3 Days in Stockholm with 12 Things to Do

Sweden is different than most places we have been.  There isn’t that many “touristic” spots to see in the area.  It was absolutely a struggle to find things to see other than several famous museums.

I think 2 to 3 days in Stockholm is plenty of time and everyone says that the best time of year to go is in the summer.

5 Things that are Unique about the Sweds:

1. Most Swedish people have the same type of look: Tall, blonde hair, and blue eyes.
2. We love taking tours everywhere we go. It helps save time and you get to hit most of the places you want to see in a reasonable amount of time.  In Stockholm, there really is only one or two tours given. You can literally walk the entire town in about 1 hour.
3. The pace of life there is also very slow, no one is in a rush to serve you, get you a bill, answer questions, or even get places.  We found ourselves impatient when we wanted to get things done immediately.
4. Friendliness and hospitality isn’t as predominant as in other countries.  For example, people in Greece were so happy to help us when we got lost, had a question, etc…  But in Sweden, we found it very difficult to get help from people.
5. Things don’t open early.  Our concierge was telling us about all the spots to see and told us we should leave the hotel early at 10 AM.  I said we are up at 8 AM, she looked at us shocked.  She said, places don’t even open until 10 or 11 AM, so why rush.
6. Sweden is a socialist country, which means free college for kids, free healthcare for all, and a standard base salary for everyone.  It’s hard for American’s to comprehend, but in Sweden, the minimum amount of paid leave is six weeks.

In America, the average is two to three weeks of vacation, which is why Lisa and I feel like we are running out of time to explore the world.

10 Interesting Facts about Sweden

1. Sweden is the most credit card friendly country in the world. Check out an article here.
2. Understand the word FIKA. Compared to America, Sweden has a very good work/life balance.  Fika is a term used for a coffee break.
3. Almost 89% of Swedish people speak English
4. Most places close around 5 PM
5. Everyone drinks tap water because it’s so clean.
6. A majority of healthcare is free
7. Staying healthy is not an option, it’s a lifestyle.
8. Swedish parents are entitled to 480 days of paid parental leave—and of those, 60 days are reserved for the father
9. They love the taste of black licorice
10. Sweden was the first country in the world to introduce standardized time, which was necessary to make understandable train tables

12 Things to Do in Stockholm

Stockholm isn’t very large. You can walk the entire area in about 1 hour.

1. Walk through Galma Stan- Called the Old City. Here is the famous row of colorful buildings that you will see on many postcards.
2. Tour the Royal Palace
3. Visit the Photograph Museum
4. Visit the Nobel Prize Museum
5. Tour the Vasa Museum
6. Take a stroll through the History Museum
7. See the Parliament House
8. Roam the streets
9. Go by the waterfront. It’s beautiful!
10. Have an afternoon tea at Chaikhana
11. See the city at night.
12. Hop on a train to another city. Just make sure you know where you are going, everything is in Swedish.Other Suggestions

• Skyview
• ABBA Museum