A Guide to Spending 24 hours In Stockholm, Sweden
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A Guide to Spending 24 hours In Stockholm, Sweden

Updated: Jan 26

For our fourth anniversary back in 2017, we did a 10 day trip across Sweden, Norway and Finland. You already know I love this part of the world.. Scandinavia is absolutely beautiful. The first thing that pops into your mind when you think of Sweden is Ikea... or maybe it's Phoebe from FRIENDS trying to do a Swedish accent?

We only spent a day in Stockholm but we loved the cheerful vibes. The smell of fresh baked bread, the festive cheer, the clean winter air.. and all the happy helpful people.

Must-see places


If you are staying for more than 1 night - you should also do Lake Malaren and stop at Birka (Sweden's first city) 


Best time to visit

Since we went in the winter, it was very quiet. I would imagine it being just as beautiful in the summer. No matter when you travel, you will never be far away from adorable shops, cobblestone alleys and clear blue skies.

Visa We flew from Dubai straight to Stockholm. Schengen Visa needed to enter Sweden.

Language

Swedish is the local language but like most of Scandinavia, people speak good English.

Travel and Medical Insurance, Currency

Highly recommended. Medical insurance is mandatory when you apply for a Schengen Visa.


Cost and getting around

Since we only spent a day, we mostly walked around but Scandinavia is expensive. You can pay by card in most places.


Safety

Had no issues with safety.

Food

Plenty of vegetarian and vegan options at cafes and restaurants.


Itinerary:
Gamla Stan

We landed at 5 am and after a quick shot of coffee, we took the train from the airport towards the old town because one of the best and most fun things to do on any European holiday is explore the colorful streets. This was at 7 30 in the morning.. we had a beautiful winter day ahead of us.

We started making our way through Södermalm and on wards to Gamla Stan, the city’s medieval heart.

After seeing pictures of Gamla Stan, I was particularly intrigued by how it looked eerily similar to Copenhagen. Needless to say, it was simply marvelous. This is the most picturesque (aka “gram-worthy”) square in Stockholm. Welcome to Stortorget.

As someone who is so naturally attracted to colors, I fell in love with the buildings here. The little corner was just so gorgeous with all the cute cafes and boutique shops.

Since it was still pretty early in the day, we were the only ones here.. so we totally enjoyed our walk around the old town. It was the perfect place to spend a few hours exploring, with it's iconic landmarks and surreal river views.

We continued walking down the narrow streets and picked up delicious treats. These were so good... definitely a must-try if you are in Stockholm.

Apart from the famous cobbled streets, we also got to see the stunning medieval architecture dating back to the 13th century in places like the Stockholm Cathedral.

Stockholm City Hall - this is where the Nobel Prize ceremony is held every year in December. It is a famous Swedish monument and just a short walk from the train station. To get inside, there are paid guided tours.

Royal Palace - if you go around midday, you can also catch the guard change.

The best part of Stockholm were it's charming restaurants and cafes, so we spent a few hours getting over jet lag and downing delicious food.

If art and culture is your thing, then you should definitely check out the famous Vasa Museum.


Final thoughts

It is never easy to do a city in 24 hours, but if you prioritize, you can do justice to this stunning city. It is a great layover if you are planning on traveling further to some of the other Scandinavian countries.

People often overlook this city, choosing to head to the more popular Norway or Copenhagen instead.. but as we walked over the bridge, we were blown away by the elegance of this colorful capital.

Drop your comments below and show some love. Feel free to shoot me an email with your feedback.

Cheers,

Anki


To explore more European destinations, be sure to check out other blogs for additional insights.


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