HFL Dos & Don'ts: Stockholm
Updated: Mar 5, 2021
From one traveller to another, here's some insider information to help you plan the perfect trip to Sweden's capital. I'm keeping it real with the good, the bad and the ugly.
Prior to travelling to a new place don't we all put out feelers to see if anyone we know has been there before. Our friends, family, even our coworkers are some of the best resources for travel advice but now you can add one more to that list ... HUNGRY FOR LIFE. I've got you covered with several dos and don'ts that will point you in all the right directions.
ABBA Museum
DO get up on stage and become the 5th member of ABBA! There is a karaoke exhibit toward the exit of the museum where you can pick any song, hop up on stage and sing along with the members of ABBA. Pretty cool, don't you think? Unfortunately, I was a huge baby and chickened out. I totally regret not facing my fears, however, in my defence it was only 10AM before any cocktails started flowing. So promise me that if you go here, you'll down a few drinks and get your booty on stage to shake what your mama gave you.
DON'T purchase the audio guide, it's way too noisy inside the museum. Music is bumping through the speakers, videos are playing on the walls, plus it's a pretty crowded place. Sensory overload are the words I'm looking for so trust me when I tell you there is plenty to read and experience without having to hold an audio guide to your ear for hours.
Strömma Boat Tours
DO go sightseeing via boat because the best way to discover Stockholm is from the water. Strömma offers many different hop on and off guided tours ranging in length so you can learn a bit of the city's history then stop to visit some of the popular tourist attractions. It's a win/win.
DON'T sit up on the top deck in March, it's too dang cold! The crew did offer us blankets but the wind was whipping right through them. My advice would be to stay in the belly of the boat, grab a spot by the window and sip on a nice warm coffee while enjoying the views and commentary.
Royal Palace of Stockholm
DO check your ticket to make sure you booked the right palace. Yep. This happened. We walked right up to the gate, handed over our tickets only to be told we were at the completely wrong location. Apparently the Swedish royal family has like 10 palaces and castles within 10 miles of each other. So we had a good chuckle with the staff members and were able to swap our tickets no problem. Here's the correct link for you all: https://www.royalpalaces.se/english/royal-palaces-and-sites/the-royal-palace.html
DON'T bother watching the changing of the guard, you'll skip the queue and have the castle practically all to yourselves. Kalo and I got to walk around uninterrupted, no bottlenecks, no crowds. It was totally peaceful and the best part was we were able to take in all the magnificence at our own pace. I swear I could have spent days looking up at the gorgeous chandeliers.
Hobo Hotel
DO stay here. Enough said. We all know that when looking for a hotel it's all about location, location, location. The Hobo Hotel could not be more centrally located or well connected. Plus the vibe is so unapologetically cool with hanging plants in the lobby, modern furniture and minimalistic decor.
DON'T get the room with no windows. I'll take the blame for this one. I thought I was saving us a little money to spend on sightseeing but turns out the savings weren't worth losing our sanity. Haha it's never good when you start referring to your hotel room as "the bunker." So I'm giving you all permission to go ahead and splurge on a room with a view.
Here are a few more DOs...
DO ride one of the electric scooters. Simply download the Lime App and you're off!
DO sleep in. Remember you're on holiday and the Swedes are very late risers.
DO wear comfortable shoes or else you'll have to buy some mid-trip.
DO spend as much time as you can outside. The parks, bridges and buildings are stunning.
DO get lost in Gamla Stan. It's extremely touristy but absolutely beautiful.
You now have all the inside scoop you'll ever need to plan the most epic trip to Stockholm. And if you haven't done so be sure to read through Where & What We Ate in Stockholm and 5 Best Things About Stockholm for even more recommendations. Curious to know where Kalo and I will be headed next? Follow @hungryfor_life_ on Instagram to see where life takes us.