I Had A Blast In Stockholm – Here Are 15 Things I Did Which I Highly Suggest You Check Out

From taking a boat tour of the city to going to the ABBA museum!

I'm Godfrey and I'm a video producer here at BuzzFeed UK! I love travelling, and when I do, I'm definitely an activities kind of guy rather than a lie on the beach and chill person.

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Recently, I visited Stockholm in Sweden to celebrate Candy Crush Saga's 10th anniversary with King, the makers of the iconic game. Here's a list of everything I did, which I think ~any~ visitor should try when stopping by this wonderful city!

1. Take a boat tour around the city

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Stockholm is a city built on 14 islands and it's full of canals. A quick and easy way to see a lot of this beautiful city is by taking an electric boat tour. The tour takes you past many iconic landmarks, with plenty of photo opps of the landscape and architecture. Ask your tour guide for information when you see any big landmarks, and keep track of where they are on the map as you may want to visit them on foot later!

2. Stay in the heart of the city

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To make sure you’ve got access to all the fun activities scattered throughout Stockholm, staying in a hotel in the city centre is a great choice. I stayed at the Haymarket by Scandic, which is right in the heart of the city, close to the many attractions and museums nearby. Staying in a hotel or AirBnB in the centre means you’re never too far from your next activity, and there are plenty of food and shopping options for you nearby, depending on your mood.

3. Go to an amusement park like Gröna Lund

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If you’re a fan of amusement parks, you won’t have to travel far to get your share of rides as Grona Lund is only 20 mins away from the city centre! It's packed with more than 25 rides that are all close to each other, meaning you won’t have to walk a long way for each ride. Gröna Lund is open from late spring until September. 

4. Have fika (AKA afternoon tea)

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Fika is a Swedish tradition in which you have coffee and sweet treats with a friend, and it's essential to Swedish culture. Whether you’re at work, home, or in a coffee shop, Fika is usually served with Swedish treats such as cinnamon rolls, princess cakes, and sticky chocolate cakes, with plenty more to choose from. Use this time to take in the sights or talk to your friends and give yourself some well needed time off your phone!

5. See the amazing art in the Metro stations

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The Metro stations in Stockholm have some of the most beautiful art installations I've ever seen in a subway – the entire network is said to be the world’s longest art exhibit! Each station has a different theme, and some of the art is spread through entire sections of the station and across multiple floors. You’ll be able to see the art from inside the trains and you can always hop on and off the train to get a closer look.

A top tip: You can see some of the most famous pieces (Stadion, Kungsträdgården & Stadion) by purchasing a single journey ticket, as long as you’re done within 75 mins!

6. Visit MAX Hamburgers

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Max Hamburgers is a Swedish staple that's said to be more popular than McDonald’s, so after hearing that I had to check them out!! Their menu is replete with many different burger options – around 20 meat options and 12 vegetarian one, so you’re really spoilt for choice. One option that intrigued me was a vegan patty wrapped in lettuce leaves, which is something I’d never seen before. I would definitely recommend visiting Max Burgers, it’s a burger chain like nowhere else!

7. And see what the McDonald's regional menu has to offer!

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I’m always curious to see the options that a different country's McDonald’s has to offer, and Sweden was NO exception. There were quite a few differences in their menu compared to what we have in the UK. They had different breakfast options, for instance, including a breakfast sandwich with cheese and turkey. The day menu had some other options I ~wish~ my local Maccies had, like chicken wings.

They also had a wider selection of chicken burgers, premium beef burgers (I tried a Jalapeño spicy burger) and their salads come with quinoa and kale, which I’ve never seen before. Another surprising thing about McDonald’s in Sweden is that they allow you to put toppings on your fries (I tried cheese and jalapeños), which was amazing!

8. Swing by the ABBA Museum

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If you’re a big fan of ABBA, then visit the museum dedicated to the iconic supergroup. This interactive museum will have you singing, wearing some of their legendary costumes, and making a stage appearance with the band. Whether you’re a fan of ABBA or not (which I doubt), you won't want to miss this super fun museum, which isn’t too far from the city centre.

9. Drink at a permanent ice bar

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Find out what it’s like to enjoy tasty cocktails in sub-zero temperatures (-7˚C) and not be worried about freezing to death! This is a totally unique experience, and the cool neon interior is sick. Everything is made of ice, including the cup you drink from and the furniture you sit on, making it an easy and fun way to see if you’d be able to cope with very cold conditions in a fun and ~chilled~ manner. 

10. Treat yourself to some delicious food at Paul Taylor's

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This restaurant is carbon neutral and most of its decor is made entirely out of recycled materials. The food is also sustainable, and uses locally produced ingredients and food waste. On top of that, it's an amazing opportunity to have renowned Swedish chef Paul Svensson cook for you!

11. Try the different snacks they have in Sweden

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Swedish snacks are definitely unique! I had to try a packet of Smash – corn chips covered in chocolate – and the salt 'n' sweet combo blew me away so much that I actually brought a load back with me! Smash was my gateway snack into the rest of what Sweden has to offer in terms of its snacks. Some other great treats to look out for are Ballerina Cookies, Cheez Doodles, and Jordnotstringar (peanut rings).

12. Visit the Vasa Museum

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This museum contains the only 17th Century ship that's been preserved almost fully intact, and is one of the most visited museums in the whole of Sweden. A visit takes you through stories of historic expeditions, and you'll learn how the ship sank and how it was salvaged from the bottom of the sea! You’ll be mesmerised by all the museum has to offer, and will likely wonder how a ship this large has remained intact even after being lost for over 333 years!

13. Take a trip to IKEA

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Whilst you’re in Sweden, you’ve GOT to visit IKEA in the place where it started, right? Luckily you don’t have to drive far for the big warehouse stores, as there are smaller IKEAs in some of the malls in Stockholm. Once you’re in there, you might see furniture yet to hit your local stores and more importantly, you’ll want to go to the restaurant! They have different options than what I was used to, especially when it came to the dessert, which was sooo goooood.

14. Visit a shopping mall in the city centre

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If the weather isn’t great outside, why not check out some of the malls scattered throughout the city? The Gallerian is a mall I visited with modern architecture and greenery seamlessly mixed in, and tons of clean spaces that make shopping a stress-free experience. It's a very different experience than what you’d get in other capital cities!

15. And finally, stop By King Offices (where candy crush is made)

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King, who are celebrating the 10 year anniversary of their hugely popular game Candy Crush Saga, have their HQ right in the heart of Stockholm! Their offices house all of the creative teams that produce and develop King's games. Not only is this one of the coolest offices I've ever been to, it also offers amazing views of the city centre, gaming, chill-out areas, and interactive learning for visitors to learn more about King.

There you have it! If you enjoy doing a ton of things on your holidays, Stockholm is the place for you. I hope you found something on this list that piqued your interest, and remember, you can always come back to this list when you visit Sweden!