Sweden
The episode is mostly about my travels in Stockholm and Gothenburg, Sweden, Step 5
Aboard the cruise ship arriving in Stockholm, Sweden from Helsinki
My misstep: I missed the museums in Stockholm.
Today's tip: Early to Bed and early to rise, and rest often.
The FAQ is: Step 1 questions?
What is your primary travel style? (e.g., structured tours, relaxing resorts, or independent urban exploration)
What is your biggest safety or logistical concern?
Response: Ask yourself these questions and make sure you know the answers before you leave home.
Your travel style may change depending on the circumstances, but thinking about it in advance will help you stay focused, rather than just being swayed by the next ad you see for a “package deal”.
What are your safety issues? Deal with that so you will have mental preparation, too.
What is the currency exchange rate in Sweden or the country you are visiting?
For Sweden, it’s currently about 7 kr per $1.00 USD.
See Book C, which helps you Adventure Alone, addresses these concerns, and shares stories of how I survived two 90-day solo trips around the globe.
Find all of these books on the website at https://www.5stepstosolotravel.com/ or on Amazon. It’s a three-part series, available in audio, paperback, or ebook.
Today’s destination is Sweden.
Sweden is a country I have wanted to visit for a long time. With about 9.7 million people and a size close to California, it feels spacious, clean, and easy to breathe in. When many people think of Sweden, they think of IKEA, Volvo, ABBA, and maybe even WikiLeaks. But for me, Sweden became much more personal than that. It became a place of water, kindness, public transportation, summer light, and quiet moments with strangers who became part of my journey.
I arrived in Stockholm with a short window of time. I had booked an overnight cruise and arrived around 10 in the morning, then needed to leave the next morning around 8. That meant I had to make choices. Should I do the hop-on, hop-off bus? Should I focus on museums? Should I take a boat? Stockholm has so much to offer that one day isn't enough, but sometimes one day is all you have.
Stockholm is built across islands, and water is everywhere. That is one of the first things I noticed. You can see the city from the sidewalks, from the bridges, and from the boats. I thought about visiting places like the Vasa Museum, the Nordic Museum, Skansen, the Royal Palace, the Nobel Museum, and the Armory. I also had notes about seeing the changing of the guard, Gamla Stan, Stadshuset, and maybe taking a cruise to Drottningholm. There are also day trips from Stockholm, like Sigtuna and Uppsala, and even rock carvings in Tanum if you are planning a longer trip. Always plan a return trip if you like the city. I will be back.
But travel is not only about the places on your list. Sometimes it is about the person you meet in a hostel hallway.
This morning, I met a woman named Elisabeth from Holland. She was dressed all in pink, and she looked beautiful. Her hair was carefully braided, and she had the biggest smile. We had actually met the day before when she was entering the hostel. I had the security code, and I let her in behind me because she looked trustworthy. It was a simple moment, but the next morning we had a conversation that stayed with me.
She had recently been in Chicago, so we talked about the city and some of the places that make it special. She told me she had wanted to go to Texas, but the flights were too expensive. She also showed me videos of her son competing in a sport I had never heard of before. It involved pulling, pushing, and lifting. She was proud of him, and I loved seeing that.
These are the kinds of travel moments that matter. You may not plan them. You may not write them down on your itinerary. But they bring joy, laughter, kindness, and connection. I hope I gave Elisabeth a little goodness that morning, because she certainly gave me some. She seemed like someone who may have been lonely and looking for friendship. Sometimes, as solo travelers, we are not just receiving kindness. We are offering it, too.
The day before, I spent time with a day host named Bitta (not her real name). I met her through the Servas host network, and she lived near my hostel, so it was convenient for us to meet. She was a teacher, currently on leave after an injury. She had blacked out while riding a horse at full gallop. That story alone made me pause and think about how quickly life can change.
She was easy to spot because she was walking three small dogs. We walked around Kungsholmen, which means King's Island. It is a small island, and it felt very residential. One side had canals, and the other side had swimming, boating, restaurants, and a larger waterway. In the distance, I could see Västerbron Bridge.
Swimming in Sweden
I had my bathing suit with me, so I went swimming in the canal. It was delightful and refreshing. That swim became one of my favorite memories from Sweden. Not fancy. Not expensive. Just a local place, clean water, a kind host, and a moment of freedom.
The following day, I went to Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city. Gothenburg is known for Volvo, shipping, design, and a strong connection to the harbor. I had a list of possibilities there, too. The Museum of Art, the fish market, the Botanical Gardens, the university, the science center, and maybe the library. I stayed at the STF hostel, with check-in at 3 p.m., and I needed to return to the station the next morning for my train to Oslo.
I had notes on tram numbers 3, 9, and 11, but when I arrived, construction was underway. My tram was not running from the central station, or at least I could not find it. So I did what solo travelers sometimes do. I jumped on a bus. I picked number 5 and decided to ride.
That is one of my favorite low-cost travel tips. When you are in a safe city, and you have a transit pass or a ticket, ride public transportation and look out the window. You can learn a lot about a place that way. I passed the university. I saw design schools. I saw an amusement park with a Ferris wheel and lots of kids. It reminded me of a smaller Disneyland in the middle of the city. I saw shops, neighborhoods, bridges, and people going about their regular lives.
At Brunnsparken station, I noticed trams and buses going in different directions, including 5, 10, and 18. I first went north, then south, and then toward the end of the line toward Länsmansgården. There was so much construction, but I reminded myself that summer is probably the season for building and repairing. In a northern climate, you do what you can while the weather allows.
We crossed a bridge, and I could feel that Gothenburg is a working city. It is a shipping capital, and you sense the movement of goods, produce, and people in and out of the harbor. It does not feel like a museum city. It feels alive.
On Friday morning, I left my hostel and took tram number 3. Instead of getting off at the main station, I decided to ride farther, almost to the end. I looked up at a beautiful blue sky with no clouds. Trees stood in different shapes and shades of green. In the distance, I could see a cemetery. There were a few cars, but not much traffic. For a weekday morning, it was surprisingly quiet.
That is what I remember most about Gothenburg. It felt calm. Relaxed. Almost chill. The people at the hostel were kind to me. I made sandwiches for lunch and prepared to continue to Oslo.
Sweden gave me museums I did not have enough time to visit fully, boats I wanted to take, trams that didn’t always run as planned, and conversations I will remember longer than any checklist. It reminded me that solo travel is not about being alone. It is about being open.
My travel tip for Sweden is this: permit yourself to explore slowly. Ride a tram. Take a boat. Walk by the water. Talk to someone at your hostel. Pack a bathing suit, even if swimming is not on your schedule. And leave room in your plans for kindness, because that may become the best part of your trip.
This is Dr. Mary Travelbest, encouraging you to travel more, travel better, and travel with confidence, one step at a time.
My misstep: I missed the museums in Stockholm.
I did not see any cultural sights in Stockholm, but I did a lot of walking and spent time in nature.
Today's tip: Early to Bed and early to rise, and rest often.
Start early and finish early. Rest at midday if you are overheating in summer or freezing in winter.
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