Häktet vänster
Hornsgatan 82, haktet.se
This bar, located to the left (“vänster” is left in Swedish) of the restaurant Häktet is one of few hidden cocktail bars in Stockholm. It was once part of an old prison, but today it is buzzing with Stockholmers who meet up for cocktails after a long week. In classic speakeasy style, you have to buzz the bell to be let in, but a cosy bar awaits once you enter. Instead of ordering your usual cocktail, make sure to tell the bartender what flavours you like and they will stir up something special.
Kayaking
See kajakkompaniet.se and langholmenkajak.se for information
If you visit Stockholm during the summer, make sure to join a kayak tour that will take you around the city from lake Mälaren. This way you will see spots that you would otherwise miss, such as hidden beaches (stop by Vinterviken and Solviksbadet or Lilla Essingen for a city swim) as well as other landmarks such as Djurgården and Långholmen.
Liljeholmsbadet
A wooden pontoon on Hornstulls strand
This floating public bath from in Hornstull was installed on lake Mälaren in 1929. Open all year round, it has several indoor swimming lanes as well as an outside jetty on the lake itself. Swedes are not afraid of a dip in the freezing cold water as long as there is a sauna to warm up in afterwards. Be prepared, they might dare you to jump in with them!
Erlands
Gästrikegatan 1, erlands.nu
Visiting Erlands is a truly unique experience, much like stepping into an old friend’s living room. Erlands opened its doors in 2013, with owner Gustaf Forsberg naming the bar after his grandfather – an appropriate choice considering the space is dedicated to his passion for postwar style and decor. The area upstairs is full of antique furniture, and Gustaf serves your cocktail in a retro glass, wearing his period perfect outfit. Try the Erlands signature cocktail of oak-aged bourbon with notes of elderflower.
A.B. Cafe
Valborgsmässovägen 34
This newly opened cafe is located in between the traditional “funkis” (functional) houses in the area Telefonplan. Back in the 1940s this was a combined fish and flower shop, serving the workers of the nearby Ericsson factory, who also lived in the area. It is now a stylish space serving breakfast, lunch and traditional Swedish fika, including homemade cakes and coffee from local roasters Drop Coffee.
Snickarbacken 7
snickarbacken7.se
If you are in the city centre, you should pay a visit to Snickarbacken 7. Until a few years ago, the building had never been open to the public; it dates back to the late 19th century, when horses were still transported in and out of the stables on the lower ground floor. Visit the art gallery, get inspired by the interior decoration and find new designer labels in the boutique.
Experience LGBT Stockholm
Urbandeli.org, torgetbaren.com, malarpaviljongen.se, sidetrack.nu, bitterpills.se, Trädgården
Looking to explore Stockholm’s LGBT scene? Pay a visit to the bar and restaurant Urban Deli by Nytorget on Södermalm. Last year it was awarded gay restaurant of the year by QX magazine, and it is known for being open-minded, both when it comes to the crowd and the food served. Other spots include Torget, the city’s oldest gay bar in the oldest part of town, Gamla Stan and Bitter Pills, a bar located in Hornstull on the western tip of trendy Södermalm. Also worth checking out on Söder, as the locals call it, is basement bar Side Track or Trädgården, which hosts outdoor gay pride parties. For something a bit different head to Mälarpaviljongen a gay-friendly outdoor café with floating bar on Lake Mälaren – probably the most picturesque place in central Stockholm to enjoy a drink. For more about gay and lesbian Stockholm visit www.visitstockholm.com/en/eat--drink/guides/gay--lesbian-stockholm
Färgfabriken
Lövholmsbrinken 1, fargfabriken.se
Färgfabriken, a combined art gallery and cafe, is located across the water from Hornstull in an old industrial part of the city between Liljeholmen and Gröndal. The spectacular building, completed in 1889, was once a paint factory. Many of its original features remain, making it an ideal setting for art exhibitions. Also worth checking out are their club nights, including a retro disco night called Natten.
Delikatessen
Krukmakargatan 22, delikatessenbistrobar.se
Located in a 100-year-old fire station, the French bistro Delikatessen is Stockholm’s cosiest restaurant. The tiled floor, tall ceilings with retro pendants and vaulted windows make this an ideal setting for a romantic dinner, or just stop in the bar for one of their amazing cocktails.
The gallery district
Hudiksvallsgatan and surrounding streets, stockholmgallerydistrict.se
Andrehn-Schiptjenko, Nau Gallery, Galerie Nordenhake and Christian Larsen are just some of the galleries located on the same street in the neighbourhood Vasastan. Make sure to come here on a Thursday when the galleries have open vernissage nights complete with wine and nuts.
Berns hotel
Berzelii Park, berns.se
A Stockholm institution, this 19th-century hotel combines old-world glamour with up-to-the-minute music events. Locals visit to enjoy a drink in the Spegelsalen room, a miniature replica of the hall of mirrors at Versailles, or to get down to hard rock under the gold and stucco ceiling in its grand ballroom, while a summer evening spent on its large terrace is an annual ritual.
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