CHRISTMAS IN STOCKHOLM
Stockholm is enchanting year round, but it is in the winter that the Nordic capital truly becomes her most majestic. It is the perfect place to travel to at Christmastime as the whole city partakes in festive merriment. Shops compete for the most charming window displays, buildings are wrapped in twinkly lights and the smell of saffron wafts out of every cosy coffee shop, inviting hour-long fika breaks. Add Christmas markets, snowy walks and ice-skating rinks into the mix and it is truly one of the best places to get into the festive spirit.
CHECK OUT A CHRISTMAS MARKET
The Christmas markets in Stockholm are the perfect place to explore to really get into the festive spirit! Follow the smells of spicy cinnamon and saffron and you’ll find stalls selling Glögg (Sweden’s version of mulled wine) and infamous cinnamon buns. On other stalls you’ll find handmade christmas ornaments, crafty goods, candied nuts and all manner of woolen goods. Check out Stortorget Julmarknad in the heart of the charming old town, open 11am-6pm every day this year November 19th- December 23rd. Surrounded by the gorgeous old buildings and decorated in twinkly lights, it’s one of the most magical places to visit during Christmastime. Skansen’s Christmas Market is another wonderful choice. Skansen is an open-air museum depicting traditional life in Sweden and is open year-round, but it comes alive at Christmas when market stalls set up shop and storeholders dress up in traditional clothes. Make sure to try some of the traditional Swedish food on offer and dance around the Christmas tree! The market is open Friday’s Saturday’s and Sunday’s November 25th-December 19th.
VISIT SKANSEN
Skansen’s open-air museum is a must during Christmas. Skansen depicts traditional Swedish life before the industrial era and is just absolutely charming in the winter months when the building’s are covered in snow. In late November into December, market stalls are set up selling delicious Swedish treats and homemade goods. Make sure to try some traditional Swedish food. We recommend ugnspannkaka, a delicious bacon pancake (veggie option also available!) cooked over an open fire and served with lingonberry jam and elderflower lemonade. It was to die for! Away from the market, there is still lots to explore on Skansen. Skansen demonstrates what once was in Sweden and so you can get lost exploring old buildings and farmsteads showcased by interpreters dressed up in traditional clothes. You’ll see Nordic animals spread out throughout the park and many different workshops taking place. Our advice is to simply just follow your feet and explore as much as you can! Friday – Sunday, 25 November – 18 December 10am-4pm.
GO FOR A WINTER WALK TO ROSENDALS TRADGARD
Stockholm is super easy to navigate on foot and I always think it’s the best way to explore anywhere. It had snowed when we visited Stockholm and it made everything look so festive and pretty. If you fancy a wintery walk that ends in cosy Fika, head to Rosendals Tradgard on the island of Djurgarden. As soon as you’re on the island, the walk becomes incredibly quiet and peaceful. The path leads along the water and presents dreamy views of the city behind. You’ll eventually end up at Rosendals Tradgard, a gorgeous collection of greenhouses and gardens serving up garden to table fare daily. The store this time of year is filled with christmas trees, ornaments and gifts and the menu offers delicious winter warmers. There was a choir performing when we visited and the whole experience felt incredibly festive!
WANDER THROUGH FESTIVE GAMLA STAN
Wander the cobbled lanes of Gamla Stan this time of year and you’ll feel like you’re in a winter wonderland. The buildings are plucked straight out of a storybook, charmingly enhanced with strung twinkly lights that light up the streets as the winter nights grow shorter. Shop windows compete to have the most festive display and it was so much fun to stop and look at them all. There is ample opportunity to do some christmas shopping, with shops selling adorable gifts and trinkets. I loved the secondhand shops in particular!
PARTAKE IN FESTIVE FIKA
We never need an excuse to park ourselves in a good coffee shop with a cappuccino and a sweet treat and we practice this ritual extremely frequently. We therefore knew we’d be in good company with the Swede’s in the land of Fika. Simply put, Fika is the art of taking a break and enjoying coffee and cake with loved ones. This time of year, as Stockholm has just a few hours a day of daylight, nothing beats cosying up in a cafe and relaxing. The Swedish are particularly known for their Cinnamon buns, which were absolutely incredible! During Christmastime, you’ll see S-shaped saffron buns everywhere which you should also try!
SIP SOME GLOGG
Sweden’s answer to mulled wine, Glögg is sold everywhere throughout the city during winter. Every cafe and restaurant has their own version and vendors pop up everywhere. It’s lovely enjoyed outside whilst perusing the Christmas markets and doubles as the perfect hand-warmer for the wintery weather! Glögg is almost always served with pepparkakor, which is the Swedish version of thin gingerbread, and the two go together wonderfully.
TRY A FESTIVE JULBORD
A Julbord is a traditional Christmas feast enjoyed by many Swede’s, particularly on Christmas Eve. During this time of year, heaps of restaurants are serving up Julbord menus so tourists and locals alike can enjoy feasting on many traditional Swedish foods. Restaurants serving Julbord’s go all out on the decorations which makes the experience all the more festive.
GO ICE-SKATING
Ice-skating is the perfect christmassy activity! There is nothing cuter than gliding along the ice as christmas songs play. We went to the rink at Kungsträdgården, which is right in the city, with plenty of skates available to rent. Come at night and you’ll be treated to a winter wonderland lit up by hundreds of fairy lights. One of us may have ended up with a cut head from a fall… so make sure to take care!
We had the best time visiting Stockholm during Christmastime and we are now officially in the festive spirit.
Happy Holidays!
