Sightseeing in Stockholm, cruising the archipelago of the Swedish and Finnish coast and the (former) European cultural capital Turku – Sounds not too bad for a short trip, does it? A specialized tour agency would offer this for around 1000€ including flights.
OR: Do it as I did it in 2010 – Low Budget in Scandinavia.
High expectations, low budget, Solo Travel
It was my first solo trip. At least partly.
Starting point: A very good friend of mine stayed for one semester in Turku and I wanted to come to see him. As you all know, of course I wanted to see as much as possible when being there. Unfortunately , due to university I didn’t have too much time and, being a student, my choice had to be low budget.
But, with some online research, I organized a great itinerary. I saw a lot, it was very interesting and quite cheap, although August was still main season, though the end of it. The weather was mixed, as I expected it in the North. But all in all it was largely nice.
Low cost carrier
The return flight with Ryanair was €40, as carry-on luggage was enough for some days. The airport in Skavsta is called ‘Stockholm’ and that’s really a joke, as it is more than 80 km away from the capital. But bus connections are good, comfortable and reasonably priced.
Accommodation in Stockholm
I reserved for one night in the ‚Hotel Gamla Stan/Best Hostel Old Town‘. It was roughly €30 for a bed in a four bed dorm with shared bathroom. Sounds a lot…
But the hostel is really beautiful in a renovated old building, perfectly located in Gamla Stan. It’s clean, staff is nice and a small breakfast was included. This makes a real bargain for Stockholm. Furthermore I had this view over Södermalm from my window:
Sightseeing in Stockholm
I spent one and a half days on sightseeing. Starting in the Old Town (Gamla Stan) I went to Östermalm and along Strandvägen.
Afterwards I entered the island of Djurgarden which I circled completely. A long walk, but beautiful nature close to the city centre.
In the west of Djurgarden lies Gröna Lund, the famous leisure park. From there I took the ferry back to Gamla Stan.
The next day I discovered the lanes of Gamla Stan before I arrived at the Royal Castle. Just in time for the changing of the guards.
South of the city: Södermalm, the old working-class neighborhood. You can find beautifully old houses and a great view over Gamla Stan and the archipelago’s islands.
Food in Stockholm
Food and drinks were, as expected, very expensive. Having a sandwich in restaurant was more than €10. At least it was delicious. The only affordable alcoholic drink is Lattöl (light beer), which doesn’t really taste like beer. Normal ‘Öl’, wine or booze is beyond price. And I only slightly exaggerate…
Coffee culture is laudable. After ordering a cup of coffee, at least one refill is mostly free of charge. You can really enjoy sitting in cafés for a longer period of time.
