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| Stockholm delicacies |
I had expected vibrance and rhythm in Madrid, I had ideas of romance and art for Paris, but Stockholm to me was an unknown island. There were no museums or monuments that I could automatically reel off and I had no idea about cuisine or history. However, I was excited to see the epicentre of Sweden and sample the culture it had to offer.
First impressions, well I have to steal a few lines from Jay-Z and say that Stockholm actually is a “concrete jungle”- a vast landscape of skyscrapers and plazas. However, myself and travel buddy were utilising our contacts and staying with my friend’s relatives in a small town outside of the city called Vallingby. This meant that we could escape the inner city madness and sample the suburban Swedish life.
Staying in a what looked like page 45 of the Ikea brochure really provided a taste for the ruralistic and laid-back living in Sweden, including the home-cooked cuisine. Crayfish, caviar and kanelbullar topped the menu. BEX FYI would say that you should try everything once and although that may be true it certainly does not mean you have to like. I squirmed and squinted as I sucked the juice from the crayfish, the traditional munching method, and I winced and wormed as I swallowed the caviar. Turns out swedish food is not my thing.
Aside from the food we also sampled Stockholm’s retail outlets and quickly learnt that it was not a cheap place. The city’s train network was easy to use and allowed us to frequent the centre hassle free. This meant we could spend mornings getting lost and absorbing the city’s canals and architecture while hunting out some non-crayfish food.
The usual top attractions apply here, the cathedral and history museum, the gardens and the palace. Out of all of these, Drottningholm palace is perhaps the most enjoyable. Located just outside the city, it is the home to Sweden’s royal family. It boasts beautiful galleries and gorgeous gardens that are well worth the visit.
Something that might not be on the to-do list, but certainly should be, is the theme park. Grona Lund is a great day out and not a bad price at SEK 100 (£10) per ticket. During a city stay it can be nice to take a break from all things cultural and have a bit off foreign fun. Rollercoasters and ghost trains meet this criteria perfectly.
All in all, Stockholm is an extremely pretty city dotted with architectural treasures and retail havens. Food aside it offers everything you need for a relaxing break, and if you hit it up during the summer period you can enjoy sunshine and high temps. Although there may not be reems to do for young travelers it is a quieter destination amidst a continent of madness.
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| Tour de Eiffel |
By this point, I think we are all US-ed out. We’ve travelled east coast to west coast, and have probably devoured all the chunky chips and diet soda we can stomach. It’s time for a European twist.
Cobbled streets and hidden art, a touch of glamour and a thirst for fashion, wistful romance and petit delights-Paris, a unique and sacred city that habours an elegance and charm that no other city has.
Thinking it was time I explored some of Europe’s own treasures, I decided to see what I could using Eurolines bus travel. The cheap and reliable service takes travelers across the continent from city to city. It’s an affordable way to travel, as long as you don’t mind enduring that blocked-toilet smell and an overweight stranger nestling into your shoulder.
Once you reach your destination though, you soon forget the long and restless journey and are met with vibrance and colour, glamour and style. Paris is a bustling hub overspilling with stereotypical floppy-haired musicians and artists, interspersed with french beauties offering pastries and wine.
The city has numerous hostels well-equipped for backpackers, however in the heart of a European capital they don’t come cheap. €25-€30 a night is the going rate but Aloha hostel was a good buy. It provided all we needed and was in a perfect location.
BEX FYI: Location is key as you don’t want to spend precious time traipsing all over town.
It also offered a Sandeman’s free walking tour. As a tour lover, the fact that it was free had me spilling with geeky excitement. Led by young people, the Paris tour provided historical and cultural information tailored to a younger age group.
There are all the must-see museums, like the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay. There’s also the spectacular monuments, like the Arc de Triomphe and the Sacre Coeur. The tour brings you to each of these famous faculties whilst also exposing the hidden jewels you never knew existed.
A few days in Paris is certainly not enough, there is always more to see and do which is why many people never tire of the city. The Louvre itself could have you lost for days in the world of art and sculpture. After 5 hours, myself and Jenna had still not seen it all and so we returned the next day determined to find Miss Mona Lisa.
And how could I not mention the Eiffel Tower. Of course it is not to be missed and you could see it time and time again and still be overwhelmed by its grandeur. Night up the Eiffel tower provides some of the best views of the city as it sparkles below- if you can find a few parisian hunks to accompany you then all the better. Myself and Jen did one better than that though. With my celeb spotting eyes on, sipping coffee in a cafe round from the tower,we found Jackson Rathbone (aka Jasper from Twilight). Oh yes, forget experiencing a moonlit Eiffel with a french fittie, we found ourselves a vampire...
I could spend hours detailing the quirky patisseries that need a visit, the famous museums that must be explored, the intricate artworks that must be discovered, but I would be here all day and you’d be clicking away. What I will say is that often the best moments in Paris are those of doing nothing. Forget all the things “you just have to see” and merely saunter through the rustic alleyways, pause to savour a sweet crepe and enjoy the entertainment poised at every corner. The stroll alone will have you tasting the Parisian flurry of passion that floats in the air of the city of romance.
