I'm traveling to Europe pretty soon and wondered if anyone had suggestions for Stockholm. I've never been and do have a guidebook. While I'll be busy with, you know, work, there will be time to go and see things and walk around. Suggestions?
Shortly after returning, I'm spending a week out east. I have a single day between meetings in upstate New York and Philadelphia. I have decided to keep my rental car and drive between the two destinations which leaves me Tuesday evening and most of Wednesday to do something pleasant. I do not want to go to NYC - traffic and parking would freak me out - but I'm open to anywhere else.
I know myself well enough to realize I will end up taking naps or doing work if I don't have a firm plan for fun. So any advice is eagerly welcomed.
12 comments:
See the Viking Ship Museum - it is amazing!
I am a Sweden afficionado, so this is pretty exciting to be able to share! The last time I went to Stockholm was in 2005; you can see my blog entries about it here (scroll down).
The Vasa Museum is a museum where they pulled up this 17th century naval ship from the harbor where it had sunk shortly after its first launch. You should definitely see it, even if you're not interested in naval ships or war or anything, because it's really interesting.
Gamla Stan is the old city part of Stockholm, and really beautiful and interesting. There are a lot of museums in that area. I went on a tour of the Swedish Parliament building and that was quite interesting too. I never got a chance to go to the Skansen open air museum but it sounded really cool.
The Stockholm City Hall is where the Nobel prizes are awarded every year and it's a good place to visit and imagine you're getting a Nobel prize... that's about as close as I'll ever get to one at least!
If you get the chance to take a few extra days I would recommend going to the island of Gotland, off the coast of Sweden in the Baltic Sea. It is just beautiful and very historic and full of Viking artifacts. They have discovered more Viking coins on Gotland than have been discovered everywhere else put together, for example.
Anyhow, sorry this is so lengthy. I hope you enjoy your trip and be sure to take lots of pictures!
Conference? I'm thinking we may have a mutual interest. Hope you have a good time.
Depending on when you arrive, I can maybe give you a guided tour :). If you want. The Vasa museum is a good idea. If the weather is good a boat trip in the archipelago is probably very nice. My hometown close-ish to Sthlm is also cute
I loved Stockholm! Definitely see the Vasa and wander around Gamla Stan. My favourite place was Skansen, though. It's part zoo (I spent ages watching the bears) and part historic village, with buildings from different periods brought from all over Sweden. They have people in traditional dress reenacting everyday life inside.
I quite enjoyed the palace, too. Have fun!
I lived in Stockholm for a few years and my thing to show the people who visited, was to give them a sense of the archipelago by taking the boat to Fjaderholmarna - small islands quite close to the centre. Check here:
http://www.fjaderholmarna.se/english/start.4.1a2467a10ad032dc26800015081.html
Boats are going there every 20-30min and it takes about 30min one way.
If you decide to go there, there is a fish-smoking-cafeteria there which has gorgeous freshly hot smoked salmon. And also an ice-cream cottage with great ice-cream. And it's just nice to wander around the island and see all the boats and ships going out to the archipelago.
Oh, I am so jealous! I hope you'll do a Stockholm review when you return; I've always wanted to go!
Have fun! Like UR I'm jealous and want details when you return.
General traveling-to-Europe advice is to make sure to notify your banks so you can withdraw money over there. I did, but still ran into trouble - nothing worse than being half way into a trip and running out of cash. But, if done well, I believe you get a better conversion rate there.
ditto what Abbey said. Did that went we went over for bank and credit card so they wouldn't freeze anything. Sent you an e-mail too...
I cannot comment on Sweden. But, Philadelphia is great. I highly recommend the Barnes Foundation (which is preparing to move and only has limited ticket availability) and the White Dog Restaurant or Audrey Claire for dinner and Sabrina's Cafe for breakfast. The Philadelphia Art Museum is also a place you can wander through for hours; it's much more cavernous than the Barnes.
As former people have suggested; the Vasa Museum, Skansen (all of them are located at the island called "Djurgården" in down town Stockholm. Buses run there from the central station/T-centralen as well as a little nice ferry boat from 'Slussen'.) and just walking around Old town and down town to enjoy the atmosphere, the houses and the people!?
I would recommend getting a 'Stockholms card' which gives you unlimited access to the public transportation system and therefoer you don't have to calculate money and hassle to know where you are going etc.
There is a Tourist information located at 'Hamngatan' where you can get that card and maps and lots of other things. Look for either "tourist information' or 'The Sweden house".
If you want some more suggestions I've written a little short tour guide for some friends of mine who traveled there last year. I can email you that one and you can decide if you like it or not. there is also a shorter description of Uppsala, the city just north of Stockholm, accessible by train in 40 mins. If you like older city centers and some viking's stuff and older university buildings, that would be the place to go :)
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