10 Reasons Why YOU Should Visit Stockholm, Sweden… NOW!

I absolutely loved Stockholm and could really see myself living here one day! Stockholm has a small town feel with all the luxuries of a large city. In addition, it’s located right on the ocean and is spread out over 14 beautiful islands.

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What To Do In Stockholm

First, my family and I toured the blue and gold rooms of City Hall. The Nobel Prize banquet is held here every year on December 10th! We also visited the Vasa Museum to see the Vasa ship — a fully intact 17th century boat that was found and excavated in Stockholm’s harbor in the 1950s.

We ended our day in Stockholm’s Old Town, Gamla Stan. Here you’ll find endless amounts of cafes, quaint boutiques, and cobblestone streets. We had Swedish meatballs for lunch — quite literally one of the best meals I’ve ever had! Homemade gravy, mash potatoes, pickles, berries, and some Swedish mystery meat that was to die for!

Pro-tip: A super unique way to tour the Old Town and see Stockholm’s many islands is from a Land and Water Tour, like this one that I recommend!

Next, we visited the Nobel Museum, which is located in the main square of Gamla Stan. Education First (my internship from this summer) is the number one sponsor of this museum, so I got to enter for free! Thanks EF!

Ten Reasons Why YOU Should Visit Stockholm:

1. There’s No Language Barrier

All Swedes are required to study English in school, so chances are anyone would be willing to help with directions or strike up conversation! Also, Swedes are SO friendly!

2. FIKA

A concept, a state of mind, a part of everyday life for Swedes.  Fika translates to “coffee break” and is an important part of Swedish culture. It’ s celebrated daily across the country by meeting with friends or colleagues around a cup of coffee and pastries. Most importantly, fika can NOT be practiced at your desk alone because that would just be coffee and cake. It’s meant to be very social! EF is a Swedish company, so I regularly practiced fika this summer at my internship and was able to meet so many new people because of it!

Interested in group travel? I used to work for EF & have traveled with them many times! I can’t say enough good things about EF Ultimate Break’s hundreds of affordable & fun group trip itineraries around the world. You can pay for the trips overtime each month, and fun fact — over 70% of travelers go solo! I am a proud EF Ultimate Break brand ambassador — Get $100 off your first trip by using my link here.

3. It’s The Second Largest Country In Europe

Meaning there is a world of possibility. Most Swedes live in the southern part of the country because 15% of Sweden is in the Arctic Circle. The southern part is where you’ll find Sweden’s major cities and sights. However, the north’s wildlife and Northern Lights attract brave tourists from all over the globe.

4. Education + Healthcare Are F-R-E-E

Although this doesn’t apply to you if you’re just visiting temporarily, I still think it’s fascinating. Over 80% of Swedes go to college (after taking a gap year), so they are generally well-educated and cultured. No wonder Swedes are some of the happiest people in the world!

5. Stockholm Hopes To Be Car-Free By 2025

Who doesn’t love biking and clean air??

6. H&M Was Founded Here

It’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll find one on every street corner in Stockholm.

7. Sweden Is Home To IKEA

Who doesn’t love IKEA?

8. Swedish Meatballs

That’s all.

9. ABBA Is Swedish, And There Is An ABBA Museum In Stockholm

CALLING ALL MAMMA MIA LOVERS. When I listen to the soundtrack, I envision Meryl Streep dancing in the streets of Greece, but ABBA is actually a beloved Swedish band. You can’t leave Stockholm without visiting the ABBA Museum!

Stockholm has an entire museum dedicated to making everyone feel like a dancing queen… don’t miss it!

10. The Stockholm Metro

The longest art exhibit in the world is the Stockholm transportation system. It’s that beautiful! Plus, the Stockholm Central Train Station is a super efficient and easy way to visit nearby cities, such as Uppsala, Sweden! It’s just 35 minutes away by train and makes for an incredible day trip.

Hopefully this list has convinced you to add a visit to Stockholm to your travel bucket list! I can’t wait to go back one day.

Coming next: The last post in my Scandinavian series… Norway!

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