Stockholm city guide: the rooms to book, the tables to reserve, the sights to see

If you often peruse those annual lists of the finest cities in which to live, you’re likely well-versed in the precise, meticulous attractions of Zürich, the easygoing rhythms of Copenhagen, and the moneyed allure of Singapore. Though not a permanent fixture on such rankings, Stockholm very much has its own virtues and excels in doing a lot of things well – a topography that is easily navigable, despite being fragmented into several islands; its population incredibly literate in both design and fashion; easy access to rural Sweden; and districts that are delineated by their nuances, from the twee pastels of Gamla Stan, the cultural hub on Skeppsholmen, and the verdant, inner-city escape that is Djurgården.

Its Scandi counterparts, in Copenhagen and, lately, Oslo, have been stealing the headlines in recent years, but Stockholm ploughs on, its Stutterheim-clad people continuing to brace the sharp winter months, its central hub growing more diverse and cosmopolitan by the year, its borders ever-changing and expanding.

If you’re considering a quick sojourn to the Swedish capital, our tight edit of the city’s highlights may help you in your decision.

It is a tough ask to think of a stay – even a place – more perfect in its romanticism than Ett Hem. Thick-pastried pies, the type you’d imagine from your favourite childhood nursery rhyme, cools by the window of the kitchen, the thick steam fogging the glass panes; at night, a platter of flushing tomatoes sits on the ledge, their polished skin illuminated by only the faintest of candlelight, as though the scene were a Cotán painting made flesh. Interiors are a refined blend of Swedish vintage and new pieces in leather, cane and velvet, and sheepskin-backed chairs take over the garden. There are jars of baked goods for you to jam your hands into. Deep sofas scream for your occupancy, and the division between front and back of house is as crumbly as the slab of cheese served at breakfast.

Choose between either the original build, a renovated Arts and Crafts structure that is darker, cosier, more down-home and comes with a subterranean hammam; or plump for a suite in the newly opened adjacent townhouses, replete with light-washed public areas and a spirited scene. Either option is pretty spectacular, with bland notions of luxury stripped away entirely. “Comfort is more important than formality”, says Ilse Crawford, the interior designer who realised the irresistible Ett Hem vision.

A renovated navy barracks on one of the city’s most undisturbed islands, Hotel Skeppsholmen feels like an escape within an escape, its composed ambience only heightened by the hushed, at-peace spirit of its surrounds.

A restrained fit-out, overseen by Claesson Koivisto Rune, draws upon a straightforward palette of greys and extremely light hues that were partly influenced by the Gustavian style, resulting in a bolthole that feels more secreted-away apartment than formal hotel. Rooms come with Byredo toiletries, and any one of the deluxe sea and garden view rooms is excellent, with vistas of the lawn, tennis court and waterfront. At the in-house restaurant, bliss-out on that most iconic of local classics: meatballs with potato purée, slices of pickled cucumber, beads of lingonberries, and a puddle of cream sauce.

Named after the headmistress that ran the school once housed in this Art Nouveau structure, Miss Clara is one of Stockholm’s finest beds, with a period feel that comes courtesy of dark herringbone parquet floors, stonework, and lengthy hallways, resulting in a lived-in, historical character that many of the big chains can’t offer.

Of the 92 rooms, all overseen by Gert Wingårdh, we’d suggest the Etage Suite, a renovated prayer hall whose grand, church-style windows maximise sunlight throughout. Though Norrmalm, Stockholm’s most lively district, is outside, we have a tendency to while away the hours on our room’s grand-window bench, watching the scenery as it passes by, or holing up in the downstairs sauna, which is unoccupied for most hours of the day.

Though the way of live-fire cooking has dispersed into kitchens across the globe, Niklas Ekstedt was one of the first chefs to popularise it, his restaurant eschewing gas stoves and electric griddles in favour of a pit, oven and stove – “the stone-age equivalent of a microwave oven”, says Ekstedt – all heated by the glorious powers of birchwood and organic charcoal.

The multi-course menu is, of course, exposed to that old-as-time fragrance of smoke, and has previously included baked pike perch, Swedish blue lobster, and deer with red beetroot, rhubarb, shallots and black truffles. The homely, throwback ethos is bolstered by an interior that’s influenced by Ekstedt’s earlier life in Jämtland.

One of the world’s hardest tables to land, Björn Frantzén’s singular restaurant is famed for its artful compositions, its celebrations of the seasons, and its dovetailing of European, Asian and Nordic flavours and techniques.

The menu is ever-changing, as is the case at most high-dining destinations, but past hits have included: Arctic char ‘tataki’ with chilled kohlrabi, wasabi, fennel and preserved lemon; tartlet with peas, Thai basil, ginger yoghurt, melon espuma, red shiso and shiso flowers; and chawanmushi foie gras with truffled cabbage broth and Jerusalem artichoke. Book far, far in advance.

On the edge of Djurgården, Stockholm’s inner-city oasis, Liljevalchs showcases art both old and new, with a particular focus on the large-scale. It opened in 1916, and was the first independent and public gallery in Sweden, a neutral place that broke free from royal confines and influence.

Visit for the always-popular Spring Salon, which has previously exhibited regional talent, such as Sten-Yngve Johansson and Fredrik Sundqvist. A new extension, completed in 2021, added 2,400sq meters of space, and is defined by its skyline of lantern-shaped grids, allowing light to better emphasise the industrial interiors and the works on show.

Robin Klang’s multi-disciplinary interior-design studio caters to some of the most stylish commercial spaces and private residences in the country, with its showroom and store displaying a tightly edited selection of furniture, antiques, art, high-end curios and lifestyle products such as perfumes, all tied together by a moody, contemporary-rustic look.

The ‘Heisai Table’ is crafted from ash, the ‘Orbit Chandelier’, available in brass, bronze and nickel, appears more art piece than lighting, and the ‘Vestimental Candle’, which arrives in a blackened iron vessel, has a herbaceous fragrance of basil and mint. By appointment only.

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