Stockholm's 14 islands host many distinctive neighbourhoods, from Gamla stan's lamp-lit cobbles to plush, party-loving Ostermalm. But wherever you are in the city, every local seems to be friendly, sharply attired and blessed with perfect English. All of which makes the recently-launched direct service from Luton very good news.
What to see
Above all, Sweden's capital excels at modern art – and we don't mean the Abba museum. Save your 'mamma mia' for the Moderna Museet's pieces by Munch, Pollock and Warhol. Southwestern Stockholm's Fargfabriken is a soap factory turned avant-garde hub, while former cocoa lab Marabouparken, to the north, houses functionalist exhibitions and a sculpture garden.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Take some time out
There's an east London whiff to Sodermalm, with its concept stores, such as Grandpa, and its creative crowd. But this is Shoreditch by way of Sweden, meaning it is less snobby and more smiley. Come on a summer Sunday if possible, so you can combine the cafes and Fotografiska museum with waterside Hornstulls Marknad's vintage clothes, furniture, food and flower stalls.
What and where to eat
The Stockholm Food Stories blog monitors the city's dining hotspots. Asked to nominate a current favourite, editor Niki Jennische says "Speceriet is my go-to for lunch or dinner. It's less well known than sister restaurant Gastrologik, plus more relaxed and intimate … there are communal tables where everyone sits tightly. You'll definitely get to know the people next to you!"
What and where to drink
Haktet Vanster adheres closely to the speakeasy textbook: it's hidden downstairs behind an unmarked door and decked out prohibition-style. Order a tequila-laced chocolate sensual once you've found the den. Far more conspicuous is Tradgarden, an under-the-bridge Sodermalm al-fresco club where international DJs play all day and night during summer weekends.
The best place to stay
Originally opened as a pastry parlour over 150 years ago, Berns combines stylish boutique rooms with acclaimed Asiatiska, a chandeliered Asian-fusion diner, and its Stora Salongen concert hall, where the likes of Rihanna, The xx and Lily Allen have played. The pastries are excellent, too.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
-
Why the Roman Empire is suddenly everywhere onlineThe Explainer It fell more than 1,500 years ago — so why is it dominating social media?
-
How climate change is going to change the insurance industry
The Explainer Some regions will soon be 'uninsurable'
-
TV to watch in October, from 'Loki' to 'The Fall of the House of Usher'
The Explainer Celebrate spooky season with some eerie streaming shows
-
A boat trip around Sweden’s Bohuslän islands
The Week Recommends Thousands of islands make up the remote and ‘stunningly beautiful’ Bohuslän archipelago
-
Chill out on holiday at these three ice hotels
Speed Read Ice hotels are some of the coolest places to spend the winter
-
Edible Sweden: a foodie guide to the west coast
The Week Recommends
-
Eat Sweden: a journey through the ‘edible country’
In Depth
-
Icehotel Sweden review: the world’s coolest destination
The Week Recommends A hotel made of ice is a clever tourist attraction - but the idea came about almost by accident
-
Northern lights: Where to mark Swedish Midsummer
In Depth Celebrate this traditional festival of the solstice at one of the capital's top Scandinavian spots
-
The most luxurious tree houses around the world to stay in
In Depth Far from the ramshackle structures of your childhood, these wooded lodgings offer lavish comforts and clever design
-
We Have a Dream exhibition captures the faces of change
In Depth At Stockholm's Fotografiska, photographer Albert Wiking presents 114 striking portraits of people who have dared to make a difference
