(06MAR23) Is it ironic to say that I celebrated my 4th UK anniversary outside GB? I had the saddest February but lets not go in to that. To love yourself is to do the things you want; And so, I went on a very spontaneous solo trip to Sweden. I once told myself not to embark on Scandinavia yet (because it’s expensive) but my not-so irrational decision happened. I might have gone as a lone traveler again though I enjoyed the company of my own. Sweden’s cold, snowy aura has given me the good vibes. 🖤
Here's my 4-day chill and DIY itinerary that I had in Stockholm! I will stow my honest suggestions especially if you are planning to visit this Nordic country during Winter. Believe me, it can be the best time to travel if you want a quiet and crowd-free trip. 😉
NB: My recommended tours in this blog are valid any time of the season!
FLIGHT & TRANSPORTATION
I flew via Norwegian Air through London Gatwick towards Stockholm Arlanda. Security check in Stockholm is somewhat strict, it asked me both flight and accommodation details as well as if you are visiting someone in the country (Just be honest with your answer 🙂).
You can ride the Arlanda Express from the airport if your accommodation is near central station (T-Centralen). I had an airport shuttle from Booking.com which directly took me to my hotel in Södermalm.
Take note that majority in Stockholm do not accept cash anymore. Most of my cashless transactions were done using Monzo as it serves good conversion rates between GBP and Swedish Koruna (SEK). Apply for a Monzo card now and get 5GBP, then pay savvy in wherever you travel.
Public transport in Stockholm can either be in metro, trams, buses or even a ferry! These can be all accessed with the SL card which can be bought and topped-up in a station’s information desk or any Pressbyran/ 7-Eleven branch. I used Google Maps for navigation although it went a little inaccurate at that time due to the heavy snowfall. Most public vehicles, especially buses, were either delayed or cancelled because of un-passable roads.
Stockholm is known for its state-of-the-art metro stations! I wished I could have seen more but I managed to see 2 of them around centrale. There may be a few English translations of signs and signals across the city but Swedish people are fluent in English 🙂
HOTEL
I stayed at Hotel Söder located at the town of Södermalm. I started to panic a little when I came because I wasn’t informed that there’s a code to enter the hotel. Likewise, the reception closes at 6pm (I arrived at 6:30pm) and it was hard to contact their customer service! Fortunately, they answered after half an hour and got my room and hotel keycode. So I don’t know if this applies to all accommodations in the city but for mine, they practice self-service check-in. Make sure that you either contact them or have them send an email beforehand about your check-in details.
Nevertheless, the place has a cozy ambiance for a ground floor-only capacity. Again, I’m not sure if all 2-3 star hotels in Stockholm are this minimalist! Talk about real sustainability. 🍃
ITINERARY
It took a lot of searching and reading for me to create this low-key itinerary. Majority of what I’ve read was to buy the Stockholm City Card but personally, I would NOT suggest to buy it for Winter. Most attractions that are covered in the card are available only during Spring or Summer; and for the price of GBP75/person, I don’t think it will be worthy if you only end up going to various museums. (and museum passes do not cost more than GBP20)
It was a freezing -13°C on that day. I personally enjoyed that it was snowing but I bet the people here find it normal to have this type of chilly weather.😅
I also learned from this preparation about planning the perfect time to visit Stockholm—They have specific days for guided tours and sightseeing bus tours across the city which usually runs every Thurs-Sunday. I was here on a Monday ‘til Thursday and I find it a great time to explore especially if you do it on your own ;) Stockholm on a weekday was quiet and uncrowded—despite the heavy snowfall!
Basically, I joined a free walking tour and visited 2 museums throughout my stay; The rest of my free time were spent in fika and city strolls. Somehow, it did not bore me as the main purpose of my trip was really to relax and zone out from UK stress. 💆🏻♀️
The Old Town free walking tour by Guruwalk was very informative and worth it. Not only did our tour guide gave interesting facts about Stockholm but she also gave must-try restos/cafés and shops around Gamla Stan.
Gamla Stan (Old Town) is absolutely one of the prettiest old towns that I have been with its colorful architecture and alleys. There are many hole in the walls around the area that are Instagram-worthy!
Not all windows are REAL. Some are painted as part of the building’s design and there are many symbolisms besides that (i.e , the 3 crowns, armors, etc).
Apart that this is a great place to buy souvenirs, Stockholm’s Old Town has a bounty of classy cafes that are perfect to have fika (a coffee break)
Ideally, it’s just a relaxing norm of having a hot drink and pastry in hand. I had several moments of it throughout my stay and I love it! This will also spare you from being out in the cold for quite some time😜
Everything looks so appetizing and authentic but I highly recommend trying the Swedish Semla! Of course besides desserts, you should definitely NOT miss having Swedish meatballs as a meal in one (or every day) of your stay there.
Another fun fact, is that the country regulates buying of alcohol and sweets. 🤯 A lot of people probably does the hoarding of these products when they are only available at a certain day.
Lastly, don't miss having a stroll at one of the original IKEA stores! This one is located at the Gallerian. The millenial self might not resist buying at least one item here. And another cool thing is that they have their own restaurant.
Sweden is an archipelago composed of about 25,000 islands. They have their own battles with other Scandinavian countries and have emperors that they look up to. Not only do they offer various water and cruise activities, but the capital is home to many types of museums. I have only visited 2 of them due to schedule constraints. Yet do visit as much as you can! They are not even as crowded as other exhibits in Europe too.
A lot of people highly recommends the Vasa Museum and I couldn’t agree more to it! This 400-yr old shipwreck is stunning and rich in Nordic history.
Before the Titanic, there comes the Vasa ship. Of course, this battle vessel sank for multiple lapses but it sheltered a lot of passengers and fought for Sweden.
The museum is very interactive with games on how the ship sailed, a film of how the Vasa was made and a free mini guided tour that runs every 45minutes.
After that, I went to the Abba Museum in the afternoon. I may not be born on their era but I certainly appreciate their songs—and going to their exhibit will make you swoon further!
These 4 individuals are already talented even before they were formed as a group. It’s the variety of their musical background that shaped them to create tunes that are still popular in modern day life!
My favorite part 🖤
I loved how the whole museum is interactive from how the band’s costumes were made, the songs blended and you can even sing along with them! Every ABBA fan should definitely go here.
There are three musicals in which the songs of ABBA are performed but the most popular is Mamma Mia. There's a big portion dedicated to it from how the story was written and how it turned into a musical and a movie. The band truly deserves all these success.
Like I said, there are more museums that Sweden has to offer like the Skansen (the world’s oldest open-air museum) and the Fotografiska.
Overall, my solo trip may have a laid-back itinerary but pretty eventful for Scandinavia really has a genuine lifestyle among other EU countries. This spontaneous holiday made my heart full for independence is certainly attractive. 😉
In retrospect, y’all would probably know where I went next after this (if you are following me on socmed) so stay tuned!💝
‘til then!
