Stockholm among the snowflakes

The most comfortable and fastest way of traveling is, of course, with airplane, but there are no direct connections between Slovenian Brnik. The cheapest flight tickets can be obtained for less than 200 Euros, but they are usually associated with longer-term waiting times during layovers.

This time my sister joined me. We found buses to be the most convenient and time-efficient form of transfer from the Stockholm airport to the city. The trip lasted a little more than half an hour, the ticket can be paid with a card on the bus, which stops at several terminals and drives very often. The bus line is maintained by Flygbussarna (flygbussarna.se/en) and the price of a one-way ticket is around 13 EUR. Online purchase is a bit cheaper.

Attention - fraudulent taxi drivers!
The airport bus gets you to the main bus station in the city centre. From there, we planned to take another bus. But with large suitcases, we decided to go for a taxi, despite the fact that the hostel was only two kilometres away. We chose the first one that looked like it belonged to a city company Taxi Stockholm. We thought this was a guarantee for a correct attitude. But the final price was 60 Euros, which is too much even for the Scandinavian region. But in a lonely and dark street, we had no choice but to pay. Fortunately, this was the only unpleasant event, which spoiled our trip only for a few hours.

I heard similar stories later. The city tourist organization and hotels have been trying to regulate and control the prices of taxis for many years, but obviously they do not want to solve this problem. Self-employed taxi drivers are entitled to charge any price and, despite the use of taximeters, they know a whole lot of tricks, which makes the ride more expensive. The victims, however, are usually tourists who are not aware of the surprisingly unregulated situation in this field in otherwise exemplary country. Some of the most well-known companies are holding true and fair prices. But even for larger businesses, taxi drivers who only pay a license do business their way. The most secure way is to order and pay for transportation via a web application. In addition to some local businesses, Uber also operates, but it is not cheaper than their competition in Stockholm.

Here are some tips to consider: find a yellow sticker on the street before picking a taxi, and the highest price for transportation at a distance of ten kilometres is written on the sticker. It is usually glued to the rear door windows. Require that the driver turns on the taximeter. The price is in Swedish crowns and save the bill when paying. Only on its basis will you be able to claim a possible appeal.

Hostel on a sailing boat
We had more luck with the accommodation. We chose hostel STF Youth Hostel af Chapman & Skeppsholmen. In fact, there are two different accommodation units available, as one can sleep in cabins on a large boat or in a nearby 19th century historic building. The double room was pleasantly decorated and large enough for us to be comfortable. Toilets are in the hallway , but close enough to all the rooms, so this was not a problem. We loved the well-equipped shared kitchen and social spaces with a pool table. Free internet access is available at the hostel, and for a small fee you can also use the washing machine. Breakfast is not included in the price, but is really cheap and is available in a greatly stocked buffet. Vegetarians can also choose among many dishes. It is also taken care for the forgetful - in the lobby of the hostel there is a fridge with a supply of milk, yogurt and similar foods, which we often forget to buy for breakfast.

Throughout our 9-day stay, all staff were very friendly at all times and ready to help with a variety of tips and information. The essence of a pleasant stay was a pleasant atmosphere on every step, both in the kitchen and in the common areas; of course, the view from the window to the city was not negligible, especially at the first morning sun. There was just the right amount of guests so you can always find someone to talk to, they were of different age and nationality and there were also quite a few families.

Sleeping in the cabin boats is a bit more expensive than in the main building, but one who likes the maritime atmosphere will be impressed by the possibility of staying on an old boat. It was made in 1888 and it sailed to Australia. Since 1949 it has been permanently anchored and converted into a hostel. The rooms are furnished just like a boat cabin - with bunk beds. Through the windows you can see the picturesque harbour and the old city centre Gamla Stan with the Royal Palace. The most attractive is the captain's room, which looks exactly like it did decades ago. The large bed and furniture are made of dark massive furniture and the room is spacious than the rest. The only exception is the largest room in the front of the ship, which is suitable for small groups or families, as there are several beds in it. In the warmer months, an attractive bar is also open on the ship.

Convenient Stockholm Pass
The location of the hostel is one of its biggest advantages. It is located just a short walk from the old city centre on the island Skeppsholmen. From this island, you can take a ship to the nearby island of Djurgarden. Of course we had to visit the latter, which has several attractive museums, among which Skansen, the outdoor museum, is the best known. To visit several museums and organized excursions, Stockholm Pass is the most convenient city tourist card. The card costs from EUR 60, depending on how long it is valid, but allows you to see more than sixty different attractions for free, including most of the museums. In many museums there are restaurants that usually offer lunch until 3 pm. They are very convenient while visiting a museum, and the prices are not too steep.

One of the most attractive museums is the interactive museum of Abba band, which offers so many activities and entertainment that it is not difficult to spend the whole afternoon in it. You can take a look at the recordings of your musical and dance performances on your computer at home. Of course, you can get to know the work of one of the most successful music groups in the world whose career unfortunately ended too quick.

The best way to feel the beat of the city is on one of the boat trips, especially if you get lucky with the weather. The local guides also greatly contributed to the two and a half hour journey, and kept us informed about everything that the curious passengers watched from the deck. Another alternative is the sightseeing bus, but it's best to simply go on both.

Home of the royal family
We were most impressed by Gamla Stan, the old city quarter. We admired the Royal Guard in front of the Royal Palace. And we did that on the Queen's birthday! Unfortunately, the queen did not show up, nor did we receive any treats. There are also some museums in this part of the city. The most famous is dedicated to Alfred Nobel. We were more impressed by many boutiques than by museums. It also was not difficult to find a pleasant place where you can enjoy a hot beverage in the cold winter. Of course, we ordered the traditional glogg and gingerbread cookies. Glogg is similar to mulled wine. Spices are boiled in water (cloves, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, orange peel) and then they add currant or grape juice, wine and sometimes spirits. The oldest confectionery and cafe Sundbergs Konditori remained in our memory. Even the Swedish princess with her children visits it on Sundays. I must not forget the special confectionery: Kutterkonfekt, which specializes in marzipan's delicacies, but also chocolate temptations are not to be left out. It is located near the well-known Ahlens department store. In December, they arrange their fairytale shop on a ship that is anchored on the Strandvagskajen port. They are continuing a more than seventy year old family tradition by having a shop on the ship. In Christmas time, their confectionery was once exclusively on a ship which was floating between ports in the Baltic Sea.

The goodbye from Stockholm was especially winter-themed: on the last evening we visited an Ice bar. A unique bar that is fully covered with ice blocks. Drinks, especially coloured cocktails, are served in glasses made of ice! The bar and chairs are also made of ice, there is a real ice throne and beautiful ice sculptures. On arrival, you also rent additional "winter equipment" - a wonderful cloak that keeps you warm next to the cocktails and gloves so you can hold the ice glass. The atmosphere is unrepeatable! The bar is open throughout the year.