Image by Holger Ellgaard

Exercise and I have never been good friends. Especially during the winter months in Stockholm. It’s pretty bad… However, over the past year I have made an effort to increase the amount of exercise from nonexistent to minimal.

A great place that for a brisk winter walk is by Tantolunden or affectionately known by locals as ‘Tanto’. It’s a park located in Hornstull right by the water, which makes for beautiful scenery for a walk, jog or ‘jolk’.

However, what I really love about Tanto is Hobbit Land, a personal nickname that I gave the hill that’s absolutely jam packed with tiny huts and gardens. Basically in Stockholm, the locals who live in apartments can buy an area of land where they can grow fruits and veggies and erect miniature houses and sit there during the warmer months to enjoy their land. I know, so organic it’s sickening but I love it.

It’s a really fun and interesting walk and quite unique compared to the other walking trails in Stockholm city. As you make your way up the hill you pass by all sorts of miniature cottages, apple trees, rose bushes when finally you reach the top and come to absolutely breathtaking view over Hornstull, the water and over to Liljeholmen. I’m out of breath just writing about it… Whew!

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Tanto | Relaxing
Tantolunden | Södermalm
24 hours daily

Image by Natalia Urbanska

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

Klättercentret in Telefonplan is a 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. Klättercenter have been closed for a couple of months due to a fire. Now everything is built up again with lots of new bouldering “puzzles”. Check out their homepage for accurate opening hours.

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! All you really need for bouldering is climbing shoes, you can borrow shoes here for 40 kr. Come on a weekday before 16:00, it’s cheaper and less people.

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…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Klattercentret | Relaxing, Snacks | Entrance adult SEK 130
Tellusgången 24 | Outside South/East | +4687300093
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 22:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 20:00

Image by Natalia Urbanska

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

Image by Natalia Urbanska

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, theatre Galeasen & 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 and JeanTinguely‘s 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

Image by Vasco Castro

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!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bandy at Zinkensdamm | Art & culture, Relaxing | Ticket SEK 120.00
Ringvägen 16 | Södermalm
Fri 19:00 or Sun 13:15