Sweden

Sweden isn't the most popular country in Europe for tourists. And...I can see why. Its biggest city Stockholm isn't the most exciting or glamorous city out there. Stockholm is still worth a little trip on your itinerary if you are in Europe for an extended vacation. There are some places in this city you can't see anywhere else. 

1. The Royal Palace

The King of Sweden lives in the Royal Palace from 1760. It has 600 rooms and is one of the most beautiful and biggest palaces in Europe. It is one of the oldest castles in the world that is still used by the royal family of the country. 

The palace is open to the public and there is also a guided tour offered daily:

This was my favorite part of the palace:

2. Vasa Museum

One of the most visited museums in Northern Europe, this museum has the only original, fully-intact 17th century ship, called Vasa (hence the name of the museum). 

This is a replica model of the ship with sails:

This is the actual warship. It is massive at 69m long:

The detailed sculptures on the ship:

Miniature ships in a row:

A map of where the war ships were stationed and the route they took:

3. The ABBA Museum

"Ooh You can dance, You can jive, Having the time of your life

Ooh, see that girl, Watch that scene, Digging the dancing queen~"

Are you a fan of the legendary Swedish group ABBA?

I adore 70s and 80s music, Michael Jackson, Prince, The BeeGees (My favorite genre is 90's Gangsta Rap, though), so I had to get a pic here!

Some original costumes of the ABBA members:

This was my favorite:

4. Textil Museet

As an (aspiring) designer/tailor, I had to visit the Textile Museum.  It's very comprehensive, showing fashion not only in Sweden but in all of Europe throughout the ages. 

My favorite styles of clothing that I'm trying to get into are dresses, such as Zuhair Murad and Valdrin Sahiti. (I can make bikinis too!) But I love all styles of clothing, from hip hop to punk. I love this whole outfit!

This is what I'm trying to get into! This is an older style of a wedding dress, but I can totally see it being worn today:

5. Nobel Prize Museum

The Swedish prize is renowned and desired by professionals in their field all over the world. So it is befitting that Stockholm should have the only Nobel Prize museum in the world displaying the creative ideas and dedicated works of more than 900 scientists, artists, and activists. 

This museum is closed on Monday, so plan your trip/visit accordingly!

6. Riddarhuset

This is the center for parliamentary assemblies and administration, built in the 1600s. It's a building that keeps records on the Swedish nobility. It is open to the public but I has limited time to go inside. I was too hungry and wanted to try some Swedish food, haha!

7. Stockholm

Food

Fish, especially herring, are a huge part of Swedish cuisine because they are right by the North Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea. Surstromming, the notorious fermented herring, is enjoyed throughout Sweden on bread. Or...at least I saw cans of the infamous fish. I did not get a Surstromming (I had no desire to get a whiff of the scent), but I did try fried, fresh herring at a nearby marketplace:

Just walking around the streets of Stockholm is probably the best thing to do in Stockholm. The city is very quiet, clean, and the buildings are beautiful. A lot of locals and tourists stroll along the waterfront:

One of Sweden's biggest national symbols is the "Dala horse"--or the wooden horse. The "Dala horse" is a part of Swedish folk art. Horses were highly prized in Swedish history as they were a symbol of status--providing transportation, fighting alongside humans in wars, and being trusted friends. Swedish artists and local people carved them out of wood, and the "Dala horse" has been a part of Swedish folk art for centuries. This museum feels almost more like a shop. You can pick up some cute souvenirs:

One of the best things about Stockholm is the easy transportation. The Arlanda Express takes you from the airport to the heart of the city in less than 20 minutes for only ~300 SEK (about $30). I did not have to cab at all as buses and public transportation is frequent and very clean:

Overall, I would say Stockholm is a good place to stop by on a European vacation trip for about 1~2 days. Flights within Europe to different European countries are pretty affordable (I found prices to be better than traveling to different states within USA), so I highly recommend setting maybe 2 weeks for Europe to go "country-hopping"!