Known around the world as the capital of Scandinavia, the city of Stockholm is home to incredible art and cuisine and, despite being the biggest city in Sweden, maintains a friendly and relaxed atmosphere where historic charm meets cutting edge architecture. Towards the end of August, the archipelago starts to relax from the busy summer season.
The colours shift slowly from lush green and intense blue to yellow, orange and red and the sun sits low on the ocean horizon. This is the right time to go for long walks, gaze at the choppy sea and breathe the fresh air.
See
Visitors can book a private guide through Our Way Tours, with excursions including a walking tour of the Old Town, a Swedish Fashion walking tour, a bike tour to discover the green lungs of Stockholm, architecture tours and a Swedish Pop Wonders driving tour. Guide Stockholm also offers private tours ranging from Carl Linnaeus and the Linnaean Gardens in Uppsala to Gripsholm Castle. Individual museums, such as The Vasa, also offer private tours outside of opening hours.
Eat
Stockholm is home to several Michelin-starred restaurants and in 2018 the famed Frantzén earned its place in history as the first restaurant in Stockholm to earn the highly coveted third Michelin-star. In addition to the regular stars, Guide Michelin launched its new Sustainability Emblem for the Nordic Countries in February 2020. Those restaurants at the forefront with their sustainable gastronomy practices are highlighted by a new, green, symbol. In Stockholm, five restaurants were highlighted with the Sustainability Emblem: Agrikultur, Etoile, Fotografiska, Gastrologik, and Oaxen Krog.
Shop
Bibliotekstan is the city’s most affluent shopping district, with exclusive Scandinavian and international brands. A slow saunter between the food stalls in the Östermalmshallen market hall is also mandatory.
Do
Avicii Experience is a tribute museum opening to fans and the public in Stockholm next year and will be an intensively emotional tribute to one of the true icons of modern popular culture. Avicii Experience will be an immersive, interactive exhibition that will bring its visitors closer to the artist Avicii and the person Tim Bergling. The audience will follow Tim’s journey from a reclusive music aficionado to a celebrated superstar, from his boyhood room where it all started to the Los Angeles studio where the biggest hits were created.
The museum will include memorabilia, unseen photos and video, plus published and unpublished music. Visitors will be able to peer inside the creative process and the many collaborations behind the music. Previously unreleased material that was the foundation for the posthumous album “Tim” will be made available for the first time as will unpublished early versions of the breakthrough hit song ‘Levels’.
Avicii Experience is a part of SPACE, a new and unique seven floor hub combining gaming, music, and content creation, the key ingredients of digital culture, all under one roof. The location will feature 500 gaming stations, a 650-800 seat arena, recording studios, and a co-working space. SPACE is set to open in Stockholm, Sweden in 2021 at Sergels torg in the city center.
Grinda is one of the most easily accessible islands in the archipelago and as such is popular amongst Stockholmers, especially due to its many excellent places to go swimming. A nature conservation area, this charming island is full of adventures for the whole family. A much loved farm has become essential in keeping the beautiful landscape open and alive. And of course, the clucking hens and the grazing cows provide some captivating entertainment for the youngest visitors.
Sleep
From the creators of the hugely popular Steam Hotel and Hotel Pigalle comes Ellery Beach House – Stockholm’s latest getaway and only beach resort, inspired by the 60s and 70s. Ellery is located on the tip of Lidingö, an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago where urban life feels far away in the rural surroundings – although just 18 minutes away from the city centre.
A welcoming beach house with its own private jetty, this is the place to go to for nature, sea, beaches, pools, cabanas, music, design and arts. The hotel’s restaurant, Palmer’s, serves Mediterranean cuisine with inspiration from the Greek islands, vibrant food markets of Tel Aviv and Lebanese meze culture.
There’s also The Bally Bar, where guests can enjoy morning coffee, indulge in a long lunch, or finish the day with a cocktail around the open fireplace, as well as Coco Beach Club, with indoor and outdoor pools. Opening 1 September 2020. Double rooms start from £140 per night.
Getting there
Return flights from London to Stockholm from £93 with Scandinavian Airlines.
For further information, visit visitstockholm.com and visitsweden.com.
Image credit at the very top of the article: Henrik Trygg
