Stockholm Part II - The City

As I mentioned in the last post, we drifted off the boat in a daze, hungover and tired. But there was work to be done! We had just 6 hours to look around a city several times the size of Helsinki.

The old town

We originally intended to get the metro into the city centre, as the port is right on the outskirts but we couldn't find the station and ended up walking, which took about 30 minutes. It had the side effect of allowing us to see some of the non-tourist parts of the city.

The architecture is much nicer than Helsinki

After a much-needed breakfast consisting of a hotdog and coffee, we began walking around the city centre. As I said, Stockholm is much larger than Helsinki and more spread out. It's built across multiple islands linked by bridges, with canals adding to the confusion and it's also quite hilly in contrast with Finland's relatively flat capital.

A typical street in the old town

The city is very historic, with many old buildings and even an entire 'old town' on its own island. This was definitely the most attractive part of the city with its narrow winding alleys and cobbled streets. Unfortunately we didn't have time to visit any of the museums or major attractions, including the royal palace which really is a must when visiting Stockholm.

Old meets new

We climbed a couple of hills to get some rather impressive views of the city and walked around a few of the many districts, each with their own individual character.

Outside the royal palace

It was also quite interesting to get used to Swedish currency, the Kronor, with its confusing variety of coin sizes and unclear labelling of values. Luckily we didn't spend too much money in the shops during our short time there, although it was nice to see my first Burger King since leaving the UK!

Looking toward the old town

Despite feeling rather ill after the night before, we had a great time looking around the city. It's a shame that we didn't have more time, as really at least a few days are needed. I suppose I'll have to go back some time!

Me. In front of a statue. With a large group of Spaniards in the background.

We headed back to the port by metro and boarded the ship even more tired and exhausted than when we had left, ready for another relaxing evening of...insane partying!

You can view more of my photos from Stockholm in this gallery on my Flickr site. As for now...I'm going to Russia this evening! Expect more updates when (and if) I return in a week...