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Named after King Gustav Vasa, Vasastan is a historical area of Stockholm with unique architecture. For those traveling to the city, here’s our guide to some of the most fascinating things to do and see in the area.

Observatorielunden

Park

If you are looking for a place to calm down and chill out, but it seems too far to go to the countryside or the Stockholm Archipelago, then Observatorielunden is a perfect option for you. Situated right in the center of Vasastan, this former observatory was established 300 years ago and it’s one of the historical gems in Vasastan. The adjoining park is seen as an oasis in the city center, allowing locals to enjoy the green landscapes and elegant gardening. The park can be crowded at weekends, as Swedes love to picnic under the gentle Nordic sun. Observatorielunden © Börkur Sigurbjörnsson/Flickr

A Bit of the Old Touch

Shop

If you’re tired of the conventional way of shopping, why not consider shopping at A Bit of the Old Touch? True to its name, this second-hand shop sells a wide variety of dresses, accessories and male suits, from the 1900s to 1960s. What’s surprising is that these vintage items are reasonably priced, giving you a chance to buy as many items as you want to. This is the shopping paradise for those who are looking for clothes with vintage and nostalgic influences.

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sven-Harry's Art Museum

Building, Museum

Located in the Vasaparken in Stockholm, Sven-Harry’s Art Museum is one of the most popular museums in Vasastan. The building is a six storeys high, and the glittering surfaces are actually from the brass used in construction. The shimmering building is famous for its rooftop, as it is a replica of Sven-Harry’s home. The art museum also prides itself as having one of the largest private collection of Nordic art pieces, furniture and carpets. The tour offered in the museum is highly recommended, as it provides a comprehensive analysis of the each of the art pieces.

Opening hours: Wed-Fri 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sat-Sun 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sven-Harry’s Art Museum © Erik Anestad/Flickr

Laserfortet

Building

For those who are looking for excitement and entertainment, Laserfortet is ready to impress you. Laserfortet prides itself as being entertainment central in Stockholm by offering various activities, such as team building games, field trips and parties. Two activities, namely the Prison Island and Laserforce, are ready to take you on a whole new level of gaming experience. Laserforce is also known as Stockholm’s most modern laser arena. For those who want meet up and have a playful afternoon, Laserfortet is absolutely the best choice for you.

Opening hours: depending on your reservation

The Jewish Museum

Museum

The Jewish Museum
© Bisamråttan och Lilla My/Flickr
Founded in 1987 by the donation of Aron Neuman and his wife, the Jewish Museum provides you with a brand new perspective for looking at Swedish modern history. Jewish culture has made a profound influence on Sweden’s culture, art and literature and their importance is often overlooked. The Jewish Museum uses a wide variety of sources, including texts, artifacts, multimedia exhibitions and interactive displays to arouse your interest in the Jewish history. You won’t be bored, as you have just embarked on an in-depth review of Sweden’s history.

Opening hours: Sun-Fri 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Carl Eldhestar's Studio Museum

Building, Museum

Located in a wooden building built almost a century ago, Carl Eldhestar’s Studio Museum is perfect place to take a closer look at Carl Eldh’s sculptures. Carl Eldh is one of Sweden’s most renowned sculptors, and this studio museum is designed in collaboration with his close friend and a famous Swedish architect, Ragnar Östberg. Apart from examining the imaginatively and meticulously created sculptures, a look at the exterior of the building is also a great idea. Combining modern elements onto the traditional old clay rooftops, the building actually started the regeneration of the whole area.

Opening hours: Tue-Sun 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Stockholms Stadsbibliotek

Vasastan offers a fantastic tour through Sweden’s history of art, and this tour won’t be complete without visiting Stockholms Stadsbibliotek (Stockholm National Library). The building is designed by renowned architect Gunnar Asplund, and is now widely considered as the landmark of Vasastan. As opposed to building a dome, Asplund decided to use cylinders, making the library an interest to many architects worldwide. Functionalism is the buzzword in this library, which simply means that everything is placed there for a specific purpose. When you’re visiting the library, why not think about the function of the items while appreciating the phenomenal and classy architecture.

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat-Sun 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Stockholm’s Stadsbibliotek © Square(tea)/Flickr

Cajsa Warg

Shopping Mall

Cajsa Warg is ready to bring you the most intriguing shopping experience ever. Cajsa Warg is a shopping mall with a food section. All these are done with a twist, that is these shops are small and personal. The founders of the mall emphasize a calm and relaxing way of shopping, and it also brings the healthiest and the most organic food to you. What’s exciting about Cajsa Warg is that there are constant checks of quality that guarantee the quality of the products that you bought here.

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat&Sun 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Stockholm Concert Hall

Concert Hall, Music Venue

Stockholm Concert Hall is another landmark in Vasastan, and is often considered as the pioneer of neoclassical style. Many world class events take place every year in this hall, including the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony and Polar Music Prizes. The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra is also based in this elegant concert hall. If you are enthusiastic about live music events and want to have an elegant night out, this is surely the place to look for.

Opening hours: depending on music events

Roomescape Stockholm

Building

Have you ever imagined you are stuck in a room and can’t get out? Now Roomescape Stockholm offers such a puzzle for you. It may sound like a nightmare but it’s actually a team building game which challenges your logical thinking skills and patience. Participants, in groups of two to five people, are put into a room and have to figure out puzzling games within 60 minutes in order to win the game. For those looking for a mind challenge, this is the place you definitely don’t want to miss.

Opening hours: depends on your appointment.

About the author

Born and raised in multicultural Hong Kong, Billy has learnt to appreciate the beauty of cultural diversity from a very young age. He is enthusiastic about travelling and deems every travel experience as a new way of looking at the world. Inspired by the simplicity of life, he is very interested in Scandinavian cultures and lifestyles. Billy is currently an undergraduate in The University of Hong Kong, majoring in English Studies and Geography. His training background has provided him the repertoire for travelogue writing, and the Culture Trip is a platform for him share his adventures with other world travellers .

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