The Stockholm Survival Guide

There’s no doubt, Stockholm is one of the better cities to spend summer in. Built on 14 islands, the city offers a hard-to-beat blend between urban and natural exploring. Cool off by the beach after mingling with the hip crowd at Nytorget, dine at a Michelin star restaurant after discovering the wilderness on Djurgården. It’s all here waiting for you, so here are our best tips and tricks for you to conquer the city.

Stay warm / cool off

Sweden is fickle. It can be 35 degrees and blistering sun – or 5 degrees and raining cats and dogs. To manage expectations, Swedes have a saying: ”Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder”, which roughly translates to ”there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes”. So if you want to be on the safe side, pack your entire wardrobe before travelling here. Alternatively, if you’re less fussy, just bring a warm jumper or rain jacket, even if the weather is nice when you head out. Should it (against all odds) be a hot day, we mean the kind of hot day where you want to throw yourself into the nearest puddle, it’s not hard to find a place to cool off. The beaches come in various shapes and sizes, from cliffs and rocks to white, sandy beaches perfect for the family. But keep it classy (despite what you might have heard about Swedes), it’s best to wear a swimsuit, and don’t forget the sunscreen.

Watering holes

Like on all expeditions, it’s essential to stay hydrated. So fill up your thermos with tap water (we have some of the best water in the world) before heading out. Plan a few pitstops along your way - Stockholm has plenty of nice bars with terraces along the water or floating pontoons where you can have a snack and a drink whilst enjoying the beautiful locals, ahem, scenery. And be patient. If it’s a sunny day, you might have to wait in line. Swedes seem to double in numbers when the sun comes out, and they all have the same thing in mind - a “uteservering” (outdoor seating). So much for originality, huh.

Shelter

Uh-oh, here comes the rain. As you might have gathered, we’re not guaranteed good weather all summer long. So like a scout, be prepared – there’s nothing worse than flat hair and dripping clothes when you’re doing the city. Luckily, there are great places to visit even for those inevitable “cats and dogs” days: Shopping malls, cafés, art galleries – or if you’re really ambushed by the rain – the nearest tree. Stockholm offers plenty of shelter. Or why not take the opportunity to discover Stockholm’s underground? The tube here is famous for its art that stretches from the suburbs to the Central Station. It’s known as the longest art exhibition in the world.

Get around

Public transport will take you anywhere you want to go - buses, trains, trams, underground or even boats. Just look for your nearest SL sign. If public transport doesn’t float your boat, then why not grab a bike from the hotel and head out along the many cycle paths that cover the city. Every day around 100 000 Stockholmers get on their bikes to go from A to B, and in rush traffic, they move fast. Fastest of them all is the bike couriers and “mamils” (middle-aged men in lycra), and in places like Götgatsbacken, you’ll need to watch your back; they take no prisoners. No bike-riding skills? Grab an electric scooter, roll down the street on a skateboard or take the tube.

Escape the city

Yes, Stockholm offers numerous green areas –inside and outside “tullarna”. If you feel adventurous, head outside the city and explore one of the many national parks/nature reserves, for example Tyresta, Hellasgården or Bogesundslandet. Nature is never far and it’s easy to get around if you have read through the previous part in this guide. You can go anywhere really, the freedom to roam, or ”Allemansrätten”, is the public’s right to access certain public and privately-owned land for recreation - but remember not to disturb, litter or destroy.

Ice cream for the people!

It wouldn’t be summer without copius amounts of ice cream and the great thing is that Stockholm has plenty. In the hotel, in the kiosk on the corner, or the more hip-hop ice cream gelaterias. Our favourites are: Stockholms Glasshus, Fryst, Gelateria Amore, and StikkiNikki to name a few. Ice cream is never far away when you’re in Stockholm. We also have an abundance of great flavours, from the classic chocolate and strawberry to the more acquired tastes like, yikes, garlic and asparagus. Too many choices giving you brain freeze - you can’t go wrong with vanilla.

What’s SUP

Fancy a unique view of the city while getting a great bit of exercise. SUP board paddling is growing in popularity in Stockholm and there are plenty of places to try it. Paddle along the waters of Kungsholmen or the quieter stretches of Långholmen, or try out the more hip region of Tanto in Södermalm or further afield on Sicklasjön. If you’re super supple, you can even impress the locals with a few yoga moves on your board, but watch out for the boats and the inevitable gust of wind knocking you off the back of the board though - and be sure you style it out.

Time for sleep

You’ve had your fun, now it’s time to sleep. If you want to go camping in the summer, as many Swedes do, prepare for a chilly night followed by a sweaty morning under the scorching morning sun. By all means, do not be discouraged - all we’re saying is that camping in Sweden is not for everyone. If you’re reading this article, you have probably already excluded the camping bit from your trip, and so you can relax: Downtown Camper is the only basecamp you need. In Sweden, when the sun is up for most of the day and night, you really can’t put a price on black-out curtains, let us tell you. And it just so happens that you have picked a hotel with perfect ones.