I’m no authority in what places are the must-dos. But I can tell you which are the ones I went to. I’ll sprinkle in some basic information along the way and tell you about my experience. Your trip will be different than mine. But I thought I’d share what I saw.

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and is home to around one million people. My friend visited the place and told me there was not much to see. I was certain he was wrong.

With my visit, I confirmed my suspicion. ABBA, IKEA, Avicii, and Swedish meatballs – how can this city be anything but perfect?

For pictures I took in Stockholm, you can visit this link.

And now, here are five places I visited in Stockholm:

ABBA Museum

I will make a caveat. I am a huge fan of ABBA. I didn’t enjoy my parents, aunts, and uncles singing Fernando in karaoke. But rediscovering them in Mamma Mia, both the movie and the live stage production, forever changed my playlist.

And hearing their music, watching their journey, listening to their history, and witnessing the legacy they have left behind bring me pure joy. This is a clear “you love it or you don’t” kind of situations. And I clearly stan them!

Skogskyrkogården

I feel strange adding a cemetery to the list. But as I was going through my options, this burial site making the UNESCO World Heritage Site list caught my eye. And it goes without saying, I try to be respectful with my visits.

And for people who have paid their dues in this world, and who have touched our lives, I thought this was a great resting place. There is enough room for everyone to grieve. Across all the departed, they are given equal dignity. And even for those whose cannot be located, an area is dedicated for them.

In my humble unprofessional opinion, I thought this was a replicable model that the rest of the world should consider.

Drottningholm Palace

There is still a Swedish Royal family. And this is their official residence.

What caught my attention more than anything else is the Court Theater. The venue is still operational and dates from the 18th century. While I didn’t see a show, the guide’s demo on how stage effects are created was more than enough to hook my attention and take me 300 years back.

Besides the palace and the theatre, a stroll around the compound felt compulsory. There is a nice fountain, a Chinese pavillion, and a garden I can easily get lost in and help with my step count.

Skansen

I find museums a bit formal. But having an open-air setup helps. And Skansen is one of the oldest of its kind in the world. And there’s also a zoo for the animal lover, especially, if like me, you didn’t grow up being exposed to Scandinavian wildlife.

Stockholm can feel modern. And I couldn’t afford to spare a day for a trip outside the city. But this one brought the traditional rural life and culture to me. There were replicas of farms, churches, mills and all the livelihoods they were engaged in.

And there are also lynxes and elks, animals which I’ve never seen in my life!

ICEBAR Stockholm

I was looking for an activity at night. And what else would be open at that time? A bar!

But this one earns the distinction of being the oldest permanent ice bar in the world. And there is the word “permanent”, which I guess prevents it from getting sued by others with a similar claim.

Obviously, the place is cold! And they do provide a coat. And even with that thick layer, the staff advised me against taking off my winter jacket. I agree with their recommendation.

All photos were taken on April 2022.