Stockholm

It is super camp and fun, intends to have a different vibe from history or art museums, it has interactive stuff anyone can enjoy, and pretty good music. The shop is the greatest place to get alternative souvenirs for your friends, like Agneta-shaped fridge magnets.

It's a bit of a messy walk from Slussen to the building because of all the construction, but the building is nice, and they have a nice gift shop too. At the top there is a restaurant with nice views. They have some lockers in the basement with a digital lock that most people need like 20 minutes to figure out, but it adds to the experience.

A pretty large permanent collection with cool stuff like a pool of mud that makes sounds (my fave), and some great temporary exhibits. The museum is in Skeppsholmen, which is also nice for a short walk and views. There are fun sculptures outside the museum too. Right next door there is an architecture museum named ArkDes that's also nice to see. Good cafes on both. And the museum shop is also good for presents.

A lot of good classic art, plus a very nice cafe

It's a bit like the Victoria and Albert Museum in that there is a lot of variety and some things are interesting and others are not, but there is something for almost everyone. Also some interesting exhibits sometimes.

Maybe an alternative to the Nobel Prize Museum. Also tons of random stuff thrown together. The building is nice.

You can probably skip going into the actual gallery unless you need to use the toilets (for free). But the area is so nice, just go up the hill, see the views. ABBA's The Visitors cover photo was shot in that building next to the gallery. Sit on the bench and have a drink there.

People go nuts for the ship; it almost feels bad to say you have been in Stockholm and NOT seen the Vasa. But the appeal depends on how much you actually like ships or dioramas explaining how everyone horribly drowned. But also, some interesting meta-learnings on how the ship was basically a project management fail: too many features can sink your product.

Hip gays swear by this place. If you prefer SOFO vibes over Mariatorget, this is the place to go.

This is a cycling-themed cafe—not that I have ever seen anyone with a bicycle or cycling gear in there. Food is good.

For the vibes. The Mariatorget gays and (upscale) hipsters like it. I don't think there is anything particularly remarkable about it; it is just a nice cafe.

This is like the Starbucks of Sweden. Actually this chain basically killed Starbucks over here. There are like one or two Starbucks left, but there are Espresso Houses everywhere else. Not the best food, and some of the places could use some maintenance, so it can be a bit hit or miss.

People who hate Vete-Katten normally like Fabrique. More industrial-looking decor, mismatched chairs and tables that look like they have been stolen from a homeless shelter. Fabrique places will make you feel bohemian while asking quite a lot of money for a sandwich. The breakfast sandwiches are good, actually. They have some bread with walnuts that is very tasty. And some flatbread with seeds that works better if you are on a low-carb, high-fat diet. The Fabrique in Slussen is super spacious and you can also sit outside.

This was super hyped a few years ago. EVERYONE wanted to have brunch on Sunday there. I think the furore went down together with the popularity of the avocado toast. Still pretty decent food.

If Drop Coffee is full, you come here and see if they have space. Other than that, people seem to like the coffee. I don't drink coffee, so I can't really have an opinion. But it is a "respected" brand of coffee and some of the offices I have worked in served this brand.

A bit of a cave, but super convenient cafe that serves vegan food and treats. Very relaxed atmosphere if you need a bite around Sergel and don't want the typical fast food, or anything fancy.

A nice alternative to the larger chains. I go a lot because they have a place right around the corner from me. The grilled sandwiches are good! They have a lot of weird overpriced lemonades, which are good when you don't drink coffee or alcohol.

Honestly, when you don't drink coffee or eat pastries, all these places around Mariatorget are the same. You just go to the one that has a place to sit. People like what they bake here, from what I understand.

Well, I think they have like 3-4 of these in the city, but go to the one on Kungsgatan. Before ordering anything, just walk around. It has these old-lady tea-room vibes that some people love (like me) and some people hate. Their overnight oats are probably laced with cocaine; there is no other way to explain how addictive they are. Tourists usually go there for the princess cake. They are open late—like 20h, but that's late for cafes.

Gamla Stan usually has a lot of tourist-trap places serving meatballs or fancy bistro stuff, and this is a decent urban vegan place.

There are a few of these around the city. Food is pretty good, with decent vegan options. The Banh-mi to go is a premium alternative to buying a sandwich at a supermarket if you want to eat in a park or while taking a walk.

If you are in Skanstull, there are a few nice places you can go, but I like this one. They serve falafel and halloumi in various combinations and they have interesting decor.

The most popular vegan buffet, and probably the best one. Up in the Söder hills overlooking Fotografiska and with great views. Food is mainly salads, stews, lasagna, curries, etc. Nice bread. Easy to overeat if you are not careful.

Salad chain all over the city. Good if in a rush and you need to eat something relatively healthy. They do "warm" dishes too. You can make your own mix if their menu doesn't work for you, which is what I do.

Delicious vegan food. Nice for brunch or lunch.

Well, been there only once, but it is a good alternative to the tourist meatball places in Gamla Stan. They make tons of varieties of meatballs including plant-based.

Love this place. Usually more relaxed than Mahalo, but maybe with less food variety. Mainly burgers, salads, wraps, and soup. In the summer they serve outside in the square.

Pistachio Ice Cream!

Pistachio Ice Cream!

There are several shops around the city, but the Mariatorget one is vegan-only. I don't think they have pistachio, though.

Other than the regular releases, they have a cycle of older movies, which is good for a Sunday morning at the cinema.

Premium cinema experience, nice architecture inside—it feels like you are in a historic place. You can go there and get served charcuterie, cheese, pizza, and cava. I have seen groups of women getting hammered while watching A Star Is Born, so yeah...

The only IMAX place in Stockholm.

The main cinema in the city centre, with 16 screens. Most commercial movies are released here.

This place was renovated a few years ago and they turned it into a fancy cinema with reclining motorised chairs, generous space, food and drinks. Very nice if they are playing a movie you want to see.

A royal residence, very nice building, nice gardens, nice everything. You can probably skip if you are here for 2 days, but otherwise, it is probably worth taking the trip.

Probably Stockholm's tourist hotspot. Everyone comes here. Just walk around; it's not that large.

Large park up north with a lot of historical buildings, like random temples, the Pavilion, Koppartälten (1800s building that looks like a tent with a cafe inside), etc. Can just be nice to walk around for an hour or two.

Not the largest park, but unlike Kungsträdgården, this is more of a classic, nice park with grass and trees, and you will find groups of friends sitting around having picnics and playing games.

Not so much of a park as a gathering place with some trees and some grass on one end. But it is nice. In winter you have the ice rink, in spring you get the cherry blossoms, and there is usually stuff happening, like concerts, events, publicity stunts, etc. There are cafes and restaurants on the sides.

Really nice views, and a charming walk uphill in Södermalm. Nice for photos of the city for your Instagram posts.

Small square, nothing that remarkable about it, but the surroundings have a lot of cafes and restaurants, and it has a bit of a gay neighbourhood vibe to it, with Side Track and SLM being around the corner.

You will probably visit it even if you don't plan to, just because it is in the middle of everything. On weekends there is always something going on, from art installations to interpretive dance to protests and more, and many times it's everything at the same time.

Charming island with museums and nice views. There is a small castle (Kastellet Stockholm) on the even smaller island to the south.

Nice building, nice views. You can get a guided tour. In the summer, it is common to see people getting married and taking pictures at the back while random topless people are doing yoga on the side. Contrasts are fun.

On top of being a nice park, you can walk around some cute wooden houses that are part of a community garden. Very charming.

If you are into palaces, this is one of the two you probably want to visit. Nice to look at; you can go in for a fee and see the museums. Outside, there is sometimes a changing of the guard and things like that. Surely there is a schedule somewhere; check online.

The main (only?) amusement park in the city. It has a slightly decadent vibe like something out of the 80s and I keep waiting for vampires to show up because I have seen Lost Boys too many times. But the rides are fun and you can have a great day in there.

You can go for the art, but really, most people go for the vibes. A nice-looking building near the water, walks around the forest, and super nice toilets (for real, they are the best). It is very relaxing over there. There is a boat that gets you there, and you see pretty houses along the way. You can also get there by bus, and you need to switch lines in Gustavsberg, which is super charming.

Let's face it. After you've seen the palace once, it is a bit boring to go back. So when my friends visit and want me to take them there, I trick them into taking the boat because it is always more exciting to be on a boat. This ride is on Lake Mälaren, and you take the boat from the pier near Stadshuset.

Going to Vaxholm is just an excuse to jump on a boat and go around the islands, which is really nice if the weather is good. You can walk around, have an ice cream or eat at a restaurant and then go back. There is a fortress museum on the island right across if you are super into that sort of thing.

Nice-looking and relatively new area that is easy to miss when passing by Gamla Stan. I haven't really taken a swim in there, and not sure I would, but it is still just relaxing to sit there. It has benches, swings, there is some sand, so maybe it does qualify as a beach!

I am not into nude beaches, but since I am constantly asked about this place, I am copying what Sniffies says: "Mixed nude beach with cruising in the woods up the mountain behind." Now you know.

The "main" gay beach in Stockholm, according to my friends. I have never been there, but according to Sniffies, "nude sunbathing and swimming on the cliffs. Cruising in the woods behind. Mixed nude beach at the northern tip, so don't go too far."

There are a few places you can swim on this island, so check the map. If you get tired of swimming, you can go and check out the hotel on the island that used to be a prison and get a drink there.

This is where I usually go because I live nearby. There are three decent-looking decks and a beach. I never go to the beach (there are kids), and the two decks on the north side are always full of people. I love the southern deck though. People swim in there and then they sit on the patch of grass nearby to sunbathe.

If you are too lazy to walk to Långholmen you can basically swim in Tanto. They are probably going to be equally crowded at peak time anyway. There is a sauna in there too, which is nice if you want the full experience.

There are a bunch of bars in Medborgarplatsen and also going up Götgatan. Honestly, I can't tell them apart, so you go there and find the one you like best. Further up the street and to the right there is Omnipollos Hatt, which some colleagues of mine were obsessed with. If you like weird beer and pizza in the most uncomfortably tight place possible, you should absolutely check it out!

Fairly spacious outdoor area with nice views. It can get a bit crowded but is nice and casual and you don't have to really dress up or anything. Sometimes they have live music.

More picturesque than Medborgarplatsen. With the little red houses around, it gives more hipster vibes (I mean, as hipster as gentrified SOFO gets these days). Not as many bars, but enough choice.

Cross the bridge from Mosebacke and go up the stairs. This is a newish place; the building was under renovation for a long time. You can just check the views and go, but if you want, you can also have a drink.

Gay bar that tourists don't realise is a gay bar, which is probably a good thing since the audience is quite mixed. Pub food, beers, etc. They have a nice area to sit outside.

One of the few gay bars around. Beers and pub food, that kind of vibe.

SLM is a membership club run by volunteers and basically a decent option, considering there is almost nothing else in Stockholm if you are looking for this kind of thing. The club is in an underground space and runs theme nights. Some days it is just a regular pub. On some other days it's leather, or rubber, etc., and you have to follow their dress code. Check the website.

Rooftop drinks. Honestly, not sure what else to say; I've been there once and had a lemonade. Seems very popular and there are usually queues in the summer.

Just a club, but it's curious to see with the bridge location and gets popular in the summer months; they also do concerts sometimes.

Tons of shops but fairly compact. Usually too loud, but going down to IKEA is always weirdly soothing, and the toilets next to it are wonderful. You have to pay 15 kr, but they have great lighting and bird-chirping noises that take peeing to a whole new level.

Yet another indoor shopping centre. This one is a bit more chill than Gallerian; it has quite a lot of restaurants distributed across several floors, plus some boutiques, but they are less flashy than the brands in Gallerian.

This is like Stockholm's Harrods; you know they have a bit of everything and most of it is probably overpriced. They even have Christmas animatronics (or whatever they are) in the windows that people stop and take videos of.

Like the posh version of Gallerian. Everyone here tends to be blonde and wear a blue suit. I would probably never set foot in this place, but the Björn Borg shop where I get my underwear is there and they run decent sales a few times a year. You also have to go in if you want to access the Sturebadet Spa.

Well, as the name says, it is in the city centre and it has historical vibes. Has a pool, various baths, and a ton of different saunas. Slightly cheaper than other alternatives.

Only been here once, but quite impressive facilities. The locker area is so nice that I spent most of the time there in the male sauna or reading. The pools and baths could be warmer but everything is so well maintained. They also have a small but pretty decent gym. And you can stay the whole day if you want, no pressure to leave in 3 or 6 hours like the other spas.

Everything you would hope for from a spa. Pool, steam saunas, etc. And they also have a gym. My friend Doanna had a membership to this place for a year and she loved it despite the price tag. Most other humans are probably OK going once every few years.

I like this one because it is a short walk away from my place, but it is pretty small. They have a nice pool (could be warmer but OK), a dry sauna, a couple of cold plunges, and a hammam, which is actually the best thing. The steam in there is just crazy, you can't even see the other people. They also have a gym if you want to use it.

My fave. Great for a chill day when you are super tired. If you are super super tired, an overnight is even better, and they have an amazing breakfast. It's just basically a bunch of pools and saunas you just circle around. You don't need to take anything; they give you a swimsuit and anything you need. Some of the packages include food, either lunch or dinner.