cream topped with cloudberry—a unique Swedish summer fruit.

The waiters are very willing to make accommodations and are service-minded. They are not snobbish or as cold as the waiters at the restaurant across the street, Ulla Winbladh. While most tourists choose to go to Ulla Winbladh due to its repeated appearance in guidebooks, as a local I would recommend Godthem instead.

Hidden on a little hill where the Observatory Museum (Observatoriemuseet) is located, Kafé Himlavalet is a well-guarded secret that not even many locals know about or care to explore. Well, the walk up the staircase is a bit of a challenge if you are already tired or hungry to start off with. But if you face the challenge, you will find yourself sitting in the most agreeable outdoor terrace with a wonderful lunch and a chance to catch a unique panorama of the part of the city called Vasastan. There are both indoor and outdoor seatings, but on a warm summer afternoon, the outdoor terrace truly makes you feel like time stops for you. The café serves homemade soup, pasta, salad, cold dishes, cakes, coffee, and tea. A lunch including bread, main course, beverage, and tea or coffee costs about 70 SEK (US$10).

To get there, take the subway to the Rådmansgatan station, head for the exit to Stadsbiblioteket (City Library). The hill, Observatorie Lunden, is right there on your left hand side. Just follow the staircase and climb to the very top.

Besides the café, you might want to take the opportunity to visit the old Stockholm Observatory. Research in astronomy, meteorology and geography was conducted here during the 18th and 19th centuries.

There is also a charming little park around the corner, where you can rest in the sun and enjoy the view from above.

This restaurant is located inside a courtyard on the busy shopping street Drottninggatan. The historical courtyard is a well-hidden oasis in heart of the city, and the beautiful Art Nouveau architecture of Centralbadet (The Central Bath) has been admired by the locals for as long as it has existed since 1904. Inside this elegant house are several swimming pools, a small gym and spa facilities. The restaurant is not only a great place for users of the Bath, but it's also a popular meeting point for locals and tourists alike.

The outdoor seating in the courtyard has a marvelous ambience. I have enjoyed lunches and afternoon coffees here. While the food is rather standard fare, the cappuccinos are good and the environment is something that you'd fall in love with at first sight.

Gamla Stan is where Stockholm originally sprouted. Back in the 13th century, this little island was a bustling town of only several thousand people. In 1520, the Old Town witnessed the horrible Stockholm Blood Bath, in which the Danish King Kristian the Tyrant murdered 82 noblemen and civilians.

Today, Gamla Stan is the single most important tourist spot in Stockholm, with many exquisite boutiques selling handmade items and art galleries lining the major shopping streets of Västerlånggatan and Österlånggatan, as well as cafés and restaurants all over the place. A small population still lives here, but they have to pay an extremely high price for the centuries-old apartments.

There are many ways to approach Gamla Stan. A more romantic way is to head south from Drottninggatan and cross a small bridge leading to the Swedish Parliament (Riksdagen). Walk farther down until you reach another bridge that leads to the west wing of the Royal Palace on your left. Climb up the steps in front and you will reach the Högvaktsterassen, where the Changing of the Guard takes place daily at noon. The 700-year-old palace houses 608 rooms, making it the largest palace in the world still used by a head of state. There are several museums within the palace open to the public, and guided tours are available in English.

When you leave the palace through the central courtyard, Slottsbacken, head straight and you will find Stortorget, a nice place to refresh yourself at the water fountain or rest your feet at one of the many restaurants and cafés with their outdoor seating during the summer. On the north side of the square is the Nobel Museum, where you can learn more about the Nobel Prize winners.

For the rest of your stay in Gamla Stan, just stroll around leisurely and you will be sure to be delighted by the many historical details, such as ancient doors, cellars, different designs of iron anchors on facades, and even a canon and rune stone! Don’t hesitate to walk through the narrow alleys, as you will often be rewarded with very tranquil courtyards where you can sit and relax in the sun. My favorite courtyard is Gåstorget (Goose Square).

If you are interested in seeing the narrowest street in Stockholm, head toward Järntorget and a short walk along Västerlånggatan will bring you to the 3-foot wide Mårten Trotzigs Gränd. Another place of interest—if you are not adverse to the chill—is the Ice Gallery on Österlånggatan 41. It is the world’s first permanent ice gallery showcasing "ice art," and there is a simulation room for those who want to experience the Ice Hotel in Northern Sweden without having to travel there.

To round off the day’s visit, how about a luxurious meal at Den Gyldene Freden (The Golden Peace) at Österlånggatan 51? Opened in 1722, it used to be the favorite hangout of the Swedish troubadour Carl Michael Bellman, and today it serves excellent Swedish home cooking and French cuisine.

Galärvarvsvägen 14
Take bus nos. 47 and 69 from T-Centralen or bus no. 44 from Karlaplan.

Hours:
August 21 to June 9
10 am to 5 pm
Wednesday 10 am to 8 pm

June 10 to August 20
9:30am to 7pm

Entrance fee: 80 SEK, free for children

Located on Södra Djurgården, this one-of-a-kind museum exhibits the only remaining intact 17th-century ship in the world. Apparently this is the most popular museum within Scandinavia, and anybody who has been to Stockholm would have paid a visit here.

On its way to war in Poland, the Vasa ship sank during its maiden voyage in 1628 right in the Stockholm harbor. The wreck was salvaged in 1964 and completely restored over the years. Besides the rebuilt lower rig, you will also be able to learn the entire story of the ship’s excavation work and view an exhibit of the personal items, utensils, and canons onboard the ship—and get a glimpse of how the sailing life was in the 17th century. There is also a movie showing the painstaking restoration (in Swedish with English/French subtitles). Although the reason for the sinking of the ship is a stupid engineering fault, the ship itself—built with oak wood—is a marvel to see.

There has been a panic surrounding the long-term survival of Vasa due to the corrosion of sulphuric acid in the wood. While emergency acid neutralization is being carried out, this is only a short-term measure and research is currently being done to come up with a permanent solution to save the ship. My tip: Visit the ship while it lasts.

There is an interesting gift shop and a restaurant inside the museum. Guided tours in English are available daily.

For more information:
www.vasamuseet.se

Take bus nos. 44 and 47 or the ferry from Slussen.

Hours:
January to April and October to December 10am to 4pm
May 10am to 8pm
June to August 10am to 10pm
September 10 am to 5 pm

Skansen is the world’s first open-air museum and one of the best places to visit with kids. No matter which season you visit, there is always something culturally interesting to do.

Besides a zoo with elks, bears, lynx, and other animals typically found in Sweden, there is an entire "town quarter" simulating life in Stockholm in the mid-19th century. Among the houses in the quarter are glass and jewelry workshops, blacksmiths, bakeries, and more. There are real farmsteads brought here from all over the country to show how traditional Swedish houses of hundreds of years ago looked in the past three centuries. Actors and actresses wearing traditional clothing "live" in these farmsteads and display how life was like back in the old days.



Summer at Skansen is always full of visitors and activities. The highlight is the midsummer celebration that lasts 3 days. The traditional maypole is raised and people dance around it while singing traditional midsummer songs. There is also a folk dance display in the evening. A variety of concerts also take place here during the rest of the summer, and in August, the popular Swedish allsång (sing-along concert) attracts big crowds.

The Christmas market at Skansen is the most charming activity you can experience if you are traveling in the winter. There are Christmas markets selling traditional Swedish Christmas decorations and goodies—the quintessential Christmas drink, glögg (mulled wine); straw crafts; wax candles; embroideries; homemade gingerbread cookies and chocolate; saffron buns; elk and ostrich sausages; and much, much more. Musicians play traditional Christmas music and people join hands to dance around the big Christmas tree near the market. And on December 13, the annual St. Lucia procession takes place at 6pm. The chosen Lucia girl of the year—clad in a white gown and wearing a candlelit crown—leads a chorus on stage after having toured the city. The event is completed with a splendid firework display.



For more information:
www.skansen.se/eng/index.html

Take bus no. 47 or tram no. 7 signposted to Waldemarsudde from the T-Centralen subway station to the final stop.

Hours:
Mondays closed
Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 5pm
Thursday 11am to 8pm

Located at the southern tip of Södra Djurgården, Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde is slightly hidden away from the major tourist attractions surrounding Skansen and the amusement park Gröna Lund. And perhaps it is a blessing to be so.

In my view, Waldemarsudde is truly a pearl of Djurgården. Originally the home of Prince Eugen of Sweden (1865-1947), it has been a state-owned estate and museum since his death. Located on a small hill with a stunning view over the water, Waldemarsudde consists of a mansion with the prince’s private apartments and a gallery building featuring temporary exhibitions. As the prince was the foremost landscape painter and art collector of his time, his prolific artwork and collection of turn-of-the-19th-century Swedish paintings can be viewed in the upper flowers of the mansion.

There is an entrance fee of 75 SEK to see the galleries, but it is free to stroll around the beautiful garden decorated with colorful flowers and sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Carl Milles, and more. The parkland in the surrounding is also a wonderful refuge featuring centuries-old oak trees (including the Prince Eugen oak--around 1,000 years old, and measuring 842 centimeters in diameter, it is believed to be the largest on Djurgården), wild birds, and two old-fashioned cafés--Café Gateau and Café Ektorpet. The oldest structure is the beautiful linseed mill dating back to the 1730s.

There have been discussions in the Swedish government regarding withdrawing funds for the maintenance of the galleries in Waldemarsudde, so its future is uncertain. So take the chance within the next 2 years and try to include Waldemarsudde into your itinerary.

For more information:
www.waldemarsudde.com

The Gröna Lund and Tivoli is an extremely popular spot for families during the warm season. While its classic carousels and fun fair booths have an old-world charm, the latest addition to its thrill rides is nothing but top-notch. The Free Fall Tilt slides down at an angle of 15 degrees from its 80 m height at a horrifying speed of 110 km/hour! This is just one of the three dozen attractions that will keep your kids or the big kid in you excited for the whole day.

But mind you, besides the entrance fee, you will have to buy extra coupons for each ride you take. The rides cost from 1-4 coupons and each coupon costs 15 SEK. You can also buy a one-day ride pass which costs 235 SEK. So money does seem to disappear quickly in the park. While there are 17 restaurants, cafes and fast food stands and a cabaret to choose from, you are always welcome to bring your own picnic and drinks.

Gröna Lund is not all about kid activities. There are entertainment programs for adults too. For example, the restaurant Tyrol is decorated as a cabaret with its own show—making it Stockholm’s own Moulin Rouge. There are also conserts featuring local and international stars.

I have put together this unique route to show you the most well-guarded and picturesque spots in Stockholm that are seldom explored by foreign tourists. These spots are all my darling places to visit in the summer.

You can either walk or rent a bike or a boat/kayak at the foot of Djurgårdsbron near the Nordic Museum. If you choose to take the waterway, simply head east on Djurgårdsbrunnsviken and you will see most of beautiful sites I will introduce below—from a distance.

If you choose to walk or bicycle, head east on Strandvägen, the waterfront avenue lined with luxurious buildings, until you come to an opening that leads to a small path hidden behind dense bushes. There are no clear signs, so if in doubt, ask passersby for Nobelgatan. Once you have entered this path, you will find Diplomatstaden in front of you. Notice the many colorful stone houses with individual styles lining Nobelgatan—they all belong to foreign embassies and are among the most beautiful houses in Stockholm. Take the path closest to the water and you will find a delightful view of yachts on the water with Skansen in background.

Keep going straight ahead until you come to a small park with a shallow beach that leads to a waterfront hotel and restaurant, Villa Källhagan. It is one of my favorite restaurants in town, serving delectable Provencal/Swedish fusion cuisine in a wonderful environment, en plein air. In front of the villa is a big lawn, a boat club, and a jetty, where a small group of locals often take a dip in the water when it gets too warm.

You can either choose to continue walking along the waterfront path called Folke Bernadottes Vög or take the main road to the north, Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen. Either way, you will come to the Sjöhistoriska Museet (Maritime Museum), Tekniska Museet (Technology Museum), and Etnografiska Museet (Ethnographical Museum). All of them are very interesting, and you might want to come back here on another day (bus no. 69 will bring you here directly).

Due to the word limit, I cannot include the whole itinerary here, so please continue by reading Part 2 of this walking tour.

As most tourist maps do not show enough detail of the described areas, here is my own private map. Click to enlarge and feel free to print it out and bring it along with you:

Continued from Part 1: After passing the Ethnographical Museum, you will find a small path called Lidovägen. Head eastward and up on this sloping path and soon you will see a yellow house at Lidovägen 14-18. This is the residence of Benny Andersson of ABBA. You might see him walking his dog in this area. The slope goes steeply down and you now find yourself in front of a kayak clubhouse. Pass a couple of beautiful houses and very quickly you will arrive at the foot of Djurgårdsbrunnsbron bridge.

Brunn means well and bron means bridge. The origin of Djurgårdsbrunn was in 1690, when a well was found here providing a source of fresh water that was believed to give health benefits. Since then, this place had been a popular resort for Stockholmers. Next to the bridge is a wooden house that used to be an old-fashioned restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed, and today it houses some temporary avant-garde exhibitions that are often quite difficult to understand!

Across the street is a yellow house called Apotekshuset, an old pharmacy house from the 1800s that is now an ice-cream parlor serving the best soft ice cream in town. After the ice-cream stop, you can head toward the path along the canal, Djugårdsbrunnskanalen, on your left hand side.

Along the canal you can see many Stockholmers showing off their motorboats on their way to the archipelago. Along the path you will sometimes be joined by joggers, bikers, and horseback riders. When you come to a small bridge, the Lilla Sjötullsbron, cross to the other side. Then follow the Princessan Ingeborg’s Väg to Djurgårdsvägen, where you will find a little house with the name Isbladskärret on it. There is a nice marshland where you can see many wild birds.

Go east on Djurgårdsvägen until you reach Blockhusringen. This area is called Blockhusudden, and my husband likes to call it the Swedish Riviera. The yellow house situated by the water was the big toll house in the 1700s, not far from the world’s first automatic lighthouse. Farther down, next to the bus stop (no. 69), is Café Blockhusporten. It is a haven for the locals to gather for afternoon coffee and strawberry cream cakes with a fantastic view of the water across from Nacka Strand.

By now you might be exhausted! You can either take bus no. 69 back to the city center or bike back along Djurgårdsvägen to the bridge Djurgårdsbron, where you rented the bike.

As most tourist maps do not show enough details of the described areas, here is my own private map. Click to enlarge and feel free to print it out and bring it along with you:

Swedish design is known all over the world—thanks to IKEA to a large extend. So it is a must to include furniture boutiques in your window shopping tour. But since you probably have IKEA back home, it would be more worthwhile to check out other design stores in the city. Here is a selection of the best in design:

Svenskt Tenn

Strandvägen 5
Weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sat 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Located on Stockholm’s most elegant waterfront boulevard, Strandvägen, Svenskt Tenn is a furniture and interior design company selling a concept that has come to be known as "Swedish modern classics." This concept is a legacy of designer Josef Frank—the most important figure in Swedish interior design—who ironically was an Austrian adopting Sweden as his home and created the "Scandinavian style." Exclusive, expensive and exuberant are the words I’d use to describe the collection of objectives you will find inside this spacious store: furniture, textiles, lamps, glass, porcelain and small gift items. The colors and patterns of the products are so bold and ultra modern, that sometimes they even bother on the edge of eccentricity.

Price range: extremely high.

Carl Malmsten

Strandvägen 5B
Weekdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Located right next to Svenskt Tenn, Carl Malmsten is another delightful furniture store to visit. It features the classic design of Carl Malmsten, whose unconventional yet timeless design with light wood and bold textile colors won him the position of Sweden's foremost furniture designer in the 1920s. My favorites are Malmsten's sofas and armchairs. I have tested all of them and totally fell in love with the way they support and hug your body. Their shapes are organic, and proportion of wood and textile well balanced, and the colors and texture of the upholstery so appealing. There are also two ultra-modern wooden cabinets – one for storing your favorite wine and liquor collection and one for storing board games. It is a wonder to behold.

Price range: extremely high.

ROOM

Alströmergatan 20
Metro: Fridhemsplan
Weekdays 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Sat 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday 11am to 5pm

This is an exceptionally huge showroom of contemporary furniture and garden accessories, complete with a sizeable and cozy café. It also carries a new collection by Habitat, plus American bedding accessories. It is a sort of urban oasis with a relaxing atmosphere where you can let your senses be immersed in bright colors and a myriad of textures.

Price range: high

Design Torget

Kulturhuset
and
S:t Eriksgatan 45, inside Västermalmsgallerian

Monday to Friday 10am to 7pm
Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 11am to 5pm

This is an innovative design store showcasing some of the best furniture, household items, jewelry, clothing accessories, and stationery created by up-and-coming designers and aspiring students. From toilet paper holders to heat-retaining coasters, you will probably find a little something to bring home as a practical souvenir.

Price range: medium

This walk captures the essence of Stockholm’s beauty on the water. Start from the city’s oldest park, Kungsträdgården. During the summer, there are many popular music concerts and a restaurant festival that lasts for days. Both locals and tourists love to sit by the large fountain in the center and spend a lazy afternoon in the sun watching people and enjoying a soft ice cream. Sometimes tents are set up in the park for children to try bungee jumping or for adults to try ballroom dancing.

Walk toward Strömgatan by the water and you will see a statue of King Karl XII, the warrior king. At this end of the park, you can choose among several outdoor cafés for a typical open-top sandwich for lunch or simply a coffee for refreshment. These outdoor cafés offer a fantastic view of the Royal Palace across the bridge. A stone’s throw away is the famous Café Opera, an elegant restaurant and trendy dance club. Across the street from the restaurant is Gustav Adolf Torg, with the statue of Gustav II Adolf in the center and the Royal Opera House on its side.

Across the street, underneath the Norrbro bridge, is the fascinating Medieval Museum, which was founded after a 15th-century city wall was discovered during the construction of a car park in the late 1970s. The museum offers a glimpse of Stockholmers’ life in medieval times. For example, the Old Town actually smelled of garbage and excretion everywhere, and many cruel and unjust punishments were imposed on people.

Continue toward the Royal Palace and turn left toward the bridge Strömbron. At the traffic lights, turn right onto Strömkajen. Here is where the city sightseeing boats and archipelago ferries depart. You are now on the island of Blasieholmen. To your left is the elegant Grand Hotel, where celebrities and Nobel Prize winners stay during their visit. Walk farther down and you will find National Museum, a beautiful neo-Renaissance building surrounded by waters. The museum houses Sweden’s largest art collection. The most impressive are the two giant murals by Carl Larsson. Besides paintings from Scandinavia and other European countries, there is also a room dedicated to the Scandinavian Design Movement of the 1950s.

Leaving the museum, a wrought-iron bridge decorated with gold crowns, the Skeppsholmsbron, leads you to the charming island of Skeppsholmen. It was Stockholm’s shipyard in the 18th century. Moored next to the island is the beautiful schooner af Chapman. Once a seaman’s training school, this ship is now a floating youth hostel—very popular among the budget-minded visitors.

There are three museums on this island—Moderna Museet, Arkitekturmuseet, and the Oriental Museum. Even if you don’t have time to visit them, the playful sculptures by Nikki Saint Phalle outside Moderna Museet are wonderful candies for the eye.

The rest of the island provides beautiful green lawns and shady trees. Take a leisurely stroll along the water and enjoy the magical view of the city on water.

To get there, take the subway’s red line to Gärdet station or the No. 1 bus from the city (Kungsgatan) toward Fridhamnen. Get off at Kampenmansgatan.

Gärdet (pronounced yaar debt)is the part of town where I live. It is a wide open meadow with gently rolling hills. Back in the 18th century, a wooden summer castle was built for King Karl XIV Johan up on the hill so he could observe the military exercise on the field. Today, the castle Borgen is open to the public during the spring and summer, with a café featuring jazz performance on Sunday mornings. This place is also rented for special events such as graduation parties and weddings. The view from Borgen over the big field of Gärdet is fantastic, especially during the spring when all the flowering trees are blooming. This place is relatively unexplored, even by the locals, so don’t be surprised to find a quiet corner all to yourself.

As you walk on the field, the sight of the TV tower Kaknästornet will not escape you. At 155m, it is the highest structure in Scandinavia. Its tower is open for visitors (entrance fee: 30 SEK), and from there you can have a birds-eye view of the city and even have a meal in the tower’s restaurant, Kaknäs, although the quality of food and service is not so impressive. Better bring your own picnic basket and enjoy an open-air lunch or dinner on the rolling hills nearby.

A great summer activity that takes place on Gärdet is hot-air ballooning. At about 7pm, huge balloons are being raised from the field, lifting groups of people in their baskets for a wonderful tour of the city. Contact Scandinavian Balloons (08 556 404 65), Upp och Ner (08 644 0400) or City Ballong (08 34 54 64) for more information. A ride with a group of about a dozen people costs $250 per person, and the price includes a diploma, a picnic and a glass of champagne. Personally I have never been on such a ride due to my phobia for height. It is nonetheless a joy to watch the colorful balloons decorating the rose-colored sky, which remains light for a long time due to Stockholm’s high latitude.

On a day with gentle breezes, you might also see people flying kites or even hang-gliding on Gärdet.

If you are hungry, there is a small cottage, Gärdet Stugan, at the southwest corner of the field by Värtavägen. With both indoor and outdoor seating, it serves coffee, beer and mostly Swedish home cooking. The cappuccino there is excellent and so are their grilled sandwiches, but the dinner dishes are not worth trying.

Once you have crossed the field heading east, you will be able to find Villa Källhagan, three interesting museums, and a shortcut to Djurgården. See my entry A Picturesque Stroll along Djurgården's Waterway 1.

Haga Park (Hagaparken) is another wonderful treasure of Stockholm and a foremost example of English-style parks that emphasize the preservation of the natural vegetations. Situated along the Brunnsviken bay north of the city center, Haga Park is part of the Ekoparken and very easy to get to. Take bus no. 52 from Centralen in the direction of Karolinska Sjukhuset. It stops right in front of the restaurant Haga Forum and next to the airport shuttle, Flygbussarna's, stop.

Haga Park is a perfect place for a leisurely stroll, a picnic in nature, and even some family fun in the Butterfly House (Fjärilshuset). If you are adventure prone, there is a canoe club along the Brunnsviken bay where you can rent a canoe or kayak for the day and discover the beautiful park from water.

The 50,000-square-meter park has a fairly-tale-like ambience, thanks to the many fantasy-filled structures, like the Ekotemplet, the blue Copper Tents, the Turkish Pavilion, and the Chinese Pavilion. It was said that the King Gustav III liked to sit under Ekotemplet for breakfast.

In fact, Haga was the brainchild of King Gustav III during the 18th century. His royal architect Fredrik Magnus Piper was responsible for most of the park’s design. The King Gustav III’s summer palace stands in the middle of the park, and today it is open to the public during the summer months.

The most interesting sight is not so glamorous, but one can imagine it to be so. This is the ruin of a palace foundation. Gustav III planned to build Sweden’s own version of Versailles here, with a wide tree-lined boulevard (today´s Sveavägen) leading from the city to the palace, but this never materialized due to the lack of funds (which went to warfare instead) and later, the assassination of the king.

The Rosendal area is another jewel on Södra Djurgården that is slightly hidden away from the major tourist attractions. But it is not so far from Skansen. If you take bus 47 to the final station, it’s only a 10-minute walk.

Rosendal consists of the Rosendal Trädgarden organic garden, the castle Rosendals Slott, and the restaurant Rosendals Wärdshus.

Rosendal Trädgarden has its roots in the 18th century and over the next two centuries became the royal gardening ground. It even became the summer paradise of King Karl XIV Johan after it was rebuilt into an English-style garden. During the 19th century it played an important role in horticulture and the education of gardeners in Sweden. At one point there were as many as 443 different kinds of fruit trees and 1,000 kinds of potted plants. Today, the garden is run by a private company, which grows a big sortiment of organic vegetables, fruit trees and flowers in the garden and greenhouse. There is also a small vineyard.

The two boutiques sell fresh vegetables, herbs, marmalade made with organic fruits, and homemade bread baked in stone oven. In the café, you can enjoy bakery products, as well as a lunch buffet with dishes made from the freshest organic ingredients of the season.

Opening hours during the summer season is Mon-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm. Café is open from 11am-4pm.

The Rosendals Slott castle was built in the 1820s by architect Fredrik Blom and was King Karl XIV Johan’s summer resident. This king was an imported king from France and is none other than Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, a general in Napoleon’s army and husband to Desirée Clary. The royal family of Sweden today runs from their lineage. Rosendals Slott is now a museum, showcasing the best of what is known as the Karl Johan-style in furniture, textiles, and interior decoration.

Finally, the Rosendals Wärdshus, located up on a tiny hill Jägarbackarna, is a romantic spot to have lunch/dinner el fresco or inside a greenhouse. The food is rather standard fare but the ambience is excellent. There is a beautiful garden with fountain next to the restaurant, as well as a "doggy bar" offering treats to visitors’ dogs. Further down is a waterlily pond and benches, where you can sit and have a fantastic view over the waterway Djurgårdsbrunnsviken.

For directions to the Rosendal area, see map here.

To get there: Take the ferry from Stadshuskajen (the City Hall Quay) to Drottningholm. For times and fares, call Strömma Kanalbolaget at 08-587 140 00. Regular service is during summertime only.

Opening hours of Drottningholm Palace:

May to August: daily 10am to 4:30pm
September: daily noon to 3:30pm
October to April: Saturday to Sunday noon to 3:30pm

Opening hours of the Chinese Pavilion:
May to August: daily 11am to 4:30pm
September: daily noon to 3:30pm

Drottningholm is not only the residence of the Swedish royal family, but also a summer paradise for locals and tourists alike. This royal domain is the first Swedish site on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the finest example of an 18th-century northern European royal residence inspired by the Palace of Versailles. Its regal castle, French-style baroque garden, well-preserved 18th-century theatre, and Chinese pavilion are great treats for the eyes.

The Drottningholm Palace is open to the public and has regular guided tours in English and Swedish. Admission is 60 SEK (half-price for children). The original castle was built by the Queen Hedvig Eleonora in a heavy, sumptuous baroque style, but later increasingly refined to French-inspired Rococo style, especially during the time of Queen Lovisa Ulrika.

The beautiful French Baroque garden, designed by the famous Swedish architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, reminds me of the Garden of Versailles. I was quite impressed with the carefully trimmed trees and fountains and bronze sculptures by the Dutch artist Adrian de Vries—one of the most eminent sculptors of the Northern European Renaissance. A walk through this huge park can be quite exhausting, especially in the heat, but luckily there are plenty of benches for you to rest.

Drottningholm Theatre is one of the best preserved baroque theatres in Europe. It was built from 1764 to 1766 but did not reach its greatness until Gustav III took over the castle in 1777. Today, summer classical music concerts are still being played in this theater.

The Chinese Pavilion (Kina Slott) is my favorite of all the buildings on the island. A beautiful tree-lined boulevard leads you to the front door of this exotic-looking wooden pavilion. Built in 1769, the pavilion was a birthday present from the King Adolf Fredrik to his Queen Lovisa Ulrika. It was built entirely in Stockholm and transported to Drottningholm in one piece, and surely it won the heart of the queen and pleased her tremendously. The pavilion is decorated with Chinese and oriental elements that belong to high fashion in 18th-century Sweden. The interior is in a splendid Swedish rococo style and filled with porcelain, paintings, and other objects imported from China.

Admission to the Chinese Pavilion costs 50 SEK (half-price for children). If you were to make a choice between entering the Drottningholm Castle or the Chinese Pavilion, I would recommend the Chinese Pavilion. It truly is unlike anything you have ever seen. If you visit the pavilion between June 28 and August 15, there is a free bus that brings you from the ferry pier through the park to the China Palace. It is a good way to save energy, as the baroque park is huge. On your way back from the Chinese Pavilion, you might want to take a walk through the park if you still have enough energy.

There are many other areas to explore on the island, and a full day’s visit should be planned here. Restaurants and cafés in beautiful settings are ready to serve the hungry tourists, while a picnic in the park would be just as charming.