10 Reasons to Fall in Love with Stockholm

When I was 22 years old, I moved to Stockholm on a one-way ticket. I had never lived outside of Portugal, where I was born and raised, but I knew I needed a change. I didn’t necessarily know which city I wanted to call home, but I knew that I wanted to put myself completely outside of my comfort zone.

Long story short, that’s how Stockholm became my home for 8 years. I know I’m biased, but Stockholm will forever be one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen in my life. I could give you a million reasons why you should visit my amazing city, but I hope these 10 will be enough to put Stockholm on your radar.

The architecture is absolutely gorgeous

Scandinavia is known for many things and one of them is the unique architecture that is common to all of the Scandinavian countries. The dark rooftops sprinkled with snow or contrasting against the sky during the bright summer nights will leave no one indifferent.

I’ve visited all the Scandinavian capitals and I’m truly convinced that Stockholm’s architecture is the most unforgettable. You can admire it by simply walking around the streets or by going to one of the city’s viewpoints where I’m sure you’ll fall completely in love with the Swedish capital.

It has one of the best preserved old towns in Europe

Did you know that Stockholm’s old town, called Gamla Stan in Swedish, is considered one of the best preserved in the whole Europe? It dates back all the way to the 13th century and it actually has an island all to itself.

Can you imagine how magical it feels to walk around a small island filled with historical buildings while small snowflakes fall around you? I have so many cherished memories from my 8 years in Sweden and so many of them took place in Gamla Stan. 

It has one of the best public transportation systems I’ve ever seen

If you’re visiting Stockholm, the last thing you need to worry about is transportation. A ticket will take you as far as the outskirts of the city, where the archipelago begins, which is quite amazing. If you’re concerned about delays, you really have nothing to worry about, since you’re entitled to take a taxi and get reimbursed in case you risk being more than 20 minutes late due to public transportation delays. Quite unique, right?

Plus, did you know that Stockholm’s subway is considered the largest art exhibition in the World? That’s because most of the stations are artworks in themselves, so taking the subway in Stockholm is not only convenient but also an experience in itself. 

You can experience all seasons in Stockholm

As I’m sure you know, Scandinavia goes through major change throughout the year. A place that you visit during summer, will look like a completely different place if you come in winter. Stockholm is no exception and even though the winters there can be quite harsh and the locals don’t necessarily love it, it can be such an incredible experience for tourists to see such a beautiful Scandinavian capital covered in snow.

If, on the other hand, you want to experience long summer nights, Stockholm becomes completely magical in a totally different way. I’ll never forget standing in my favorite viewpoint at almost midnight and watching the sky become slightly darker but never black. 

Stockholm is the place where you can visit the world’s oldest open-air museum

If you want to learn more about Swedish History and culture, head to a place called Skansen in Stockholm. That’s one of my absolute favorite places in the city and it’s actually considered as the World’s oldest open-air museum. If you are not familiar with the concept, prepare to fall in love with it as I did the first time I randomly visited Skansen without knowing much about it.

Basically, wooden houses were taken apart and brought to Stockholm from all over Sweden, in order to build what is now a really cute town showing you what the country is all about. You can see a school, an iconic wooden church, small traditional shops selling different kinds of products, a post office and so much more. This is a place where you can easily spend a whole day and be ready for lots of walking.

It’s the perfect place to experience Swedish Fika

Have you heard about Swedish fika? The traditional coffee and bun combination has become quite famous around the world, and suddenly, it’s a symbol of Sweden—for a good reason. Swedish people love their fika, as it’s much more than just a coffee and a bun.

It’s an opportunity to take a break and socialize and, in a way, it’s what brings people together in a society that can be so incredibly individualistic. If you visit Stockholm, expect plenty of cosy cafes where you can experience an authentic Swedish fika.

The Swedish capital has a perfect combination of city life and nature

One of the things I love the most about Stockholm is that even though there’s such a city vibe, there’s also access to nature wherever you are. There are so many parks and water nearby that many times you will probably not even feel like you’re in a capital city. That’s especially apparent during the summer, when all the Swedes come out of their hibernation and spend most of their time outdoors in nature. 

It’s a city of islands, so you will never be too far away from water

Stockholm is built on 14 islands, which makes the city even more beautiful and special. The islands have their very own vibe and character, which makes it super interesting to explore the city and see the contrasts between them.

One very big advantage of having a city built on islands is, of course, that water will never be too far away. If you’re looking for amazing water views, Stockholm has got you covered wherever you go. 

Stockholm has the second-largest archipelago in the world and it’s so worth exploring

Many people who visit Stockholm are unaware of this and might end up completely missing out on the beautiful archipelago that lies just outside of Stockholm. With hundreds of thousands of islands, the Stockholm archipelago is one of my favorite parts of the city and I really think it’s worth exploring.

Some of the inhabited islands you can visit are located many hours away by boat, but if you’re looking for an easier day trip, the closest archipelago island is actually located just 20 minutes away from the city center. 

Sweden’s oldest city is less than an hour away

If you’re looking for a different kind of day trip, Sigtuna is the perfect option for you. It’s such a beautiful small city and it’s actually considered the oldest city in the whole country, so I’d say it’s totally worth a visit. Public transportation will take you there in less than an hour, so it couldn’t be more convenient. 

Listing all these reasons has made me miss Stockholm so much. No matter how much I travel and how many beautiful places I get to experience in the World, Stockholm will always have a very special place in my heart. I hope I’ve managed to show you how worthy this city is of a visit and I’m sure you will love it as much as I do if you decide to visit.