Relaxing & parks – All our local tips

If you are not Swedish, Russian, Norwegian or Finnish, chances are that you have no idea what bandy is about. It’s a sport just like hockey but without the violence and with the same number of players and rules as field hockey. Sounds fun? Yes, it is, but there is one catch: it is played outdoors during the winter.

So, how is it possible that Zinkensdamm is regularly full typically on Friday evenings (or Sunday afternoons)? Simply because the game is not everything! In fact most of the time the fans don’t (and can’t) follow the tiny orange ball. The reason lies in the fact that bandy is more of a social event. Fans are allowed to bring alcohol inside the stadium where everyone is hanging out with their friends or just talking with strangers, laughing and singing.

And when buying the ticket keep it in a safe place, because during the break everyone leaves the stadium into the nearest bar for drinking a beer, more singing and warming up for the second half!

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Bandy at Zinkensdamm | Art & culture, Relaxing | Ticket SEK 120.00
Ringvägen 16 | Södermalm
Fri 19:00 or Sun 13:15

To take a tourist bus to see Stockholm is very expensive. I don’t know if it is worth it, you do get the guiding through headphones or a real life guide and the bus will take you to the most interesting places in the city. But there are other options.

One of the most fun things I like to do when I visit a new city is taking the local bus to wherever it is that I’m going. It’s cheaper than the tourist bus and you usually get to see a lot of the most see-worthy things in the city you visit.

The easiest way to see the city of Stockholm is taking the blue buses, no 1, 2, 3 or 4. They cover most of the city centre and you can use your sl-card on all the buses. A Stockholm guide is not included, but if you’re not too shy you can always ask one of the local passengers if you see something interesting.

During peak hours the buses run about every five minutes and if one comes that is too crowded you just wait for the next one.

Number 1 runs from Stora Essingen to Frihamnen and covers Kungsholmen through City and Östermalm.
Number 2 runs from Sofia on Södermalm to Norrtull via Norrmalm and Vasastan. Number 3 takes you from Södersjukhuset to Karolinska sjukhuset via Kungsholmen.
Number 4 will take you on a trip from Gullmarsplan to Radiohuset and show you parts of Södermalm, Kungsholmen and Vasastan.

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Blue buses | Relaxing | 24-hour access-card SEK 100
All around the city centre | City/Norrmalm
About every 5-10 minutes daily

Like to get wet on your holiday? Like to play around in wave machines and waterslides? Or you might be in desperate need of a gym session? If so, you should visit Eriksdalsbadet.

Eriksdalsbadet is the biggest swimming pool in Stockholm. They have two pools for swimming, one 25 meter and one 50 meter. They also have an adventure area with wave machines, water-slides, Jacuzzis and play areas for kids. You can also swim out to a small outside pool through a gate. The outside pool is cool to go to during the winter when it’s freezing cold in the air and the water is nice and warm.

The gym has good, modern machines, treadmills, rowing machines and much more. It can be quite crowded during weekday evenings and weekends. But they have more than one of each machine so you don’t have to wait for that long if the one you want to use is busy.

In the dressing room you have one sauna and one steam room. At least in the ladies dressing room. Can’t say for the men’s but I guess it’s the same. So you can just come here for the relaxation of the jacuzzi and saunas too. And if you feel that Stockholm isn’t providing enough sun, they have sunbeds too.

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Eriksdalsbadet | Relaxing | Swimming SEK 75.00
Hammarby Slussväg 20 | Södermalm | +46850840258
Mon – Thu 06:30 – 21:00, Fri 06:30 – 20:00, Sat 09:00 – 17:00, Sun 09:00 – 18:00

Hammarby Backen has a couple of downhill pistes just inside the city of Stockholm. In fact the hill didn’t exist up to 1990 and is a result of the collection of Stockholm garbage.

From the living room of the apartment where I’m living now I have a great view over the slope. When the night comes and the lights turn on in Hammarby Backen it feels like I’m living in a ski resort, and I just feel like going there.

The piste is neither long or steep, but it takes no time to get there if one just wants to enjoy a couple of hours of easy riding downhill skiing. But when getting to the top of the hill and turning northwest, one has a breathtaking view over Stockholm, which is much more dramatic during the evening.

In case you don’t feel like skiing and since nowadays there are only a few days of good snow on the hill, just join the many Swedes that take the chance to either run or just walk to the top for both exercising and the magnificent view.

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Hammarbybacken | Relaxing | 4 hours SEK 200
Hammarby Allé | Södermalm
13:00 – 20:00 daily

Ahhhh… Yasuragi Japanese spa.

It’s definitely a splurge, but the one time you do come here will stay with you for weeks. And you will be so relaxed it’s like floating on air.

The best way to visit Hasseludden is by one of the half day packages. In the afternoon you arrive around 2 pm and stay until 10. During your entire stay – even during the included delicious 4 course dinner – you wear a Japanese bath robe, black swimwear and slippers that you receive when you arrive. Everybody wearing the same enhances the harmony.

You start in the washing area, a dimly lit room with hot pools and steam saunas. You sit on a wooden stool and poor hot water on yourself with wooden buckets. With a cloth and special soap you clean yourself by making small circles over your skin. If you want to shut out the world completely you can go to the quiet washing room where there is no talking allowed.

In the common areas there are lounge beds, a pool for doing laps and a few small hot pools. Don’t miss the one outside – especially if you are visiting in winter when the difference between the freezing air and the hot water creates amazing steam that completely surrounds you.

During summer with start in June Hasseludden organises Yasuragi Kids, when everybody no matter age is welcome. In the meantime grownups and everybody over 16 years old can enjoy the silence and calm.

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Hasseludden Yasuragi | Relaxing | Evening package (Mon-Thu) SEK 1090
Hamndalsvägen 6 | Outside South/East | +4687476100
Japanese bath 08:00 – 22:00 daily

Stockholm is a beautiful city full of water – especially in summer! And although there are no skyscrapers from where to enjoy the views there are some great spots to go to.

The popular writer Ivar Lo-Johansson lived in an apartment on Bastugatan 21 on the mountain Mariaberget. Opposite the house is a small open park area behind a double wooden door. When Ivar Lo died 1990 the city named the park after him. The park itself is not so special. There is a playground for kids and at the entrance there is a gigantic hollow ash tree reminding of the Yggdrasil, the “World Tree” from the Norse mythology tales. But the reason to come to the park is plain and simple – the view.

If you walk Bastugatan you will get glimpses of the view here and there between buildings but nowhere is it as breathtaking as when you go through this park – it’s like the whole city of Stockholm is suddenly opening up in front of you. You see the water of lake Mälaren, the old houses and church towers of Gamla stan and the colourful water front buildings of Norrmälarstrand on Kungsholmen. And it’s all for free!

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Ivar Los Park | Relaxing | Free
Bastugatan 26 | Södermalm
Daily

This is a perfect spot if you want to do something different for a change. Their generous opening hours turns this place to a great spot to visit even a Friday evening.

Klättercentret in Telefonplan is a newly opened centre for indoor climbing. It’s a big place with 14 meter walls and a really cool place for bouldering which reminds you of caves.

My friend and I are totally hooked on bouldering, which is climbing but not as high and without a rope. Ask climbers around you how to start and off you go! Just be extra careful since the bouldering mats still aren’t as soft as they’re supposed to be. All you really need for bouldering is climbing shoes, you can borrow shoes here for 30 kr.

If you want to climb in the traditional way you have to bring along a friend that has a “green card”. Best thing is if you take a course in climbing and get a green card yourself so you both can climb.

They have a small but nice café where you can sit and watch people climbing above you, a very cool feeling but also, in my opinion, scary as hell. I prefer bouldering which is closer to ground…

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Klattercentret Telefonplan | Relaxing, Snacks, Festivals & events | Entrance adult SEK 110
Tellusgången 24 | Outside South/East | +4687300093
Mon, Wed, Fri 12:00 – 22:00, Tue & Thu 07:00 – 22:00, Sat & Sun 10:00 – 20:00

This walk gives you a nice and cosy feeling of how Stockholm used to look under the 18th and 19th century. The view over Old Town and Riddarfjärden is amazing!

I recommend you to start at Slussen and walk down Hornsgatan. Turn right at Pustegränd, walk down the stairs and then left at Bastugatan. This district is really beautiful with old houses, steep hills and cobble stoned streets. You should definitely lie down under a tree in Ivar Los Park as well.

At Bastugatan you have an info sign under the big tree which tells you more about this street/district. Continue Bastugatan and then turn right at Monteliusvägen. The path continues, and so should you, but before that; do sit down and enjoy the beautiful view, especially nice during sunrise!

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Monteliusvägen | Relaxing | Free
Starting from Slussen | Södermalm
24 hours daily

Sweden is very famous for their fashion designers with brands such as Filippa K, Acne, Cheap Monday (see the Weekday – Cheap Monday article) and H&M achieving international status. I believe that this results from the fact that most Swedes give a long thought about what they wear, thus creating a widespread knowledge and interest in their image. And as an haircut is also part of every-one’s image, it’s no surprise that Swedish hairdressers are also popular. In fact there are around 500 hair salons just inside the small Stockholm Municipality.

And even though there are many good ones, Noir is the spot I pick when it’s time to cut the hair. This is a fairly new place in Stockholm with plenty of extraordinarily talented, fun and young people working there making this salon an unpretentious and relaxed place. Also, if you are eager to go out for some drinks or even more serious partying just ask your hairdresser about the hot events for the coming days as they are very updated on Stockholm’s nightlife.

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Noir | Relaxing | Haircut SEK 690.00
Regeringsgatan 80 | Östermalm | +468238090
Tue – Wed 09:00 – 18:00, Thu 09:00 – 19:00, Fri 09:00 – 18:00, Sat 09:00 – 17:00

The best way to experience a city is by walking!

Skeppsholmen is a small, beautiful island between Gamla Stan (Old Town) and Djurgården. It has many touristy views, perfect if you fancy taking pictures.

Start by taking Djurgårdsfärjan, the ferry-boat, from Slussen. It goes every 15 or 20 minute. If you have a subway card you get on for free! Don’t forget to tell them that you’re jumping off at Skeppsholmen. If you forget you’ll end up at Djurgården, which is a beautiful island as well, so no worries!

In addition to beautiful views you can also visit interesting spots like the Museum of Modern Art, the Architectural Museum, the East-Asian Museum & Af Chapman, which is a youth hostel on water. Also, in the small park which is situated in the middle of everything, you can enjoy Niki De Saint Phalle’s colourful sculptures from 1966.

From Skeppsholmsbron, the bridge that connects the island to the rest of the city, you have a great view over Slussen, Gamla Stan with the Royal Court and the buildings at Strandvägen.

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Skeppsholmen | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Skeppsholmen | City/Norrmalm
24 hours daily