That’s the question we asked ourselves during our stay in Stockholm. After 3 months on the road, we wanted to bring back a few souvenirs from our trip to Scandinavia.
Sommaire
What souvenirs to bring back from Stockholm?
The Stockholm souvenirs we recommend are either consumable gifts or iconic decorative objects. Here’s a list of what we brought back in our suitcases and where to find them in Stockholm.
In Stockholm, souvenir stores are mainly located in Gamla Stan (the historic district), near the Nobel Museum and the Royal Palace. You can buy culinary specialties at the beautifulÖstermalm covered market.
You’ll also find many fine second-hand stores in the Norrmalm and Södermalm districts (Arkivet chain). We took a look around and were pleasantly surprised by the pleasant layout of the stores. Objects and clothes are neatly arranged by color. It’s also a good option for bringing back second-hand gifts.
Food to bring back from Sweden
Honestly, even if the Swedish food didn’t really convince us, we still found a few specialties to slip into our suitcases.
Sweet Swedish specialty
- Sweets : surprisingly, Swedes are among the world’s biggest consumers of sweets. As you’ll see when you go shopping, the self-service candy aisle is the size of our wine aisle.
We recommend this confectionery in the historic district of Old Town Polkagriskokeri ABuwu. You can watch the candy being made and then buy one or more bags to take home.
- A Kanelbullar, a soft cinnamon roll, is Sweden’s signature pastry. On the other hand, this brioche cake doesn’t keep well, so you’ll want to give it as a gift to anyone you see straight off the plane.
You’ll find them in every bakery, and we’ve never been disappointed. We’ve tasted delicious ones at Svedjan Bageri (average price 3-4€).
Swedish crispbread
- Knäckebröd is a traditional Swedish dry crusty bread made from rye flour. In Sweden, it is eaten as savory toast (cheese, smoked fish, etc.) or as sweet toast.
You’ll find them in every supermarket or covered market, and you won’t want to miss them: the packaging resembles a wheel of cheese (priced at a few euros). Our friends and family loved it.
The Dalarna horse: a decorative object to bring home
If there’s one thing you can take home from Sweden and your stay in Stockholm, it’s a Dalarna horse. It’s a beautiful wooden horse, painted red and decorated, from the Dalécarlie region (in central Sweden). It was created by lumberjacks for their children. It owes its red color to the copper mines located in the region.
You’ll find them in every souvenir store, in different sizes and colors (we recommend the traditional red). Even the Swedes display them on their windowsills at home. It’s true that they’re really beautiful. In the small village of Nusnas, in Dalarna, you can observe all the stages of creation (prices from €20).
You’ll also find plenty of designer boutiques in downtown Stockholm and in the Södermalm district.
A plush toy or figurine
Before we left, friends had already given us a stuffed moose that we called a reindeer, but before we saw one in real life, it’s not easy to tell the difference.
We did, however, buy a reindeer figurine while we were in Sweden. These are useful toys that children generally play with.
A book on Swedish culture: Lagom
You’ll quickly realize that Swedish culture is very different from our own. More organized, more respectful, the love of beauty is omnipresent, children are considered as beings in their own right and second-hand stores are everywhere in Stockholm.
The Swedes have adopted an art of living focused on well-being and happiness in all its simplicity. This clearly made us want to move to Sweden.
If you’d like to give the gift of a book to introduce people to Swedish culture, we recommend the Lagom book by author Anne-Thoumieux.
Where to sleep in Stockholm?
To get the most out of your stay, we recommend the Norrmalm and Östermalm districts. For smaller budgets, the Södermalm district may be a good alternative.
– Coup de coeur ♥ : Hotel Birger Jarl, quartier Noormalm (le meilleur quartir pour dormir selon nous) : la situation géographique de l’hôtel est parfaite pour visiter le centre de Stockholm à pied. Dans un beau bâtiment entièrement rénové, notre logement était spacieux avec un mini frigo et avec une décoration soignée, un excellent rapport qualité prix où vous vous sentirez comme chez vous. Nous y retournerons sans hésitation.
– Bon marché € : City Backpackers Hostel, c’est une auberge de jeunesse joliment décorée certainement le meilleur rapport qualité / prix de Stockholm, 75€ en chambre double dans le quartier branché de Sodermalm (l’un de nos préférés). J’y avais dormi lors de mon premier séjour à Stockholm (Floriane).
We wish you an excellent stay in the Swedish capital, and don’t miss the magnificent Stockholm archipelago and its interactive museums, where you can learn while having fun (yes, it’s possible).
We wish you an excellent trip! Don’t hesitate to leave us a quick note or 5 stars below, to tell us if you’re planning this trip, to ask any questions you may have, here or on Instagram, we’ll get back to you with great pleasure.
