Stockholm is not just for city breaks, it's a perfect family destination too (original) (raw)
As we got off the plane for our fun family trip to Stockholm, there was just one pressing item on my daughter Liberty’s holiday agenda.
“Will we see Pippi Longstocking, Mummy?” my eldest wanted to know.
I explained that while we might not see her favourite children’s book character, we would have to board a boat, just like Swedish supergirl Pippi, because the best way to see this beautiful city is from the water.
Spectacularly beautiful, Stockholm is also uber cool, leading the way in design, fashion and architecture. Its many islands can be reached by ferry, bus, train or car, making it incredibly family-friendly.
From the 13thC cobbled streets of the Old Town Gamla Stan island to the trend-setting Sodermalm island (SoFo to those in the know), the Swedish capital never fails to delight.
Here boutiques selling cool Scandinavian clothing brands sit side-by-side with hip cafés, galleries and vintage stores. We fell in love with Stockholm very quickly.
Across the harbour, screams of delight can be heard from the famous Grona Lund fairground located on Djurgården, a lush green island known as the city’s oasis. People on the carousel spin round hanging over the water’s edge.
Carousel: There's entertainment galore for kids
Ostermalm island is the ‘west end’ of the city – grand, perfectly formed and glamorous. We liked walking through this area at night, soaking up the illuminated magnificence of the royal palace, reflected in the gentle ripples of the sea.
We stayed in the stylish Hotel Skeppsholmen, on the island of the same name. Built in 1699 to house the King’s Royal Marines, it is now a vast, light and airy building, and the rooms brim with Swedish cutting-edge design details.
Its bathrooms are stocked with Orla Kiely products, the sink is a groovy giant marble pebble, even the wardrobes come with designer underwear to buy in case you fancy stocking up. Our family room had a king-size bed, a wheeled cot and a single bed.
Liberty, aged four, and little sister Electra, two, took turns pushing each other round the room in the cot or pulling faces at each other in the floor-to-ceiling mirror.
We made full use of the hotel’s restaurant Långa Raden which overflows into the garden, and has regimental lines of deck chairs overlooking the bustling harbour. Food is served all day and it’s where the smorgasbord self-service breakfast is served.
Happy: Kay Richardson and daughters Electra and Liberty at restaurant Hjerta
The Moderna Museet is right next door but the short stroll there was fun as the sculptures in the garden squirt and spray water.
The museum is known for exciting contemporary exhibitions and also has an excellent children’s workshop and gift shop. Admission is about £9.25 and kids go free. modernamuseet.se
Stockholm is not the world’s cheapest destination. If you pick the wrong bar or restaurant, prices can be eye-watering. But we discovered Restaurang Hjerta, a wonderful place on the river bank and ate delicious £10 pizzas with unusual toppings such as rosemary oil, smoked prime rib and pepper mayonnaise.
The marinated Swedish strawberries with liquorice cream and lime curd (£7) went down well too.
They also supplied novelty temporary tattoos which our kids loved. Swedish culture is family-friendly and kids were welcomed everywhere we went.
Past times: Skansen open-air museum
One way to keep costs down is to buy a Stockholm card. For £40 you get into more than 75 museums and attractions and free travel by subway, commuter train, ferry, boat, tram and bus. Kids’ cards are half-price. visitstockholm.com
Top of our list was visiting Junibacken Museum which celebrates author Astrid Lindgren, creator of Pippi Longstocking. It’s the most imaginative and interactive children’s space we’ve experienced.
Visitors board the “story train” which spins up into the sky, twisting and turning gently as it brings to life many of Lindgren’s best-loved books.
We saw characters bathing in tea cups, a giant rat, fires and dragons. There is also a wooden play village of shops, cinema and bakery, all charming. junibacken.se
Another must is Skansen, an incredible living museum and zoo with traditional Swedish buildings and farmsteads. Five centuries of Swedish history are here to be explored. Actors in traditional costumes demonstrate crafts from the Sami camp farm dwellings of the north to the Skåne farmsteads of the south, bringing the history to life.
Heritage: 17th century warship Vasa
We ate local cheese, saw native brown bears, moose, seals and deer, visited a 1930s-style market, ate in the restaurants, and visited the aquarium and funfair. skansen.se
A museum all about a 17thC boat doesn’t sound that thrilling but we were told to go. And it turned out to be the most awe-inspiring museum I’ve ever seen, a perfect example of how the Swedes get things so right.
Vasa Museum is designed so you can get up close to a ship that sank on its maiden voyage and was submerged for 333 years. Videos give a fascinating account of world history at the time Vasa took her maiden voyage. The scale of the ship makes you feel quite dizzy but my children loved being able to get up close to the incredible carvings from crow’s nest to hull. vasamuseet.se
We couldn’t leave without a few souvenirs – Pippi Longstocking toys for the girls at old-fashioned Swedish toyshop Krabat (krabat.se) and fashion goodies from Swedish label Hope for me. hope-sthlm.com
That’s Stockholm for you – something for all the family.
Travel file:
For a treat: The Oaxen Krog restaurant won over the kids with the boat hanging from the ceiling, not its Michelin-starred food. We sat on the sunny terrace and staff brought out blankets to keep the children warm later on. A six-course menu is £127pp. oaxen.com
Getting there: British Airways, SAS and Norwegian all run London to Stockholm Arlanda flights. SAS also has flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh. Arlanda is 20 minutes from the city centre on the Arlanda express train. Single fare is £20, kids go free. arlandaexpress.com
Where to stay: A double room at the Skeppsholmen starts at £114 hotelskeppsholmen.se
More info:visitstockholm.com, visitsweden.com