Did you know that Stockholm has a gender equal snow-clearing policy? Men are statistically more likely to be drivers, while women are more likely to use pavements, cycle paths, and public transport. Instead of clearing main roads first, day care centres, where parents typically take their children first thing in the morning have been prioritised, followed by areas where the majority of people work, regardless of gender, then schools, and lastly main roads. I like it how Scandinavian countries are always fighting for gender equality, though this policy might raise some eyebrows.

Having visited Sweden twice (2014 and 2015), I think that it is a beautiful country, but it is not my favourite country in Scandinavia. Both times when I was in Stockholm in summer and winter, it was raining all the time and it felt quite miserable. Where are the clear blue skies as seen on the postcards? Sweden’s capital city spreads out over 14 islands in Lake Mälaren and looks out proudly to the Baltic Sea to the east. It is home to grand public buildings, palaces, a rich cultural history and museums depicting its 700 year-old history. Stockholm is also the most populous among the Nordic countries, yet it has maintained a high standard of living.

My favourite place in town is Gamla Stan, with cobblestone streets, crooked and beautifully preserved buildings. It used to be Stockholm’s original city centre, now it is a big melting pot of cafés, restaurants, tourist shops, studios, galleries and museums including the Nobel Museum, the Post Museum, and The Royal Coin Cabinet in the National Museums of Economy.

Nearby, the changing of the guards takes place outside the Royal Palace and in the summer months, you also get regaled by the military band and horses. The changing of the guards can be seen Wednesdays & Saturdays at 1215 hours, and Sundays at 1315 hours.

Public transportation in Stockholm is very convenient, albeit expensive if you plan to take a single trip (SEK 36 for one zone, SEK 54 for two zones). It is more economical to purchase the 24h/72h/7 days SL card:
SEK 115 for 24 hours
SEK 230 for 72 hours
SEK 300 for 7 Days
The SL card can easily be bought from convenience stores or the metro stations. Travel cards are also valid on the Djurgården ferry from Slussen to Djurgården with Waxholmsbolaget, so if you want to take a ferry to the outlying islands, the SL card would come in handy.

The metro stations are also like a museum in its own accord. Located deep underground, there are some interesting stations to check out. The Stockholm subway system is said to be the longest art exhibition in the world – 110 kilometers in length.

For fans of ABBA, you can even visit the ABBA museum and also walk down the street where ABBA lived. Not many people knew that ABBA is a Swedish band because they sang in English and their songs have become classics.

If you want to visit a museum, I would recommend the Vasa museum. Vasa means ship in Swedish, it is the only preserved seventeenth-century ship in the world, and a unique art treasure. More than 95 percent of the ship is original, and it is decorated with hundreds of carved sculptures.

Although Stockholm may be expensive, there are several free stuff that you can see, or just wandering along the cobblestone streets brings great pleasure. Also, Stockholm is a convenient stopover point for cruises going to Finland, Norway, Estonia or Germany.

As with most European cities, Stockholm also offers a daily free walking tour where the tour guides are usually university students who will show you around their city. At the end of the tour, you can tip them any amount you want or just give them a handshake. Meeting point is outside the subway station at Gamla stan, tours start at 10:00 and 13:00 every day, lasting for about two hours.