Hi lovelies!
My boyfriend and I decided to go to Stockholm for our Midsummer holiday (In Northern Europe, it's a big thing) since it's where we 1st met. I'm going to save that story for, may be, another post. Today let's just focus on Stockholm - one of the most beautiful cities in the world
We have a travel diary video on Youtube as well, check it out!
From Stockholm airport, we recommend to go with Arlanda Express because it takes only 20 minutes, without stops, to get to city center train station. It's a bit more pricey than taking the bus, certainly, but out of convenience and time saving it's the best solution.
Price: 300 SEK for 2 people (~29 euros)
(cre: Arlanda Express)
1. Stay
We chose to stay at Birger Jarl hotel and surprise surprise, it's right next to the HQ of Spotify (When you travel to the mother city of Spotify and H&M, AND IKEA - no we did not go to IKEA tho). It's only a few minutes walk from metro station, and not even that far from the shopping city center either. Let me tell you, I fell in love with this hotel. Our suite room was so gorgeous yet homey (You know sometimes hotel suites can get a bit...cold and distant?)
The Scandinavian interior style of this suite is top-notch. I love how clean and well decorated everything is without being snobbish and tacky.
Our balcony view
Stockholm does love that orangy, coral tone
Since when crossroads look so good?
Plus, we have complimentary champagne on the house! Such a lovely hospitality.
If you ever stay in this hotel, don't forget to order fries from the bar/restaurant downstairs. The.best.
This dress is from my own brand - Pink Pasta, btw!
You must know this bag if you're a long-time follower.
We have 6 capsules of Nespresso in our suite (refilled every day). So better make some uses out of it! (Stockholm takes their coffee consumption seriously).
Oh hey good morning
The bed was super comfy. We slept like babies on it but sadly did not take any pics. I was too busy enjoying my 3rd coffee by the window.
The suite room is around 200 euros (they also have deals and promotions from time to time). If you wish to be a bit more economical, Birger Jarl also has other room options with as equivalent staying experience.
2. Stockholm's beauty
Every habour city has its own charm, doesn't it? (Helsinki, back at u)
My most favorite building/corner in Stockholm. Such a retro throw back vibe.
Take a walk around the city, you'll come across thousands of corners like this beauty
H&M in Stockholm city center has an amazing flower stall in front.
Architecture in this modern city is admirable
The Esplanade Harbour area is still my most favorite part to walk around and take pics
This dress is from ASOS, here , and shoes here (super comfy!)
Stockholm is like a group of islands linked together so it's easy to catch some views like this. An amusement part just a boat ride away. I could literally hear people scream from this side of the land.
Gloomy Stockholm still nailed it!
On a brighter note
We tried to go to an organic garden cafe but failed because they're closed.
Mid summer is an amazing time to visit Stockholm due to the beautiful and warm, sunny weather (I don't feel the need to tell anyone how cold it gets in Northern Europe during winter). However, midsummer vacation is a no-no. We learnt it the hard way. Did we enjoy our 3 days there? Of course! It's a beautiful city with lovely people and great food (we'll get to that later on part 2 of the blog post). However, it's such a bummer how everything is closed during the holiday. We struggled so hard with trying to find a good spot to eat on Friday (Midsummer main day) and then on Saturday and Sunday it finally got a bit better. We also tried to pay Gamla Stan Old Town a visit, hoping to film some amazing footages but it's impossible with the amount of tourists stuffed in narrowed alleys and stoney streets.
3. Prices
I'm going to do the honour and break down the prices for you here, transparently because why not? I think one of the most important factor of a travel guide is how much the trip/place costs.
After adding everything up, excluding hotel fares, because tbh it all comes down to preferences (we stayed in the suite room but it doesn't mean everyone must), it should cost around 150 euros/person for 3 days in Stockholm.
- Arlanda Express: 29 euros/ 2 people per trip (x2 for the way back to the airport as well)
- Visitor's travel card:
24 hours: SEK 125 (adult fare); SEK 85 (discounted fare)
72 hours: SEK 250 (adult fare); SEK 165 (discounted fare)
7 days*: SEK 325 (adult fare); SEK 220 (discounted fare)
We highly recommend 72 hours for 3 days because you wouldn't feel limited with transportation at all and can explore as much as you can. It does sound a bit steep but it's one time spending and then you won't have to worry about transportation fee at all for the rest of the stay.
Next, eating is really relative. We're the type of people that do enjoy eating well while traveling. I mean, it should be the time that you pamper yourself, isn't it? We didn't get to dine out too much due to the closing period of Midsummer holiday but on a nutshell we have had some amazing food experiences. I chose to separate into another part of this Stockholm blog post so the information is not overall overwhelming. Where & what we eat, how the food is, and how much everything costed will be listed in details there.
I hope you enjoyed this post about our lovely trip to Stockholm (will def come back for more in the future). If you're still wondering about going there, I say "just do it" *wink*. It's a wonderful city to see and visit, especially if you want to feel that Scandinavian vibe.
Cheers! XOXO
Cin & Julius