weekend in Stockholm

The truth is it's been almost a year since we were in Stockholm. It was our winter getaway in February but got lost in translation on the way and then well, who would enjoy reading about snowy Sweden with summer outside the window? 

It was a prefect getaway, though. Stockholm is so beautiful with a clear blue sky and frozen river all around. Yes, it was (VERY) cold but it didn't prevent us from enjoying the beautiful scenery of the city. Below you can see some pictures from the weekend and a few recommendations on what to do and where to go.

Stay

Stockholm was one of the cities where a room in a hotel / hostel was actually cheaper than renting an Airbnb. The prices were still high so if you're looking for something really on the budget you might be setting yourself for quite a challenge. At the end we stayed in Archipleago Hostel in Old Town which offers dormitories but also private rooms and the location is just perfect. You will find it right on the side of Stockholm's Gamla Stan. Good deal!

Eat

Oh, how we enjoyed Swedish cuisine! I mean, cinnamon buns and meatballs - does it get any better than this? Since our hostel was located right next to the famous Fabrique this is were we had our breakfast on Saturday morning. It turned out so good, we came back on Sunday as well. A must: the original Swedish cinnamon bun and a cup of coffee! 

Second on the list was an obligatory tasting of salmon. For this, we stopped for lunch in Husmans Deli in Östermalms Saluhall, a very nice food market in the Östermalm area. We both tried plates of Swedish goodies: smoked salmon with cranberries, green cucumber and dill-sprinkled potatoes (yum!).

For a late night dinner we chose The Hairy Pig Deli recommended by a friend and it was an amazing choice. It is a tiny restaurant hidden in a basement in the middle of Gamla Stan and it seems to be usually full but you can book in advance online. We spent a really cozy evening there munching on their original tapas (moose lasagna!) and sipping on local craft beer. 

We saved the best for last: Swedish meatballs in Meatballs for the People and it was worth waiting for. Here you can also book online in advance. 

Visit

Even though the temperature was not necessarily favorable, we did enjoy walking around the city for a whole day. On Saturday, after a kick from the wonderful breakfast we wandered around the Old Town of Stockholm (Gamla Stan) and saw all of its historic sites from Riddarholmskyrkan (the church where the Swedish kings and queens are buried) to the Royal Palace. After that, we headed to see Stockholm City Hall with its beautiful riverside area and the more busy Norrmalm downtown neighborhood. After recharging our batteries with a lunch in Östermalm, we headed to Skansen - a beautiful open air museum. 

Surprised by rain on Sunday, we decided to discover some of the Swedish culture and we decided on Fotografiska - the famous photo gallery with a lot of wonderful exhibitions. Finished our weekend with a plate of meatballs and a walk around the hilltop area of Södermalm. 
You can check out all the spots on the map here.