About a year after our trip to Gothenburg, we headed back to Sweden, but this time to the capital, Stockholm. Although we loved Gothenburg, Stockholm showed us a completely different side of the country, especially during the festive season.
This time we stayed in Gamla Stan, the old town. It was the best decision: the narrow, medieval streets, colorful houses, and cobblestone squares immediately captivated us. We lived just a few blocks from the famous Christmas market, so we only had to walk out in the evenings to enjoy the smell of mulled wine (glögg) and the authentic Nordic holiday atmosphere.
Of course, sightseeing was also a must. We visited the Nobel Prize Museum, which provided a fascinating insight into the history of the world’s most important award and the lives of the laureates. We visited all the important landmarks in the area, from the Royal Palace to the hidden little courtyards.
What impressed us the most in Stockholm was the abundance of water. As the city is built on 14 islands, the meeting of the sea and Lake Mälaren gave every walk a special, pure atmosphere. During one of our long strolls, in the cozy Södermalm district, we came across a true legend, The Tea Centre of Stockholm.
This shop is like stepping into an old English novel. Antique interior, patinated wooden shelves and wooden boxes everywhere. Here we also found the famous Söderblandning blend, which is one of the symbols of the city. We couldn’t help ourselves, we packed a lot of specials so that we could recall the magic of Stockholm at home during the long winter evenings.
When it was time to go home and we arrived at the airport, we were surprised to find that our flight would be delayed by hours. Instead of waiting in the terminal, we decided to take advantage of the time and head to nearby Uppsala for lunch and a bit of sightseeing. Since there is a direct bus from the airport, we were in the city within half an hour.
Uppsala immediately charmed us with its dignified yet youthful atmosphere. It is Sweden’s most famous university city, where the buildings of the university founded in 1477 and the huge Gothic cathedral dominate the skyline. We took a very pleasant walk through the charming streets and along the riverbank, then looked for a good restaurant where we said goodbye to the Swedish flavors with an excellent lunch.
These few hours were just enough to taste the tranquility of Uppsala before we took the bus back to the airport.
