I have always wanted to start a trip in Scandinavia. This year, I did have a chance to plan it. The starting point should have been Sweden. I don’t know where and when to go next, but I know that this journey will continue.
We booked our flights back in June and luckily scheduled our visa appointments in the early days of July. The visa processes went fast and smoothly. It’s said that the response of Sweden’s Consulate General will be sent between 14-45 days, and yes, ours were ready on the 14th day.
Let’s talk about the exciting part – the preparation before travelling. The people who know me can easily say that I am a systematic and planned person. So I’ve researched many things about the culture, environment, cuisine, people and things to do! My map was already full of pinned places and spectacular landscapes. Especially, when it comes to maps, I am the one who enjoys the most!
The itinerary included two biggest cities of Sweden: Stockholm and Gothenburg.
Stockholm
When we landed in Stockholm, the weather was just okay. Cloudy but not rainy. But later days, it came out that the city shines on sunlight as you can see below photos of Gamla Stan. It’s the old town of Stockholm, and its history dates back to the 13th century. Each street and place looks pretty antique. I will not be sharing lots of information that might be unnecessary here. Instead, here are iconic buildings on a lovely day.
There is a hidden paradise in Gamla Stan. It’s a science fiction bookstore, Science Fiction Bokhandeln. There was a moment when I had a hard time leaving it! There were many nerdy stuff, including fictional realm’s cookbooks and RPG/board games. The 16-year-old me would have lived here. So I wanted to share this as a memoir.
While walking to the north region (Norrmalm) from the south part (Södermalm), we encountered lots of city museums, bridges and canals. It’s said that even though the city is founded on 14 separate islands, it’s divided into two main parts (north and south). Gamla Stan, Norrmalm and Östermalm are on the north side of the city. While these places seem very modern and elegant, the south part looks like a mix of cultures.
I did not think that we could have a chance to be this close to a Baltic beach! During our stay in Stockholm, we went to Grisslinge Havsbad in Varmdö. As is shown in the photos, the weather was fantastic and a few local families were swimming together. The place was full of happiness and tranquillity. Likewise, we travelled to Vaxholm by ferry (Line 83). It was a small but cute town just 1-hour away from Stockholm. The rightest photo was taken there.
On the contrary of Grisslinge Havsbad and Vaxholm, we also went to see Drottningholm Palace on the west side of Stockholm. It is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. It was built in the late 17th century, and preserved properly. The royal family of Sweden still lives here as a private residence. So, that might be the reason why this place is so popular. The garden of the palace is a big area and has many beautiful sceneries.
Gothenburg
On the fifth day of our journey, we travelled to Gothenburg which is the second biggest city in Sweden. It is a beautiful but also a boutique city. We have seen Haga (the old town), Heden, Nordstaden and Eriksberg districts. Most of the buildings in the city center are protected very well, but there are also more modern structures which go beyond my expectation. Besides that, the city center is very walkable. Especially, Kungsgatan and Kungsportsavenyen are the streets that I really like. Unfortunately, we don’t have any appropriate photos of the center for this blog post. However, we have such great shots of the Gothenburg Cathedral and Centralstation.
The city center is not the only place we’ve seen for sure. We also visited Gothenburg Botanical Garden (Botaniska Tradgarden) during our stay. It is a huge area filled with various particular gardens from almost all over the world. Each section is surrounded by endemic plants and trees. If you are curious about it, you can find more details on its official website here. I highly recommend seeing this place on a sunny summer day.
Final Words
Our trip to Sweden was full of nice memories and self-consciousness. The Scandinavian journey series has begun, and it will continue for sure. I would like to go and visit these places again one day. Lastly, I want to thank my partner in crime and people who helped us to see some of these hidden gems.
Ps. All photos are taken with Canon EOS M50 and iPhone 15 Pro.