Stockholm colors
Written: Mar 12 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: a beautiful, surprisingly colorful city, heaven for shoppers
Cons: it can be on the expensive side (drinks, public transport,...)
The Bottom Line: Stockholm is a delightful combination of culture and nature and no one will leave disappointed.
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| tocop's Full Review: Stockholm |
General observations
I went to Stockholm in March, which is not the best time to go, if you're expecting nice weather. Although the weather was ok, it did snow occasionally and it was quite cold.
If you arrive at the Airport, you have two options: the train shuttle is quicker but more expensive, the bus shuttle slower but cheaper. Since the train and bus station are next to each other, I would recommend the bus. It takes about 45 minutes, but it's better to spend your money on other things.
If you're expecting a grim, Northern city, you're in for a wonderful surprise. Stockholm is a surprisingly, colorful city. Even the oldest buildings look like they've only been built recently. Unlike monuments in other European cities, Stockholm's buildings don't seem to be affected by pollution but still show their wonderful yellow, red, brown or orange colors. Add up the bright blue water that is present everywhere and the cover of white snow and you end up with spectacular sights.
Is it really that expensive?
Being budget travelers, we stayed at the youth hostel 'af Chapman', an excellent place where you can stay either on a boat (as we did) or in a house on the shore. A big plus is the location (in the center with a nice view on Gamla Stan, the old city center) and the all-you-can-eat organic breakfast. When looking for a hotel, you might be inclined to opt for a cheaper hotel outside the city center. The public transport, however, is rather expensive, so I would consider a more expensive place to sleep in the city center, which might turn out to be cheaper in the end.
As in the rest of Scandinavia, alcohol is very expensive in Sweden. There are places where prices are reasonable, but in most places, you will pay a lot. If you're on a budget, be prepared to look around for a while to find one of the cheaper bars. Although the prices in Gamla Stan are generally higher than in other parts of the city, it is possibly to find reasonably priced food and drinks in the old city as well (we found a Thai bar with 'cheap' beer).
So, what does Stockholm have to offer?
Any traveler will find something attractive about Stockholm. For people who love culture there are the many museums (sadly, the museum of modern art is temporarily closed for renovation), the monuments and the many Swedish design shops.
Generally, Stockholm must be heaven for people into shopping. The city is very fashionable and Stockholm shops are well aware of the latest trends. For people who don't like walking along endless shopping streets, I would recommend a visit to one of the two major shopping warehouses, NK or Ahléns, where you will find everything under one roof.
Nature fans will find many interesting places inside and outside the city. The city has some very nice parks (Djurgården, Ekoparken) close to the center and some unspoilt nature in the area. About 20 km south east you will find a nature reserve, easily accessible by bus, that is well worth a day trip. And there is always Stockholm skärgård: the archipelago with hundreds of islands, easily accessible by boats, many of which are entirely or partially classified nature reserves.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
tocop
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Member: Tomas Coppens
Location: Belgium
Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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