Whimsical weather and a Ghibli-like atmosphere in Stockholm and Visby. July 2023【94】

I took a day off on Monday and went to Stockholm and Visby for a 2-night, 3-day trip.

I arrived at Arlanda Airport at 10 in the morning and took a bus to downtown Stockholm.

Seeing the cloudless blue sky gets me excited.

I headed towards the old town on foot.

As I passed the Parliament House,

I arrived at the old town with its remaining cobblestones.

I walked around the town, looking at buildings and finding interesting shops.

For lunch, I had meatballs at a restaurant called Gästabud.

Each one was large, like a coarse-ground hamburger, and very meaty, making it very satisfying.

After lunch, I went to the Nobel Prize Museum.

I spent about an hour looking at the award ceremonies, past winners, and their achievements.

After leaving the museum, I relaxed by the water, gazing at the scenery and eating ice cream.

Walking in Stockholm was pleasant, not just because of the buildings and scenery but also because the streets were clean.

I joined a boat tour and circled one of the nearby islands.

I spotted a statue that looked like a Moai from a distance.

When I returned from the tour, there was a music event in the park that looked like a festival.

I went back to my hotel to drop off my luggage and then headed to a ramen restaurant for dinner.

It was so soothing to my body, tired from walking all day carrying luggage.

The next day, I had plans to go out early in the morning, so I went back, took a shower, and went to bed right away.

Morning of the second day

I woke up at 4 am, bought breakfast from a convenience store, and then headed to the bus terminal.

I took the bus I had reserved in advance and arrived in Nynäshamn after about an hour.

I waited for about an hour in a place that resembled a lobby, then took the ferry and spent 3 hours getting to Gotland Island.

Inside the ship, there were dining areas and souvenir shops. I was hungry, so I had some pancakes.

I actually intended to sleep on the ship, but I couldn't sleep as much as I had hoped, so I explored the ship instead.

Outside the ship, there was a light rain and strong winds. I couldn't stay out for long, but the view was nice.

When I disembarked from the ship, there was a heavy rain, unlike anything I had experienced in Europe. I was disheartened, but the rain weakened after about 5 minutes, so I walked towards the city of Visby.

Visby is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is said to be a model for the towns depicted in "Kiki's Delivery Service," alongside Stockholm.

Walking around the city with intermittent drizzles.

Perhaps due to the weather or the early hour, there weren't many people around.

DBW's Botanical Garden

Visby is also famous for its roses, which can be seen in parks and throughout the city.

The city is dotted with ruins that were destroyed after being attacked in the 16th century.

St Clemens Church Ruin

St. Nicolai Ruin

For lunch, I had a sandwich and salad at a place called Fiket.

The staff were friendly, and the ambiance of the place was great.

After eating, I went to Visby Cathedral, the only one still standing on the island.

From a slightly elevated position, you can see a panoramic view of the city that justifies its UNESCO World Heritage status.

Before I knew it, the rain had stopped.

After touring all the main sights, enjoying some coffee, and shopping for souvenirs, I enjoyed Gotland until 4 pm.

With a sense of nostalgia, I returned to Stockholm, a 4-hour journey by ferry and bus.

On the ferry, I had meatballs.

They were smaller than the ones I had on the first day but were meaty and delicious. The berries were in a jam form, making it easy to spread. I could take as many potatoes as I wanted.

Upon arriving in Stockholm, I quickly walked to watch the sunset.

It was cloudy, but the sunset reflecting on the water was beautiful.

Walking through the old city at night, I headed to the hotel and had just one glass of wine before returning.

Final day

After checking out of the hotel, I headed to Café Pascal in the midst of a thunderstorm.

I had coffee, a cinnamon roll, and a sandwich.

Everything was delicious, but the bread with cardamom had a unique aroma that paired well with the coffee.

Unlike the usual cinnamon rolls I see, it was thin, round, soft, and easy to eat.

After the meal, I took a bus to the Vasa Museum.

You can view exhibitions related to the Vikings in the spacious museum.

The massive ship at the center of the museum, which was salvaged from a shipwreck, is said to be 98% displayed as it was at the time.

After spending about 2 hours touring, I came out to find the thunderstorm had subsided.

While we were able to enter without queuing, there was a line of nearly 100 people when we left.

I took a tram and subway to the lunch place.

At Bistro Bestick, a Swedish restaurant, I had my final meatballs.

I ate meatballs every day for three days, but the ones here were delicious and easy to eat.

The staff were friendly, and the service, including the pound cake, was excellent.

I headed to the airport by bus from Central and arrived 2 hours early.

There wasn't much of a crowd, and there was no need for a counter check-in, so I spent the time until boarding drinking coffee.

Arlanda Airport was clean, and the checks were smooth, leaving a good impression.

And just like that, I returned to London on a flight that was 30 minutes late.

During this trip, I experienced a variety of weather, from clear skies to overcast, light rain, thunderstorms, and even torrential rain.

Perhaps due to the unpredictable weather, many people wore stylish raincoats. It seems there are also several Nordic raincoat brands.

While the cost of living is undeniably high, the cities and islands were correspondingly magnificent.

I've traveled to various parts of Europe, but Visby has been the best destination so far.

Next time, I'd like to take about a week off and visit on a vacation.

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