Stockholm, Sweden For Less Than 36 Hours

Previous Post: Qatar Airlines, Our Official Airlines To Sweden 

Stockholm, not just the capital city of Sweden but it's also the land of Ikea, H&M, Candy Crush and not forgetting the world notable Swedish meatballs. After approximately of 13 hours and 30 minutes of flight with Qatar Airlines with almost 3 hours of short transit in Doha Hamad International Airport, my friend and I had finally safely landed in one of the Scandinavian's big city. Feeling so surreal, but at the same time feeling pretty anxious too. 

#1: Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden 

HOW TO GET TO CITY CENTER FROM STOCKHOLM-ARLANDA AIRPORT

As usual, the immigration clearance was slightly tedious with few questions being asked but with all the complete documentations we had prepared earlier (such as flight tickets, hotel reservation), there's nothing to worry about. Just stay calm and be prepared always. 

From Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, there are several way to reach the city center but we opted for The Arlanda Express Train where we can access it at the lower level floor.  It departs every 15 minutes and the journey takes around 20 minutes to arrive at Stockholm Central Station. This option might be pricey compare to other means of transportation, but it's way more faster and convenient since we arrived pretty late at night. Budget vs safety, for sure I will choose the latter. 

 

#2: Arlanda Express Train to Stockholm Central Station

OUR STAY IN STOCKHOLM

We booked Old Town Lodge Stockholm for two good nights stay. It's a small cozy hostel situated in the heart of Stockholm, Gamla Stan with 4 different type of rooms; single room, double room, 4-bed room and cubicle-dormitory. We opted for the double room with shared bathroom. 

#3: Old Town Lodge Stockholm 

#4: Double bedroom with shared bathroom and shared kitchen 

Although the room might be small and compact, thankfully it's spotless clean and the bed is pretty comfortable. Just that there's no window within the room but we don't have any issue with that cause my friend and I spent most of our times wandering around the city. There is a small shared kitchen where you can find an oven, microwave, fridge, coffee machine and kettle - perfect for those who like to cook while travelling. The only thing we dislike about this is that they don't provide any bedsheet and we need to pack the bedsheet ourselves. 

Date Stayed: 10 September - 12 September 2016 (2 nights) 

Room Rate: SEK733 for a double bed room with shared bathroom (Booked via Booking.com)

How To Get To Old Town Lodge From Stockholm Central Station:

As the hostel located in Gamla Stan, one need to take metro from Stockholm Central Station to Gamla Stan Metro Station. And from there, it's about 7 minutes walk to the hostel. 

THINGS WE DO & SEE IN STOCKHOLM

1) Gamla Stan 

We kicked off the next morning by meandering through the colourful and picturesque medieval buildings and narrow cobblestone street of the Old Town of Stockholm. That's explain why I insisted to stay here, instead of choosing to stay nearby Central Station. Here, you will find countless of souvenir shops, authentic restaurants, craftwork boutiques and even the city's oldest cafe, Sundbergs Konditori. 

2) The Royal Palace (Sveriges Kungahus)

On the northern part of the Old Town, it's dominated by the classical and dynamic Royal Palace. This is the official residence of His Majesty The King and also the setting for most of the monarchy's official receptions. This combination of royal residence, workplace and culture-historical monument open to the public all year round. 

3) Riksdagshuset

It's the Parliament House of Sweden, sits on Helgeandsholmen Island. Just like The Royal Palace, Riksdagshuset is open for anyone wishing to attend a debate or public hearing. But because it's not within our interest, we're there just to take photos surrounding the building, especially the stunning bridge - it's perfect for the Gram.  

4) Avicii Arena 

Initially known as Stockholm Globe Arena and previously as Ericsson Globe, but commonly referred to in Swedish simply as Globen, is one of the Stockholm's modern landmarks. It's the world's largest spherical building and officially a national arena for the Swedish national hockey team. Up the iconic Avicii Arena, one can gain unparalleled and uninterrupted 360-degree views over the beautiful city from the glass cabin that scales the side of this impressive building.  

5) Stockholm Metro Station

Yes, the metro station of the city is a must-to-visit in your list when you're visiting Stockholm. Majority of the Stockholm's metro stations are spruced up with awe-inspiring statues, mesmerising murals and art installations on its platform, walls and even waiting hall. So spending a day in Stockholm by hopping from one station to another is basically like visiting the world’s longest art exhibition. You can read more here where I shared more photos. 

6) Swedish Meatball 

A trip to Sweden is incomplete without savouring the country's most famous culinary item - none other than Swedish Meatball. Unfortunately due to religious reason and because they unable to change to other, I have no choice but to opted for other. 

Swedish meatball paired with mashed potato and cranberries sauce (My friend's dinner)

My dinner - Pasta with chicken

This is the restaurant where we had our dinner

Ended our final night in Stockholm by stopping by Stortorget, a public square in Gamla Stan 

Basic Information About Sweden:

• For Malaysia, visa is NOT required for short visits to Sweden, not longer than 90 days. 
• Sweden has its own official currency and it's known as krona (SEK). From our past experiences, this currency is commonly found in any money changers, especially in Kuala Lumpur. [RM1 = 2.05 SEK] 
• However, do bring along your debit/credit card as the country is going cashless. I still vividly remember when we arrived Stockholm Central Station from the airport, we intended to buy metro ticket in order to reach the station near our hostel. Unfortunately, they only accept payment by card, not cash. Thankfully my friend brought along her cards that time. And don't forget to activate your cards for international usage at the nearest ATM machine in Malaysia before flying. 
• Although official language for Sweden is Swedish, don't worry cause almost everyone in Sweden excels at speaking English. My friend and I don't have any issue communicate with the local when we're there.