We had been looking forward to Stockholm as many people we met had only good things to say about it. Dani and I had also really enjoyed the Stieg Larsson Millenium series, so were interested to see some of the locations he described. We stumbled across one area by accident, and thought it looked very familiar. We later discovered it was the home of Blomkvist.
This fashionable neighbourhood was on Soder Malm, one of the many islands of Stockholm, and was where much of Larsson's novels were set. We found a free tour online, as tourist information was charging an outrageous amount for a similar map. The island also felt really local, with few cars and lots of people going from place to place.
Each of the islands had a different personality, and the organisation of the city felt like it was many small cities rather than one large metropolis.
The oldest and most romantic island was Gamla Stan.
It was very atmospheric on the overcast day we went, especially when we found ourselves alone in an alley away from the main pedestrian streets.
We really liked the quiet island we were staying on - Reimersholme, with only one access point and so no through-traffic. It also seemed to be a popular location to store boats.
Our host's apartment was tucked away and a lovely location in terms of access to the city and having a quiet respite at the end of the day.
Our favourite area was a collection of houses that resembled holiday homes, hidden away behind a park, and only accessible via pedestrian walkways. Their view was completely at odds with the surroundings.
I really liked the small, mostly wooden houses - especially this one with a tree growing straight through the building!
Besides our explorations on foot we also managed to chill and were very enamoured with this decadent cafe, housed in a grand building but with very reasonable prices. It was yet another good tip from a couchsurf host, who also happened to make the most delicious apple pie (recipe below).
Recipe - Apple pie, by Ann from Sweden
- For non-vegan: Mash together 100gm butter, 200ml of flour and 50ml of sugar with a fork, then bring together with your hands.
- For vegan: Mash together 1 cup of flour, 1/2 tsp of salt, 80ml of oil, 50ml of sugar and 2 to 3 tbsp of cold water, or until it comes together.
Filling
- Slice 5-6 apples into very thin pieces, peeling skin if desired and removing seeds. - Layer with cinnamon in between until mold is full. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes at approx 180 degrees celsius, until the apples are soft.
