Gamla Stan | Stockholm, Sweden

Gamla Stan is probably my favorite area in Stockholm. We were only in Stockholm for five days and we found ourselves in the area more than once. The first time was a failed attempt at a Christmas photo and the other was at one of the greatest bars we’ve visited.

Gamla Stan or Old Town is one of the most preserved Medieval Towns in Europe. Stockholm was founded in 1252 in the area of Gamla Stan, which makes it one of the most visited areas. Markus and I went early one morning in the hopes of capturing our Christmas card photo. When we arrived, there was a large truck blocking the iconic colorful buildings. Not wanting to waste the morning, we found a cute cafe and ate breakfast on the terrace. While we waited for our food, Markus went out to get video footage of the beautiful square. A family stopped and asked him to take a photo. I saw this as a one time opportunity and quickly ran over to ask them to take photos of us too. The photos weren’t too bad, but honestly they weren’t that great either. Thank goodness we decided to go to Nyhavn later in the week and took photos there.

After breakfast, Markus and I did a little sightseeing elsewhere, but planned to return to Gamla Stan later that evening. Markus found this amazing bar right in the middle of the square, Pharmarium. Even though it’s in the middle of a tourist heavy area, the vibe at Pharmarium is anything but that. The bar was inspired by the first pharmacy that opened nearby in 1575. Inside it’s dark and moody with tons of Persian rugs and leather chairs. I loved everything about Pharmarium and felt right at home. The vibe is definitely witchy and alchemical since all the cocktails are prepared with seasonal ingredients and traditional medicinal herbs. Markus and I only planned on having one drink, but the first two we ordered were so good that we had another round. There are few bars that I wish I could go back to and Pharmarium is 100% in my top three bars in the world. If you ever find yourself in Stockholm, this is the one place I would recommend!

Stockholm Public Library & Café Pascal | Stockholm, Sweden

The moment Markus and I stepped foot in Stockholm, we were looking for a place to eat and a neighborhood to explore. After a bit of internet searching, we found Café Pascal in the Odenplan neighborhood. The area was perfect because we planned to head over to the popular Stockholm Public Library.

We both loved Café Pascal. The vibe was really laid back and very similar to coffee shops in Chicago or any big city. The food was really delicious and the portions were sizable. I watched a woman seated close to us, eat half of her mushroom sandwich and left a whole half a sandwich behind. She didn’t even take it with her, I was slightly appalled, because I would have and eaten that bad boy later. Our time at Café Pascal was a nice time to recharge before we headed to the library.

I’m sure if you follow any travel instagrams or have a Pinterest account, you've seen images of the famous Stockholm Public Library. In real life, it’s a bit smaller than I expected, but just as beautiful. It was a bit surreal seeing it in real life, since I had seen it so many times before that. Construction on the library began in 1924 and was designed by architect Gunnar Asplund and is an example of the Swedish Grace style. Recently, the library was listed as one of the world's most beautiful libraries by the magazine Conde Nast Traveler. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve ever seen and a must see when in Stockholm.