By the end of March, especially after daylight saving time, you’ll notice it. The days are longer, there’s more daylight, and you’ve started to go days without needing to wear your winter coat. Indeed, when spring arrives in Stockholm, there is a celebratory feeling in the air. While there is no shortage of scenic outdoor sites around Stockholm from which to soak up the long-awaited sunshine, here are five of my personal recommendations for enjoying the spring in Stockholm:
1. See the cherry blossoms at Kungsträdgården
Though you may be sad to say goodbye to the holiday ice skating rink in Kungsträdgården, a central plaza and park in downtown Stockholm, worry not! Springtime brings another special attraction to Kungsträdgården – the cherry blossoms. You can see the cherry blossoms at different stages throughout the month of April, but be sure to go around mid-April to catch the cherry blossoms in their vibrant full-bloom.
2. Visit the Stockholm Archipelago
While you won’t have time to visit all 30,000 islands that make up the Stockholm archipelago, take advantage of the sunnier, warmer weather by visiting at least one! One of the closest islands to the city center is Fjäderholmarna. It takes less than half an hour to take a ferry from downtown Stockholm to Fjäderholmarna, but once you arrive on the island, you will already feel like you are a world away from the city.
3. Explore Djurgården
Djurgården is great to visit any time of year, but the spring is an ideal time to enjoy this island’s beautiful natural surroundings. Some outdoor highlights include the orchards and greenhouses at Rosendals Trädgård and the waterfront walking and biking paths. You can also visit Grönalund, Stockholm’s classic amusement park, once it opens in April. To reach Djurgården you can walk from Östermalm, or you can use your SL public transport card to take a free ferry ride from Nybroplan or Slussen.
4. Blend in with the locals at Vasaparken
If you want to know how the locals are spending their sunny spring days, look no further than Vasaparken. Located just west of Odenplan, Vasaparken is a picturesque park that comes alive in the Springtime. Take advantage of its outdoor gym to get in a free workout or, if you want a more relaxed activity, bring some food and enjoy a picnic on the grass.
5. Take a sunset walk at 9:00 pm
Swedish summers are famous for their very late – or in some cases, nonexistent – sunsets. You don’t have to wait until summer to experience them, though. By late spring in Stockholm, the sun sets after 9:00 pm, which means you can take an evening walk around your neighborhood and still enjoy some sunlight. You don’t need any plan or a destination in mind. Rather, just get outside and enjoy the peaceful Stockholm sunset, with birds chirping and the sky filled with light purple hues. It’s easily my favorite part of the day in Stockholm, and it can be enjoyed from anywhere in the city.
McKenna Keyes is the Community Advisor with Housing and Student Affairs at DIS Stockholm. Before moving to Sweden, she lived in Spain for four years, where she was a Fulbright grantee and later a Program Associate at the Fulbright Commission in Madrid. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies from Uppsala University outside Stockholm.
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