Stockholm: The Capital of Scandinavia

Those aren't my words, nor is it technically truth, but it's the claim you'll find immediately upon arrival in Sweden's capital. Stockholm boasts itself as the capital of Scandinavia because of it's elegant beauty, cleanliness, fine cuisine (and we did have 2 fantastic meals in the city) and the fact that the Nobel Prizes are awarded in this grandiose city built on several islands.

Swedes are obviously proud of their culture and heritage and once you pass a totally pointless customs at Arlanda airport, you'll find pictures commemorating famous Swedes. People such as golf great Annika Sorrenstam and tennis relic Bjorn Borg (who retired like 20 years ago) are featured. The tribute is in a fitting spot since it's in a tiny hallway with lots of traffic heading out to Arlanda's main concourse. It's a great place for tourists to stop and admire while they get in the way of annoyed locals who just want to go the hell home.

From Arlanda to Stockholm's central station, the way to go is the Arlanda Express. A spiffy high speed train that goes non-stop from the distant airport to the heart of the city in just 20 minutes (don't worry, you'll be reminded of the time a lot, which is why my wife wanted to whack me upside the head when I kept asking her how long the train will take). You can also take the bus, but that takes about 40 minutes and only costs a few dollars less. The train is really nice, has 4-6 departures per hour and is very convenient. It's not cheap but neither is the bus, Stockholm is one of the most expensive cities in Europe in getting from the airport to the city. Even the bus will run you about $16 ($20 on the train), whereas in Amsterdam the train from Schipol airport to central station only costs about $5 (which also runs very frequently and because the airport is closer, can take as little as 15 minutes).

So immediately upon arrival in Sweden, you are whacked upside the head with a hefty cost! But it's nice that they let you know what to expect in their very pricey city. Anything less and you might be led to believe that you could get a good deal on accommodation, dinner or drinks. There are some good values, by Stockholm standards, but the term value is much more applicable when discussing euros, not dollars.