Begin your day as you did yesterday, but on this gorgeous, sunny Stockholm day, you’ll exit the Radisson SAS Strand’s front door and head to your right instead of to your left.
Follow the water and the walkway that curves around the harbor. Take a moment to breathe in the view when you reach Skeppholmsbron (”bron” means “bridge”). Looking across Norrstrom harbor, you’re admiring the Royal Palace (you’re in a kingdom, remember, with a king, queen and princesses). You’re also looking at your next destination, Gamla Stan. Continue Reading »
In a tiny cafe at one end of Gamla Stan’s Stortorget square, a frothy cappuccino serves as the centerpiece for a scene that is quintessentially Stockholm.
In the center of the oversized cup, coffee has been deliberately dripped onto the foamy realms to form a heart, an unintended icon that takes the same shape as Stockholm’s Old Town when seen from the lofty heights of City Hall Tower.
The Old Town, or Gamla Stan as it is known, has been a meeting place since 1252. Today, more than 800 years later, it continues to pulsate as the heart of Stockholm.
As on most days here at the uber-cozy, candlelit and tiny Chokladkoppen, espresso machines hiss as patrons poke their heads through the front door in hopes of finding a vacant table. Those sitting at the tables and those wanting to occupy them are all drawn here by the same primordial urge: the need to fika.
What’s fika? You’ll read about that in a moment. For now, stay with me. You’re about to learn how to spend two days that you’ll never forget in one of the world’s most beautiful — and fascinating — cities. Continue Reading »
The Facts — The newly refurbished Sheraton Stockholm is a large downtown hotel in a convenient location for touring Stockholm and offering stunning views of Lake Mälaren.
Opposite the waterfront and not far from either the Central Station for the Metro or the Arlanda Express for transport to and from the airport, the Sheraton is only a short walk over a bridge to Gamla Stan (the Old Town) and numerous other city attractions.
Visit the Stockholm Visitors Board's official website.
Agent Webinar Welcome to Stockholm Join travel writer and Avid Cruiser, Ralph Grizzle along with Josefin Haraldsson of the Stockholm Visitor's Board for an educational webinar featuring one of the world's most popular cruise destinations. Note that the webinar is designed primarily for travel agents, but anyone with a curiosity about Stockholm can benefit.
