Things to Do in Stockholm in Three Hours
Eight Ways of Experiencing City Life in Sweden with Stockholmers
Jul 30, 2008
When travellers arrive in Stockholm, the Swedish city’s people, the architecture and art, outdoor life with sailing, cycling, running and walking plus the high end design in clothing, jewellery and furniture will all excite their senses.
Having three hours to spare during a visit to Stockholm, gives plenty of choice of things to do well in Stockholm. Eight is considered a lucky number - so in no particular order, eight things to do in Stockholm in three hours include cycling, swimming, eating, reading, shopping, viewing, talking and walking.
Cycling in Stockholm
Watching large streams of cyclists travelling to work in the early morning is a breakfast sight for travellers staying in hotels, such as Grand Hotel, near the Stockholm Royal Palace. Bicycles for hire are in good supply in Stockholm. With a handlebar street map and sightseeing plan, the clearly signed cycle ways on wide pavements and roads will be easy to follow for a 1 and ½ hours out and back cycling tour around Stockholm.
Swimming in Stockholm
Långholmen has a swimming area for serious and leisure swimmers. Alternatively, swimmers can try Smedsuddsbadet at Rålambshovsparken for a couple of hours of swimming time in Stockholm.
Eating in Stockholm
Three hours – or an afternoon - in Stockholm can be well spent eating and drinking in a café bar or restaurant. Visitors who are staying in Östermalm or Södermalm will find choice of places to eat Swedish food, either outdoors on the pavement or intimate booths and tables inside, while in Stockholm.
Reading about Stockholm
Many books have been set in Stockholm and are available in Sweden and from online booksellers. Readers of crime novels may enjoy the crime novels of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö featuring Martin Beck at the Central Bureau of Investigation in Stockholm. The Laughing Policemen in the Martin Beck series was translated from the Swedish by Alan Blair (Harper Perennial, 2007).
Foodies will be excited at the Swedish cookery and food culture book selection found in the English Bookshop on Level 3 in Nordiska Kompaniet.
Shopping in Stockholm
Nordiska Kompaniet is considered a premier department store in Stockholm, like Selfridges in London or La Samaritaine of Paris. Nordiska Kompaniet or NK is a landmark for visitors to Stockholm, with its rotating NK clock on the roof. Three hours will not be enough time to explore the Swedish culture through shopping for clothes, jewellery, cookware and interior decorations or in the food hall, but it will be a start.
Talking and Walking in Stockholm
Travellers will mix with Stockholm’s families and couple when visiting Rosendals Gardens. Perfect for three hours of recharging time among the plants and animals, eating organic food in the café and buying something to take home from the bakery or the plant shop.
Rosendals Tradgard can be found on Djurgarden. From May to September, Stockholm’s summer season, Rosendals Gardens, Café, Bakery and Plant Shop are open at the weekend 11am to 6pm and Monday to Friday 11am to 5pm.
Most Swedes in Stockholm will speak excellent English and the informality of Rosendals will give chance to start a conversation in Swedish or English.
Viewing Gamla Stan, Stockholm
With three hours to spare in Stockholm, and perhaps desiring some time to reflect upon Swedish life, past and present, the Old Town or Gamla Stan presents itself as a densely packed medieval part of Stockholm. Although compact in its physical size – it may take a visitor less than 20 minutes to walk the length of Gamla Stan – it’s the density of what there is to see there will take up to three hours to do justice to.
Anne Desnos in her A Great Weekend in Stockholm: Get to Know Stockholm in Just a Few Days (Hachette, 2002) is one book that can offer further details on things to do in Stockholm in three hours.
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