A local's guide to Stockholm: "It's a city where you shine"
Rachel Schnalzer
October 29, 2024
Spend a day walking through Stockholm, experiencing the waterside city’s streets and islands, and you’ll find creativity everywhere. It’s in the jewel-toned, ancient buildings of busy Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s old town that dates to the 1200s. And it’s in Stockholm’s quieter moments, in the ever-shifting shades of blue that overtake the city during winter.
Stockholm feels like a city for the artist in all of us – and few people can attest to that better than Gino. Originally from China, Gino has called Sweden home for over six years. Today, he lives in Stockholm, works as a designer, and spends his free time singing and writing songs for Elumina, a shoegaze band he started with his bandmates in 2023. “It’s kind of like dream pop,” he said. “The reason it’s called shoegaze is because a lot of effects are used and sometimes you need to use pedals to change the effects.”
Gino said he values the balance and rhythm of life here in Stockholm. “I like that it's not a huge city, where you can easily lose control of everything,” he said. At the same time, “you can find all walks of life here, and it’s quite international. People are really respectful of each other...you have a lot of private space, but it’s very easy to find people you can vibe with quite a lot.”
On a winter visit to Stockholm, a few Eurail colleagues and I caught up with Gino to learn how travelers can make the most of a trip to his city. This conversation has been condensed and edited.
We met Gino at Serels torg, a plaza in downtown Stockholm, to learn about life in the Swedish capital
Monteliusvägen, a cliffside walking path, is a perfect place to enjoy sunset in Stockholm
Describe your perfect day in Stockholm
In the morning, I’ll probably be at home drinking a coffee, because that’s kind of cozy. And then I’ll go out and see a friend and have lunch in a cute cafe; every now and then I’ll go to a place that has vegan or vegetarian food – we have so many options here in Stockholm.
In the afternoon, I’ll probably have a fika. It’s like a “coffee break,” but said in a more casual way. A lot of people here do this with their friends and colleagues — it’s all about having a coffee and maybe some desserts and just enjoying a moment with each other.
Then, in the evening, I’ll probably go explore a nice restaurant and if the weather is good, I will go to the cliff in Södermalm to see the sunset with my friends and have a chat.
Speaking of fika, what is your favorite cafe in Stockholm?
The classic one is Bröd & Salt, it’s a local chain of bakeries in many spots in the city. There's also this little cafe/bar/gallery called Crum Heaven. They often have art exhibitions there, and the atmosphere is just so nice. I love it so much.
You also mentioned vegetarian and vegan food. What's your go-to spot?
It’s called Falloumi (the name is a wordplay with “falafel” and “halloumi”), and it’s in Södermalm.
You're a musician and in a band here in Stockholm. What are your dream venues to play in the city?
I mean, if I'm ambitious, I will be playing at Tele2 Arena. It’s quite big.
Speaking practically, I would like to play at some cute cafes — and there is one bar I really like called Stampen in Gamla Stan. Stampen tends to have jazz nights and jams, and I would love to play there.
While we're talking about the arts, do you have any favorite museums in the city?
It’s Fotografiska, a photography museum that changes exhibitions every season. A lot of big names — and smaller names — have exhibited there.
I’d also recommend Liljevalchs, another art museum. Recently I went to a fashion exhibition there, which was quite cool.
Gino speaks with Rachel Schnalzer, senior writer at Eurail, in downtown Stockholm
The Stockholm archipelago is made up of roughly 30,000 islands
Fresh snow hangs on the trees in Uppsala, just one hour away from Stockholm by train
What do travelers typically miss when they come to Stockholm?
I would say the archipelago; if you have the chance, definitely go check out the islands around Stockholm.
Here’s a tip: a lot of the ferries are included in the public transportation card. And there’s also a nature-focused art museum on an island in the archipelago called Artipelag. You can take a ferry out in the morning, see the museum, and take a bus back in the afternoon.
What is your favorite train journey from Stockholm?
My favorite train trip is from Stockholm City to Uppsala. It's a university city right next to Stockholm, and they have a couple of very good museums. It’s very cute as well, and it’s only an hour away.
What do you love about your neighborhood?
I live in this neighborhood called Årsta, and my place is right next to Årstaberg, my nearest train station.
I love that it’s so close to nature — we have the sea nearby, and in the summer, if I want to take a dip in the water, it’s only a 15-minute walk. There are small forests that you can explore, and it’s only 10 minutes by train to Stockholm Central Station. You get a little bit of everything.
Complete this sentence: Stockholm is a place where you _____?
I think Stockholm is a city where you shine.
Meet the writer
Rachel Schnalzer is a senior writer at Eurail, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Favorite moment of the journey to Stockholm
"My colleagues and I took a night train from Hamburg to Stockholm. After I woke up in the morning, I spent an hour sipping coffee and watching the Swedish countryside roll by before our train pulled into Stockholm. It was a really peaceful start to our time in Sweden."
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