Stockholm Top Picks


The Swedish capital Stockholm is not exactly on most travelers lists of places to visit before they die. After all, the Scandinavian city is not just far from the European tourist trail, but perennial cold weather and the lack of so-called star attractions make it a travel destination afterthought.

It was never that way for me. I've always promised myself a trip to the Scandinavian cities of Copenhagen and Stockholm for reasons that have less to do with attractions and more to do with my fascination with modern Nordic culture and design. The Scandinavian cities that lie in the periphery of Europe exhibit the best of both worlds so to speak: all the advantages the modern European economy has to offer without the excessive consumerism and social divisions they represent. The result is a pleasant, stress-free and less artificial travel experience that allows you to take in the city sans the marketing hype. Indeed, the cities we love most are those that represent our personalities best. And Stockholm's introverted, yet deeply complex and sophisticated nature has my vote for top European city so far.

Here are some reasons why.

Scandinavian Design

Scandinavian design is not just about the products that are designed by the Swedes, Danes and Finns. It also represents the general appreciation, if not obsession, the Scandinavians have with well-designed objects with good value and practical use - even for products designed elsewhere. A well-designed chair or car cannot be solely nice to look at, it needs to be comfortable, safe and relatively affordable. In the case of Swedish brands, imagine IKEA, Ericcson or Volvo and you get what I mean. They're less about status or about "what this purchase says about me" and more about functionality that's pleasing to the eye and to the touch as well. Simplicity, graceful forms and functionality are the cornerstones of Nordic design.

Stockholm is full of design-oriented shops that represent this sensibility. Practically every block has a store selling home furnishings, clothing, electronics or textile. The ubiquitous Japanese, Italian or Chinese product will find its way here, but more often than not - its strictly Scandinavian.

There are so many home furnishings stores to choose from, including familiar global brands like IKEA and BO CONCEPT, but for an edited down experience I recommend these lesser known shops:

DesignTorget. This store has 5 branches around town and this is where you can find the latest and coolest creations of a new generation of Swedish and Scandinavian designers. Products here are on the quirky side and reflect the younger generation of designers' more playful style. Choose from a wide range of home and personal accessories that include ceramics, jewelry, toys and the odd useless thing for the home.


10 Gruppen. Or Ten Swedish Designers. Set up by ten textile designers this store is perfect for those looking for original, affordable and easily packable gift items to take home. The textile designs are reminsicent of Marimekko (from Finland) but are updated and transformed into everyday household products like bags, pan holders, placemats and the like. The main store is in Stockholm's hip district SoFo so a trip here is well worth the effort as you can browse around the neighborhood's many shops that sell similarly interesting gift items.

Stockhome. It was just a matter of time before someone thought of this name for a home store. Stockhome is a wide-open floor space that sells practical and, yes, affordable home items supermarket-style. Don't expect design icons here, most of the stuff on sale is disposable and for everyday use. Still, true to Swedish style, they're all well-designed and well-made.



Gallerie Nordiska. If you're hunting for established modernist and minimalist design icons though, Gallerie Nordiska is the place to go. Their stock of designer chairs is first rate and though you'll find many Scandinavian icons here - like the egg chair, you'll also find other modernist claasics from the rest of the world. They have an extensive collection of Eames chairs which are popular with Stockholm's design-obsessed class.



B-3. This is not so much a store as a gallery or exhibit space for home finishings, furniture and accessories. Its actually not open to the public - especially nosy tourists, but just ask and the staff will let you in. When inside explore the various rooms where architects and interior designers do their window shopping for clients.

Fans of Bruno Mathsson, one of the founding fathers of Swedish design, will find many of his signature bentwood creations on display.


Svenskt Tenn. Still popular after all these decades, Svenkst Tenn is best known for selling classic furniture and colorful textiles - mostly creations of the architect Josef Frank - another Swedish icon whose fabric designs continue to be the rage with the global design elite.

Add color and Scandinavian character to your pad by taking home rolls of Frank's famously vibrant fabrics which should look great on your sofa or windows. Rather expensive, but this is the real deal.

SOFO

SOFO sounds much hipper than South of Folkungagatan - which is what it stands for. But the contracted name SOFO only started to be used in 2003 when shopkeepers wanted a catchy name to attract Stockholm's trendy set . Like the SOHOs of Manhattan and London, the area is littered with shops that cater to a more bohemian clientele. The area has been gentrified signifacantly since its heyday as a destination for shops peddling an alternative lifestyle. Today SOFO is the epicenter of still alternative, though much more stylish and expensive merchandise, and the creative vibe has ad agencies and design firms moving in the area. Still, the streets have retained a homey, neighborly character which makes for a refreshing breather from the designer-overload you often experience.

The area is easy to explore on foot with the most interesting stores located side by side on the main street. Le Shop is an institution in SOFO and they still carry a good collection of hip streetwear. For a more sophisticated look, Swedish uber-cool brand Filippa K has a branch here. If the boho look doesn't appeal to you, the minimalist and slim-lined cuts of Filippa K may be what you're looking for. For a similar style, walk into one of the many shophouses here that sell a mix of Swedish designer brands and look for that other hipster favorite - J Lindeberg. His main boutiques are across town but you're sure to find a selection of his clean and impeccably made line of clothes here.

Fashionistas are not the only ones who will find a stroll through SOFO satisfying. Other stores specialize in stationary, books, home accessories (Gruppo 10 and DesignTorget are here) and vintage collectibles. As you can imagine, some of Stockholm's hippest (there, that word again!) bars and clubs are also located here.



Gamla Stan

Almost every European city was built around a portion the locals refer to as the Old Town. Gamla Stan is Stockholm's version of this - an island in the center of modern Stockholm where the Royal Palace (Sweden is a constitutional monarchy) is located. The royal family still holds court here (mostly ceremonial) but its open to visitors.

True to Swedish practicality, the Palace is no Versailles and although huge, is sparsely decorated in Franco-Swedish style. (The Swedish Gustavian style was influenced heavily by the elegant French designs of the 18th century though tempered down and re-interpreted in the white, simple curves of what is now known as classic Gustavian furntiure).

As expected from a medieval town center, the street network is a tangle of narrow alleys not very different from the original. The buildings, lamp posts, street signs, even paint color are regulated and made to conform to strict period standards so that the atmosphere is preserved. But don't expect a theme park-like historical town experience, people still live and work here and many of the shops are excellent and the souvenirs on sale are tasteful and of high quality.

Do bring along a guide book (and camera) as the quarter is worth exploring in detail. Stockholm is chilly even in the early Summer so warm your toes in one of the many excellent cafes here. The best cup of hot chocolate can be found in Chokladkoppen on Stortorget - the square right in the center of Gamla Stan. My cup, actually a bowl, was huge and the chocolate rich and perfect in the freezing weather.

Cafe Culture

Swedish cafes have a charm that is different from the coffee houses of Europe and the coffee chains of America. They aren't overly done or styled and neither do they display a cookie-cutter franchise look. Even the blue-collar 7 Eleven has more character than a Starbucks in New York. The 7 Eleven in Gamla Stan has ditched the annoying fluorescent lights and candy-colored motiff and replaced it with a warm, cozy atmosphere sprinkled with designer lamps and furniture.

I've read that the Swedes drink more coffee per capita than any other nation (except the Finns) and you can tell how seriously the coffee culture is based on the number of cafes in the city. Don't expect coffee "to go", the locals take their time to chat or brood over their cup of joe - often enjoyed with something sweet on the side. Swedes call this favorite past time fika. So when in Stockholm do as they do - grab a window seat and stare out into stylish street culture for your own fix of fika.

Pop Culture

Swedish pop culture is almost always associated with ABBA. A bit of an anomaly since much of Sweden and Stockholm's cultural output is on the dark, brooding side. Ingmar Bergman is a better representation of modern Swedish pop culture than lets say, Ace of Base, A-Ha or Bjorn Borg, but that doesn't mean Swedes are a hopelessly melancholy bunch.

In Stockholm, the dreary weather may have something to do with the penchant for heavy and deep art, but just like ABBA, the city has a quirky and fun side to it as well. If there are no pop concerts in town, head to Stockholm's music stores where many albums are still sold in vinyl form. Take home an original ABBA pressing for your vinyl collection (or to sell on e-bay!).

For more classical forms of art, Stockholm hosts an awesome Jazz Festival that ranks up there with the world's best. But most of all, do not dare miss seeing an opera or classical concert. The local performers are world-class and the opera house by the river is an architectural gem in itself. There are also various museums that display the history of Swedish design that are worth checking out before leaving town.