My 6 Favorites: The Different Faces of Stockholm
By: Lisa Jeuck
Stockholm is, without a doubt, a very versatile city. From modern to old, from posh to hipster – Stockholm has it all. In the following, you’ll get to know my favourite faces of Sweden’s capital, but be sure: there is so much more to see!
Medieval Stockholm
Let’s begin with the probably most known part of Stockholm: Gamla Stan (Old Town) with its famous Stortorget, the oldest square in Stockholm and the heart of the Old Town. Gamla Stan is one of Stockholm’s 14 islands and the one where everything began back in 1252. Beautiful, colorful little houses are lined up along narrow alleyways that take you back in time. Everytime I stroll around, I discover new alleys, new houses and new details. You can find a lot of sights, such as the Royal Palace and a lot of churches, museums and antiques shops here.
The Posh Capital
One of the largest parts of Stockholm is Östermalm. Built after the Parisian model in the middle of the 19th century, this district has established itself as the luxury quarter of Stockholm. Although I’m on a student budget, I love window shopping at Birger Jarlsgatan, one of the main streets in Östermalm, where all the luxury boutiques (Chanel, Prada, etc.) and the central square, Stureplan, are located. Looking at all the detailed, arty and posh townhouses always let me forget that I actually live in Lappis. Humlegården and Kungsträdgården, both big and beautiful parks in Östermalm, belong to my favourite places in Stockholm, too. Speaking about my favourite places: Nybroplan. It’s a bay in Östermalm and the water around all these old house gives it the typical Stockholm character.
The Island-City
As mentioned above, Stockholm consists of 14 islands. This means there is a lot of water, which makes this city even more unique. A lot of bridges are located around the city and from each you have a great view. I personally love the Skeppsholmsbron because there you can see both Nybroplan and Gamla Stan. It is also a very famous photography location since the bridges are decorated with a crown on each side, one of the typical symbols of the city.
Additionally, there are some ferries provided by the Stockholm Public Transport (SL), which bring you from one island to another. The perfect way to connect a long stroll on Djurgården and Skeppsholmen! In the winter, a part of the water is frozen and a lot of people go skating or skiing on the ice. I also dared walking on the ice and it was amazing!
The Young and Hipsterish Town
Södermalm, a large island in the south of Stockholm, is well known as the place to be when it comes to students and parties. With its many bars, cool cafes, concerts, second hand shops and markets, it’s a popular place to spend a sunny weekend. The buildings are typical to Stockholm, which means: 50 shades of yellow and round oriels. Although the houses are significantly less detailed and simpler, the hills and cobbled streets give Södermalm its distinctive character. A very popular spot is Monteliusvägen, an amazing view point from which you have a great view over Riddarholmen, Gamla Stan and the Stockholm City Hall.
The City of Art Deep Underground
One of the things I deeply love about Stockholm is the metro, cutely named tunnelbana. Not only does it give me the big city feeling every time I stand on the endless escalators – Stockholm’s t-bana is often referred to as one of the largest art galleries in the world. Over 90 of 100 stations are decorated with art. I’ve only managed to see some of them so far, but here are my favourites: T-Centralen (blue line), with its stunning blue painting, Hötorget as one of the original 1950s stations with a special neon light installation on the ceiling, and Kungsträdgarden, a very colorful and impressive station. One station you shouldn’t miss: the Odenplan Pendeltåg station, where you can discover a beautiful pinkish light installation which captures the heartbeat of the artists son during his childbirth.
