Five things to do in Stockholm when it empties for summer
Summer is here, and that means Stockholm will soon be emptied of its inhabitants... and filled with tourists. Already bored? Fear not, here are five things you can do.
1. Enjoy music and films outdoors
Take part in the Gröna Live experience! Gröna Lund has organized concerts for the entire summer to take place on the park's main stage. Simply pay the park entrance fee and enjoy (though be warned, the price doubles after 6pm). It’s too late to see the likes of Wolfmother and Simple Plan, but don’t miss Iggy Pop in August, and Lionel Richie in July.
Prefer the cinema to music? Don’t worry. From August 17th to 21st, the Stockholm Film Festival is organizing outdoor screenings in Rålambshovsparken.
2. Explore unknown museums…
Tired of the Vasa-Nordiska-Skansen combo? Stockholm is full of under-appreciated museums. The National Sports Museum is a great option: during the summer you can try the different Olympic disciplines there, and entrance is free. Other museums are more specialized, like the Spiritmuseum and its alcohol-tasting, or the House of Amber and its amazing jewellery collection.
3. …and forgotten historical places
Stockholm offers a host of historical monuments worth visiting, and the Atlas Obscura website has compiled them. Visit the hotel where a hostage situation gave birth to the term Stockholm Syndrome, for example, or the exact spot where a plane crashed in 1993. You can even visit the factory where Alfred Nobel first manufactured nitroglycerin.
4. Go underground
Stockholm is beautiful, even underground. Stockholm’s subway stations can be surprisingly interesting. The walls of several are covered in paintings. T-centralen on the blue line, Hötorget on the green line and Stadion on the red line all offer genuine underground art. And don’t miss the Nybohov funicular station either: its walls are lined with lost toys and teddies that children have discarded over the years. Worth visiting.
5. Go hiking
If you want to escape the empty city, nothing is better than a hike. The Sörmlandsleden trail is almost a thousand kilometers long, and can easily be broken down into sections that suit your specific hiking requirements. Further north, you can also try the Upplandstrail and its one or two-days hiking trips. So get your walking shoes on!
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1. Enjoy music and films outdoors
Take part in the Gröna Live experience! Gröna Lund has organized concerts for the entire summer to take place on the park's main stage. Simply pay the park entrance fee and enjoy (though be warned, the price doubles after 6pm). It’s too late to see the likes of Wolfmother and Simple Plan, but don’t miss Iggy Pop in August, and Lionel Richie in July.
Prefer the cinema to music? Don’t worry. From August 17th to 21st, the Stockholm Film Festival is organizing outdoor screenings in Rålambshovsparken.
2. Explore unknown museums…
Tired of the Vasa-Nordiska-Skansen combo? Stockholm is full of under-appreciated museums. The National Sports Museum is a great option: during the summer you can try the different Olympic disciplines there, and entrance is free. Other museums are more specialized, like the Spiritmuseum and its alcohol-tasting, or the House of Amber and its amazing jewellery collection.
3. …and forgotten historical places
Stockholm offers a host of historical monuments worth visiting, and the Atlas Obscura website has compiled them. Visit the hotel where a hostage situation gave birth to the term Stockholm Syndrome, for example, or the exact spot where a plane crashed in 1993. You can even visit the factory where Alfred Nobel first manufactured nitroglycerin.
4. Go underground
Stockholm is beautiful, even underground. Stockholm’s subway stations can be surprisingly interesting. The walls of several are covered in paintings. T-centralen on the blue line, Hötorget on the green line and Stadion on the red line all offer genuine underground art. And don’t miss the Nybohov funicular station either: its walls are lined with lost toys and teddies that children have discarded over the years. Worth visiting.
5. Go hiking
If you want to escape the empty city, nothing is better than a hike. The Sörmlandsleden trail is almost a thousand kilometers long, and can easily be broken down into sections that suit your specific hiking requirements. Further north, you can also try the Upplandstrail and its one or two-days hiking trips. So get your walking shoes on!
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