‘Stockholm? Why Stockholm?’ That is, without fail, the first question I get asked whenever I tell anyone I recently visited Stockholm – right before they launch into a tirade about how expensive it must have been. To be fair, I had no particular reason for the why of it all besides the fact that I loved Copenhagen and I wanted to see more of Scandinavia.
Despite their gloomy weather, the Scandis are famously happy, and once you’re there it’s not hard to see why: it’s one of the world’s cleanest cities, everything runs efficiently, they care about arts and culture and the environment, they prioritise work-life balance, and they love their cosy daily rituals. What’s not to love?
Fika time
Speaking of cosy rituals… the first thing you need to know about in Sweden is their national pastime: . Used as both a noun and a verb, the word essentially refers to a cake-and-coffee break, but it’s more than that: it’s very much a part of everyday life, and they put an emphasis on making the most of this daily pause, whether you’re catching up with friends or just sitting at a café and people-watching. According to the podcast , it’s ‘a way of recharging your batteries, to
