48 hours in: Stockholm

The achingly hip city of Stockholm is pipped to the post only by Copenhagen in the ‘most-visited’ race. This centre of cool is the catalyst for trend-setting fashions and cutting edge design, with a well-dressed set of residents that unwittingly create catwalks from the cobbles. Needless to say, it’s a dream destination for people watchers, who’ll never be short of a pavement café to pitch up in, coffee and kanelbulle in hand.

Design geeks, architecture enthusiasts and art lovers are all well catered for here. You’ll find a plethora of galleries and museums to explore over the 14 islands that make up the city. When skies are clear, its terracotta-toned buildings stand sandwiched between the azure blues of the sea and sky, making for a picturesque muddle of charming architecture that defines this modestly chic centre of style.

Day One

Get started in a place that fuses Stockholm’s savvy design-style with a dose of local history and head to City Hall. As it’s still a working building for the Municipal Council, a guided tour is essential and tours in English are available hourly (or every half an hour over the summer season). It’s well worth the 100 SEK (£7-8) as, for a full 45 minutes, you’ve not only got human knowledge-bank at your disposable but you also gain access to some undeniably impressive spaces.

City Hall

The Nobel Prize banquet it held in The Blue Hall, where you’ll find Scandinavia’s largest organ (with over 10,000 pipes) and The Golden Hall lies above, gleaming with wall-to-wall mosaics that depict Sweden’s history. From how the steps of the grand staircase were spaced, to the amount of gold it took to tile the dazzling eponymous space, you’ll leave with a bursting appreciation for this 19th-cenutry feat. For views over the city, you can purchase an additional ticket (50 SEK) and ascend the narrow passages that wind through the 106-metre tower, stopping at the Tower Museum on route.

For a bargain on Swedish design, you’re a short T-bana ride (or a half-an-hour walk away) from Acne Archive, where you’ll find this home-grown brand’s high-end menswear, womenswear and footwear at heavily discounted prices. Bag fashion forward footwear and a well-tailored suit or two for a real bargain, before heading towards Odenplan nearby to peruse the many antique shops that pepper the area. Stop into Tennstopet for a bite; it’s a charming neighbourhood restaurant and bar, serving craft ales on tap and Swedish home cooking amidst tartan fabrics, wood-panelled walls and mounted stags’ heads.

Acne Archive (courtesy of www.artschoolvets.com

In the afternoon, amble south to Gamla Stan – Stockholm’s old town, which boasts one of the largest and best preserved medieval city centres in Europe. Meander the cobbles to discover boutique shops, independent cafes and world-class museums. It’s here you’ll find The Royal Palace (one of Europe’s largest), or follow up on your Nobel journey with a visit to the Nobel Prize and Prize-winners’ Museum. A contemporary and highly engaging display is housed within the museum’s grand façade, all designed to ignite conversation and learning around the natural sciences and cultures.

For a true taste of Swedish cuisine head to Pelikan for dinner. There’s been a restaurant on this site since 1733, as the city’s last southern outpost before reaching the once-rolling countryside. ‘The Big Hall‘ has a classic, bistro feel, with rich wooden wainscoting, a hand-painted ceiling and impressive oil paintings comprising the décor. Dine from the Wholesaler’s Menu, which has been designed to represent the historical fare that would have satisfied the travelling traders of the day, or choose Swedish and European staples, served with innovative flair. Specialities include herring pickled four ways served with cheese, and Pelikan’s meatballs with cream sauce, gherkins and lingonberries. (Tip: if you’re a vegetarian, Herman’s is not to be missed; an all you can eat restaurant set on one of the waterside clifftops, with a large outdoor eating space affording wonderful views.)

Pelikan

Day Two

Start the day meandering through Södermalm, an area often likened to London’s Shoreditch for its vintage shops, stylish cafes, design stores and galleries. In 2014, it was ranked as the “coolest” neighbourhood in Europe by Vogue magazine, so take the chance to find out why. At street level, high street favourites are nestled against independent boutiques and designer fashion outlets, with some excellent homeware stores in between. Look up to the first floors to witness the city’s creative working scene, with design and advertising agencies jostling for a slice of this cool location.

Grab a spot in the window of Muggen for a restful hour or so of pavement gazing. Coffee is served in generously sized cut-glasses and it’s a great spot to try a kanelbulle (cinnamon bun) – a Swedish tradition that’s freshly baked, right on the premises. You can settle in for brunch or lunch, as there’s a good selection of healthy, light meals available throughout the day, from pasta salads and toasted sandwiches to omelettes and daily soups. Just moments from Slussen T-bana station, it makes the perfect pit stop before venturing on. Whilst here, it’s a short walk to Fotografiska – Stockholm’s slick centre for contemporary photography, with excellent temporary exhibitions.

Fotografiska (courtesy of www.beforethey.com)

You can’t visit Scandinavia without nodding to the Vikings, and the Historiska (Swedish History Museum) holds the largest collection of artefacts from the Viking Age in the world. Here, you can travel through time, starting with the ice age and finishing up at the present day, taking in all Sweden’s historical endurances and impressive triumphs. You’ll find the second ‘gold room’ of your trip here – a basement filled with Sweden’s treasures – and interactive displays mean you can try on Viking costumes and feel the weight of war-worthy armour. You can even eat like a Viking at Café Rosengården – simply order the ‘Viking Plate’.

Walk south and over the bridge to Djurgården to see a more hectic side to city life (passing the Abba Museum and confronting the Gröna Lund amusement park) to catch the boat to sleepy Skeppsholmen. It’s on this tiny, comparatively quiet island that you’ll find the Moderna Museet – Stockholm’s bolthole for contemporary art. Refuel in the restaurant, where you’ll find a small and traditional choice of salads and soups which can be enjoyed over sweeping views of the city. The permanent collection here packs a hefty punch, with original work displayed by Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol.

Luzette, Stockholm Centralstation

Finally, head to Stockholm Central Station with time enough to savour the offerings of Luzette. Here, you can kick-off your journey home in glamorous style. This contemporary brasserie was designed to imbue the long-lost luxury of travel, with beautifully designed spaces to relax within that incorporate brass, marble and wood – an aesthetically calming escape from the station’s frenetic vibe. The menu here serves meat cut fresh from the rotisserie and house specials, which incorporate fine dining ingredients like truffle crème, Kalix vendace roe and saffron. (Tip: booking online in advance is highly recommended – lookout for summer discounts, such at 40% off your food bill.)

Credits: cover images from BDO.

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