Södermalm – Local tips (relaxing)

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

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

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 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