Stockholm, Sweden: Simply Beautiful With or Without Snow - Day 1

Being the cultural, economic and political center of Sweden, Stockholm has become the most populous metropolis in the Nordic Region. It has been inhabited since the Stone Age, when people lived on the several islands comprising the Stockholm archipelago, situated south of Lake Malaren.

Personally, Stockholm has been one of the cities I would like to visit due to its proximity and resemblance with the Norwegian capital Oslo. I was particularly interested in making an indirect comparison on the two cities’ similarities and differences. The only way to do this, I thought was to explore the city by foot. Unfortunately, during my two-day visit, it was too cold at negative 8 degrees Celsius, such that I needed to cut my first day short. 

Click here for the second day of the Stockholm visit.

1. Stockholm City Conference Centre

Adjacent to the City Centrum, this conference center provides venue for important events. 

2. Norra Bantorget

This is an area for the Social Democratic party of Sweden. This is where demonstrations has been held to fight for the rights of the workers and improve the working conditions of the working social class of the city.

3. Stockholms Centralstation

The busiest station in Sweden with over 200,000 visitors daily. Interestingly, the generated heat by the thousands of visitors is used to warm a nearby office building. 

In front of the station is the statue of Nics Ericsson, who was a prominent Swedish canal and railway builder.

4. Järnvägsparken

It is a paved park near the city’s central station. This park was filled with trees before until traffic increased to and from the city. A mosaic tiles now covered the park.

5. Klara mälarstrand

It is a quay and park area next to central Stockholm. The area stretches from Stadshusbron in the West during the Central Bridge.

This is perhaps the must-see view of the Swedish capital every tourist should experience.

6. Stockholms stadhus

It is one of Sweden's most famous buildings and the city's most exclusive party venue. It is a house known for its hospitality, its unique art treasures, magnificent celebrations and its interesting history.

7. Norra Järnvägsbron

The Central bridge is a major traffic route connecting Gamla Stan to the southern districts. This is the second bridge constructed in the sixties after the southern bridge was constructed after World War 2.

8. Gamla Stan

This has been first occupied by the Vikings since the Ice Age. The Vikings used the Stockholm’s Old Town as trading center in the ancient times, especially with the Baltic countries of the Hanseatic League. 

9. Mynttorget

This is the square in the Old Town. It is between the castle and the Riksdagshuset, where demonstrations and protests are commonly held. 

10. Norrbro

This is an arch bridge, which extends from the northern front of the Royal Palace passing over Helgeandsholmen. It was completed in ten years, with the northern portion, supported by three arches, and the southern, supported by a single arch.

11. Helgeandsholmen and Riksplan

Interestingly, the second part of the word Stockholm, Holm means islet, which referred to Helgeandsholmen, where the Old Town was built and protected from invasion of foreign navies by fornification, which are primarily built of wood. This has been the origin of the word, Stock, which means log in Swedish, comprising the etymology of the name of the Swedish capital.

12. Strömparterren

It is the peninsula situated in Norrström, was named after the garden-like park. 

At the tip of the semi-circular cape Carl Milles sculpture Sun Singer, which portrays a famous poem about song to the sun. 

13. Gustav Adolfs Torg

This is a public square in honor of King Gustav 2 Adolf, who was credited as the founder of Sweden as a Great Power. He made Sweden a supreme military power, a deciding factor in the political and religious balance in Europe.

14. Riksbron and Riksgatan

This is an old street in the Old Town, which is the location of the Bank of Sweden until nowadays. Before this the street was regarded as part of Drottninggatan or the Queen’s street. It is said to be the only street not own by the city, but by the Parliament. 

The first day in Stockholm was quite not what I wanted it. I was able to see a glimpse of the city and but was not able to see churches and establishments, which could give me a great overview of the culture, people and history of the Swedish capital. 

Because of this, I decided to make changes on the second day, even though the cold weather and snow could prevent me from making an optimal vacation in the Swedish metropolis.