Stockholm Winter Wandering

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
The most popular time to visit Stockholm, Sweden’s capital and most populous city, is summer, with warm days, bustling outdoor cafes and extended hours of daylight to explore the city’s archipelago and canals by foot or by sea. After all, Stockholm is built on 14 beautiful islands connected by 57 bridges.
 
But, as fate would have it, I had family business that called me over in mid-January. I didn’t mind, airfares and hotel rates are lower in winter, and having been to Stockholm about 30 times in my life, I was happy to approach this trip as a journey into winter life in the city.
 
This time I opted not to stay in the tourist area of Gamla Stan (“Old Town” with cobblestone walking streets and preserved medieval architecture), near Djurgården (the island in the southern part of Östermalm that’s home to the famous Vasa Viking ship museum, Skansen outdoor living museum of traditional life, Gröna Lund amusement park and the Abba Museum), hip Södermalm with its artsy vibe and eclectic eateries, or near the ferry terminals that take passengers to the archipelago and numerous water tours of the city.
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Instead, we stayed in Norrmalm, a 20-minute walk north of the city’s Central Train station, passing by Sorgel Torg, the heart of this busy shopping and working district. Norrmalm is also a cultural hub, with ballet and opera at the Royal Swedish Opera, as well as art exhibits and modern dance at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern. Drottninggatan is a vehicle-prohibited shopping street filled with outdoor cafes and fun places to get a sense of current Swedish design and fashion. It begins close to the Royal Palace where you’ll see shops selling all the expected souvenirs, from t-shirts and Viking horn hats to Swedish crystal and H&M department store bargains. The farther north you walk, the more this becomes part of the local community. We also walked around Vasastan, a neighborhood near Stockholm’s prestigious KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), which was part of my reason for visiting over the winter.
 
In winter, in Norrmalm, you feel less like a tourist and more immersed in daily culture of Swedish life. Here are my observations, some pertinent year-round and some most noticeable in winter:

1. Everyone, it seems, speaks English. In fact, it’s easier for a Swede to speak to you in English than to struggle with any attempts you make to communicate in their language.
2. Most restaurants, cafes and stores will not take cash. And the bus and metro systems are cash-free, too. Sweden is becoming a cashless society, so don’t bother changing your US dollars into Swedish currency (kronor). It’s not necessary.
3. No one seems to mind the cold weather. People sit outside at adorable café tables and sip coffee with a friend, or enjoy a beer and a cigarette – even when it’s 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 Celsius).
4. Bicycles are popular for commuting, even on icy roads. Never walk in a bike path. You can get badly injured if slammed by a rapidly-moving bicycle. (Bicyclists stay on bike paths so respect their space). In Sweden, cyclists and pedestrians do not share space. They each have their own lane.
5. If you order salmon on a salad, it’s likely to be raw or marinated. It will surely not be broiled or grilled.
6. In winter, the sun rises late and sets early. Our mid-January trip saw beautiful sunrise at 7:45 and dusk by 3:15.
7. Americans have “happy hour.” Swedes have “after work.” When work ends and it’s dark outside, many young people like to meet friends before heading home. Eating out can become expensive, so “after work” is more about having a drink, usually a beer, more than a bite, before going home and making dinner. My travel companion and I stumbled upon Lådan, a very popular and casual “after work” spot for all ages, but mainly drawing a younger crowd. With 17 beers on tap, all Swedish, and long tables plus a mixed assortment of seating and standing tables, you can order a variety of sliders and snacks from the counter. If there’s no table space, just grab a tray and balance it on your lap wherever you find a place to sit. I wish we had a place like this at home. Check out their food porn on Instagram @ladan. A little more upscale is Urban Deli on Sveavägen, where you can pick up cheeses, breads, bottled craft beers and various gourmet items to go, or step into the rear dining area for a cocktail or glass of wine with a small bite or full meal. It’s a very hip location, attached to equally cool Hotel With, self-described as a “lean luxury” hotel. Urban Deli as other locations throughout the city, albeit without the market, but equally on-trend.
8. Christmas (Jul) lights are beautiful in the city. Apartment and office windows are adorned with electric candelabras and seven-pointed stars. No one seems to be in a hurry to take them down since they are very uplifting during the season of short days and long nights. Along the streets, strings of white lights, sparkling stars and shiny orbs hang from bridges and overpasses and across intersections.
9. You can always stop for Fika, which is basically coffee and a pastry, most traditionally a cinnamon bun. Especially in winter, it’s great to step inside, warm up and sit back for a bit because Fika isn’t just about food. It’s a state of mind, an attitude and an important part of Swedish culture. It’s taking a chill break, whether a planned quick meeting to catch up with a friend or a spontaneous stop along an unplanned journey.
10. People seem to accept, rather than fight, the colder, darker days of winter. Acceptance appears to make people happy here.

 
If it had been summer, and the days were long and warm we’d be more apt to see families and lots of children out on the streets. With school in session and the setting sun closing in on daylight by mid-afternoon, it was a different vibe to see commuters – well-dressed men with their stylish hair and manbags, women bicycling in leggings and skirts, and shiny white lights in every direction. Most people would enjoy Stockholm more in spring, summer or fall. However, stretching a necessary family trip with a quick immersion dump into Stockholm’s winter culture gave us a fun new insight into the winter scene in one of Scandinavia’s most beloved cities.
 
Marcia Simon, APR, CTA is principal of friendlygrouptravel.com and MSE Public Relations. She’s also a writer with special interest in travel, health and wellness. Connect at marcia@mseusa.com, facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel @marciasimon on Twitter or friendlygrouptravel on Instagram.
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