Even if I always heard wonders about it, I thought I was going to be a bit bored by Stockholm. Why? I don’t know, maybe because as someone who lived in Cairo, a clean and functioning city sounded a bit too easy to explore.
I am really glad to say I was wrong. Stockholm rocked my socks in multiple ways, surprised me more than once, made me feel comfortable all the time.
A few days are not enough to really appreciate everything but the first impressions will always remain with me and this is the good thing.
Me and my tree friend in Gamla Stan, Stockholm
If you’re planning to visit Stockholm too, be ready to be surprised by its beauty and unique atmosphere. Here’s what rocked my socks during my stay, and I hope will rock yours too!
1 – Wifi is everywhere, for real.
For me this makes everything so much easier. Riding a bus? Wifi is available on board! Drinking a coffee? Wifi is available at the cafe! Shopping at H&M? Wifi is available in store!
2 – The (hard) rock scene.
As you may know I wanted to be a rockstar but I became a travel blogger. Not complaining! Still, I particularly enjoy rock, hard rock and metal, and Stockholm (Sweden and Northern Europe in general) has a prominent hard rock scene.
So I was like a child in the candy store when I found the “Shock” store (and bought studs and stuff), the “Pub Anchor” (where live music is played every night, and “Bieber blood” shots are served!), and spent hours searching through dusty record stores to finally find some really cool records.
3 – Stockholm is so photogenic.
Even if I feel intimidated by cities when it comes to photographing them, I found Stockholm gently inviting. She was always gladly posing for me and looking good in every shot.
What an elegant, superb city. Water, history, architecture, streets, people, modernity and traffic. All this in walking distance. Click, click, and click again.
4 – Ice and reflections.
This may belong to the “photogenic” paragraph but it’s slightly different. Imagine walking in the streets of Stockholm. Now imagine the sound of your feet on the gravel that prevents pedestrians from slipping on ice. Now while you imagine the sound, think of the golden light of the north, its reflections and shadows on the layer of ice that covers everything. Welcome to Stockholm in the winter.
5 – Exploring the city by boat.
Let’s be honest, water makes cities so much more beautiful. Stockholm is basically a group of islands, surrounded by more islands. On my second day in the city I decided to get on a sightseeing tour that was part by bus and part by boat and I would recommend this to everyone. This way you can get to see both the center of the city and other areas you would never reach by walking, and especially if you have little time like I did, it will help you orientating yourself. Just make sure you have appropriate clothing or you will freeze like I did! (in the name of photography!)
6 – My Stockholm Card!
I never bought one of these “X City Cards” before and I was always a bit skeptical or maybe too lazy to look into it. But I have to say my Stockholm Card made everything so much easier, especially when I realized I could ride all kinds of public transportation with it. This took me so much further than I thought, quicker than I planned, and in the most relaxed possible way!
Also, Stockholm has countless incredible museums which are all included in the Stockholm Card. My personal favorite was the Fotografiska – I still feel like a privileged person for having had the chance of visiting it.
So especially if you have just a few days or a weekend in Stockholm, I recommend the Stockholm Card, to enjoy your stay to the max!
Fotografiska-Stockholm #BalticTR
I know you’ve been to Stockholm too! What rocked your socks? Tell me tell me.