If you are thinking of visiting Stockholm in December be it during Christmas or around New Year’s Eve or not these are ten things you should not miss during your visit to the capital of Sweden.
By the way, if you are planning to get the Stockholm Pass tourist visitor card buy it on the official website where sometimes there is a 10% discount available.
1. Discover the City in the Footsteps of Alfred Nobel
On December 10, the Nobel Prize banquet will be held (by the way: always pronounced [nobél]) bringing together scientists, politicians and illustrious personalities in the Golden Hall of the Stockholm City Hall with the aim of paying homage to the winners of the annual edition.
Although I doubt you are invited to the banquet you can get to know the city in the footsteps of Alfred Nobel and, if you dare and your pocket allows you, try the menus of the Nobel banquets of past editions. The restaurant Stadshuskällaren, located as its name suggests, in the City Hall’s cellar, prepares on demand the menus that guests of the Nobel Prizes ate on previous occasions
2. Attend a Lucia Procession
If you are in Stockholm (or anywhere else in Sweden) on December 13 you will realize that many processions of Lucia, the Queen of Light, are taking place all around you. Each city, town and school choose a girl who will act as a lady of light or Lucia dressed in white clothes and wearing a crown of candles on her head. In the procession you will also see damsels, star children and pixies waking at the back of the crowd while singing Christmas carols.
Enjoy the hot spiced wine (glögg in Swedish), the lussekatter – a typical saffron buns – and pepparkakor – the famous Swedish gingerbread cookies that you probably already know. This tradition can be seen in churches, hospitals, schools or work centers throughout the country. Some places to attend in Stockholm in the days around December 13 are Storkyrkan, the Cathedral of Stockholm, the Hjorthagskyrkan and Kungholms Kyrka churches or in Skansen. If needed you can book your tickets on Ticketmaster.
3. Visit a Christmas Market
In Stockholm the two busiest Christmas markets are the one in Stortorget Square – in the heart of Gamla Stan – and Skansen’s Christmas Market. In both you can enjoy spiced wine, buy crafts and decorative elements, etc. In addition, you can try typical gastronomic specialties such as sausages made of reindeer or moose.
The Christmas market in Skansen opens only Saturdays and Sundays from the first Sunday of Advent until Christmas Day. Gamla Stan Christmas market opens every day. Another interesting market is located in Rosendals trädgård on the island of Djurgården where you will find seasonal flowers, bread and traditional pastries and in mid-December a show of lights and colors called Vinterljus. I still do not know the date for Vinterljus 2018. I will update the article once it is scheduled.
If you want alternative Christmas markets you can take a ferry and go to Utö, an island in the archipelago, (one hour from the center of Stockholm) or Sandhamn and enjoy the magnificent show that sailing out of Stockholm offers in winter especially if it turns out to be a white Christmas.
Back in the city you can also visit the Christmas markets organized by different design schools that usually take place during a particular weekend. One of them is the Christmas market at Beckmann Design School (Brahegatan 10 – near the Östermalmstorg metro stop) or the Design Christmas Market that changes its annual location and is celebrated during several weekends in December.
If you want something unique, go to Marsipanbåten, a boat at Strandvägen, 18 where you will find chocolate, marzipan and many other sugary delicacies to enjoy or give as a present.
4. Walking Through Stockholm Following Christmas Lights
Every year Stockholmsjul is responsible for decorating the city with thousands of light bulbs that light up the sky starting mid-November. On its website you can find a PDF map to explore the lighted streets of Stockholm and not miss a single of the Christmas decorations on the streets of the city (a tip: the lighted elk are usually one of the most beloved and photographed. Look for them on the map).
5. Ice skating at Kungsträdgården
If you like ice skating and bring your skates to Stockholm you get free access to the rink at Kungsträdgården. But if you do not dare you still can stay for a while to watch how others skate or visit the Christmas lights installed in the vicinity. In front of the Royal Park there are a lot of stores to buy some gifts.
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