Head south of Stockholm, over the water, to discover history in Gamla Stan's medieval centre and in Södermalm. Tim Bow / Getty Images
Head south of Stockholm, over the water, to discover history in Gamla Stan's medieval centre and in Södermalm. Tim Bow / Getty Images

My Kind of Place: Stockholm



Why Stockholm?

With 14 islands stitched together by more than 750 years of history, Stockholm is every bit as pretty as Paris or Prague. Once the seat of an empire that stretched as far east as modern-day Russia, the city still exercises influence far beyond Sweden's borders, acting as the de facto capital of Scandinavia and shaping global trends in fashion, food, music and, of course, design. This year's Stockholm Design Week, showcasing the best in Scandinavian design, runs from February 4 to 10 with events and exhibitions taking place across the city (www.stockholmdesignweek.com).

Away from the commercial throb of Norrmalm, home to the flagship stores of Swedish brands such as H&M, the city's sprawling parks hide galleries, museums and outdoor ice rinks. The inner-city population is yet to tip the one million mark, so you'll rarely feel crowded out. But in winter, when the cold grips Stockholm like a vice, it's wise to stay indoors. Head to one of the Old Town's candlelit cafes, order coffee and a sweet cinnamon bun and watch snowflakes flutter down between the medieval lanes. The locals, keen to show off their English skills, will make you feel at home.

A comfortable bed

Stockholm's unusual geography has helped each island maintain its own personality, so, to an extent, the type of accommodation you choose may dictate where you stay. International chains and glitzy, high-end hotels can be found around the T-Centralen subway station on Norrmalm. This area is home to Nordic Light, a 1970s building that has been transformed into a luxury hotel with special "mood rooms" that let guests toggle through different lighting effects until they find one that matches their feelings. Standard doubles start at 1,273 kronor (Dh716), with mood rooms from 1,613 kronor (Dh908) including taxes and breakfast (www.nordiclighthotel.se; 00 46 850 563000).

In Södermalm, it's easier to find cheaper, privately run places to stay, such as the friendly but no-frills Tre Små Rum, which offers guests bike rentals (150 kronor/Dh84 per day), free Wi-Fi and a simple breakfast buffet. Although the name means "three small rooms", there are actually seven to choose from. Doubles cost 795 kronor (Dh447), including taxes and breakfast (www.tresmarum.se; 00 46 864 12371).

On a flying visit? Check out Jumbo Stay at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, a hostel built into the shell of a Boeing 747. The plane has been kitted out with a good mix of dorms and private rooms, but the best place to stay is the Cockpit Suite, built into the flight deck, which has two adjustable beds and a flat-screen TV. Private twin rooms start at 1,200 kronor (Dh675), including taxes and breakfast (www.jumbostay.se; 00 46 859 360400).

Find your feet

Only one station connects all three of Stockholm's subway lines and this stop - T-Centralen - is of equal importance to tourists and commuters. Above ground here, the grid-like network of streets is mostly given over to shopping and commerce. Head south over the water to see real history in Gamla Stan, one of Europe's most magnificent medieval centres, then south again to reach Södermalm. From here, white ferries crash through the icy water on their way to the island of Djurgården, which Swedish royals once used as a hunting ground. It's now home to two of Stockholm's best museums.

Meet the locals

Curious tourists often make it to Östermalms Saluhall, a 19th-century food court in one of the city's most expensive neighbourhoods, but it is regular business from the locals that keeps the place ticking. Here you'll find 17 stalls and restaurants (many of them passed down from one generation to the next) serving everything from blush-red lobster claws to veiny slabs of stinky cheese (www.ostermalmshallen.se).

Book a table

Gothenburg has been wooing foodies in recent years, but Stockholm still has Sweden's most diverse dining scene, with a good mixture of serious gourmet places and fun, themed restaurants.

Rather than preparing one particular type of cuisine, Norrmalm's lavish, boudoir-style Grill (grill.se; 00 46 831 4530) focuses on the preparation method. Every dish (including the puddings) features something grilled. A vegetarian menu is available and there are buffet options on Sundays (295 kronor; Dh166) and at lunchtimes (110 kronor; Dh62).

With a little help from archaeologists and a splash of artistic licence, the people behind Viking restaurant Aifur (www.aifur.se; 00 46 820 1055) have created dishes that might have existed 1,100 years ago. Highlights include an elk entrecôte with a creamy chanterelle sauce and juicy lingonberries (298 kronor; Dh167). The decor, with social bench seats and exact replicas of artefacts found in tombs across Europe, helps to complete the atmosphere.

For more up-to-date flavours, try hotly tipped Nosh and Chow (www.noshandchow.se; 00 46 850 338960), which has just started operating out of a swanky town house in Norrmalm. There are four menus to choose from (North American, North African, Finnish-Russian and South-east Asian) with main courses starting at 195 kronor (Dh110).

Shopper's paradise

Swirling, colourful patterns helped Swedish design company Svenskt Tenn (www.svenskttenn.se; 00 46 867 01600), founded in 1924, achieve cult status. The company's shop at Strandvägen 5 is still the city's hottest address for textiles, cushions, bags and furniture, but be warned: the cheapest sofa here sells for 32,500 kronor (Dh18,298).

What to avoid

Although Stockholm is very safe, taxi drivers have a reputation for overcharging customers. It is best to use metered taxis (with yellow number plates), operated by large companies like TaxiKurir (www.taxikurir.se). A trip from from Stockholm to Arlanda Aiport costs about 520 kronor (Dh293).

Don't miss

The Vasa Museum (www.vasamuseet.se; entry 130 kronor/Dh73) houses a huge Swedish warship built in the 17th century. The boat sank outside Stockholm on its maiden voyage in 1628 (its design was top-heavy) and was not lifted to the surface until the 1960s.

If you go

Return indirect flights from Dubai to Stockholm take eight hours and start at Dh2,280, including taxes, with KLM (www.klm.com).

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

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The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.

Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.

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Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

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The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.

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Guide to intelligent investing
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Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler

Price, base / as tested Dh57,000

Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine

Transmission Six-speed gearbox

Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm

Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km