PUBLISHED June 16th, 2021 05:00 am | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 03:42 pm
As Europe reopens its doors to tourists again, it’s got us thinking of cooler temperatures up north. Like, Scandinavian north. This week, we got our nomadic eyes on Stockholm, the heart of Sweden.
Relive the Days of Viking Conquest at the Vasa Museum
The Vasa Ship was a 17th century Swedish warship that sunk in Stockholm in 1628, but has since been recovered. Discover her 64 cannons, and over 700 decorations and sculptures through this virtual walkthrough. There’s also an audio guide that gives you a tour of the 69m long, 52.5m tall wooden behemoth. The Vasa Museum is currently the most visited museum in Scandinavia, and offers you a peek into the peak of Sweden’s Baltic conquests.
Venture into a Stockholm Icon, The City Hall
Apart from being the political centrepoint of Stockholm’s municipal council, the Stockholm City Hall is home to some splendid displays of art and architecture. Built from eight million bricks, the complex boasts a 106m tall tower with the Swedish coat of arms — three crowns — overlooking the islands of Riddarholmen and Södermalm. The City Hall also hosts the Nobel Prize ceremonies, with the Blå Hallen (Blue Hall) holding the banquet, and the dance at Gyllene Salen (Gold Hall), adorned with 18 million gold mosaic tiles. Get some 360 insights into this iconic landmark here!
Discover Swedish Heritage in the World’s Oldest Open-Air Museum
Opened in 1891, Skansen is the world’s oldest open-air museum-cum-zoo and serves as an archive for the Swedish quotidian life in the past. In addition to traditional houses, farmsteads, and manors, Skansen also houses Nordic wildlife and pets, with a collection of exotic creatures as well. Besides the Skansen Aquarium, Our Africa, and the Children’s Zoo, the place is also bustling with activities during the festive season. Catch a glimpse of their brown bears in this video.
Walk Through One of the World’s Centres for Contemporary Photography
Fotografiska is an enterprising gallery in Stockholm that has presented over 200 exhibitions to date from the world’s most interesting photographers. Notable names include Sally Mann, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Christian Tagliavini. For both the amateur and the photography aficionado, a moving experience is definitely guaranteed with Fotografiska’s impeccable curation. Dive into an immersive tour of their current ongoing exhibitions here.
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Some ABBA
It must be a crime to visit Stockholm without heading down to ABBA The Museum. The quartet cemented themselves among the musical greats when they took the world by storm in the 80s, giving us some of the greatest hits during our younger days. This interactive museum in Stockholm gives you the chance to be the fifth member and experiment with music production, while giving you a comprehensive tour of the group’s rise to stardom. Warning: this video might conjure up copious amounts of nostalgia, as well as your inner Dancing Queen.
Try Swedish at Home
And while travel restrictions might bar us from Stockholm now, it doesn’t stop us from having a taste of Swedish life. Stay home and safe, while indulging in the Swedish tradition of Friday unwind seshies known as “Fredagsmys”, or Cozy Fridays. Its shop on Lazada’s RedMart carries Swedish classics like FINN’s Rye Crisps, dairy products by Arla, and Oatly’s well-known vegan ice creams.
Top image: Stockholm, Sweden (Image courtesy of Visit Stockholm)