Our perfect day in Stockholm

From Island to Island with a Picnic in Tow

Casual Scandinavian Elegance

Sneakers with leggings and a maxi blazer, flowing trousers with simple white T-shirts, airy dresses in natural tones... We've long embraced the relaxed Scandinavian way of dressing.

It's no wonder that our first stop in Stockholm is often Acne Studios or Filippa K .

However, for us, there is more about the stylish yet comfortable outfits on a visit to elegant Stockholm.

While in other cities we might hop into an Uber to preserve our fancy shoes for the evening, in Stockholm, it's a shame to take a car.

Many paths of the city's on the islands lead along sparkling, rippling water where we can watch the boats and feel the wind on our faces. 

And overall, the city is far too captivating and exciting to just teleport from A to B.

We enjoy every journey.

And if we ever need to speed things up, scooters and bicycles from various providers are available for easy rental everywhere.

From Södermalm to Djurgården

A perfect day in Stockholm begins for us at the Frantz Hotel.

This small hotel in Södermalm is a true haven, where every guest is warmly cared for. 

Since we eat far too much at the delicious breakfast, we soon set off for a little walk along Monteliusvägen.

View of Stockholm's old town, Gamla Stan, from Monteliusvägen

The charming park path lies high above the northwestern shore of Södermalm and offers breathtaking views across to Gamla Stan and far beyond the cityscape.

We make a brief detour to Svedjan Bageri, to grab generously filled chocolate croissants and crispy sourdough rolls.

A quick stop at Gamla Amsterdam, to buy some cheese, and at Drop Coffee for iced filter coffee and Topaz apple juice, and a little picnic is already taking shape.

By now, breakfast has settled.

We stroll over to Gamla Stan, meandering through the old alleys to the Royal Palace and onwards to the magnificent Riksdagshuset

At Strömparterren, the small park terrace on the eastern part of Parliament Island, we unpack our snacks and watch the colorful boats setting off towards the archipelago and returning from there.

Refreshed, we walk along the harbor and across Strandvägen to the island of Djurgården.

Into Nature - Right in the City

"Djur" is the Swedish word for "animal" and Djurgården, the Animal Garden.

This 279-hectare-island, partly forested, was a royal hunting ground until 1809.

Even today, especially in the eastern part, it remains largely natural.

But in the west of Djurgården there is even more going on.

In front of the Vasamuseum lies the imposing warship "Vasa" from 1628, which impresses even those who aren’t particularly interested in maritime history and just happen to stroll by.

The charming amusement park Gröna Lund , dating back to 1883, is Sweden’s oldest.

We love strolling there in the evening at twilight when the colorful lights sparkle and the visitors high up in the chain carousel squeal with joy.

On a Midsummer afternoon, we once found ourselves at the Nordic open-air museum Skansen, which dates back to 1891.

During the Midsummer festival, all the shops and most restaurants in Stockholm are closed. Many Stockholmers head out to the countryside to visit their families.

Those who stay in the city, traditionally visit the old open-air museum, Skansen, to celebrate together.

Of course, we wanted to see it for ourselves...

Swedish families, nearly all dressed in traditional garb and adorned with flower crowns, were picnicking and dancing to Swedish music.

A traditional bakery sold yeast buns made the old-fashioned way.

General stores, a blacksmith’s shop, a ropemaker’s shop, a historic pharmacy, and much more can be seen here.

Spotted pigs and proud, colorful roosters live in farmyards, where old barns and small houses depict life in early Sweden.

We found this place, which we had expected to be unbearably touristy, to be charming, educational, and cheerful.

Midsummer at the Skansen open-air museum

But our destination for a perfect afternoon is Rosendals Trädgård.

These enchanting gardens with a café under the fruit trees and flowers to pick ourselves are one of our favorite spots in Stockholm. 

Here, the lively city noise gives way to an almost rural tranquility, and we daydream the afternoon away on our picnic blanket on the lawn.

A Swedish Sundowner

In a mild, relaxed mood, we return to the  Hotel Frantz and enjoy a small aperitif in the evening sun on the terrace. 

The warm light of the midsummer sun will linger with us until we retreat to our cozy room for the night.

But if we decide to head out once more, strolling through the green Humlegården in Östermalm to the restaurant Hantverket, the day could hardly get any better.

Perhaps only if we linger a bit longer at the Hantverket bar after the perfect meal.