They say Stockholm might be pricey sometimes, and it’s true. However, there are always fun things to do here on a student budget, even for free. While warm summer weather leaves much space for the imagination of various leisure outside activities, some may struggle to find what to do during wintertime.
So here’s my list of a few ideas to spend a day during the cold season.
- Moderna Museet
There are several museums in Stockholm you can enter for free. Moderna Museet is very well-known, with many fascinating art pieces to check out. In the museum’s permanent exhibition, you can see the works of Picasso, Munch, Kandinsky, Klee, Niki De Saint Phalle, and other artists who have already become recognized as classics of modern art. The entire museum can be walked around in about an hour and a half, or if you are really into contemporary art, then you can count on two or more hours depending on how attentive to details you are 🙂
- Stockholm Public Library
Even if you haven’t been there yet, you probably saw the pictures of this place on the internet or social media. Stockholm Stadsbiblioteket has become one of the symbols of the city. If you would like to use the library funds, it is enough to register in person at one of the libraries; you will need a Swedish personal number. Then the reader receives a card with a number, and it will come in handy if you use online resources. But besides getting books, you can also come to the library to just walk around — it’s really pretty in there.
- Monteliusvägen view point
Although it is a winter season list, Monteliusvägen view point in Södermalm is pretty much seasonless — you can enjoy the magnificent view of the opposite Stockholm downtown any time of the year. The view point is a narrow footpath on steep cliffs and is considered one of the most romantic viewpoints in the city. It’s not always listed on the maps, so you won’t find many tourists here. In fact, when I came there on Thursday evening, there were no people there at all. So, an ideal recipe for a great evening: grab some hot drinks and a person you like the most and simply enjoy the atmosphere.
- Stockholm City Museum
Another fun thing to do in Södermalm is Stadsmuseet. The museum is located in the magnificent 17th-century palace filled with Stockholm’s history. It allows you to see the city’s development from a little medieval harbour town to today’s multicultural metropolis. It has several collections; for example, one of them tells about the medieval life of the inhabitants of Stockholm, and its exposition was collected thanks to numerous archaeological excavations. It is here that you can meet typical medieval Södermalm people. The Stockholm City Museum also has an archive of over one million photographs of Stockholm. So if you would like to learn more about Stockholm’s history, this is the place to go.
- Christmas lights
Last but definitely not least is Stockholm Christmas lights. Each year, Stockholmsjul decorates more than 40 streets, locations and squares with Christmas lights in the city. This weekend, the lighting ceremony has just taken place, and the lights will illuminate the city until mid-January. Here you can see Swedish Christmas traditions in a modern style through moose, cones, deer, spruces, reindeer, angels, and a giant mistletoe. To maximize your experience, you can download the map for Walk of Lights and capture the most amazing decorations to bring you to the holiday mood.
That was it for me, and if you have other cool places to visit in Stockholm, feel free to share them in the comments! 🙂
// Valerie