If you have been following along at home, you’ll know the deal: we are spending two or three months in various locales around the world for about the next three years. But, since we’re in the neighborhood, we thought we’d pop over to Stockholm. Just for ten days, actually – surprise!
And – also surprise! – we could not find an apartment in Stockholm; we had heard that Airbnb did not work so well in Sweden and that was our experience. So we live in a hotel now, for just under two weeks. We’ve cleverly arranged things so that we only need to open up one suitcase (or so we hope), and we’ll be seeing the sights and eating the eats. That means our Stockholm posts will focus on tourism. And food.
Here’s where we live: the Scandic Sjöfartshotellet, Södermalm. Stockholm comprises fourteen islands, and this one is just south of the old core of the city. We’re on the northern edge, so an easy walk to many sights. And Södermalm itself – hilly, formerly-working-class-but-now-hip, full of cafés and bars, is our kind of neighborhood. It’s where Strindberg set The Red Room and also where Lisabeth Salander spent a lot of her (fictional) time.
One thing we were excited about living in a hotel was having a bathtub. (We don’t actually take a lot of baths, but not having the opportunity in Oslo made us miss them.) Tragically, this bathroom does not have a bathtub. But there is a sauna in the gym area. Like most hotel rooms, there are not great reading lights BUT there is an overhead light, which makes a difference. And, of course, there’s not nearly as much space as we’re used to. But – as we said – it’s a great location and as tourists in Stockholm, we won’t be spending much time in the room in any case.
There is no kitchen, but we are ok with that given the copious breakfast buffet. (Also, no dishes to wash.) These hotel buffets are regular across Scandinavia, and they’re usually enormous. There is space to exercise, just barely, but there’s also a gym, as we’ve mentioned. Which we’ve already been to!
Stay tuned for a smörgåsbord of adventures from the beautiful city of Stockholm!
