What is your favourite destination and why?
Stockholm is just so beautiful. I have spent a lot of time there because it’s where I’m from, but the older I get and the more time I spend away from it, the more I appreciate going back, and seeing the architecture and being so close to nature. It’s built on different islands, so you’re always close to water. I love to cycle around or get a scooter. And it’s not too big, so you could drive, or walk the north to the south, the east to the west very quickly, but it also just has everything you could want — fashion, restaurants — I’m never missing out on anything when I’m there.
When were you last there and who were you with?
In summertime for work — it’s the best time of year to visit. Between the light, the weather and the people, it’s when it comes alive. I was shooting a campaign for my underwear brand Main Rose, and I was rehearsing for my tour. I used to say Sweden is my place to chill, but if I have to work there’s a lot of really good creative talent in Stockholm — musicians, designers, photographers, so if I do need to shoot something or do something for my show, it’s fine because I get to work with them.
Where do you like to stay?
A place called Ett Hem in the east, which translates to “at home”. The vibe doesn’t feel very hotel-y — it’s just like visiting someone who has impeccable taste in everything. The interior design is beautiful and the kitchen will make you just what you ask for. It has a hammam in the basement, which you can book just for yourself. Everything is top-tier. There’s also a beautiful garden and a greenhouse you can sit in.
What are your three favourite restaurants?
I love a place called Lilla Ego (lillaego.com), which has a changing menu and a bistro vibe. It’s always fully booked every time that I’ve checked, but they also have walk-in tables, and I have never waited for longer than 20 minutes. I would also recommend Babette (babette.se), a wine bar that has beautiful small dishes, and really nice pizzas. They’re perfect — very, very thin. I would also recommend you to go to Sturehof (sturehof.com) in the east, which serves shellfish — oysters, crayfish and other really yummy dishes. It’s on the fancy side of things. Stockholm is quite a fish-forward city, because of all the water.
What would you do if you had only 24 hours there?
On a perfect summer’s day, I would have a nice walk at Strandvägen, which is a beautiful boulevard surrounded by bodies of water and it’s only five minutes form the city and feels like an oasis. Very close by there’s a really fun amusement park called Gröna Lund and they also have concerts there. I’ve seen Dua Lipa perform there and played there myself. I’d also take a ferry over to the south part of Stockholm, for the great secondhand shops and wine bars. It’s got great vibes, it’s a bit like Soho. And I’d go to ice-cream parlour Snö (snogelateria.se).
What’s the one unmissable thing you have to do?
Go to Fotografiska (stockholm.fotografiska.com), a photography museum, which has really fun exhibitions. It’s right by the water and you can go to a café and grab a cool poster after.
What are your favourite shops?
I used to live around the corner from Acne Archive, which was super dangerous as the prices are so insanely good compared with what they are in the regular store. They have pieces that never made it into the main collection or samples that never made it into production. I also love Nitty Gritty (nittygrittystore.com) in the south — a concept store, with lots of brands, which are curated extremely well. Then there’s Humana (humanasecondhand.se) for secondhand and thrifting. Nordiska Galleriet (nordiskagalleriet.se) has great interiors pieces. Sometimes it’s a gold mine and sometimes there’s nothing and that’s the fun part of it.
Where do you go to let your hair down?
So many of my friends are DJs, so I go wherever they play. Often we end a night at Spy Bar (entrgroup.se/nightlife/the-spy-bar). It’s the type of place where you’d say: “Oh girl, we’re not gonna end up at Spy Bar tonight” and then it’s 4am and we’re at Spy Bar. I’d recommend anyone to go to Trädgården (tradgarden.com), which means the garden. It’s under a bridge and it’s huge. It has seven dance floors and feels like a festival. There are art installations everywhere. You can chill and hang out, but you can also really dance, and there’s so many different options depending on what type of music you like. It’s open until 5am.
Summertime is the best time to visit. Between the light, the weather and the people, it’s when it comes alive
Who do you call for a good time?
I love to go out with my sister Hanna and my friend Olivia. We have crazy-cute girls’ nights when I’m in Stockholm. Though I end up rolling with 20 people usually as it’s so small that we keep seeing people and they come with us.
What would you bring home as a souvenir?
A cheese grater made over there. A bedazzled fun one! I don’t think you guys have the same kind and they’re so good.
What’s your packing essential?
A pair of very comfortable shoes, because I would recommend that you just walk around.
Is there a dress code?
Swedish people are very chilled. You won’t feel obliged to wear heels or a dress. Perhaps a nice shirt and trousers, something put together.
Which song reminds you of the place?
Monica Zetterlund’s Sakta vi gå genom stan. It’s an old song by the jazz legend and it’s very fitting for a trip to Stockholm. It’s about slowly walking around the city.
What’s your favourite beauty spot?
If you want to see a beautiful sunset, I would definitely recommend going to Skinnarviksparken and Mosebacke.
A building you’d like to live in?
This apartment house in a beautiful area called Lärkstaden. It’s pink and really cute and was built in the late 1800s.
Zara Larsson’s underwear brand Main Rose launches October 15; mainrose.com
