Stockholm, a spring getaway by the Baltic Sea
Spring suits all of Europe, but ** Stockholm ** even more so. Attractive, elegant, beautiful to rage, awake, dynamic... that's how the capital of sweden in spring. A perfect time to visit on foot, by boat or by bike , to throw themselves into its parks, lakes and streets blindly.
It doesn't matter how much time you have, if it's more than one Weekend , better, but it is also perfect to start a long distance love story.
Stockholm It is one of the so-called green cities in Europe for its large parks and gardens, and it is not surprising that it is also called the Venice of the North , because it has a archipelago with 24,000 islands , although yes, less crowded, noisy and cleaner than the original.
How not to go crazy among so many beauty ? Calm down, Rome wasn't built in a day.
Stockholm, what a view!
We begin by knowing the origin of its name. Stockholm or stockholm It comes from stack, which means trunk, although they pronounce it stock, and it refers to the trunks that prevented the enemies from entering the main city, Stadsholmen or Gamla Stan , the first populated island of Stockholm.
But contrary to his past, everyone is welcome here . The Swedish happiness they enjoy is contagious but good.
AN UNEXPECTED KITCHEN
We just got to town and the imposing white buildings in contrast to the colored ones, vital to lift the spirits during the winter in the city, with its great avenues and its little traffic they surprise us First impression: better impossible.
It's noon and the sun shines more than in Spain . Who'd say! We stretch between the trendy neighborhoods Östermalm and Norrmalm. Blondes, blondes, tall and well-dressed people on the terraces ready to have a good time welcome us.
Restaurang Volt.
First two addresses that you should not miss for brunch : Strandvagen 1 Y thousands , which right in front of the Nybroviken ferry station They will be your starting point. In addition to a idyllic postcard with the sea, the boats and the old quarter of gamla stan background.
The swedish gastronomy it is unexpected and delicious. Its strong point may be the variety and taste for do things right , here from vegetarians carnivores have their place. The traditional cuisine is the Scandinavian north Europe, although every time more mediterranean cutting edge and of course slow food.
You may start a lunch or dinner before one in the afternoon, they do it around that time but they extend their hours more and more, so you can have dinner after eight in the evening. What a dare, huh!
We open the five senses in the honest kitchen of the Restoring Volt (Kommendorsgatan 16). From the woods, fields and stockholm sea , Volt opens our minds to what is new swedish cuisine , based on the seasonality.
As spring rules we can try things as crazy as a beet with a texture and appearance similar to that of a steak, shrimp eggs with sour-cream (here is the queen), a delicious pea soup Scandinavians and onion accompanied by a dim sum of hot vegetables.
you can do the menu of four or six plates Accompanied by a different pairing where you will taste Austrian, Italian and local wines but all made in an artisanal way because in Volt they are extremely retailers . Finish off one of your desserts, Let yourself be surprised by its less typical sweets.
The fire kitchen in Ekstedt.
Another equally interesting option is Ekstedt (Humlegardsgatan 17), the adaptation of the 18th century kitchen more personal than Niklas Ekstedt . Inspired by the summers of his childhood in the village of Jämtland, north of Sweden , Ekstedt cuisine is ancestral, it tastes of fire, embers and wood oven.
you can make your four or six course menu , although we recommend the six because everything will taste to you little by little. Unforgettable their oysters , its smoked cod with sunchoke or the mussels scented with smoked pine, and for carnivores its swedish beef it is essential.
Pairing by the sommelier Gustav Johanson is also wonderful, among which you will find a Spanish dessert wine, the sherry wine that perfectly matches your mini cheesecake
The old quarter, Gamla Stan.
GAMLA STAN, A VISIT TO THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD
Any visit to Stockholm, no matter how fleeting, must go through gamla stan , the neighborhood where the city was founded in 1252, one of the medieval old helmets rather well preserved Europe and living museum.
Its narrow cobbled streets will take you to the imposing Royal Palace, with 600 rooms, where you will discover all the secrets of the swedish monarchy , one of the most respected and stable in the world, and the popular changing of the guard.
Between a labyrinth of streets, Västerlånggatan and Österlånggatan are the two main ones, you will find stortorget , the oldest square in stockholm with its mythical colored houses. Also the Nobel Museum (this is where the Nobel Prizes ) , the saint nicholas cathedral either Storkyrkan, and the oldest street in the city, Kopmangatan.
In Gamla Stan you can also get to know the narrowest alley in the country, Mårten Trotzigs gränd It is only 90 centimeters wide. Nearby is the Riddarholmen church , built as a Franciscan monastery for so-called monks gray brother in the thirteenth century.
You like the ghost stories ? Another way to get to know the neighborhood is with the most gruesome legends of the Stockholm Ghost Walk, but we won't reveal any more mysteries...
Among its streets you will find numerous design, craft and chocolate shops like Chokladfabriken.
Fika in Stockholm.
COFFEE AND FIKA
Throughout the city you will find numerous designer cafes and fairy tales to practice the daily snack, the fika, and taste the national sweet: the kanelbullar , an anise cake. If you want to understand why it is so important in Swedish culture to make a fika, you will have to try it and see the atmosphere that is created around it.
You can start with Kaffebar at Mariatorget, the Swedish best-selling writer's favorite cafe Stieg Larson ; We also recommend Café Pascal at Odenplan, which won the golddraken award a best coffee in town , Green Rabit or Kaffeverket . Hard to stay with one.
After the stop, head to one of Stockholm's most Instagrammable spots, Monteliusvägen . A trail 500 meters above sea level between picturesque houses and with the magnificent views of the Lake Mälaren and the City Hall or town hall.
Hagaparken.
A BIKE RIDE
One of the funniest ways to visit stockholm when the good weather arrives cycling , there are many establishments to rent them for hours or days, also in hotels they usually offer them for free.
We take them first thing in the morning to go pedaling to the north of stockholm , as far as our feet can reach. Our destination is Gamla Orangerie, an old orangery which is located in the Bergius Botanical Garden, located on the coast.
To get to this small Swedish oasis you will pass through the Stockholm University and the modern neighborhood of Vasastan. After having a snack in Gamla Orangery , we went to the immense park of make park either Hagaparken across the lake. This park, founded by the monarch Gustav III between 1780-1797, is a recreational place to spend hours with friends, as a couple or with children.
Its main tourist attraction is the chinese pavilion , the turkish Kiosk, the royal cemetery and the Make Palace , the residence of Crown Princess Victoria and her family.
LOOKING FOR A FOOD TRUCK
After a long walk, what you most want is sit in the sun and eat something delicious, right? The possibilities are many but the weekends the markets are filled with people who want listen to live music, buy vintage Y eat in food trucks.
An essential address is Hornstull Market in the south of the island, you can get there by bike or by metro. If you take the metro remember that Stockholm has one of the most beautiful lines on the planet , its metro stations are art. Here you will find 14 of the best among which are T-Centralen, stadion either Solna Centrum.
Stockholm Subway.
STOCKHOLM AND ITS MUSEUMS
Stockholm is a city of museums, there are for all tastes. These are some of the most curious and famous, some of them with excellent restaurants.
Historians can't miss the Swedish History Museum and Vasa Museet , dedicated to the 1628 shipwreck; moderns cannot ignore Moderna Mussett , with the most important art collections in Europe from the 20th century to the present, and with works by artists such as Picasso, Dalí, Derkert and Matisse.
For lovers of photography, Fotografiska, for those of science, Tekniska Museet; if you don't like caged animals don't visit Skansen . Further afield, but in the open air, you have Millesgården , the former home of artists Carl and Olga Milles, and for the nostalgic, the Junibacken museum in Astrid Lindgren , the author of Pippi Longstocking.
Can't miss this guide one of them The most beautiful libraries in the world , CityLibrary.
THE FRENTIC NIGHT OF THE BALTIC
When night falls, around seven in the evening in spring, the city becomes euphoric and partying, that's how the Swedes are. The Sunday you will not find much life , but yes on Friday and Saturday.
The offer is overwhelming, almost every street in the center is a party, the best ones to discover it at night and treachery are Stureplan and Sodermalm . You can end the day on one of Stockholm's terraces with a cocktail at Gondolen or Och Himlen Dartill , but if you prefer a wine, the addresses are Folii and Tyge & Sessil .
If you have come to give everything and meet why Avicii became famous , the best thing is that you drop by two of their night clubs : Solidarity and Spy Bar.
Hotel Diplomat in Stockholm.
REST AMONG COTTON
Stockholm by day and by night is always better at Hotel Diplomat. The great Strandvagen 7 building is a landmark for several reasons, the first of which is that it was built in 1911 as the jewel in the crown or the fashionable street , commissioned by King Oscar II.
Another of them is his style that combines perfectly classic art nouveau , Scandinavian design and sophistication. The third is its location, perfect for exploring the green landscape of Djurgården , the vibrant texture plan and the incredible views of the Nybroviken Pier.
In any of its 130 rooms you will feel like in a story, it is perfect for couples or to go in family . The Diplomat Hotel is ideal to see the life of the city, here you will see business meetings, after work and its famous afternoon tea since 1960 , now converted into Afternoon Tea Tox Y Afternoon by Ida Sjöstedt , the latter in honor of the well-known fashion designer.
Although the most popular are their brunches with live music on weekends, make a reservation if you want to try them. not missing american pancakes, some benedict or their complete sandwiches. You can't miss their breakfast either...wonderful!
Among the many facilities offered to customers is their free bike service , and in the hall hides a little treasure, Butiken , a healthy food hall. If it is that these Swedes do know what it is the good life…
Junior Suite at Hotel Diplomat.