The colours of Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s old town
Gamla Stan.
Stockholm’s Old Town.
Beautifully coloured buildings. Narrow alleys. Swedish signage.
Street signs, Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden – 25 June 2008
I love the mystery of trying to parse a different language, even when I’ve twisted my tongue into unrecognizably knotted grunts.
With the summer solstice in late-June, the days are long, and skies remain lit until the wee hours of the morning. You can walk through the streets of the old town by day, like other visitors who’ve come to enjoy the place. But I highly recommend you navigate the streets at night. By mid-evening, activities wind down, and eventually, you’ve basically the quiet streets all to yourself.
Please do yourself a favour — go to Stockholm in the summertime. Yes, it is more expensive compared to other European destinations. But, with highlights including Gamla Stan, Östermalm, Södermalm, Djurgården, Skogskyrkogården, and heading out into the archipelago (Vaxholm) by boat, you’re missing out if you skip this city.
I made the photos above on 25, 26, and 27 June 2008, just after the northern summer solstice. This post is published on Fotoeins Fotopress (fotoeins.com), and is making me long for Scandinavia once again.
With wonderful timing by JustTravelous, Yvonne writes about her recent trip to Sweden and shows us her love of Sweden in an Instagram diary.
Here are my other posts about Stockholm:
Nice post, lovely photographs.
Makes me long for Stockholm.
Haven’t been back since 2008 when we just missed each other by a few days.
If only had I pushed myself just a little more to make the trip to Uppsala, we would’ve crossed paths in June 2008! At some point in the future, I’d love to go back in the summertime to Stockholm, as well as visiting Oslo and Helsinki; so yes, I know what you mean by that particular longing. Thanks again for stopping by and commenting, Nicole!
The last two photos are my favorite. Tell me, do the locals all look like models? That’s how I envision Sweden. Its a beautiful city, must have beautiful people
Many people I saw in Stockholm were in fact tall, blonde, and terribly good-looking; that part of the stereotype is true, if only they would smile some more. But I also walked into little “holes in the wall” for quick eats. The folks running these joints are from the Mediterranean or the Middle East. They were quick to smile and laugh, and curious about my visiting. So yes, there are a lot of beautiful people.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Jen!
Wow Henry – these photos are fantastic!! Really looks worth it to go in summer!!
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Hi! Yes, if anything, I hope photos like these can persuade people to go visit Scandinavia and, in particular, Stockholm, Sweden in the summertime.
Thanks for stopping by and for your comment, Xandré!
These are absolutely beautiful, Henry!! What an amazing deep blue sky
Hi! I was very fortunate to have had a stretch of crystal clear days to begin the first week of northern summer, while I was visiting Stockholm. The photos really just made themselves, and that’s how the skies looked! Thanks for reading and for commenting, Maria!
Love Stockholm in the summer. What a beautiful city. Love the photos.
Yes, yes, and thank you, Suzy!
Stockholm is on my must visit list if I can tear myself away from Berlin. I also want to see Copenhagen and there’s Hamburg and Munich in Germany. Too many places really but you have to think big!
I hope you make plans for a summer trip to both Stockholm and Copenhagen … and oh look, Hamburg is really not all that far from Copenhagen!
That reminds me – I need to keep working on at least one pending summer-in-Hamburg post …
Thanks for reading and for your comment – keep thinking big!
Beautiful photos! I love your alleyway shot.
I wish I’d been able to see Stockholm in such brilliant colour, but unfortunately it was pouring rain the day I was there. I’m hoping to go back sometime next year, although it will probably be in the winter to coincide with a northern lights trip!
Kristin.
Even in winter, my guess is that Stockholm would be beautiful in sunlight, especially if there’s a layer of snow out and about. I think it’s very exciting you’ll be going back to see the northern lights!
Thank you for your kind words!
Sadly I missed out on the sprinkling of snow over Stockholm last winter — it snowed a few weeks later but only rained while I was there (turning into freezing rain by the evening, yay!). It was still pretty even in the pouring rain but I can imagine how much better it would be on a sunny day with glittering snow!
I really hope my trip eventuates — I’ve been a bit obsessed with the northern lights ever since missing out on them earlier in the year!