Postcard From Stockholm Pt. 1
Hi, hello, it's been quite a while since my last entry, but after a long hiatus, I am finally back and hoping to be more consistent going forward. Obviously, lots has happened since I last wrote in October of last year but instead of dumping all of that information in one post, I will begin my first entry back with my latest adventure...and eventually fill in the blanks of the last few months with each new entry. All of this to say, welcome back and happy reading!
My most recent adventure took place in beautiful Stockholm, Sweden. A place high on my list for a while and after visiting I can confirm it deserves to be high on everyone's travel list. I traveled to Stockholm at the end of June with my husband, Nici, for one of his business trips. So that meant, while Nici was unfortunately working throughout the days, I was free to explore on my own... and believe me, I did. By the end of the week I had walked a total of 55 miles (88km) and my feet felt like they were going to fall off. Of course, I also utilized Stockholm's public transport system but more often than not if I had the option to walk I did. I think it is the best way to experience a new city after all and you never know what little hidden gems you will find.
Most important things first, Stockholm officially has my heart. I am so obsessed with it and I've already told Nici I need to visit at least once a year going forward. It is absolutely gorgeous, right on the water, and with so much fascinating history. To be only the slightest bit dramatic, I felt like my short time Stockholm healed a little part of my soul, I seriously felt so refreshed by the time I left.
We flew in on a Monday morning around 9:30 am ish and by 11:00 am I was off walking through the streets. The first thing I do in any new city I visit is go on a little self-guided (but actually not guided at all) walking tour. I start off in one direction and then go towards whatever looks interesting. So I spent my morning sauntering through Gamla Stan, the colorful old town, walking those narrow cobblestone streets truly felt like stepping back in time. You can feel the deep history practically oozing out from every alleyway and storefront- everything from Vikings, bloodbaths, local lore, royalty, all tucked away in the brightly colored buildings and the uneven streets. At one point I found a little bench right outside of the Noble Prize Museum so that I could do a deep dive on Stockholm's history. I'd happily write an entire entry on just the history, if that is something you'd find interesting.
My wandering led me to some window shopping and some actual shopping (because duh). I eventually stumbled upon the royal palace and after walking around the outside and snapping a few photos, I immediately made my way down to the water to watch all of the ferries and boats coming in and out of the harbor.
I also learned rather quickly of the existence of fika, an essential part of Swedish culture, which is a coffee and sweet treat break a few times throughout the day. I, of course, had to partake and each day I made sure to have my coffee and my kanelbulle (a Swedish cinnamon roll made with cardamom). That's the other thing, kanelbullar are everywhere and on everything. Every bakery sells their own and they can even be found in the 7/11s. It is nearly impossible to walk past any shop without some sort of kanebullar themed decor or clothes...and yes, I did buy a shirt with embroidered kanelbullar from UNIQLO and it is my new favorite shirt.
For my first day in town I knew lunch needed to be something classically Swedish, so after a quick google search I made my way to Lisa Elmqvist, a restaurant located in Östermalms Saluhall, a traditional Scandinavian food market. This spot just so happens to be the best known in Stockholm, so it felt fitting to have my first meal here. After I was shown to a seat at the bar, I ordered myself a glass of coke with lemon (how very American of me, yes, I know) and Toast Skagen, pieces of toasted bread topped with a shrimp salad (skagenröra) made with mayonaise, sour cream, dill, and topped with roe. The portion was huge and delicious. If you are a fan of shrimp, this dish is a must try and is available at almost every restaurant.
I followed lunch with more walking and eventually stopping for my first fika while I waited for Nici to be done with work for the day. If you know me, you know how much I love coffee shops and people watching while drinking my coffee... so this was lovely.
Once Nici was done for the day we made our way to our hotel before coming back into town for dinner. This dinner is tied with the dinner on our last night as my favorite. We ended up eating at Café Sten Sture, a 700 year old prison right in the heart of Gamla Stan. A spot we found completely by accident but thank goodness we did because what a unique dining experience. The spot was originally a cellar built in the 14th century as part of a monastery. By the early 1500s most of these monasteries had disappeared and the space was converted into a prison. A number of people were imprisoned here, however the most famous being Jacob Johan Ankarström, The King Slayer. He was detained here in 1792 before his execution. They even have the cell he was kept in clearly marked. Also, according to the website, the venue has not changed much since 1792. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that a lot of the details are fuzzy or uncertain. While it was used as a prison, it isn't really known for how long. It is very much a space where history and folklore become intricately intertwined. Those walls hold so many stories, it is a shame that so many of them are lost to time.
Upon descending into the cold, dimly lit cellar you find yourself going back a few centuries. The restaurant was pretty quiet while we were there since we chose to get dinner fairly early. The waiter brought us right to our seats and immediately shared his menu recommendations. He was insistent that Nici order the Swedish meatballs and I order the fried herring and a lingonberry cider. We ended up going with his suggestions...but really I don't think we had a choice as he was more so telling us what to order, not really suggesting at all. Honestly, I am glad we listened to him because he was right. Everything we ordered was excellent and I'd recommend both the meatballs and the herring. By the end of the meal we were both so full that we wouldn't dare think about ordering dessert. I am still thinking about this meal and the experience in general.
The rest of the evening was spent wandering the streets of Gamla Stan and stopping for all the cute touristy photos. We weren't out on the town too late Monday and were immediately asleep the second we got back to our hotel. One thing to note, the sun did not set until 10:00 pm each night and rose again at 3:30 am every morning, and even then it never fully set. I was concerned that this would make sleeping hard but after walking 30,000 steps on that first day sleep came fast.
Tuesday was another day with a lot of walking for me. I started the day going over to The Mall of Scandinavia just to wander and see what interesting shops they had (and for UNIQLO duh). I wasn't there too long and wasn't surprised to see that most of the shops were very similar to those in our bigger malls in Vienna. However, I did stop for lunch at a Swedish fast food chain, MAX Burgers. Trying a local fast food joint is something I try to do wherever I travel. It is always fun seeing what is on the menu and it is an interesting peek into a whole new country. I ended up ordering a spicy chicken sandwich with fries. One of my favorite parts of trying new fast food places is seeing what dips and sauces they have on their menu, there are always a few I have never heard of and have to try. So, with this meal I ordered bearnaise sauce which I had seen on a few other menus and had learned was popular in Sweden. Bearnaise sauce in Sweden is basically just a mayo based sauce with tarragon and I can see why it is so popular here. Overall, I thought the food was pretty decent and would not mind eating there again.
After my little shopping excursion I decided to walk through the Hagaparken which happened to be right next to our hotel. This massive park is part of the Royal National City Park established by Gustav III starting in 1780. This English style park is huge and full of so many fascinating and historical sites. Full of castles, ruins, a massive pond, rolling green hills, forest paths, cafes, the Royal Cemetery, and so many geese.
My first time at the park I did not go to the castle ruins as I wanted to save that for later in the week in hopes that Nici could join. So, instead I spent hours just walking around and sitting on random park benches to enjoy the peaceful views. I wanted to visit the Royal Cemetery but unfortunately it was not open. Also, there were not too many people as I was there earlier in the day on a Tuesday but the few people I did see were having picnics, sunbathing, and reading books. I already know that I would do the same if I lived close by.
After so much walking and trying to see as much of Hagaparken as I could, I decided I might as well keep walking and see where I would end up. This lead to much more wandering through random streets and shopping districts. Stopping, of course, to have a fika and eventually meeting up with Nici.
Tuesday evening was rather uneventful and we opted to carryout from a Thai place close to our hotel. Both of us once again exhausted from the last couple of days, for very different reasons, of course. Nici had spent the last two days working and I had once again walked over 25,000 steps that day. However, after eating I did decide to walk back to Hagaparken for a post dinner walk, as if I hadn't already walked enough that day. I wanted to enjoy the cool evening air for a little bit longer.
Then it was time for bed as I had a jam packed day ahead of me- The ABBA Museum, The Vasa Museum, walking to Mariaberget, and some thrifting. However, as this entry is already getting quite long and I simply have so much to say on my time in Stockholm, I am going to end this here and continue my stories in the next entry. As always, links are listed below if you are interested in learning more!
So, welcome back, I am so happy you are here, until next time!
Always,
Liv
Jacob Johan Ankarström (The King Slayer)
