Stockholm tips wanted

[ossamenta]

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm having a brief stop in Stockholm on my way back from Visby. I've been to Stockholm once before, as a young teenager on a weekend visit with my parents. Needless to say, I was far more interested in shopping than in the cultural sightseeing my parents did with me. "See it now, so you've seen it, and when you are in Stockholm next time you can do the things you want to do." I guess it's rather ironic that a) I haven't been back since, and b) now I'm interested in cultural sightseeing. Since I'm only there for a day, I'm not going to be able to see a lot of things. I will go to the Historical Museum, so I can see (some of) the things that we read about in my archaeology studies, and to the Museum of Medieval Stockholm and Storkyrkan.

So now I ask those of my readers who has been to Stockholm, perhaps even live there - is there anything you'd particularly recommend (museums, sights, shops, cafés, restaurants, or cool things in general) or anti-recommend (overpriced, too many tourists, etc)? Bear in mind that I only have c. 8 hours to do everything, so I can't head too far out in several directions. I have to save something for later.

And if any of you want to meet up, give me a shout.

Comments

[vatine]

If you have the time, Vasamuseet is quite interesting (and I say that as someone who grew up in Stockholm, being forced to go to the provisional conservation hall at least annually with school or daycare for FAR too many years).

However, with Historiska, Medeltidsmuseet and Storkyrkan on the menu, I suspect you have a pretty full 8 hours already.

If you'd like a quiet (or maybe not so quiet) sit-down and decent beer, Akkurat at least used to be pretty darned good (and rumour has it it still is).

As for meeting up, I'm in London, so meeting up in Stockholm would be, at best, a bit bizarre.

[vatine]

Ah, flying, looks like. "End of November" MAY be late enough that the traditional Christmas market at Stortorget is started and I do (occasionally) miss that as a spectacle (not to mention the complete lack of tjong here in London). Not too far from Storkyrkan, either, so should fit well in with a brief excursion.

The square itself is, I believe, where 82 persons were beheaded by King Christian II (well, on the order of, I doubt he wielded the implements himself).

[ossamenta]

That looks like a very nice Christmas market, and worth a visit - well, I can hardly miss it, after all it's in the middle of the old town. :-)

The Vasa museum is on my to do some other time-list. If I had had two days in Stockholm it would be another matter, but hopefully I will get around to the at least a decade old plan of a week's holiday in Stockholm.

[vatine]

I managed a whole 48 hours (mid-Saturday until mid-Monday) last time (earlier this summer, in fact). Mainly out of a misguided thought that if I was to fly to Sweden for midsummer, I bloody well should have a couple of days loitering near where I grew up.

As far as meeting up, I wouldn't necessarily mind doing that, once you're back in London, as that would require less travel for both of us.

[vatine]

Or, as happens, Oxford. For some reason, I'd managed to file you as "in London".

[antisoppist]

I was in Stockholm in October(entry here but the weather was gorgeous and this visit I spent much of the time just walking about and soaking it all in. From past visits I would also recommend Historiska Museet and the Vasa but it's better not to overdo things.

Oh, and should you be thinking of using them, I now hate the left luggage lockers at Centralen with an evil hatred. You need 5 kr or 10 kr coins, the change machines only change 20 kr notes, and if you find you are 5 kr short and press cancel, they eat all your money. If they are all full, there are more at the bus terminal.

I got here via oursin and network, by the way. Hej!

[ossamenta]

Thanks for the link. It sounds like you had a lovely trip. And if you feel the need to practice listening to a Skåne accent, let me know. It took me two weeks to fix a Welsh accent in my brain the first time I encountered one. But once my brain "got it", I didn't need to concentrate anymore when my classmate was speaking.

Since I'm travelling with one backpack only, I won't be needing luggage lockers. But thanks for the warning.

Network/reading list browsing is a very useful way to find interesting people, imo. And hej to you too! :-)

[(Anonymous)]

I have been to several museums in Stockholm.

Both the Historical museum and the Medieval museum was somewhat of a dissapointment for me. The Medieval museum didnt have much to look at and the Historical museum didnt have much in depht information. But the Viking exhibition was nice. And the also have a large collection of medieval religious art.

If you are interested in cultural history I would definately reccomend Nordiska museet.
http://www.nordiskamuseet.se/category.asp?cat=187&catname=English&topmenu=142

Its close to the Vasa museum, but if you want to go to Vasa, make sure to go very early because it will be stuffed with tourist around noon.

[ossamenta]

Hi stranger, and thanks for the warning about the Medieval Museum. Perhaps I'll just have a quick browse through their shop, if there's anything interesting. It's not as if there aren't any alternatives to keep me busy!