A day in Stockholm
(Want to download the full guide to your Smartphone? Download it from GuidePal City Guides.)See & Do
The Modern Museum
Stockholm. Heart of the Old Town
Experience one of Europe's finest collections of modern art
Word to the wise: The museum is known for its brunch with stunning city views, so plan your visit on a Saturday or Sunday and get your fill of scones and mini venison sausages.
See the brilliance of Duchamp, Picasso, Dali, Rauschenberg and Matisse at the Modern Museum on the small island of Skeppsholmen. The museum houses a collection of art from 1900 to now, and some 100,000 photographs dating from 1840s. They also have works by renowned Swedish artists like Vera Nilsson and Siri Derkert, if you're looking for something more current.Upcoming exhibitions include works from Yoko Ono's art instruction manual 'Grapefruit' and an enquiry into the relationship between painting and performance art. Luckily, they offer free guided tours in English, for those that need to brush up on their art knowledge. And, if you're art'ed out, head outside and take a stroll around the island.
Fee: Adult: SEK 100
Price sample: Brunch: SEK 265
Open Hours: Tue: 10am - 8pm
Wed-Sun: 10am - 6pm
Brunch, Sat-Sun: 11.30am - 1.30pm, 2pm - 4pm
Address: Exercisplan 4, Skeppsholmen
Phone: +46 8 519 552 00
Modern Museum's webpage
See & Do
Trip to the archipelago
Stockholm's archipelago has 24,000 islands and summer homes to lust after
Word to the wise: Buy a travel card at the Waxholmsbolaget office at Strömkajen to spend up to five days traveling around the archipelago.
Popular plate: Book a table at Sandhamns Värdshus and enjoy the harbor view and the quintessentially Swedish smoked salmon plate.
Fjäderholmarna is the island closest to Stockholm and is only a 20-minute boat ride. Its beautiful cliffs and Swedish village atmosphere makes it perfect for a day trip. Stop by the shops selling traditional Swedish handcrafts and then rest up at one of the restaurants by the water.
If you have a bit more time, take the 2 1/2-hour boat ride out to Sandhamn, one of the most popular islands and one of the last in the archipelago. The walking is great; you can meander in between the typical red and white Swedish houses and admire the massive yachts parked in the harbor.
Fee: Tickets: SEK 110-300 round-trip Address: Catch the Fjäderholmarna ferry at Slussen, and the Sandhamn ferry at Strandvägen. Waxholmsbolaget's webpage
See & Do
Fotografiska
World-class photography in a world-class setting
Noteworthy for: Fotografiska's top floor boasts spectacular views over Stockholm that can be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows, which used to be the loading doors at this former customs house.
Word to the wise: It's easy to miss the final exhibition room next to the cafe upstairs - but you'll regret it if you do.
Critics have praised Fotografiska for its well curated shows and impeccable taste. Indeed, it's when you find yourself drifting from an exhibition on fashion photography to insightful documentary photos from war-torn countries that you realise how special this place is.
In addition to the varied exhibitions - which have ranged from Nick Brandt's enigmatic animal shots to celebrity portraits by Anton Corbijn - they also host debates, club nights with DJs and even offer photography courses.
Fee: Adult: SEK 110 Open Hours: Daily: 10am - 9pm Address: Stadsgårdshamnen 22 Phone: +46 8 509 005 00 Fotografiska's webpage
Shopping
Svenskt Tenn
Iconic, colorful and contemporary Scandinavian home decor
Noteworthy for: Svenskt Tenn has been the most fashionable interior design shop in Stockholm since the 1930s.
Svenskt Tenn's design aesthetic is iconic; essentially Scandinavian but with a mix of bright colors, different furniture styles and a dash of Viennese elegance. This is the legacy of its founders and its efforts to maintain it have won them many loyal customers.Visit their current store, which is housed in an old movie theater called the Astoria. Traverse the tiered shop slowly and take in all of the colorful, intricate details in their products. The prices are steep, but a printed tray may just be the perfect souvenir or gift.
Open Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am - 7pm
Sat: 10am - 4pm
Sun: 12noon - 4pm
Address: Strandvägen 5
Phone: +46 8 670 16 00
Svenskt Tenn's webpage
Shopping
Biblioteksstan district
A pedestrianized shopping mecca for those with deep pockets
Noteworthy for: The former Kreditbanken building at Norrmalmstorg was the site of the famous bank robbery in which the hostages sympathized with their captor, sparking the term "Stockholm Syndrome".
This new pedestrian shopping district between Stureplan and Norrmalmstorg boasts international luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Karen Millen, as well as their Swedish counterparts Acne, Tiger and Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair.Pop into the small gallery of Birger Jarlspassagen where you can browse Swedish designer Efva Attling's internationally coveted jewelry. On Biblioteksgatan, you'll find Swedish designer Filippa K, H&M's more exclusive sister store COS, and Urban Outfitters, which is housed in an old theater complete with giant crystal chandeliers.
Don't leave without popping into home decor shop Svensk Tenn just off Birger Jarlsgatan if only just to see their colorful, upbeat fabrics and to feel their luxuriously soft throw blankets.
Open Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am - 7pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 5pm
Bibloteksstan's webpage
Restaurants
Rolfs Kök
Simply incredible food at this modern Swedish classic
Popular plate: Be bold and try the Pernod flambéed sweetbread with wild garlic and white asparagus.
The food philosophy at Rolfs Kök is simplicity and high quality without much flourish. The result is stunningly fresh, delicious food, and you can observe its preparation through the open kitchen.The menu takes its cue from the changing seasons; you can always expect the freshest produce and the tenderest cuts of meat and fish. The expert in-house sommelier has also made wine suggestions for each dish so you can take your nose out of the wine list and enjoy the relaxed and personal ambiance.
Price sample: Main dish: SEK 195 - 355
Open Hours: Mon-Fri: 11.30am - 1am
Sat-Sun: 5pm - 1am
Address: Tegnérgatan 41
Phone: +46 8 10 16 96
Rolfs Kök's webpage
Restaurants
Pubologi
Hybrid bar, pub and restaurant offers delicious results
Popular plate: Try the charcoal-grilled Black Angus steak; it is fantastic.
Ever wonder what you would get if you mixed a traditional British pub, an American diner and an upscale restaurant? Pubologi, a new restaurant already well known for its food and innovative design.The owners call it their interpretation of a gastro pub and offer diners dishes that fuse Southern European, London pub and American diner influences. The room is small and accommodates a long, high table where guests sip on beer from a list that changes even as the night wears on.
Plates come in half portions, so order two for the equivalent of a main.
Price sample: Plate: SEK 100-190
Hamburger plate: SEK 260
Open Hours: Mon-Sat: 5.30pm - 11pm
The restaurant closes Jul 1st - Aug 1st
Address: Stora Nygatan 20
Phone: +46 8 506 400 86
Pubologi's webpage
Restaurants
Hjerta
High-class food in an idyllic and rustic setting
Popular plate: A perfect dinner begins with scallops and ends with crème brûlée. So good.
Word to the wise: The lovely patio at the quay is the perfect lunch spot, but be prepared to wait as others think so too.
Expect Swedish food with a French twist. The turbot, a European flat fish, with artichokes, shallots and parsley makes you want to go back again and again, and the quiet and attentive staff fit perfectly with the relaxed atmosphere.
Price sample: Main course: SEK 165-315
Open Hours: Summer, 12noon-3pm, 5pm-10pm
Rest of year, Mon-Sat: 11.30pm-2.30pm, 5pm-10pm
Address: Slupskjulsvägen 28B
Phone: +46 8 611 41 00
Hjerta's webpage
Bars & Nightlife
Nobis Lounge and Gold Bar
Drink under the stars at one of Stockholm's most beautiful bars
Noteworthy for: The glass ceiling in the Lounge is an impressive 28 meters high.
Tipple of choice: Gold Bar manager Robby Radovic won a spot on the Swedish bartender team with his drink Que Tal, a mix of rum, lime juice and saffron.
Both elegant bars buzz with activity in the evenings and weekends, and they boast an impressive menu of cocktails and Italian bar snacks. Grab a drink here after a tasty meal in Östermalm and sink into the comfy chairs in what the proprietors call 'Stockholm's living room'.
Open Hours: Gold Bar: Mon-Thu, Sun: 5pm - 1am
Fri-Sat: 4pm - 12midnight
Lounge, daily: 6pm - 1am
Address: Norrmalmstorg 2-4
Phone: +46 8 614 10 00
Nobis Hotel Gold Bar and Lounge's webpage
Bars & Nightlife
Sturehof and Obaren
Classical Swedish seafood in a square where no one goes to bed early
Word to the wise: Grab a table on the terrace outside for a late afternoon drink or early dinner and enjoy the people watching. It's good here.
Sturehof, located in the upscale and pricey Stureplan neighborhood, serves traditional Swedish seafood dishes that include Toast Skagen, herring and salmon with dill potatoes.The terrace outside is open most of the year and is a popular place to have drinks, especially after dinner and into the night. There are three different bars at Sturehof, each of which offers a different atmosphere with music late.
Obaren is the crowded club upstairs that specializes in live music performed by well-known and not-so-well-known artists. Past guests have included the Latin Kings and Chris Cornell.
Age: 21
Open Hours: Mon-Fri: 11am - 2am
Sat: 12am - 2am
Sun: 1pm - 2am
Address: Stureplan 2
Phone: +46 8 440 57 30
Sturehof's webpage
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