The new Swedish novel has placed the country and its capital, Stockholm, in the eye of the world. After reading the novels of Henning Mankel or Stieg Larsson, it makes you want to take a little trip to Sweden, doesn't it?
Stockholm is a charming city, perhaps not one of the cheapest in Europe but highly recommended to visit outside of winter. Taking advantage of the fame that it is enjoying from the hand of its most international authors, for some time now its tourist offer has grown and beyond its parks, museums and attractions are its walks or tours those who summon us today.
Stockholm
Is the capital and the most inhabited city in the country, with three and a half million inhabitants, approximately between the city and its surroundings. It has the peculiarity that rests on an archipelago of 14 islands which are in turn on the southeastern coast of the country, at the mouth of Lake Mälarren and the Baltic Sea.
This lake is the third largest lake in Sweden and flows into the sea. Stockholm rests on its islands so there are canals and bridges everywhere. Its climate is cold, like the one on the east coast of the United States or northern Canada, with an average 10 º C throughout the year. It has a lot of vegetation, a lot of forests, so when the season changes the colors change and it is very beautiful.
Definitely It is not advisable to go in December because it is cold and there are very few hours of sunshine, about six. Outside of this season it is a pleasant city, with lots of sunlight and pleasant summers, around 25ºC. And it is precisely that climate the best to do the four tours that proposes us:
Ghost Tour of Stockholm
This is the Stockholm Ghost Toura 90 minute walk through the old town from the city. The idea is to provide information and tell the scariest or most mysterious stories that the city has witnessed over the centuries. It consists of exploring the alleys and alleys listening to legends, mysteries, stories about plagues, murders and ghosts.
Tours are in Swedish and English and there is a walk through Gamla Stan and another through Södermalm. The Ghost Walk through Gamla Stan begins in Järntorget, within the historical center or Gamla Stan. It is a square that is located at the crossroads of Västerlanggatan and Österlangattan streets. The other, the Ghost Walk Södermalm, starts at Mosebacke Torg 3, near Södra Teatern.
None of these walks are suspended due to rain so if it rains you have to bring an umbrella. The whole tour is outdoors so you should consider bringing something warm, water and comfortable shoes. If there is time the guide may be able to make the group enter a haunted building. Speaking of groups, these do not have more than 45 people but of course they are not always so numerous.
At the end of the walks they sell you a Gift Certificate that you can change for a dinner in a restaurant to choose between eleven options. How do you pay? If you only do the walk then you pay directly to the guide, if you do the package with dinner then you must communicate through the website and follow instructions.
Perhaps the best part of the walk are the guides themselves, dressed in the old fashioned cape and top hat. How much do ghost tours in Stockholm? 200 SEK per adult (20, 70 euros), and 100 per child. Of course, there is only one tourism company that offers this type of ghostly walks and that is Stockholm Ghost Walk.
Stockholm rooftops tour
This is another unusual and very original option. The rooftop tour it allows you walk at a height of 43 meters having an incredible view and very unique to the city. The walks start from the Birger Jarl statue, the meeting point with the guide, and are in Swedish, English and German. You will climb to the top of the Parliament building, on the island of Riddarholmen, very close to Gamla Stan. From there you will learn about the history of the Swedish capital enjoying the best views.
The tour lasts an hour and a quarter, more or less and is priced at 595 CR (62 euros). If you want to do it, you must sign up online, choosing the day on the calendar. No selfie sticks or selfie sticks allowed for security cuestions. This original hike is one way from Takvandring.
Millenium Tour
Following the popularity of the deceased's trilogy of novels Stieg Larsson the city has drawn a tourist walk through the main places that appear in the novels. The walk begins at Bellmansgatan 1, where Mikael Blomkvist lives, continues through the Millennium magazine offices, Lisbeth Salander's luxury apartment and other locations from the books and movies.
If you already did it sometime, maybe you should do it again because stories and comments are updated. In fact, another book in the saga has recently come out and joins the tour. Guided walks in English are on Saturdays at 11:30 am, but between July and September one more is added on Thursdays at 6 pm. When you buy the ticket there is the address of the meeting point.
You buy tickets at the Stockholm Visitor Center, there is an easy-to-use automatic machine there.
Ocean Bus Tour
Being Stockholm a city with so much water around there is no reason to stay on the mainland. That's why you can take advantage of the Ocean Bus tours and experience the Swedish capital from the water. It is nothing but a bus-boat that passes through the most important places in Stockholm starting on land and continuing on the water.
The tour It's in english and begins in Strömgatan, next to the Royal Opera. Pass by the Grand Hotel, the Royal Theater, Strandvägen, the Royal Palace, the Museum of Modern Art, Kastellholmen, Tivoli Gröna Lund, Skansen, Junibacken, the Vasa Museum, Katarinahissen, Fotografiska, Stadsgardskajen, etc. Tickets can be reserved online and paid at the time of boarding. It has a price of SEK 260 per adult (27 euros).
As you can see, Stockholm offers different things to the classic museums, shops and art galleries. If the weather accompanies any of these four special tours it is wonderful.