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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

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…

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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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

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!

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Vasco Castro

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Vasco Castro

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 a relaxed hip 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 720.00
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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Suzanna Schwarz

Stockholm has very few flaws, but if I should pick one it will be the loo situation. Contrary to most other cities in Europe it is more or less impossible to find a place for the most basic needs, unless you carry coins with you.

And, since Stockholm works well with cash cards only, it happens to me fairly often that I find myself without any cash and very much in need of a lav. In Stockholm there is no such thing as free toilets. And most cafés and bars only offer their bathrooms to guests unless you pay them a small fee.

There are however at least two spots where one can go when the need is great. The first one is located right inside the tiny shopping centre where Waynes Coffee, PressStop, Design Torget, Granit and Face Stockholm are located.

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Public toilets | Relaxing | Free
Götgatan 31 | Södermalm
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Sujin Jetkasettakorn/freedigitalphotos.net

In the 18th century Stockholm had several public lavatories located around the city. Today it is difficult to find a loo unless you are willing to pay for it. So, here is the second spot to head for, or to nip into, when you are out and about and in need of a toilet. It is found in the basement, next to a sushi restaurant at the shopping mall called PK-huset, which is neighbour to the lovely department store NK.

Check here to see Part One of the Public Toilets.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Public toilets | Relaxing | Free
Hamngatatan 10-14 | City/Norrmalm
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 -18:00, Sun 12:00 -17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Anna Östman

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm