In Stockholm, I channelled my inner dancing queen. In Oslo, I found my exhale.
This article first ran in the Victoria Times Colonist newspaper and website.
If you’ve ever wondered how to plan a Scandinavian vacation that includes Stockholm and Oslo, here’s a tip: Why stress about flights when you can travel between the two Nordic capitals by train in five scenic hours for around $135 CAD?
That’s what my family did, and I couldn’t have been happier with how things turned out.
We started in Stockholm where our first stop was Gamla Stan, the charming Old Town located just across a short bridge from our hotel. At the heart of Gamla Stan's cobblestoned beauty and centuries-old buildings is Stortorget, the iconic square that dates back to the Middle Ages.
The slower pace was the reset we needed after our long flight from B.C.
Disco moves I didn’t know I had
Then, fully refreshed, we headed to my bucket-list dream: The ABBA Museum.
A sequin-drenched delight, this ode to one of the country’s most famous exports was just what I’d hoped for. I revelled in the over-the-top outfits. I belted out “Waterloo” in a sound booth.
And under the category of “I’ll never see these people again,” I even jumped onstage alongside eight-foot-tall holograms of Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Frida to bust out a few disco moves I didn’t know I had. Thanks to my son, there’s now video of me cavorting to “Dancing Queen”; let’s just hope it never sees the light of day.
My next priority? To have a big plate of IKEA meatballs, in Sweden.
Mission accomplished! At a location in a mall near the Old Town, I found that the meatballs in Stockholm tasted exactly like the ones at its B.C. stores: Delicious, comforting and served on trays that cheerfully said “Hej!” Just like home, only better. Because ... Stockholm.
This is not to say that my visit to Stockholm was all about ABBA and IKEA. Though really, would that be so bad?
At the Nobel Prize Museum I found one of the coolest exhibits I've ever seen: A disparate collection of personal items that had been helpful to the laureates as they did their research. One that I’ll remember is the jar of Laura Scudder’s All Natural peanut butter donated by Carolyn Bertozzi, an American scientist who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2022. Smooth, not chunky, for anyone wondering.
We continued our culture dive at the Vasa Museum, which is home to a massive 17th-century warship that famously sank on its maiden voyage. It was salvaged in 1961 and has since been painstakingly restored; what's on display today is 98% original and totally unforgettable.
After a bite of lunch we felt re-energized enough to tackle a trek to the top of the tower at Stockholm City Hall, where we knew a killer view awaited.
Stockholm is glorious from every angle but especially so from 106 metres above the city. It wasn’t even that hard to get to the top; an elevator took us halfway, and we climbed the remaining 365 steps to the lookout.
World's ‘longest art gallery’
And then came a real thrill: The subway system. Really!
I’d read a lot about the Stockholm Metro, dubbed “the world’s longest art gallery” because more than 90 of its 100 stations feature public art. But it hits different seeing it in real life.
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| Rådhuset station |
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| T-Centralen station |
We visited in the evening, when crowds had thinned and trains arrived less frequently, all the better for capturing that perfect Instagram moment. And we made the most of our single transit tickets by focusing on the Blue Line where many of the star stations are clustered.
Our strategy turned out to be solid, and we were able to see six stations in relative quiet before our tickets timed out.
A couple of standouts for me were Swedish artist Per Olof Ultvedt’s calming blue-and-white leaf motif at T-Centralen, Stockholm’s largest and busiest metro station; and the angry red Solna Centrum station, which felt like a scene from Mars.
But we unanimously agreed that the terracotta-hued exposed bedrock at Rådhuset station was easily the most dramatic. Who knew a subway stop resembling an enormous lava cave would turn out to be my family’s favourite photo op?
Oslo: An invitation to meander
I had been curious about travelling by train and I was relieved to find it lived up to the hype. In fact, the train ride that brought us to Oslo was one of the highlights of my trip; five hours flew by in a blur of farms and small towns.
Our base was Citybox Oslo, an efficient, no-fuss hotel just 350 metres from Oslo Central Station in the centre of the city. The hotel location was fantastic and the beds were incredible.
We were trying to not break the bank on this trip, so this hotel with its communal kitchen and dining area made a lot of sense. It also turned out to be a lovely way to connect with other travellers who were also enjoying a takeout meal.
After a quick supper, we decided to start big: At the Oslo Opera House that seemed to emerge from the Oslofjord like an iceberg. We used the fabulous light to snap photos of this marble marvel from every angle. We also explored its soaring foyer, an elegant space that is free to visit.
Then, we headed straight up the sloped lines that led from the plaza to the opera house rooftop, one of Oslo’s largest public spaces.
On the evening we were there, the marquee star was the city of Oslo. There were views in every direction, all bathed in an ethereal glow: The picturesque cityscape, the tilted silhouette of the Munch Museum, the sweeping grey-blue waters of the inlet.
Finally, reluctantly, we called it a night. We had Oslo Passes which gave us entry to museums, attractions and public transportation, and I knew the next day would be much busier.
I had to do the Scream pose
In this city, I had only one “must,” but it was a big one: I wanted to see all four versions of The Scream on display in Oslo.
The next day we started at the Munch Museum, home to thousands of works by Edvard Munch including three Scream versions: A painting, a drawing and a lithograph, all of which we admired in a hushed, darkened gallery. I loved that the cafe on the main floor also sold Scream cookies with the familiar anguished face drawn in icing.
But the fourth Scream work, arguably the best-known one, isn’t even at the museum dedicated to its artist. This painting is at the National Museum, an inviting space where there seemed to be fewer people jostling for selfies.
It’s not my proudest moment but I eventually succumbed to an overwhelming urge and did the pose: Hands on face, mouth agape. The staffer nearby didn’t look impressed, but neither did she look surprised. I’m guessing I wasn’t the first she’d seen do this.
My standout find in Oslo was Frognerparken, Oslo’s largest park and home to Vigeland Sculpture Park. The largest sculpture park in the world created by a single artist, it has more than 200 works by Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland.
The highlight without question was The Angry Boy, perhaps Vigeland’s most famous work — a naked little boy screaming angrily in full tantrum.
Needless to say, lingering is encouraged here. Because in Oslo, the quiet moments are part of the adventure. And maybe that’s what I’ll remember most.
In Stockholm, I channelled my inner dancing queen. In Oslo, I found my exhale.
Two cities, two totally different vibes. And one springtime Scandinavian escape I won’t soon forget.
The writer received support from Citybox Oslo, Visit Oslo and Stockholm Business Region.
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