Recently I (Sigrid) went on a girlstrip to beautiful Sweden with my best friend. We visited Stockholm and a few cities just outside the capital. It was a surprising journey in every way. Read why here!
Girlfriends four days in Stockholm
To celebrate our friendship of almost ten years, my best friend and I went on a trip. That was the first time, outside of the mandatory school trips to Paris and Barcelona, that we did this and we were both looking forward to it! The choice of destination was made quickly. Stockholm has been on our bucket list for a long time and I wanted to know how they really pronounce my name in the country of origin (Sigrid is a Swedish name). Four days for a city trip should be enough. We booked the trip about a month before departure which meant the tickets were also dirt cheap. By the way, did you know that Stockholm is only a two-hour flight from Belgium?
Gnesta
The first day we stayed at an Airbnb in Gnesta, an hour from Skavsta airport. Stockholm City was two hours away from here, so we decided to book a first night in the town of Gnesta. So we could go calmly towards Stockholm the next day. Gnesta itself is not that big, but it is very cozy. It has a beach, a train station to get around Stockholm and fantastic houses. Here we already tasted the Swedish culture.
Our hosts of the Airbnb were also incredibly welcoming and the décor of their apartment was particularly beautiful and soothing. The only minus? The bed wasn’t big enough for two so my best friend sacrificed herself to sleep on the air mattress. That’s pure love, right? Unfortunately, the air mattress broke because the space was too small and slept on the ground for most of the night. And I didn’t realize anything by now because I was sleeping like a rose, and she didn’t wake me up. This is love.
Stockholm
After a restless night in our Airbnb, we headed to Stockholm the next morning. Again by train. We got to our next Airbnb very quickly and went into the city for the rest of the day. We stopped at the neighborhood around Skansen, which is considered one of the quietest neighborhoods. Here you have the gigantic nature domain Djurgården where we spent a few hours on our first -but warm- day. It is really beautiful with always a nice view over the water. A very peaceful place. We also tried local food and that was not at all as expensive as everyone claims. For 12.50 euros we ate delicious fresh salmon as lunch with drink included. Not bad, right?
Fjäderholmarna
A half-hour boat ride from Stockholm City, you’ll arrive at the islands of Fjäderholmarna. Part of stockholm’s famous archipelago. We booked our trip here via GetYourGuide and both the round trip and return trip went very smoothly. The boat drops you off on the island and you just get it back whenever you want. So you have all the time to explore the island at your own pace. And you better take your time.
Although it is very small and you walk around the island in an hour, you will come across a lot of nice places where you want to stop and enjoy the view. Or the tasty local food they serve in one of the restaurants. Here you see absolutely no mass tourism but peace and quiet and that is exactly what you are here for. This was one of our favorite getaways and without a doubt one of absolute highlights when visiting Stockholm.
Gamla Stan
The rest of the days we spent exploring the city even better. Our Airbnb was close to Stockholm City (a central part of the city from which you can go all directions) so it was easy to get around quickly by metro and bus. One of the most beautiful parts we saw was Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm. Here you have to count on mass tourism. Think of many souvenir shops, restaurants and sights. But definitely worth it! We tried traditional Swedish balls there and didn’t really like it that much. The balls are made of a kind of wild meat. At least, that’s what it tasted like. For those who love this, it is definitely a must to try. What do we think is worth eating? The delicious (mashed) fries but they serve them with every dish. Enjoy!
Hagaparken
Because we don’t really like mass tourism and the nature in Stockholm is so beautiful, we also went to Hagaparken for half a day. This is a large park similar to Djurgården, but in this case mainly visited by locals. Swedes come here to have a picnic with friends or family, play games or just rest on the grass. There are also often events. Resting is exactly what we did after an exhausting but joyful walk in the park. Here we escaped from the bustling city life. In the evening we both had a fish dish overlooking the water where we also saw the colourful sunset. Sweden is beautiful. With regret in the heart but full of beautiful memories, we returned home.
Stockholm Pros
One of Sweden’s greatest assets is without a doubt nature. Also in Stockholm, a huge city, there is a lot of nature to be found. The islands of the archipelago are also a good example of this. There you can really only be in the city surrounded by nature. The views over the water in Stockholm are therefore indescribably beautiful. In addition, we found public transport to be excellently developed. Nowhere in the world is it so well arranged. A big plus for us as a user but also a huge plus for the environment. If we lived here, a car wouldn’t even be an option. There is nothing easier in Sweden than public transport. You can easily get anywhere without having to wait for hours. Other countries can take another example of this!
Romance in Stockholm
Although it was a girlfriends trip, we also saw how romantic Stockholm is. A more romantic destination than Paris or London. You can still be alone in some places in this huge city and the sunsets there are truly magical! By the way, if you’re going to Scandinavian countries, you should do it just before the summer. Then you can enjoy endless days there as it never really gets dark at night. How much fun is that?
Friendship is love
After this girls trip, I came to a realization that I actually knew for a long time: I really have the best friend of all time. I commend myself very much with her in my life. And friendship should be cherished so trips like this will no doubt be made more often in the future. Friendship is love, too. Perhaps this is once so strong and clear after a trip together.
Dat is zo fijn als je van dezelfde dingen houdt! Blijf gezellig samen op reis gaan, geniet!
Leuk artikel! Zelf ben ik nog niet in Stockholm geweest, maar zo te zien een echte aanrader! Ik vind het ook zeer leuk om met mijn beste vriendin op reis te gaan! We houden van dezelfde dingen en dat maakt een reisje zo leuk!