Everplaces - Save and share places you love

  By Katie Palmer, student, writer and avid traveller from Seattle, USA

I just returned from my first visit to Stockholm, and I left kicking and screaming. I fell in love with the city (or more specifically, their people, coffee, art, design, architecture, and just about everything) and it was hard to leave. Though it can be called “too touristy,” I decided to stay in Gamla Stan, or “Old Town,” because it was centrally located and looked to be oozing with charm.

I stayed in Castanea Old Town Hostel which is a cozy hostel housed in century-old walls, yet has embraced modern Swedish design. Their cleanliness was immaculate, their kitchen and lobby inviting, and their beds extremely comfy.

The next morning (after the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had on a hostel bed) I meandered over to the main square of Gamla Stan and made my way toward the first place serving coffee I could find.

It ended up being Café Kaffekoppen, a coffeehouse and restaurant that serves up a fabulous cup of filter coffee, exquisite cinnamon rolls, fresh meals, and hot chocolate in a huge bowl. In a word, this place was extremely hip. I returned every morning for the rest of my trip.

A stone’s through away from Kaffekoppen is the Nobel Museum, which I had to explore since I was in Sweden (where so much history is associated with the prize). Though the museum is small, it is worth an hour if you are interested in these fascinating winners. They have some great footage screening in their mini-theaters.

Though there were mobs of tourists crowding the narrow streets of Old Town in the afternoons, I would wake up early and browse the trendy shops, grab a cup of coffee (always with a cinnamon roll of course), and enjoy the lovely, quiet mornings of historic Stockholm.

This is just a sneak peek into some of the cool spots Katie discovered in Stockholm. Check out her collection on Everplaces to browse and draw inspiration from all her Stockholm recommendations.