28 C
Singapore
Sunday, December 8, 2024
HomeTravelEuropeStockholm City, Sweden

Stockholm City, Sweden

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden is a city of culture and history and by far the largest city in the country. Let’s check out points of interest of the city of Stockholm on what makes it a great city in Europe.

Stockholm city hall on main Stockholm island
Stockholm city hall on main Stockholm island.

Also, much of early Stockholm’s city early development coincided for centuries with the development of what is today. Much of these resides today in the Old Town or known as Gamla Stan.

stockholm-Nobel-museum-020
Old town Gamla stan
stockholm-library-004
European architecture
stockholm-city-oldtown-008
Greetings from Stockholm!

You can find older classic buildings in the old town. They typically spot a distinct European architecture popularized in the 17th centuries and modernized today. Additionally, Stockholm was first mentioned as a town in 1252, with most of it built by the Swedish ruler Birger Jarl.

Statues by the Stockholm City Hall, with its spire featuring the golden Three Crowns
Statues by the Stockholm City Hall, with its spire featuring the golden Three Crowns.

Thereafter, it grew rapidly as a major trade hub with a strong maritime history. Sweden uses the Swedish krona (SEK) which also shares a similar name to the Icelandic króna.

Downtown Stockholm City
Downtown Stockholm!

Getting around Stockholm City, in style

The city is well connected by a modern subway and a network of public buses which serves the outskirts beyond the metro subway, such as the Millesgarden sculpture garden. Also, the Stockholm underground metro is your preferred form of travel for pretty much most part of central Stockholm. It is clean, fast and operates past late till 1am daily.

stockholm-city-oldtown-015
Central street
stockholm-palace-001
Plaza area
stockholm-metro-art-032
Central station

Moreover Stockholm is well connected via an underground Metro station covering over 100 stations. One interesting thing is that they are well-decorated and painted like art installations in their own right. I gave an entire night exploring these stations for its uniqueness. Check out my adventures in a separate post here.

stockholm-palace-002
Station insides
stockholm-cityhall-001
Overground trains
stockholm-ericsson-globe-007
Subway classic trains

Furthermore, the Stockholm central railway station serves as the city main travel artery which is connected to major European cities via a high speed rail network. Also, high-speed rail travel in Europe is apparently a more efficient way to travel by air. You can catch a high-speed train to Copenhagen in a matter of hours for instance.

Interesting sights in Stockholm City island

Stockholm City urban scape at night during my night photography session
Stockholm urban scape at night during my night photography sessions.

Moreover, Stockholm itself is a very developed and urban city. There is a city square where most of the city’s activities and night life reside. It is not uncommon to find the city buzzing with nightlife with concerts in the old town and city hall area.

Stockholm City Tele sports arena
Stockholm Tele sports arena.

If its of interest to you, there is a city Hardrock cafe here, as well as a sports arena by the name of Tele2, named after the Italian regional television channel.

stockholm-cityhall-013
Railways by old town
stockholm-library-001
Hardrock cafe Stockholm
stockholm-cityhall-006
City hall closeup

Also, the city hall is a nice spot by the riverside to spend a quiet day. It is surprisingly secluded from the main parts of the city and spots a number of river side bronze sculptures dotted along the area.

stockholm-cityhall-007
Hall grass verge
stockholm-cityhall-012
City hall by the moonlight
stockholm-library-003
Stockholm Library exterior

Furthermore, Stockholm library located in downtown Stockholm is a nice impressive place to chill if you have a couple of hours or so. Also, it is open the public and an architecture eye candy in its own right too.

Inside Stockholm City library
The vast interior place inside Stockholm library, spanning 3 floors of book side walls.

Stay on a boat hotel

Moreover, it is not unusual to find accommodation in Stockholm involving staying on a boat converted into a hotel. This traces back to largely a Swedish heritage where they were explorers and conquerors of the sea.

stockholm-cityhall-011
City urban sights
stockholm-cityhall-005
Ferries
stockholm-palace-003
Ship accommodation

Also, their rich history is one which traces back to the Viking era. Staying on a boat is actually surprisingly affordable and typically is around a 3 star standard. Also, it is quite an experience of its own. And don’t worry these boats are moared and won’t sail out.

stockholm-city-oldtown-011
Yep Swedish
stockholm-city-oldtown-013
Buzzing streets
stockholm-metro-art-030
City hall from a ship

Visit the peculiar Ericsson globe

The Ericsson globe, its pretty large and can be seen from most parts of Central Stockholm island
The Ericsson globe, its pretty large and can be seen from most parts of Central Stockholm island.

Interesting and notable sights in city includes the iconic Ericsson globe. It is essentially a huge white indoor events building. Also, the peculiar thing about it is a ferris wheel type outer gondola which runs in the exterior center circumference of the globe structure.

stockholm-palace-004
Neato
stockholm-ericsson-globe-001
Entrance
stockholm-ericsson-globe-005
Top of the dome

Also, it allows you to catch high vantage views of the city of Stockholm. The capsules are enclosed air-conditioned bubble gondolas where two operates running independently.

stockholm-ericsson-globe-004
Gondolas tracks
stockholm-ericsson-globe-003
Close up!
stockholm-city-oldtown-010
Front

Watch the change of guards at the Royal Palace

Change of guards marching band at the Stockholm City palace
Change of guards marching band at the Stockholm City palace.

Furthermore, a highlight to catch here at the Stockholm Royal Palace would be to catch the change of guards.

stockholm-city-oldtown-003
Palace grounds
stockholm-city-oldtown-004
Foot drills
stockholm-palace-020
At attention

The Stockholm City hall and palace has a central semi-circular square where the guards do their rounds. It is flanked by a couple of cannons. Also, the palace here at Stadsholmen, in Gamla stan (old town) is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch.

Stockholm palace exterior, with an assortment of classic cannons
Stockholm palace exterior, with an assortment of classic cannons.

Moreover, the palace has two courtyards- an Inner and outer courtyard, with the changing of the guards held here at the outer courtyard.

Guards March in the rain
Guards March in the rain.

Notably, the actual residence of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia is at Drottningholm Palace and not here at Stockholm Palace. Also, the Royal Guards Ceremony at the Royal Palace of Stockholm typically begins with a marching band, accompanied by the main marching guard contingent.

The Guard band playing their piece at every change of guards parade, rain or shine
The Guard band playing their piece at every change of guards parade, rain or shine.

Additionally, the parade lasts under an hour and typically around 40 minutes. It starts at 12:15pm in the palace outer courtyard on weekdays, and at 1:15pm on Sundays.

stockholm-palace-010
Flag bearer
stockholm-palace-006
Inspection
stockholm-palace-015
Percussion bank

A parade, rain or shine

The parade and band commander greeting members of the public, much to the crowd's delight
The parade and band commander greeting members of the public, much to the crowd’s delight.

Additionally, the parade also runs regardless of weather and much to tourist fanfare too. Also, interestingly, during the parade, a member of the band, who is an announcer also takes the opportunity to talk about history during the parade.

stockholm-palace-014
At watch
stockholm-palace-011
Forming up
stockholm-palace-019
Marching in

The announcer on top of providing a voice over of the parade also runs through about the significance of the parade and the other attractions worth visiting here at Stockholm for your to spend your day. It reinforces the largely laid back culture of the parade, and for the city of Stockholm for that matter as one of the leading European cities.

stockholm-palace-012
At attention
stockholm-palace-013
Overview
stockholm-palace-017
Band members

Also, I found the parade largely symbolic than necessary, much something to akin of keeping tradition alive, particularly in these modern times.

stockholm-palace-009
Marching in
stockholm-palace-024
Guards
stockholm-palace-029
Standing guard

And visit museums

Moreover, in-addition to the change of guard highlights, the Stockholm royal palace is home to a couple of museums and a treasury housing antiquities and national treasures. The palace is laid out in 4 sector rows, each with their own representations. For instance, the northern row represents “Power”. The southern row “The Nation. Moving on, the western row The Male Qualities” and the King and the Eastern row symbolizing the Female Qualities” and the Queen.

stockholm-city-oldtown-005
Palace Cannons
stockholm-city-oldtown-006
Museum Entrance
stockholm-palace-026
Museum Exhibits

Attractions of interest here are the Gusta antiquities, the Stockholm Treasury and the TreKronor Museum. These galleries are pretty minor and won’t take over half a day to explore.

stockholm-palace-028
View from palace
stockholm-palace-021
Museum entrance
stockholm-palace-027
Interior galleries

Additionally, Stockholm is also home to a number of world-class museums and a museum island. The museum island is home to the Vasa museum and Skansen open-air museum, with each in their own right takes almost an entire day out.

stockholm-palace-030
Plaque honoring King Charles XII
stockholm-palace-032
Old town grounds
stockholm-palace-022
Administrative buildings within

Also, one museum worth visiting is the Nobel museum. It is an official museum run by the Nobel prize foundation showcasing renowned and notable achievements of the award. Additionally, the Nobel museum is located in the Stockholm Old Town, also known as the “old Stockholm Galam Stan”.

stockholm-palace-031
Entrance
stockholm-palace-023
Inside the palace
stockholm-cityhall-009
Bay lit at night

Check out Stockholm old town

Lastly, Gamla Stan is a chill town full of culture and history. Here, you can find some pretty chill cafes here with open-air outdoor seating, as well as restaurants great for a lunch break.

stockholm-palace-005
Old town alleys
stockholm-city-oldtown-007
Swedish lunch
stockholm-city-oldtown-001
Nobel museum

Also, the streets here are narrow and cramped, a throwback to the olden European towns of the 17th century. Also, to add to the atmosphere, you can also find several street buskers performing at Stortorget. It is the old town’s scenic square where the Nobel museum resides.

stockholm-city-oldtown-012
Palace statues
stockholm-metro-art-031
Stockholm in sunset
stockholm-city-oldtown-014
View over the river

Also, interesting, the town dates back even to the 13th century. It consists of medieval alleyways, cobbled streets, and notably, archaic architecture. Moreover, there is also a strong North German architecture which had an influence in the Old Town’s initial conception and construction.

Stockholm City hall at sunset
Stockholm City hall at sunset.

All in all, Stockholm City is a beautiful city Swedish city, full of culture, history and notable sites of interest. Whether it is for knowledge and history, family time or just chilling, Stockholm never disappoints.

4 COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Articles