Stockholm on a shoestring
Anita Tatlow of Stockholm on a shoestring shares some of her favourite places to visit, shop, eat and thrift in Stockholm.
All photos by author unless otherwise noted.
Having moved to Stockholm from the UK, we were keen to learn insider secrets on how and where to get the most for our money in this new city. We found that while there are many great websites such as Slow Travel Stockholm to give advice on life in Stockholm – where to go, eat, drink, shop and visit – a website completely dedicated to finding Stockholm’s hidden finds that don’t cost the earth was nowhere to be found.
So we had our mission: To bring together the best value cafes, shops, markets and places to visit that Stockholm has to offer and so…Stockholm on a Shoestring was born.
In this special guest post, Ben and I have compiled a few of our favourite places to visit, shop, eat and thrift in Stockholm whilst always getting your money’s worth. And before you dismiss this post as being about second hand junk shops that you have no interest in, give us a chance – we may just surprise you…
Where to Visit: Artipelag
Photo courtesy of Artipelag
Despite its beautiful location and fairly close proximity to Stockholm, I am still amazed at the amount of Stockholmers who have never visited and the amount of tourist blogs and websites which fail to even mention its existence. Think stunning natural beauty combined with artistic architecture and here you have it…Artipelag.
In the words of creator Björn Jakobson and his wife (founders of the well-known company BabyBjörn), Artipelag’s intention was always to be a “destination of high international quality – with boundary-crossing art exhibits, inspiring activities, and good food”. Well, with their carefully chosen location on Stockholm’s archipelago and with architecture designed to work in harmony with nature, they have certainly achieved that. You can read more about the fascinating architectural vision and design here.
One thing we love about Artipelag is that it appeals to all day-trip budgets:
● If you are on a shoestring budget, bring your own picnic, meander along the nature trails (many of which have disabled access) and explore the architecture of Artipelag.
● If your budget extends beyond that, consider travelling to Artipelag by boat – a passenger boat travels from Stockholm throughout the summer & there is even a marina for private boat owners.
While the dinner menu will set you back a bit, the weekday lunch buffet is definitely a good value option. At 175 SEK per person, it is not the cheapest lunch in Stockholm but the variety and quality of their dishes really is good. Plus, you really can’t beat the views of the archipelago from the cafe terrace.
Location: Artipelagstigen 1, 134 40 Gustavsberg, Sweden
How to get here: www.artipelag.se/en/visit-artipelag
Website: www.artipelag.se/en
Where to Shop: Cranberry Corner
This small home furnishing and decorative garden supply store is not a typical store that would make its way onto our site as the prices alone don’t scream fantastic value. But value is about quality at the best possible price, and Cranberry Corner exudes great value through its diverse range of quality wares to furnish every aspect of your home from your entrance hall through to your garden.
Where does the “shoestring factor” come into play?
Well, here’s where it gets really interesting… Every month, Cranberry Corner hosts a themed evening – some of their recent events have included a garden party, a musical evening with guitarist Erik Borelius and even a foodie evening featuring unique organic spice blends from Herbarias.
And here’s where the value comes in: these themed evenings are free – anyone is welcome (just RSVP to their event by email) and you will be greeted on arrival with a complimentary glass of bubbly to enjoy as you peruse its treasure troves. Throughout the evening, they also have additional offers in the store (typical offers vary but recent offers have been 15-30% off certain ranges and 10% off everything else in store).
I now schedule these events into my diary as soon as I get the email invitation.
Location: Svärdvägen 3, 182 33 Danderyd.
Nearest T-Bana:Mörby Centrum
Website: www.cranberrycorner.se
Where to Fika: Bageriet Bulleboden
Opinions vary greatly on the best cafes that Stockholm has to offer and let’s face it, there are a lot of cafes out there, with many of those deemed to be most popular often being over-rated. So here is my favourite Stockholm cafe of the moment: If you are looking for fresh, good quality food with coffee and bread included in the price, then look no further than Cafe Bageriet Bulleboden.
Their range of open and closed sandwiches, soups and salads is second-to-none, a variety of fresh bread is baked daily and the quality of their sweet bakery delights is apparent from the amount of takeaway orders that people come and collect during any given lunch sitting.
If you can manage to get a fresh kanelbulle (cinnamon bun) before they sell out, it is well worth it, along with their buttery kardemummabulle (cardamom buns). Possibly the best I have tasted…I’d love to know if and where you’ve had better.
Our lunch for two came to 175 SEK including additional bread & coffee – fantastic value and delicious.
Location:Parmmätargatan 7, Kungsholmen, 11224 Stockholm
Nearest T-Bana: Rådhuset
Website: www.stockholmonashoestring.com/bageriet-bulleboden
Where to Thrift: Söderloppis @ Götakällare (Flea market on Södermalm)
I’m the first to admit that not all second hand shops or flea markets are interesting and yes, many are filled with unwanted junk that nobody would ever want to buy. But the Sunday Söderloppis @ Götakällare is definitely worth a visit, whether you are a flea market novice or enthusiast.
Set in the basement of a night-club, between 11-16 on a Sunday, this intriguing location transforms into a bustling market for locals and tourists alike. Here you can shop for everything from homewares, clothing, records, jewellery and there was even a taxidermy stall last time we visited – that was quite a surprise.
Sellers are friendly, can change from week to week and you can haggle with most to bag yourself a real bargain.
Location: Göta Källaren, Folkungagatan 45
Nearest T-Bana: Medborgarplatsen
Website: www.stockholmonashoestring.com/soderloppis-gotakallare
What are some of your favourite finds in Stockholm?
