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On our way to our final European destination (Bergen), we stopped in Stockholm for one night. This gave us just enough time to do a few activities in the evening and the following morning before heading back to the airport. It was enough time to see what a great city Stockholm is. I definitely want to go back to see more.
Turkish Airlines to Stockholm
After our fantastic stay in Istanbul, we flew Turkish Airlines business class to Stockholm. Unlike most other carriers, Turkish offers an exceptional business class product even on their flights within Europe. This flight wasn’t quite as posh as the one from Sofia to Istanbul, but it was still terrific.
Sheraton Stockholm Hotel
We chose to stay at the Sheraton Stockholm hotel because of its location in the center of town. I had originally booked rooms at Marriott’s Hotel Skeppsholmen because it gets better reviews than the Sheraton and appears to be in a beautiful location. But when we thought about the activities we wanted to do during our 1 night stay, we decided that it was more important to be in a central location and so we switched to the Sheraton. That proved to be a good choice. The Sheraton is a short walk from the station served by the express train from/to the airport (Arlanda Express), and it was also conveniently close to all of the things we did while in town.
Caviar Bumps & Vodka Shots with Punk Royale
You’ve heard of caviar bumps, right? Well, I hadn’t. The idea is to put a lump (bump?) of caviar on the back of your hand and to eat it from there. Why? It’s cool? I don’t know, but this was a super fun experience. The amazing sounding restaurant Punk Royale was closed (we were in Stockholm on a Monday evening, and many restaurants were closed), but Punk Royale’s Katherine Bont made sure that we got a Punk Royale experience anyway: caviar bumps and Vodka on the hood of her car. This combination of extreme high-end food combined with a sort-of punk off-beat presentation is what Punk Royale is all about. If you want to learn more about this crazy and delicious sounding restaurant, see this review.
My mini review: I loved it. Katherine was a terrific host, the Vodka went down smooth, and both types of caviar were fantastic. And, of course, the experience of doing all this from the hood of a car was bizarrely fun.
Matbaren: A Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant
Michelin’s “Bib Gourmand” distinction is a way for the Michelin guide to recognize restaurants that offer great food at reasonable prices. Matbaren, by chef Mathias Dahlgren, doubles down on the casual dining concept by presenting food on wooden lunch trays. Plus, they encourage diners to order only one dish at a time, much like a Tapas restaurant. We loved that approach because we could then easily stop ordering once we were sated.
We had a great meal. The cost for the two of us, with drinks, came to $130.
Operakällaren
Operakällaren is a Michelin starred restaurant in Stockholm. According to the Michelin guide, it is Sweden’s “most opulent restaurant.” We weren’t able to dine here because… Monday, but on Tuesday morning Chef John Wallén gave us a behind the scenes tour. It looks amazing.
Vete-Katten (Wheat Cat)
Our final stop in Stockholm was at the famous bakery Vete-Katten (which means “Wheat Cat”) where we sampled a number of delicious items. We didn’t have much time before having to go to the airport, though, so we jumped on scooters to get there quickly.
I guess I was too busy enjoying the food to take a photo of it. Oops!
Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN)
The Stockholm airport itself deserves a mention. It’s beautiful. And there’s no need for a lounge (but there is one for Amex Platinum & Centurion cardholders, FYI) because the terminal itself is as nice as any lounge I’ve been in. Wood floors and comfortable seating is all around. And they have cool things like this artwork that serves as a couch. It is designed to look like a baggage carousel, but the suitcases are actually pillows:
And they offer great water too:
This was an all-to-short, but extremely fun stop. I was wowed by Stockholm’s beauty and look forward to returning in the future for a longer visit!
Video
Check out this video of our time in Stockholm to see caviar bumps in action (and much more):
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Is 1.5 days enough in Stockholm? Have a tight schedule so wondering if it’s worth it.
Yes I think so!
I appreciate the food. But being in Stockholm and not going to Vasa Museum?? You have to go back
I’m available for the next trip, too, Bob. When do we leave?
I lived in Stockholm for a year in the early ’90s. I was young so my budget was tiny but wow I love Stockholm, I could live there full time again.
Ok Greg! You must have the most trusting wife in the WORLD. Spending over a week with beautiful Maisie and great food, alcohol and hotels. It’s obvious she had you at hello… 🙂 Great trip, now you owe your wife a better trip!
She’s single, gents. Good eaters please apply.
If you guys are taking requests, you should have Maisie on the podcast to talk about the trip from her perspective 🙂
Maybe she could join our Ask Us Anything
I’ll be there!
ABBA music on the video but no chance during your not quite 24 hours to see the ABBA Museum. There’s always next time!
Definitely next time!
Such a fun museum.
I’m so glad someone appreciated the country-themed music in each reel! The music is all by locals (with the exception of the Vietnam video)