Get your Fika on!
Sweden is the 3rd most coffee drinking country in the world behind the Netherlands and Finland. They can put away some serious coffee, and there are 2 main reasons why Swedes consume so much. First, it’s cold and dark a lot of the year in Sweden, so the coffee is a warm cozy pick-me-up with a jolt of caffeine. The other reason is The Art of Fika. The word Fika is derived from the word kaffi, or coffee spelled backwards, and it means to stop what you’re doing, take a short or long break with a coffee. The Swedes stop several times a day to enjoy Fika, (I don’t know how they stay so skinny eating all those delicious homemade cakes full of cream?!) Fika is a ritual, not just the act of having a coffee; it’s time to sit with friends, catch up, take a load off, relax, rejuvenate, and enjoy life. In the US, we could definitely use a little Fika time in our lives. Here’s a cute visual article describing the art of Fika.
Vasa Ship Museum
I’ve seen some pretty cool things in my life, but I’ve never experienced such a well preserved 17th century war ship like the Vasa. Visiting the Vasa Museum is a must when staying in Stockholm! What’s crazy about this ship is that she was 155ft long and held 445 humans. Can you imagine living in those conditions?! Where did they all fit? The poor Vasa sunk minutes into her maiden voyage because she was too top heavy, and she sat under water in the Swedish harbor until the 1960’s. When they raised her, they found her intact along with 6 of the 10 sails, and many artifacts that gave insight into 17th century Naval warfare and shipbuilding. When visiting Stockhom, get the Stockholm Pass for entry to The Vasa Museum, other major sites and transportation.
This Week's Video - 48 Hours in Stockholm
This week’s YouTube video includes top tips about visiting the city as well as some of my favorite things to do. Make sure to get the tips for entering the Vasa Museum in this video. Enjoy!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products that I personally know and use, and the income helps to keep this site updated and free for everyone.
