[Nordic 15-Day Free Independent Travel] Day 13: Stockholm Old Town Tour — Changing of the Guard, Swedish Gastropub, and a Perfect Ending with Riddarholmen's Night View

Table of Contents Trip Overview Trip Preparation Stockholm Day 2 Luggage Transfer and Wandering Downtown Department Stores Gamla Stan's Royal Palace and the Changing of the Guard Ceremony Swedish Traditional Tavern Lunch Experience Exploring the Old Town Streetscape and Dalarna Culture Electric Scooter Tour of the Island to Wrap Up Airport Accommodation and the Final Toast Trip Summary & Other Nordic Travel Journals 1. Trip Overview On the last day of our Nordic journey, we welcomed a relaxed exploration itinerary for our second day in Stockholm.From the Royal Palace in the Old Town and the changing of the guard, to authentic Swedish cuisine, then wandering through the streets, alleys, and unique souvenir shops, and finally riding an electric scooter to take in the sea views of Boat Island, before checking into an airport hotel to prepare for the return trip the next day. This day was the perfect finale, bringing a beautiful close to a Nordic independent trip that spanned the Arctic Circle. II. Trip Preparation 1. Transportation and Luggage Back near Central Station, we used the Radical Storage App to find a place to store our luggage Using the Voi electric scooter plan (60 minutes for SEK 69), overtime will be charged separately Airport → City Center: Arlanda Express, about 580 NTD per person, the fastest and most convenient way 2. Accommodation Info: Radisson Blu Arlandia Hotel (next to the airport) Offers a shuttle bus every 15 minutes to and from Arlanda Airport The rooms are comfortable and clean, a standard business-class hotel Suitable for early-flight travelers, transportation is very convenient Double room price is about NT$3,000 per night

3. Day Two in Stockholm Luggage transfer and browsing downtown department stores Today we took it slow and didn't leave until nearly 10 am. We first dragged our luggage over to storage near the Central Station, to make things easier for the rest of the trip. Along the way we passed through the department store district and popped in for a wander, soaking in the everyday atmosphere of Stockholm.

Old Town Royal Palace Changing of the Guard Ceremony Around noon, we arrived at the square in front of the Royal Palace in Stockholm to watch the changing of the guard ceremony held every day at midday. Compared to the solemn and orderly ceremony at the Royal Palace in Copenhagen, the Swedish version is more traditional — soldiers line up, march in formation to hand over duty, accompanied by two musicians playing military songs. Although the process is rather lengthy, one can truly feel the elegance and historical continuity of the Nordic royal ceremony.

You can also pay to enter and visit next to the Royal Palace (admission about SEK 200), which includes the Royal Treasury exhibition and historical exhibits of past monarchs, but considering our time and budget, we chose this time to admire the architecture and ceremonies from outside instead.

After visiting the Royal Palace, we continued our walk through the old town (Gamla Stan), passing by the Gothic-style Stockholm Cathedral and the Nobel Museum along the way. Both require an extra admission fee to enter, and although we didn't go inside, their exteriors alone were enough to make us feel the weight of Sweden's history.

We also found "Mårten Trotzigs gränd," a favorite spot among Instagrammers — it's the narrowest alley in Stockholm, only 90 cm wide at its narrowest point!

Swedish gastropub lunch experience For lunch we chose to dine at Stockholms Gästabud in the Old Town, a bistro with authentic Swedish flavors. Seeing on the menu that "Swedes have a shot before their meal," I ordered a glass of vodka to try — sure enough, it was full of aroma yet smooth going down. For the main course we chose braised pork cheeks and a herring salad, both of which were excellent, especially the marinated herring, whose flavor was similar to what we'd tasted in Norway and Finland a few days earlier — truly a classic Nordic taste.

Exploring the Old Town streets and Dalarna culture We saw a large number of "wooden horse" statues in a souvenir shop, and out of curiosity we looked it up — it turns out that's the "Dalahäst" (Dala horse), Sweden's iconic folk craft. This wooden horse carving, originating from the Dalarna region in the 17th century, symbolizes good luck, loyalty, and strength, and remains one of Sweden's most popular souvenirs to this day.

We also noticed that Stockholm's Old Town looks a lot like Venice. It wasn't until we looked into it later that we found out why: both cities were built along the water, and combined with their medieval and Renaissance architectural styles, it's no wonder they feel strangely familiar.

Wrapping up the day with electric scooters at Skeppsholmen In the afternoon, we used our remaining electric scooter time to ride over to "Skeppsholmen," from where you can enjoy sweeping views of the Royal Palace and the Old Town — a great spot for a stroll and photos both during the day and at night. Looking across from the opposite bank in the morning, and looking back this way at night, felt like a fitting way to bring the whole trip to a close. (A reminder: if you go over the Voi 60-minute plan, extra charges apply by the hour, so it's worth keeping an eye on your usage time in the app.)

機場住宿與最後的乾杯 傍晚我們來到機場旁的 Radisson Blu Arlandia Hotel。飯店有免費接駁車往返機場每 15 分鐘一班，對於隔天早班機旅客非常便利。房間設施齊全，標準的商務飯店風格，也為旅程收尾提供了舒適的休息空間。 我們在房間小酌超市買的瑞典啤酒，味道清淡，笑說這可能是這趟北歐行最弱的一款。不過在旅程的最後，能與旅伴阿娟、阿貓、胖姨一起舉杯，感謝彼此陪伴橫跨北歐四國、穿越三國北極圈!

4. Trip Summary & More Nordic Travel Notes This Nordic road trip spanning four countries and reaching deep into the Arctic Circle — from Denmark to Sweden, from trains to cruise ships, from seafood to beer — every step was an experience to remember. Today's wrap-up in Stockholm was quiet, but it made the perfect ending to this adventure. **Next stop:** Home! Explore more travel notes from our Nordic four-country trip Northern Europe isn't just about the aurora and snow — it also boasts urban elegance, polar mystery, and cultural depth. This journey spanning Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden will take you to explore the charm of Europe's purest corners! 🇩🇰 Denmark Free & Easy 📍Day 2: Copenhagen Day Tour｜📍Day 3: Explore Freetown Christiania, Fly to Finland 🇫🇮 Finland Polar Journey 📍Day 4: Helsinki City Tour & Night Train｜📍Day 5: Santa Claus Village & First Aurora Experience 📍Day 6: Rovaniemi Husky Sledding & City Stroll｜📍Day 7: Inari Lakeside & Aurora Hideaway 🇳🇴 Norwegian Cruise & Aurora Exploration 📍Day 8: Cross the border from Inari into Kirkenes to board the cruise｜📍Day 9: Stopping at Hammerfest and life on board 📍Day 10: Tromsø museum and cable car snow views｜📍Day 11: Transport disrupted, stranded in Tromsø 🇸🇪 A Stroll Through Swedish Culture, and a Perfect Finale 📍Day 12: Fly to Stockholm, catch a stunning glimpse of the Northern Lights from above | 📍Day 13: City Hall & the Vasa Museum 📍Day 14: An In-Depth Wander Through the Old Town and Swedish Culture