My first days were a bit depressing because the clouds were low which managed to make the colourful buildings in Stockholm look gloomy. Luckily the weather picked up and the sun shined brightly until the end of my trip.
One of my favourite things to do was to simply wander through the city. I mainly spent my time roaming Norrmalm, Gamla Stan, Östermalm, and Söldermalm. The last three mentioned were probably my favourite places to explore.
Gamla Stan is Stockholm's Old Town, which is a really concentrated area of old buildings and winding, cobblestone paths (I'm really glad I wore comfortable shoes). Gamla Stan has the most character and is most beautiful at night. The shadowy alleyways and narrow streets were really atmospheric and always had me looking over my shoulder. I actually felt a bit scared on my way back to the hostel after learning that about ninety noblemen were beheaded one after another in Stortorget (the oldest square in Gamla Stan) after Stockholm fell to the Danes (some time ago... can't remember). It's said that you can still here the swishing of the axe followed by the thump of dismembered heads at night in the square. Gamla Stan is really worth exploring, especially if you do research beforehand or go on a guided tour.
Östermalm was great for its lively atmosphere. I would say that it's quite similar to Gamla Stan but not as old. You still get the same winding cobblestone streets but the buildings don't look as dated. We had lunch at Östermalm's Saluhall, a hall reminiscent of St. Lawrence Market which houses a collection of open restaurants, bakeries, and vendors. I ordered herring fried in butter with a side of mashed potatoes and lingon berry sauce (given a choice of fish, I will always take the fish). And I definitely didn't regret it. The herring tasted slightly nutty from the butter it was fried in which was balanced by the tangy flavour of lingonberry sauce.
But I would say that the best thing about Östermalm is the view you can get of the islands facing it. While walking, I could hardly take my eyes off those islands which looked so beautiful in a slightly cloudy but still sunny morning. We were actually 20 minutes late meeting our friend at the Vasa Museum because I couldn't help stopping to admire the view.
And then there is Söldermalm which is a pretty laid-back part of town. Söldermalm is quite different from Gamla Stan and Ostermalm, it feels more laid-back and it has a lot of rocky cliffs!
(Note to self, this was written.... maybe 4 years ago. Jeez, time flies)
One of my favourite things to do was to simply wander through the city. I mainly spent my time roaming Norrmalm, Gamla Stan, Östermalm, and Söldermalm. The last three mentioned were probably my favourite places to explore.
Gamla Stan is Stockholm's Old Town, which is a really concentrated area of old buildings and winding, cobblestone paths (I'm really glad I wore comfortable shoes). Gamla Stan has the most character and is most beautiful at night. The shadowy alleyways and narrow streets were really atmospheric and always had me looking over my shoulder. I actually felt a bit scared on my way back to the hostel after learning that about ninety noblemen were beheaded one after another in Stortorget (the oldest square in Gamla Stan) after Stockholm fell to the Danes (some time ago... can't remember). It's said that you can still here the swishing of the axe followed by the thump of dismembered heads at night in the square. Gamla Stan is really worth exploring, especially if you do research beforehand or go on a guided tour.
Östermalm was great for its lively atmosphere. I would say that it's quite similar to Gamla Stan but not as old. You still get the same winding cobblestone streets but the buildings don't look as dated. We had lunch at Östermalm's Saluhall, a hall reminiscent of St. Lawrence Market which houses a collection of open restaurants, bakeries, and vendors. I ordered herring fried in butter with a side of mashed potatoes and lingon berry sauce (given a choice of fish, I will always take the fish). And I definitely didn't regret it. The herring tasted slightly nutty from the butter it was fried in which was balanced by the tangy flavour of lingonberry sauce.
But I would say that the best thing about Östermalm is the view you can get of the islands facing it. While walking, I could hardly take my eyes off those islands which looked so beautiful in a slightly cloudy but still sunny morning. We were actually 20 minutes late meeting our friend at the Vasa Museum because I couldn't help stopping to admire the view.
And then there is Söldermalm which is a pretty laid-back part of town. Söldermalm is quite different from Gamla Stan and Ostermalm, it feels more laid-back and it has a lot of rocky cliffs!
(Note to self, this was written.... maybe 4 years ago. Jeez, time flies)
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