Sensational Swedish Capital, the city of Stockholm is said to have been built on 14 Islands and is connected by 57 bridges, giving it its name “Beauty on the water”.
Mamma Mia, the weather today is bright and beautiful, excellent for a city tour.
I have arrived Stockholm this morning on a ferry from Helsinki. A 17.5 hours ferry ride that departed Helsinki at 17:00 and arrived Stockholm at 09:30am. It is perfect as most of the evening was spent in bed and I had a very good night sleep. I am well rested, had a hot shower, and ready to see what Stockholm has to offer.
I have purchased a 24 hours Stockholm public transport ticket for €15 (150 Swedish krona) and I booked my stay at the Best Western & Hotel which is really central to most of the city’s attractions and public transport system.
I am fortunate as a room is ready and the hotel has allowed me to check in early. Now all that is required of me is to drop my suitcase in my room and head into the city for a fun day.
Stockholm’s Old Town or Gamla Stan is home to colorful 17th and 18th century buildings as well as the Royal Palace and the Storkyrkan Cathedral.
Stortorget is a square in the old town and the oldest square in Stockholm. Thé Noble museum is also located on the square as well as restaurants and cafes spread around the square.
The Royal Palace has more than 600 rooms and till date there is a daily changing of the guard at 12:15pm. It is the official residence of the Swedish Monarch and is open to the public.
The Storkyrkan or the Church of St Nicholas also sometimes called Stockholm Cathedral is the oldest church in Gamla Stan. It currently serves as the seat of the Lutheran bishop of Stockholm.
The Riddarholm church located on the Island of Riddarholmen is the final resting place of most Swedish Monarchs. It is Stockholm’s only preserves medieval Abbey and with one exception of Queen Christina, all rulers of Sweden from Gustav II Adolf to Gustaf V from 1632 to 1950 are buried in the church. Kings from the middles ages circa 1470 like Magnus Ladulas and Karl Knutson Bonde are also buried here.
The Stockholm city hall stands on the Kungsholmen Island and is one of the city’s major tourist attraction. At the base tower of the city hall, you will find a gold cenotaph of Birger Jarl, a Swedish statesman who led the second Swedish crusade and played an important role in the consolidation of Sweden. It’s quite a remarkable statue as if somewhat reminds me of the Kings of Egypt.
There is a tall weird looking architecture called the “Obelisken” in Sergels torg, the most central public square. I sit there having a drink and wondering what sort of structure it but after what seemed like an hour, I still have no idea what this monument is or what it means. Apparently it changes color every month and It’s a nice work of art, this is what me and my drink agrees.
The Brunkeberg Tunnel inaugurated in 1886 by King Oscar II is located in Norrmalm, Stockholm and serves as a 231 meters long shortcut for pedestrians and cyclists.
Don’t overlook the tiny statue of Ernst Herman Thörnberg outside the entrance of the tunnel, lol tiny sculptures matter.
Djurgården is another Island in Central Stockholm known to house a number of very interesting tourist attractions like the Skansen and open air museum, the Grona Lund one of the oldest amusement parks, Nordiska Museet, the Vasa Museum, ABBA Museum, to mention but a few.
I highly recommend going to the Vasa Museum!! What my eyes are seeing right now, words cannot do justice to it.
The Vasa is a Swedish war ship that sank after sailing about 1,300 m into her maiden voyage on August 10th 1628.
It was salvaged in 1961 after spending 333 years under water. The Museum is very detailed including skeletal remains of some of the sailors. I am amazed and in awe at the same time, my mouth is wide open and I wish you could see what I’m looking at right now. This ship is mighty huge and I can only wonder how they put it together in the 1600’s.
Stockholm has an entire museum dedicated to ABBA, a whole museum, this is definitely something.
It’s not just a museum but there are several interactive games, you can try on some of the band clothes and you can dance on stage like an ABBA member. It’s fun, interesting and definitely worth the visit.
I am leaving the museum humming to Dancing queen and Mamma Mia lol and I’m still in high spirits from all the singing and dancing.
It has been a fun sunny day, you know what they say about Sunny days – Everybody loves them!!!
Yikes it’s already 7pm, time to go find my mouth-watering dinner. All this touring made me forget to take care of my stomach. I think I am going to try Swedish meatballs for dinner and thereafter go relax my legs – Gosh my legs are killing me from all the walking lol.
Until next time, see you in Zagreb.
Comments