Autumn in Stockholm

Ok, so I just wrote about the Christmas season in Stockholm and now it is back to autumn. My apologies for bouncing around the calendar! I have mentioned several times that this is my favorite season in Stockholm... love the crisp temperatures, cosy weather, beautiful nature and delicious seasonal produce. There are also some fun festivals & events as well as great art exhibitions going on in the city.

But to start with, I recommend heading out to a nearby park and enjoy the autumn colors. Stockholm has lots of parks. In fact, about 1/3 of the area of the city is parklands and a Stockholmer is never further than 300 meters from a green area. The largest and most famous park here is Djurgården. It is the world's first National City Park and includes several parks within the larger park complex... southern Djurgården, northern Djurgården, Haga and Ulriksdal. The most visited is southern Djurgården which includes the island Djurgården, home to many of Stockholm's main attractions.

Stockholmers flock here on sunny, autumn days to stroll through the acres of park, forest and waterways. My friends and I usually like walking around the lake Djurgårdsbrunnsviken. There are four bridges connecting the island to the mainland so you can decide how short or long of a walk you want to do. So, head out and enjoy the beautiful nature and fresh air!

Another option is to visit two of Stockholm's UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Drottningholm Palace and the Woodland Cemetery (Skogskyrkogården). Besides being attractions, both have beautiful natural surroundings. Drottningholm has wonderful gardens... French, English and Rose. It is open daily through October and then only on the weekends until December 15th. The company Strömma still offers boat tours to the palace on the weekends until Oct 20th.

Gunnar Asplund, the architect of the Woodland Cemetery, created a tranquil atmosphere incorporating the natural landscape. If you are in Stockholm during All Saints' day, don't miss a visit to the cemetery when all of the graves are lit of with torches and candles left by loved ones. And speaking of All Saints' Day, All Hallows' Eve (Halloween) has become more and more popular in Sweden lately, with the highlight being the Halloween parade Shockholm (Nov 2nd). And click here for more Halloween tips from Slow Travel Stockholm!