Arriving in Stockholm by train, our first stop was a convenience store to purchase our Stockholm Transportation card. Covering all of our trips in the city except our train trip to the airport, the cards made getting around the city simple and cheap, and an apartment across the street from the Fridhemsplan Terminal made all our trips easy.
Since we arrived late afternoon, we devoted our first day to getting oriented, buying groceries, and catching up on sleep. With only two days to explore, we tried to cram in as much as possible. On the recommendation of travel guru, Rick Steves, we planned our itinerary. We started with what might seem an unlikely choice, the Stockholm City Hall. Roughly 25 tour buses were unloading as we approached the venue, but by participating in a small, English-language tour, we were never impacted by the crowds. Completed in 1923, this fabulous venue hosts the Nobel Prize banquet in the Blue Room (which is not blue), followed by dancing in the upstairs Golden Hall. Created using millions of tiny glass-sandwiched gold leaf tiles, this room is extraordinary. Regular government functions for the city also take place in the building, with 101 men and women representing the city’s 9 political parties. Dozens of weddings, free for Stockholm residents, also take place each weekend.
With our trip across the city subverted by a gay pride parade, we changed our plans and headed to Skansen. Created in 1891, this is a huge, open-air museum. Over 150 buildings representing different areas of Sweden and types of buildings, from stores to farms to churches, were disassembled and then rebuilt on this site. Guides dressed in vintage clothing are scattered throughout the park at specific venues to answer questions. We had a lengthy discussion with a printmaker, and also spoke with the dry goods store clerk. Participating in a dramatic reenactment, we ventured into the home of a wealthy, iron ore factory owner. At a farmhouse, we learned the difficult process of how flax is turned into linen. Traveling back across the city, we stopped in Kungstradgarden, to switch from a bus to the metro. This area is the modern center of the city, and it was packed with shoppers and people-watchers on this Saturday evening.
The Nobel Museum was first on our agenda the next day. Opened in 2001, the museum honors the 900 plus individuals or groups who have been awarded this prestigious prize since 1901. Alfred Nobel, a Swedish scientist, inventor, and wealthy businessman established the prize in his will in 1895. As the inventor of dynamite and holder of 355 worldwide patents, Nobel was one of the wealthiest men of his time and left all but 6% of his wealth to the Nobel Trust. English-language tours were offered here, and we lucked into a guide, who provided an excellent overview of the history of the Nobel Prize. During our visit, almost one-third of the museum displayed the accomplishments of Nobel Peace Prize winner, Martin Luther King Jr. and the history of the civil rights movement. Located within Gamla Stan (Old Town), our visit to the Museum provided an opportunity to explore this beautiful part of the city.
Originally a private home, our next destination was the Thiel Gallery. Built in the early 1900s by banker, Ernest Thiel, the waterfront mansion displays his collection of renowned Scandinavian artists, Anders Zorn, Edvard Munch, Eugene Jansson, and others. An extensive exhibit of the works of Norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland, was also on display.
Backtracking to Gamla Stan, we visited the underground Medieval Museum. Founded in 1986, many of the items shown, including part of the original city wall, were discovered in the 1970s when a subway tunnel was being dug. Covering the period from around 1200 to 1500, the museum provides a good insight into the difficulty of life in those times.
Now, it is time to move on to our next destination, Oslo.
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