Taking Advantage of Summer in Stockholm

When people think of Stockholm, it’s not uncommon for the word “cold” to come up frequently. Sweden’s winters are very cold, indeed – but at the opposite end of the spectrum, summer in Stockholm is utterly glorious.

It makes sense, really. Any place that gets socked in by weather that makes people want to stay indoors for so many consecutive months is bound to take full advantage of summer weather. While you’ll hear reports of heatwaves stretching across much of Europe in July and August (and, lately, sometimes as early as May), Stockholm and the rest of Scandinavia are far enough north that even in July and August the temperatures are mild.

Visiting Stockholm in the summer isn’t cheap. Almost everything costs more during a summer trip, most notably flying to Stockholm. With short shoulder seasons and a colder-than-usual low season, the summer high season is when everyone wants to be in Stockholm. It is, however, worth the expense.

Late June is a popular time to visit because of Midsummer, the longest day of the year. It’s one of Sweden’s most important holidays, and Stockholm celebrates with more than a week of festivities. Even if you’re visiting later in the summer, however, you’ll still get plenty of sunshine – even if it’s not a full 24 hours’ worth. Temperatures in August aren’t too hot, either, with highs generally in the low- to mid-70s Fahrenheit.

Stockholm may get excited about Midsummer, but the celebrations don’t stop then. The August calendar brings Stockholm Culture Festival (a huge outdoor festival including music and theatre performances), Stockholm Pride (Scandinavia’s biggest Pride festival), and even Stockholm’s Oktoberfest (yes, it’s early – to take advantage of the weather!).

As mentioned earlier, all of this fun comes at a price, with some of the highest prices on airfare to Scandinavia happening during the summer. Because of this, however, sometimes you’ll find that hotels offer discounts on rooms in the summer. Be on the lookout for discounts like this, and if you don’t see them – ask.

Have you ever seen the midnight sun in Stockholm?

– by Jessica of BootsnAll

photo by Mispahn