Category: Stockholm

Stockholm lies on both sides of the outlet of Lake Mälaren, as well as 19 islands. Due to its proximity to water and all the bridges, the city is often called the ‘Venice of the North’. The origin of the name Stockholm (Timber Islet) has not been fully agreed upon. It comes either from the collection of timber by the islets between lake Mälaren and the Salt Lake (Baltic Sea), or because the oldest settlement was secured with timber palisades.

The old town in Stockholm is called Gamla Stan and is located on Stadsholmen (the City Islet). The streets from the Middle Ages are beautifully curved in the terrain, with narrow alleys down towards the sea. It’s beautiful here!

After visiting the many small shops in Gamla Stan, it is a good idea to ‘fika’. The word originated as a backslang of the word ‘kaffi’, i.e. the letters were interchanged. A fika is a pause in work that typically consists of coffee, coffee bread and a relaxing conversation. These breaks are part of the paid working time and were mandatory for factory workers in the old days. The idea was that a break would give the laborers new energy in their work, and that the coffee conversation would ‘force them’ to get to know each other. Surely a very good thought!

After a fika, a bath is just right. We went northwards from Stadsholmen across Helgeandsholmen (island of the Holy Spirit). The name comes from the Helgeanshuset (the Holy Spirit Hospital) that was located there in the Middle Ages. Helgeandsholmen is 3 hectares in size, of which the Riksdagshuset (the Parliament) covers one hectare.

There is quite a lot of current by the Riksdag. This was too risky for us, so we didn’t swim there.

But at Vasabron we found a backwater with no current, perfect for a bath. The water in the canal was not disgusting at all – considering Stockholm’s 1.5 million inhabitants. It was quite shallow and an easy access at our bathing place, and a lot of sea grass. This autumn, Knut has had back problems and basically was happy to avoid extra challenges with climbing out of the water.

And we were not alone! A swan mother came swimming to us just after the bath. Angry or hungry? It is hard to say. Luckily we didn’t have to fight her in the water.

To round this off, we even could check out a little culture in form of a sculpture.

It was a fantastic bath at sunset. As usual, we were very worried about being rescued. But there were no problems. The Stockholmer’s took our bath with stoic calm, and only wondered a little about the temperature. And after the bath – the hotel’s sauna was just perfect.

South of Gamla Stan (the Old Town) in Stockholm is the district of Södermalm. The island, nicknamed Söder (South), has just over 100,000 inhabitants spread over 571 hectares. Until the Viking Age, this was an island, but the postglacial uplift caused it to connect more and more with the surrounding land, before it was again separated as an island when the Hammarby Canal was excavated in the 1930s.

From the south side of Södermalm there used to be a winter road across the strait (Årstadviken), on the ice. The road was closed with a toll barrier. This bar is mentioned in Bellmann’s ‘Fredman’s epistle no 53’. These were hard times!

We had been recommended Tantolunden by Ulvhild, our eldest daughter. And yes, it’s nice there! Tantolunden is one of the largest park areas in Stockholm. Hans Tanto, mentioned in the census of 1676, was one of the first landowners here. Unfortunately, it was not a ‘strange old aunt (tant)’ who gave rise to the name Tantolunden. Work on the park began in 1885, initiated by Stockholm’s first city gardener, Alfred Medin. The plan for the park was inspired by Romanticism. People were supposed to stroll, wearing the finest clothes, under the most beautiful green trees. Ironically, the upper part of the park was a former waste deposit! The colonial gardens were established around the First World War, to alleviate the famine.

A popular activity at the beach is feeding the ducks, perhaps especially among older and younger bird lovers. But we also enjoyed it very much this Sunday in October, when we caught sight of this beautiful couple:

There is a sauna (badstu) at Tanto beach. We haven’t tried it! Tantobadstun was only open to members when we visited. But to the west of Tantobadstun, the floating jetties form a sheltered little bay, where it’s nice to have a bath. And – we were absolutely not the only guests out for the same business this day. Actually we were allowed to take pictures of these aunties (tantor) who bathed with hats:

The ladies could tell that this particular day was ‘World Swim Hat Day’ at Smedsudden in Stockholm. We didn’t know that! So then we had to go there, but not before Tobatheornottobathe had tried a sunny October bath at Tantostranden.

We had a very nice swim, temperature about 10 degrees. A bath at Tantolunden was just right!

In autumn 2020, Erika Sjöberg and Hanna Prage founded the ‘World Swim Hat Day’. They had been bathing by Stockholm for a long time, regardless of season: ‘The cold water gives me so much pleasure, and it makes me happy. And it doesn’t get worse if you also wear a funny hat‘. While bathing, not much of the outfit is visible, and then it is a good idea to make the most out of the headgear. Check here: World Swim Hat Day!

Since then, in just two years, this has spread to all the Scandinavian countries, Germany, the Netherlands and also has become quite big in Great Britain. As well known, they have a predisposition for extravagant hats…

Tobatheornottobathe was in Stockholm on the occasion of The Dirty Old Band’s annual autumn tour. We had received several tips about bathing spots in Stockholm, our eldest daughter Ulvhild has lived there for 4 years. But the coincidence of our Stockholm trip and the ‘World Swim Hat Day’ – who would have imagined that?

The only problem was that the hat bath tip came to our attention at 11 a.m. on the day of departure, during the planned bath at Tantolunden. And the flight had a departure time of 3:35 p.m. Could we make it? Was there any point in trying? But Tobatheornottobathe just couldn’t let such an opportunity be wasted, so we finished the bathing at Tantolunden, went back to the hotel to check out and then took a taxi to Smedsuddbadet (the Smith’s Cape Bath). Just another ordinary day…

Smedsuddbadet is located close to Västerbron (the West Bridge) on Kungsholmen (the King’s Islet), with easy access 10 minutes from the subway. Originally Smedsudden was an island, called Marieskär (Mary’s Islet) or Smedsholmen (The Smith’s Islet). The name came from ‘glass smith’ Gustaf Hård and A. Röding, who lived here. At the end of the 18th century, the strait was filled in, and the island became a cape. The headland was bought in 1812 by chief inspector Abraham Fineman, who had ‘Sjövillan’ built (The Maison by the Sea). ‘Sjövillan’ burned in 1997, and now only the annex remains.

In the 1960’s, the water quality at Smedsudden was very poor, but sewage treatment from 1970 gave quick results, and on the 21^th of June 1973, mayor Thorsten Sundstrøm was able to inaugurate the bath. Here you will find a nice beach, floating jetty, changing rooms and several outdoor showers. Water quality can vary, but water samples are taken regularly.

Was it worth it? Absolutely! The hat bathing was supposed to take place at 2 p.m, but we couldn’t wait for that. Instead, we took a bath for ourselves, half an hour before.

By the time we had finished bathing, a colorful group of hatted bathers was arrived, and we had time for a little chat.

We caught the plane with a good margin of several minutes, so we didn’t have to regret the bath this time, either.

Today’s tip for our readers: the World Swim Hat Day takes place on the last Sunday in October each year. Put on a hat and join us next time too, and follow the hat bath founders’ motto: ‘It must be allowed to have fun even as an adult‘!

Alternatively, you can join the ‘Stockholm Winter Swim Open’ in february/march. There they have a special competition, which consists of swimming wearing the most extravagant or funniest hat.