UNUSUAL STOCKHOLM

A city-archipelago that has no shortage of attractions and charms, is Stockholm. Beyond its best-known landmarks, such as the magnificent old center with its colorful facades, dozens of bridges, each more beautiful than the last, and its seaside amusement park, there are still plenty of strange places to see. So why not take advantage of its proximity (accessible by ferry via Moby Lines, among others) to explore some of the Swedish capital’s most unusual spots today?

The Vasa Museum

The Vasa was a ship of the Royal Swedish Navy, which sank on its very first trip to sea. Her story could have ended there, but after spending 333 years at the bottom of the sea, the Swedes raised her, brought her back to shore, and even built a museum around her. Today, this imposing warship is one of the best-preserved ancient ships in the world, with almost every part still in tact. The museum’s builders even went so far as to depict the top of the masts protruding from the roof.

Junibacken children’s park

This activity park is dedicated to the world of children and characters from Swedish children’s literature – and it will delight every visitor who enters. The train ride through a series of beautifully recreated fairytale settings is well worth the detour.

The underground baths of Storkyrkobadet

The hardest thing about this place with its unpronounceable name will be to make yourself understood by the cab driver or the people you’re going to ask for directions. This moment of discomfort will be quickly forgotten once inside these incredible underground baths located in the heart of old Stockholm. For the record, these were the cellars of a former Dominican monastery, converted much later into baths. The vaulted rooms with tiled walls give the place a very retro feel that you won’t want to miss. There’s also a sauna, so what more could you ask for?

Skeppsbron’s Cuckold

Skeppsbron Street is well worth a visit for its richly decorated bourgeois houses. One of them, at number 44, may surprise you more than the others. The wife of a man named Carl Smitt had cheated on him, and to get even, he had a replica of her vagina carved on the front of their house for all to see, with an angry face of his above it. On rainy days, it looks like tears are running down your face.

The Pionen Data Center

This former Cold War nuclear bunker has been converted into a futuristic office space. Artificial lights and waterfalls, lots of greenery, glass walls, and state-of-the-art computer equipment – you’d think you were in a sci-fi villain’s lair. Unfortunately, it’s not open to the public, but it’s nice to know that it exists, somewhere beneath our feet.

And many more…

There are still plenty of unusual activities to enjoy such as a tower whose lights anyone can control via a mobile app, free swimming on the quays (be careful, the water is cold!), meatball tasting (the real thing, not the stuff from Ikea), an open-air disco, and … a museum dedicated to Abba, complete with costumes, archive videos and, of course, karaoke!

To get to Stockholm, you can fly or drive, but as we said, the best solution is to take the ferry. Book your ferry tickets to Sweden using the Ferryscanner website.