What an amazing and sunny spring-weekend!
This time of the year I like Stockholm the most. The cold and fresh air, the warming sun and people sitting outside, trying to catch as many rays of sunlight as possible. This is especially true after this extremely dark and frustrating winter.
So, I find myself sitting here, thinking about all my favorite spring-places in the Stockholm area. But, which of them to pick?
Djurgården, maybe?
A close option with many possibilities. You can go for nice long walks or biking-tours close to the water with great views to the large ferries passing by and the impressive coast of Södermalm. For example take the tram to Waldemarsudde and follow the path close to the water to the east as far as your feet want to. The path is beautifull all the way. Across the water you will see Södermalms coast with the beautifully located vegetarian restaurant Hermans from here, maybe an option for dinner today? For 175 SEK (students 98 SEK) you’ll get an amazing buffet, inkl coffe. To get there, take the Waxholm ferry from Gröna Lund (45 SEK or SL-card, but not “reskassa”) to Slussen and have a walk following the coastline yet up the hill towards Södermalm and you will find it just in front of you. But yet, it is only fika-time and there is also a gorgeous location close by on Djurgården.
Rosendal’s trädgårdscafé
A former greenhouse that is partially still used to present organic gardening to urban public. The harvest from this project is at the spot processed and sold as delicious homemade and ecologic cake, sandwiches, soups or pies in a beautiful atmosphere. But to be honest, this spot is even more phantastic when you come in later spring/summer to have a picnic at the meadow with apple-trees that is part of Rosendal’s gardening project. It is simply magic and both kids and dogs are welcome and will enjoy the stay. Especially once you find the playground and the labyrinth just beyond the hedge. Not to forget all of you with a german background, don’t miss the little shop next to the café, where you can buy wonderful bread.
Café Sjöstugan
Comes to my mind, while talking about ecological home-made cakes and bread in beautiful atmosphere. If you are planning for a 12 km walk around Brunnsviken (nice tracks all the way round!) you will find “Sjöstugan” which is my next favorite to be mentioned. First time I found this amazing café, I felt like traveling in a time machine to the 70’s. Colorful painted, wild grown garden with laid-back attitude, Sjöstugan is a perfect feel-good place. It is located at the waterside and has an own boat-landing stage so you can even go there by Kanu or Kajak, which you can hire at the Brunnsviken Kanotklubb, BKK. Perfect spring/summer trip. And if you like kayaking why not become a member at BKK? For 500 SEK/year you are welcome to weekly open training sessions or amazing excursions to the archipelago. So, get started with this amazing summer-sport.
And, talking about the Archipelago…
You can also go there just for fika
The archipelago is probably the #1 attraction of Stockholm and there are numerous islands to recommend. For a first and short trip including early spring fika, I would suggest Waxholm. Take the boat from Strömkajen at the Nationalmuseum for a 1,5 h boat trip through the characteristic small islands with a beautiful mixture of granit-rocks, pine-trees and red-wooden Sweden-houses. Arriving at Waxholm there is the next phantastic outdoor-café you simply have to go to: “Vaxholms Hembygdsgård Café”. You need to take a short walk through the beautiful little city but it is well worth it. Take a look at the pictures following the link above and you will not mind the page being only in Swedish. However, the café opens only in April, so you will have to wait a few more weeks. What is especially convenient about Waxholm is that you can easily take the bus home all the way to Tekniska Högskolan. If you want to stay an hour longer and enjoy Waxholm or visit the “famous” fort in which Pippi Longstocking’s father has been captured by the pirates in the famous German-Swedish TV-production from the 70’s, you may just do it. If you miss the last boat back to Stockholm, just take the bus No 670 from Söderhamn to Tekniska Högskolan.
At this point I realize that I originally wanted to post about my wonderful first spring hike past Roslagseden… I guess this will have to wait for the next blog.
Enjoy spring in the sun
Stephanie
Karolinska Institutet Career Blog 