Hello Stockholm!

(A multi-part recap of my recent Scandinavia trip.)

Kim and I stumbled blearily into our Stockholm hotel.  After 17 hours between two flights, a train ride and subway trip from the airport, and a long uphill walk dragging our suitcases, we were finally here!  Although jet-lagged and ready to sleep, it was only 9 am in the morning, and our room wasn't even remotely ready.  The hotel staff let us stash our luggage, and noticing our weary faces, recommended a nearby coffee shop.  Tired or not, it was time to explore!

Hotel building in Stockholm

Flashback to late April 2024 - Kim and I were deciding the destination of our next Rick Steves tour.  We'd bonded and had so much fun with Debbie, Alicia, and Kim (another Kim) from our 2023 Ireland trip that we wanted to travel with them again.  So we chose the "Best of Scandinavia" tour for June 2025 and invited our friends.  Lucky for us Debbie and Alicia decided to join in, (sadly not Kim) and reservations were secured.  Now all we had to do was wait (not so patiently) for the months to pass.

Lotti is ready for another adventure!

The "Best of Scandinavia" tour we'd signed up for hit the highlights of three countries - Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.  We'd begin in Stockholm, and visit the cities of Copenhagen, Oslo, and Bergen - with some nights in non-urban locations thrown in between city visits.  To say Kim and I were excited to explore this part of the world was an understatement!

Layover at JFK airport

To acclimate to the time zone difference, Kim and I decided to arrive two days before our tour began.  So late in May I dug out my suitcase in anticipation of this next adventure.  While in the act of packing I spied Lotti, the Swiss cow I'd picked up from September's Switzerland trip.  Her cute bovine eyes convinced me she needed to be part of this upcoming adventure, so I cleared some extra room in my backpack.

My first views of Sweden

Our two flights across the pond were long but uneventful.  Excited for my trip, I found it difficult to sleep.  When our plane finally descended into Stockholm's airport, I gawked out the window, taking in the green countryside.  But where was the city?  All I could see were fields and farms.  It appeared we were landing in the middle of nowhere (I later learned that the Stockholm Arlanda Airport was located quite a bit north of its urban center.)

Lots of tempting treats at this coffee shop

Reaching our hotel from Arlanda airport proved to be much easier than I'd imagined.  First Kim and I hopped on an airport express train that deposited us at Stockholm's main transit center.  This busy station was quite chaotic and we wandered around for awhile, before finally asking for assistance.  After boarding the correct subway train, it was a quick two-stop ride to the neighborhood where our hotel was located.  Then we had to hoof it several blocks to our hotel - at the top of a steep hill.  Despite not being able to check in, it was still a relief to reach our destination.

Enjoying our first Swedish "fika"

Now time to combat jet lag - with a heavy dose of caffeine!  Kim and I found the hotel's recommended coffee shop.  What a great place it was - the glass cases were full of the most delicious looking cookies and baked goods.  I was tempted to get one of everything!  But we both showed restraint and opted for a twisted cinnamon bun each, traditional goodies every Swedish person enjoys for their daily "fika" or coffee break.  (Fika is a ritual revered by the Swedes, akin to British tea time.)  Not only were the baked goods to die for, so was the coffee.  I learned the hard way Swedes don't add flavoring to their lattes - but mine tasted great anyway, even without sweetener.

Brightly colored church building near our hotel

The coffee and goodies gave Kim and I the second wind we needed.  After finishing up our "fika," it was time to see the town.  We started with the bright gold-colored building a block from the hotel.  We discovered it was a Lutheran church, used for worship, weddings, and other community events.

Loved the brick work on this building

Google maps showed a harbor three blocks in the opposite direction of the coffee shop.  Of course, Kim and I wanted to see that, so we walked back down the steep hill we'd recently climbed with our luggage.  One thing I noticed about Stockholm right away - there was doggy doo everywhere on the sidewalks.  You had to watch where you stepped!  Judging by the large number of dog walkers, everyone seemed to have a pet pooch.  However, not many of them bothered to pick up after their pups.  This surprised me as Stockholm otherwise seemed to be a neat, clean city.

Stockholm street scene

Towards the harbor Kim and I strolled, dodging dog poop as we went.  We oohed and aahed at the many beautiful brick buildings.  Others were constructed of decorative stonework, and many were painted bright, cheery colors.  No boring buildings here!

Along one Stockholm's main roads

Reaching the harbor, Kim and I realized we'd stumbled upon one of the many boat docks in Stockholm.  Surrounded by water, the city was made up of several islands near the Baltic Sea.  Watercraft of all shapes and sizes were tied up here, and looking across the water, I could see several more on the opposite shore.

Harbor views

After crossing a busy main street, to our delight, Kim and I discovered a wide walkway following the harbor's edge.  We had a pleasant meander along the waterfront, checking out the wide variety of boats.  The land side of this path alternated between seating areas, public art, and eating establishments, from fancy restaurants to ice cream stands.

More harbor views

Although skies were cloudy and the wind was blowing, the day's predicted rain seemed to hold off.  Kim and I got sprinkled on for a short few minutes, but that was it.

A restaurant with a sense of humor

Enjoy a few more photos from our harbor walk.....

Wall of buildings along the harbor

Lots of boats anchored here

The first of many selfies!

At the harbor's far end was a large bridge, connecting the city to one of its many islands.  Not only carrying traffic, the bridge had a wide path for pedestrians and bikes.  Of course Kim and I were curious to see the other side, so across we went!

The Nordic Museum

The island was swarming with people.  We later learned this area housed many of Stockholm's museums and several large parks.  Kim and I first passed by a huge brick building, that looked like a fancy palace.  This, I later learned, was the Nordic Museum, displaying 500 years of Swedish lifestyles.

The Vasa Museum

Then we passed by another large building with sailboat masts sticking out of its roofline.  A sign near the front proclaimed it the Vasa Museum.  Our Rick Steves tour was scheduled to visit this museum on its first full day.  (More in a later post.)  Judging by the huge crowds waiting to get inside, it looked to be a popular attraction.

Side view of the amazing Nordic Museum building

Next to the Vasa Museum was another lovely park.  A huge flock of geese were grazing on the lawn, and I was excited to see a few goslings mixed in with the adults.  Of course I had to get some pictures!

Momma goose with goslings

About that time another round of rain started pelting us, so Kim and I sought refuge in a nearby tourist information building.

Lots of sailboats along this pier

Lucky of us, the shower was short-lived.  Kim and I emerged from the building and decided to make our way back towards our hotel.

Trying to get a selfie with the Swedish flag

Retracing our steps back along the waterfront, we couldn't resist trying to get a selfie using a ship's Swedish flag as the backdrop.  However, due to unpredictable wind gusts, we never could catch the flag completely unfurled.  (There were many takes, until we finally gave up!)

Time for a beer

By now it was well after noon, and Kim and I discovered we were both quite hungry.  Meandering through the neighborhood near our hotel, we spotted a small restaurant that didn't look busy.  An outdoor sign advertised the day's special as Swedish meatballs.  When in Rome.....

Trying our first Swedish meatballs

Kim and I each enjoyed a glass of the local brew and split an order of Swedish meatballs.  The meatballs were delicious and really hit the spot.  After explaining to the waitress that we were waiting for out hotel room to be ready, she graciously allowed us to sit at our table for an extended period of time.  After the morning's long walk, it was nice to rest our feet and observe the customers coming and going around us.

Evening on the waterfront

But the combination of beer and food, plus over 24 hours without rest, had made us both very sleepy.  It was time to head back to our hotel - hopefully our room would be ready by now.

The Vasa and Nordic Museums from across the water

And it was!  Kim and I retrieved our suitcases, settled into our room, and gratefully sunk into the beds for a quick nap.

The beautiful Stockholm Opera House

Our tour friend Debbie was scheduled to arrive later that afternoon.  After resting a bit, Kim got a text that she was downstairs checking in.  A wonderful reunion commenced soon after!

Kim poses by a golden statue

Having been on well over 20 Rick Steves tours, Debbie was an experienced traveler.  She'd visited Stockholm before, and proclaimed it to be her most favorite city in Europe.  As for Kim and I, we were happy to tag along with someone who knew the town so well.  After enjoying a quick dinner at our hotel, we three amigas headed out to see more sights.

The Opera House had an outdoor bar on an upper level

Back to the waterfront we went!  This time Debbie directed us in the opposite direction of Kim and I's earlier walk.  We passed by Stockholm's Opera House, a gorgeous ornate stone building decked out with golden statues.  Debbie spotted a flower-filled upper balcony that appeared to house a bar.  Was it open to the public?  Only one way to find out - Kim spotted an open door that led to a staircase.  There were no signs prohibiting entry, so we followed the stairs as they spiraled up until we emerged into a lounge.  Outside an outer door was the bar we'd spotted from street level.  

Yahoo, we made to Stockholm!

We three ladies walked out onto the flower-lined balcony and bellied up to the bar.  No one batted an eye - as a matter of fact, one of the friendly locals struck up a conversation with Debbie.  After ordering our drinks, we found a table overlooking the harbor.  What amazing views of the city!  The sun's low angle bathed everything in a golden light.  I couldn't believe I'd made it to Sweden, and was sitting here enjoying this lovely evening with my friends.

Nice views from the Opera House

My first day in Stockholm had been a good one.  I had another day to explore this lovely city before our Rick Steves tour started.  On tap for tomorrow was a visit to the ABBA museum and the arrival of Alicia, the fourth member of our "Ireland Travel Group."  

More fun to come - Stay tuned for my next post!