Be Picky Stockholm: Selected Tips from Insiders

Ferries set off from the Strömkajen and Strandvägen jetties in the city center to the many archipelagos around Stockholm. The small, rocky islands that formed during the Ice Age are popular excursion destinations. I particularly like the 172-hectare island of Grinda in the inner archipelago, about an hour and a half from Stockholm. I walk across the island from the jetty, swim in small bays, and enjoy the meadows and forests. At sunset, I like to sit in the Framfickan harbor bar. For lunch or dinner, the Grinda Wärdshus with its art nouveau interior and large terrace is well worth a visit. To make sure you get a table, you should definitely book in advance. Bear in mind that the ferry service is very limited during the winter.

My second favorite is the island of Sandhamn, with its yellow and red wooden houses in the outer archipelago. On the two-and-a-half-hour journey there, you pass countless small islands, often with just a single house. On Sandhamn, I like to hike through the dense pine forests to Trouville, where you can swim in the many bays with light sandy beaches. It’s a wonderfully quiet place that only gets crowded at the height of summer and especially during the Midsummer Festival in June, when hundreds of visitors from Stockholm celebrate the longest day of the year.

Long-haul purser Gary Wilson has worked for Lufthansa since 1988 and could easily fill a book with his experiences. The insights and inspiration he gains make his job so compelling. Although he’s seen much of the world, he’s always eager to discover new things, including in Stockholm, the city he’s called home for over 20 years.