Sweden
City trip Stockholm – Nature and city come together
City trip in
Stockholm
Four-day girls trip in Stockholm
To celebrate our nearly ten-year friendship, my best friend and I went on a trip. That was the first time, outside of mandatory school trips to Paris and Barcelona, that we did this and we were both looking forward to it! The choice of destination was made quickly. Stockholm had been on our bucket list for some time and I wanted to see how they really pronounced my name in the country of origin (Sigrid is a Swedish name). Four days for a city trip should be enough. We booked the trip about a month before departure which made the tickets also very cheap. Did you know that Stockholm is only a two hour flight from Belgium ?
Gnesta
The first day we stayed in an Airbnb in Gnesta, an hour from Skavsta airport. Stockholm City was still a two-hour drive from here, so we decided to book a first night in the town of Gnesta. This way we could go to Stockholm the next day. Gnesta itself is not that big but very cozy. It has a beach, a train station to get around Stockholm and fantastic houses. Here we already tasted the Swedish culture.
Our hosts at the Airbnb were also incredibly welcoming and the decor of their apartment was especially beautiful and soothing. The only minus? The bed was not big enough for two so my best friend sacrificed herself to sleep on the air mattress. That’s pure love, right? Unfortunately, the air mattress broke down because the space was too small and she slept on the floor almost all night. And I didn’t realize anything in the meantime because I slept like a rose and she didn’t wake me up. Best friend goals for sure.
City trip Stockholm
After a restless night in our Airbnb, we headed to Stockholm the next morning. Again by train. We got to our next Airbnb very smoothly and headed into town for the rest of the day. We made a stop at the neighborhood around Skansen, which is considered one of the quietest neighborhoods. Here you have the gigantic nature reserve Djurgården where we spent a few hours on our first, but very hot, day. It is really beautiful with always a nice view over the water. A very restful place. We also tried local food and it was not at all as expensive as everyone claims. For 12.50 euros we ate delicious fresh salmon for lunch with drinks included. Not bad, right?
Fjäderholmarna
A half-hour boat ride from Stockholm City, you’ll find yourself at the islands of Fjäderholmarna. Part of the famous Stockholm archipelago. We booked our trip here through GetYourGuide and both the outbound and return trips went very smoothly. The boat drops you off on the island and you take it back whenever you want. This gives you plenty of time to explore the island at your own pace. And you better take the time for that.
Although it is very small there and you can walk around the island in an hour, you will come across a lot of nice places where you want to stop and enjoy the view. Or the tasty local food they serve in one of the restaurants. Here you will see absolutely no mass tourism but peace and quiet and that is exactly what you are here for. This was one of our favorite excursions and without a doubt one of the absolute highlights on our city trip in Stockholm.
Gamla Stan
We spent the rest of the days in the city getting to know it even better. Our Airbnb was near Stockholm City (a central part of the city from where you can go in all directions) so it was easy to get anywhere quickly by metro and bus. One of the most beautiful parts we saw was Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm. Here you have to count on mass tourism. Think of many souvenir shops, restaurants and places of interest. But definitely worth it! We tried traditional Swedish balls and didn’t really like it that much. The balls are made from a kind of wild meat. At least, that’s what it tasted like. For those who like this, it is definitely recommended to try. What do we think is worth eating? The delicious (puree) fries, but they serve them with just about every dish. To enjoy!
Haga Parks
Since we don’t really like mass tourism anyway and the nature in Stockholm is so beautiful, we also went toHagaparken for half a day. This is a large park similar to Djurgården, but in this case mostly frequented by locals. Swedes come here to socialize with friends or family, have a picnic, play games or just rest on the grass. There are also often events. Resting is exactly what we did after a tiring but rewarding walk in the park. Here we escaped from the bustling city life. In the evening we both had a nice fish dish with a view of the water where we also saw the colorful sunset. Sweden is beautiful. With regret in our hearts but full of beautiful memories, we returned home.
Advantages of
Stockholm
One of Sweden’s greatest assets is without a doubt its nature. There is also a lot of nature in Stockholm, a huge city. The islands of the archipelago are also a good example of this. There you can really be alone in the city surrounded by nature. The views over the water in Stockholm are indescribably beautiful. In addition, we found public transport to be excellently developed. Nowhere in the world is it so well organized. A big plus for us as a user, but also a huge plus for the environment. If we lived here, a car wouldn’t even be an option. There is nothing easier in Sweden than public transport. You can easily get anywhere with it without having to wait for hours. Other countries can take an example from that!
Romance in Stockholm
Although it was a girlfriend trip, we also saw how romantic Stockholm is. A more romantic destination than, let’s say, Paris or London . You can really be alone in some places in this huge city and the sunsets are truly magical! By the way, if you go to Scandinavian countries, it is best to do it just before the summer. Then you can enjoy endless days as it never really gets dark at night. How nice is that?
Friendship is love
After this girls trip I came to a realization that I actually knew for a long time: I really do have the best friend of all time. I consider myself very lucky to have her in my life. And friendships should be cherished so trips like this one we will no doubt make more often in the future. Friendship is also love. Perhaps this is once so strong and clear after a journey together. This city trip in Stockholm was a success!