Short city trip - Stockholm February 2024

Arrival

Our flight went really smoothly as always with Luxair. The food was simple but very good.

At Arlanda, we picked up our luggage pretty quickly since there weren’t many suitcases on the plane.

Of course, I’d already bought the tickets for the Arlanda Express for around 37 € for two (one way).

Within minutes, we found ourselves on the shuttle, which took us to Stockholm Central Station in just 20 minutes.

Everything went so naturally and easily.

Once there, we headed out to walk to the hotel, which was just a few hundred meters away, not realizing we could’ve taken the station route.

Actually, the hotel—and all the others around it—can be accessed directly through the station. In our case, the station entrance was just 20 meters from the hotel entrance.

Check-in was super quick via a kiosk, and we got our room right away.

The room was simple, with a view of the city hall. Very clean and quiet. I highly recommend it—we had a great time, and the food was really good.

After that, we headed to the parliament for our first little stroll.

On the way back, we walked through the shopping streets and had our famous meatballs at “Pickwicks” (Drottninggatan). That’s where we realized tipping was expected for dinner.

We ended the day by making our way back to the hotel.

Important note: For once, we didn’t have anything planned in detail. The goal was just to unwind and explore on the fly.

Day 1

As I mentioned, this trip wasn’t “planned.” The goal was to avoid constraints and go wherever the wind took us.

Personally, cities don’t necessarily attract me.

We got up fairly early and had a good breakfast before heading out to explore.

We quickly found ourselves in the old town (Gamla Stan). It was 8:30 AM, and almost nothing was open. It was quiet—*very* quiet—but that’s exactly what we were looking for.

After all, the limited afternoon light brings out crowds of tourists.

So, it was the perfect time to take some photos and send a (real) postcard.

We walked around, passing the Royal Palace and the Nobel Prize Museum.

To wrap up the morning, we headed to the Moderna Museet, which my wife really wanted to visit. I’m not usually a fan, but I have to admit it was pretty interesting.

Next, we found a nice little café tucked away in an alley for a break before heading back to the hotel.

We walked *so* much—our city trip turned into a step-counting record!

We went back through Gamla Stan to find some small souvenirs for our daughters before taking another break at the hotel.

The rest of the day was spent downtown, mixing shopping with exploring the area.

Day 2

A bit worn out (around 13 km of walking), we decide to take it easier. Even though we're used to walking, my wife's feet really took a beating. On top of that, she took a tumble and scraped her knee.

I decide to buy a 24-hour metro pass. This lets us head down to Djurgården via tram line 7, and we get off at Waldemarsudde.

Here too, no specific goal—we just wander around to soak in the calm and beauty of the place.

You can tell it's the off-season; in summer, it must be packed.

We then leisurely make our way back toward the Nordiska Museet, which has been catching our eye. On the way, we pass some gorgeous houses and an amusement park that reminds us of Coney Island.

The museum kept us busy for the rest of the morning, but I didn’t enjoy it at all. Well done, but not my thing.

Lunch was at a little bakery not far from the hotel (Fabrique Klarabergsgatan). Tiny, super friendly, and really good!

In the afternoon, we head a bit further north, still on foot and by metro.

Since my wife is a book lover, we simply visited the public library. Nice to see, but quick.

We also did a bit of shopping and, just for fun, checked out the downtown IKEA! :sweat_smile:

The day ended with a meal at the Food Hall near the train station.

It’s the kind of place we really love, and where we discovered the best cheeseburger of our lives! (I’ll admit, we’d already been there the night before…).

Day 4 - Departure

The return flight was at 9:40 AM, and the day before, the Arlanda Express was blocked because there had been an incident on the line (there’s a screen in the hotel lobby that shows real-time schedules). Of course, I had bought the return tickets (via the app), but luckily, everything was fine for leaving.

The advantage of this proximity was that it only took us about an hour between the hotel and passing through customs at the airport.

Having been through big airports before (LA, SF, JFK), I have to say this one isn’t bad at all, and there’s plenty to spend your last kronor on!

My thoughts

This trip wasn’t the best of my life, but as I mentioned, we hadn’t planned anything.

That said, I don’t regret this little getaway because we got the change of scenery we wanted, and discovering another culture is always nice.

The ease of getting around was really appreciated. It was a pleasant trip that would’ve been fun with our girls (9, 13, 14 years old). However, budget-wise, it would’ve been crazy for just a few days.

Of course, we barely scratched the surface of this city, and if I were to do it again, I’d go a bit further using the metro and boats.

Even if it’s not cheap, I highly recommend the Arlanda Express and staying somewhere near Central Station.

For payments, I used both my Revolut and debit card without any issues.

That said, it’s made me want to drive up north in Sweden!

Hi there,

Thanks for this travel journal!

I celebrated my 50th birthday in Stockholm in February 2023 (a group of 12 friends for a weekend). The city has so much to offer—we were all delighted. It’s not far, the flight is really cheap, and you can get by easily once you’re there.

The funny thing is, we hardly did any of the same things as you when it came to sightseeing.

We especially loved the Vasa Museum—it’s absolutely stunning.

Hi there, and thanks for your feedback! [:)]

We hadn’t really planned this getaway, but it’s true that we’ve had better memories in other places... No regrets about going though!

A couple vs. a group of 12 friends—it’s not the same vibe at all!

You're welcome! [:)]

Keeping a travel journal takes time to write. And it really helps me with my trip planning, so it’s great to leave a little note to encourage those who put in the effort.

For those who’ll discover this city, we found it awesome to be able to ski right in the city (even if it’s a tiny resort), visit the massive Vasa (and some even loved the Abba Museum), grab a drink at the ice bar, and especially go ice skating on a frozen lake surrounded by nature while trying out a real Swedish sauna with a dip in the icy lake (stay until evening for the sunset—the winter light in Nordic countries is stunning, and hearing the ice crack at night is downright eerie when you're on it).

We regretted not having time for a cruise through the frozen waters.

All in all, a great discovery, but it’s true that traveling with a group of friends makes the trip very different [:)]

My pleasure! [:)]

A travel journal takes time to write. And it really helps me with my trip planning, so it’s great to leave a little note to encourage those who put in the effort.

For those who’ll discover this city, we loved being able to ski right in the city (even if it’s a tiny resort), visiting the massive Vasa (and some enjoyed the Abba Museum too—it’s really fun), grabbing a drink at the ice bar, and especially going ice skating on a frozen lake in the middle of nature while trying out a real Swedish sauna with a dip in the icy lake (stay until evening for the sunset: the winter light in Nordic countries is stunning, and hearing the ice crack at night is downright eerie when you’re on it).

We regretted not having time for a cruise through the ice-covered waters.

All in all, a great discovery, but it’s true that traveling with a group of friends makes the trip very different [:)]

Thanks for sharing this. I’m so glad to read it!

Personally, I feel like we missed out on quite a bit. I especially regret not going ice skating.