Crayfish, Caviar and Kanelbullar

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.

Another alternative attraction is the Millennium tour. If you are a fan of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy, this tour shows you all the hotspots mentioned in the book, and film, as well as divulging some of the hidden secrets. Grungy meets geeky.

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.

Un poco de Madrid...

Bex couldn't resist trying on a new dress

Bullfighting, sangria and tapas...es Madrid, el capital de Espana. Continuing on my Eurotrip, once again I used Eurolines bus transport. I made my away across the dusty french landscapes and, 18 hours later, found myself in the land of sexy senoritas and hunky hombres.

This is where the party really began and my taste for spanish nightlife kicked in. Myself and travel pal stayed in one of the best hostels I had seen thus far. Cat's Hostel is set in the city centre and surprisingly there are no cats in the hostel, thank god. In fact, the local Madrid people are nicknamed cats because they are always out and about, hence the name.

Located off a narrow alleyway, the building is an 18th century palace and boasts culture and history. It is adorned with quirky decor and archaic awnings making it a rather rad place to stay.  With a bar and common room we were soon making friends and heading out to numerous fiestas.  

On any trip a hostel can make a huge difference if you're able to pick a decent one. BEX FYI: Try to be based as central as possible, read reviews beforehand and a bar or common room is always a bonus as you're then bound to meet some new travel buds.

This hostel, like most others, offered a range of tours, including a free walking tour. However, if it’s your first time in Spain, a tapas tour is highly recommended. It gives you a flavour of the Spanish culture while gently introducing you to Spanish delicacies- pigs ear being one of the most popular. 

Eating and drinking aside, there is an array of culture to soak up in Madrid. On arrival I had thought differently. I couldn’t list anything I particularly wanted to see or do, with no famous landmarks pitching it as a competitor to Paris. But I was wrong and soon discovered the history that lay deep in old Madrid.

Dotted around the city are marks left by the years of conflict during the Spanish civil war, 1936-1939, and the dictatorship under Franco. The history walking tour details the role the city played during that time and is a recommendation for any history buff. 

Today, Madrid enjoys a monarchy and you can visit their residence in Madrid. The Palacio de Madrid is a tourist hot-spot and a more exotic version of our own Buckingham Palace. You can walk around the gardens and state rooms to sample a bit of the royal life.

The Museo del Prado is another site worth visiting. It is the country’s official art gallery and even for those with no artistic interest, it is worth a visit.

Palaces, museums and clubs, sounds like any standard european city. It may be that on each getaway you visit similar sites but, in my experience, each city is unique and has its own story to tell. A parisian church may have once been the home to Quasimodo and a Madrid church may have been home to a group shoeless sisters (The Covent of the Royal Barefoot Sisters).One may smell of croissants and the other of patatas. Either way when many claim all cities seem the same they would be wrong. They may all have churches and museums, night clubs and restaurants but it is the history, the people and the culture that make each destination unique and deserving of a click of our cameras.