Being a traveller to Stockholm many times, you should mention how cool their subway is, compared to most standard subways. It's practically like an art museum in a cave
What's important to understand is that when people don't talk or stare at you - they are being polite. If you want something, go ahead and ask. But don't expect us to run after you all night because in Sweden that makes you both rude and a massive creep.
Good point because people in Sweden is very politically correct and dont want to step on someones private space. That is not to be rude but their way to show respect.
Interesting.. I wonder if this is something that could be applied to Russians. Because Russians are known to be not very friendly with strangers (they don't smile). I am a Russian and have lived in the UK, which is very different from Russia in that regard. But I prefer the UK mode of interaction, when people are open and friendly, not to mention polite! Russian gloominess appears the opposite of showing respect and being polite.
As a Swedish citizen I know that people here don't like intrusive interaction when shopping. I hate when I am wondering around alone with my inside thoughts and someone start to ask me what I need or what I am searching for. If I want help, I'll ask for sure. I love how Swedish people respect privacy and if you tell them off they will not disturb you again until you ask for help.
4:42 LOL, summer _months_ :D ... We have a joke here in Sweden: "I love the Swedish summer, it's my favorite week of the year" Also, 3:34 really shows the cultural differences. As a swede, I usually get a bit annoyed when a store clerk comes up to me and asks "Can I help you with something?". Swedes find this to be too pushy. I'm just browsing, if I have any questions I'll ask.
I went to Stockholm 2 months ago, one thing I particularly appreciate is the low level of pollution for a big city! There's no "pollution fog" above the city like in every big city in Europe or America. We can breathe over there!
You should tell people about the Allemansrätt (Allmensright) . It means you can go everywhere in nature, private and state own. You can camp, pick berries and mushrooms. Fishing is free in the ocean and the five biggest lakes, including Mälaren in Stockholm.
+Ben Andersson Unfortunately you are only mentioning the "for free" part of the allemansrätt. With this right comes some major responsibilities that many foreigners (and some swedes) often seems to forget about.
There are of course exceptions, but generally the "nature in Sweden is for everyone". If you compare to the US anyways, there are no entrance fees to visit national parks and such things. But then the "allemansrätten" includes that you should "leave the nature as it was when you arrived" and some other "common sense" thinking. But it's good that you mention it... when I come home to Sweden from a visit to e.g. the US I am SO happy about allemansrätten... I can just go anywhere without caring if its private property forest or anything like that.
Up until the early 2000s or so (depending on town or city) you could buy a ticket the normal way, i.e. on the bus itself. The alleged reason for us to put up with this bisarre hassle to get a simple ticket was the increased frequency of bus drivers getting robbed...
funny...not really is just that I've been living in Ireland for 12 years and we buy tickets on the bus and no one is getting robbed. That is because you put the coins inside a metal box of which they don't have the key and before you try to break it people will have probably beat you up by then. We can only pay with coins and if we give too much they issue a 2nd ticket with the change and you go to Dublin bus and get the difference back. So....I don't know how it worked back then that they would be robbed so frequently in Sweden.
Yeah, there were probably just a couple of robberies, if any at all. The real reason was of course to get people to not burn their offices down for forcing this new system that they wanted.
I'm from Stockholm and feel that the service I get here is just like I want it. Maybe there's a big difference in service between european cities and the US. I guess it's just a cultural misunderstanding :) Something I would really recommend tourists to do when exploring Stockholm is to see the Archipelago! It's something completely different and you will love it. But make sure to come here during summer! I personally have a summer house on an island there and I'm in love with it!
I love visiting Stockholm, and since it's so cheap from Finland I tend to go there a couple of times a year. Superb ethnic restaurants, great cafe/nightlife-culture, and of course the snus. ;)
People coming to Stockholm!!! Get an SL card. It cost me £12.5 for 4days. It's the most efficient and cheap service I've used. SL cards as Walter said, it gets you on all busses, trams, trains and centros (underground. ) the SL card will get you all around Stockholm "state." Stockholm is beautiful. If you're English the conversion rates SOOOOO GOOD £1-14sek. I'll be going again in February to meet friends obviously, it's cheap for me as I don't pay for accommodation. I've never felt so welcome.. Luxury store assistants are the best, it's pretty much 1 to every customer. Plus it equals to 1/3 off for us English folk! I actually service in the stores as they are straight to the point. If your used to English stores it isn't much different. I think Americans are used to way too friendly and intrusive customer service. My opinion sorry. Loved the video though Walter.
+Frank Dean He does have a point. Get your SL Access card _before_ trying to hit a bus. There's SL Centers clustered around expected points of entry, and they try to sell you what's best for you (they don't have provision and they can't get tips. so they'll just try to sort your wishes and have you out of their line ;)) If you ignore that and try to hit a bus waving cash or card, you're _beep_. And don't be afraid of cold Swedes, we're shy and reserved, and we do view most non-scandies as if they are on drugs, since they appear to be. But if you talk to us (yes, almost all can speak english, most of us think that we're much better at it than we actually are), we'll notice that you're a guest and we'll flip. In some cases you might have to ponder polite ways of getting rid of your self appointed guide after some hours ...
I just came from Stockholm. What a beautiful city! I was very impressed! The thing i couldn't get used to was sunsets at 10pm and sunrise light close to 3am. People were very nice and we ate at the hotel. It was expensive but well worth it.
Everything is spot on if you ask me except number 4 of what you won't like. It's really a cultural thing. When I visit the US I feel I get bad service because it's very pushy, forced and stressful (what you recognise as helpful) OR service people are just plain rude which I find rarely happens in Stockholm (with exceptions of course). Here service I find is always at least polite and hopefully ( if you ask me, a swede) considerate and not pushy or interrupting (I hate when waiters ask me more than once if everything is ok, back off you are interrupting us every other minute!!!) ☺️
Same, I totally agree! It's all about culture and what you're used to. In America the service can be very stressful, even though I recognize it as them trying to give good service. But in Sweden they respect your privacy and are still very polite and get you what you need. If you feel you're missing something, you need only ask!
Is it easy to catch a waiter's eye in Stockholm? It seems like in the US, waiters and waitresses try to avoid eye contact, which forces you (meaning "me") to call out to them, which is considered rude in the US. I think that's why they do it.
hanelno Personally, I found Swedes to be very nice and attentive people, always trying to give you the best support possible (if you ask, for sure), when I was visiting Sweden
OMG you made me laugh so hard 'you see people dressed in suits riding their bike like it is no big deal' X'D Such a cultural difference. Here in the Netherlands it is so normal to cycle, whatever clothes you are wearing similar to Stockholm I guess. Great video!
Fall and winter is not too bad. The darkness makes us light candles. The cold makes us wear jackets, sweaters etc, which alot of swedes like. During these times it is easier to sleep as it is so dark out. Also during christmas its kinda nice when its snowing, as you're walking home, adds to the feeling.
Only saw one who was after money as we sat outside a cafe. He was limping with a crutch. I noticed when he went further away he lost his limp and use of the crutch... it was a miracle :-) Other than that one we never saw any...
The amount of (almost exclusively Rromani) beggars has gone down dramatically in the last few years - when I moved to Stockholm 3 years ago they were everywhere, now you see them much less frequently.
I've come back from a long weekend in stockholm and I loved it! Yes it is expensive, booze is probably double than england. The fast food chain MAX was great (scandi type of mcdonalds) for a quick bite of food. I must say I was impressed with the cleanliness of the city. I think this might be due to the fact that they pay for recycled cans bottles which seems to be collected by homeless or people trying to make a bit of money. (expect to pay 1 krona on top of your bill for each of these items you purchase in the first place) This system works well and I'd love to see it rolled out everywhere!!!! Felt very safe here, weather was excellent! (I went first week in august) Defiantly coming back. Totally agree with everything in the video apart from nude people.... didn't see any :-)
The lunch specials are usually well worth the money. They are served from about 11 AM to 2-3 PM, and cost about USD 10-12. Some places have "all you can eat" buffets for c. $12. While eating out might seem pricey, you are at least not expected to pay a 15-20 % tip like in the US, as the restaurant staff have decent wages. Tip or round up if the service has been really good.
Dude, it's not ok running around nude at public places, or at the beach. It might not be illegal, but people will still freak out at you. The only place where it might be acceptable to be nude is in the sauna. Maybe. Also, don't compare swedish (or even european) service to american service. It's two different things. People working in service here will respect your privacy. They wont approach you as soon as you enter a store and they will not hang around your table at the restaurant. If you want help, you will get it, but you need to let the staff/waiter/whatever know that. Otherwise they will leave you alone. It's not bad service, it's just being polite.
Definitely one of the best places in europe! Have been there twice this year.. Regarding the ticket mess - just buy a 72h pass or weekpass right at arlanda airport or centralstation and youre good to go :)
Thanks for the video. I will go to Stockholm in my planned Scandinavian trip and will be going to Oslo, Copenhagen,Stockholm and Helsinki. 3 days each.
Come to Göteborg and get an app on your phone, and you have your ticket in your phone! =) easy. AND if you come to sweden come to göteborg in the summer 100% better then stockholm, water is clear and beautifull, lots of boats. Göteborg people is way more relaxed then in stockholm ;)
I don't know what kind of fancy restaurants you were going to but I found most restaurants were around $12 - $15 per meal which is typical for the US if you're not eating fast food. Fast food, like a Bic Mac meal was $10. If you were eating in the fancy cafes in the touristy areas I could see you spending $25 for a meal, but the cheaper places are away from the tourist traps where you can get a good pizza for 2 for $11.
@@jakechilton1066 When it comes to healthcare, yes you can. There is a reason why America have the worst healthcare system in the modern world. Ranking 38 of all countries in the world..
A lunch will seldom set you back $20 in Stockholm. In all of Sweden you can easily get a luch for half that amount - or less. Whether you wish to try traditional Swedish home style cooking (husmanskost) like meatballs, or feast on sushi, pizza or perhaps a thai food buffé you won't get ruined. Eating out in the evening is usually more expensive.
You can also buy a bus ticket on your phone if you download the SL app (it is more expensive than charging a card though). I usually do it with swish, which you can’t get unless you’re Swedish and have an identification number, but I’m pretty sure it works with MasterCard or Visa as well (but probably not American Express). If you’re going to stay in Stockholm for a longer period of time and intend to use public transportation I do recommend the card though, but if you’re far from a convenience store and in need of a ticket, then the app is a handy alternative!
While I understand your warning regarding some areas of Stockholm, having grown up in one of the "worst", I can still recommend going out to the suburbs. Maybe not if you just come for a few days - there's enough to keep you occupied in Stockholm proper then - but for a longer visit, there are more things to see and experience than just the "regular" sights. With that said, great video as always. Pretty hilarious to see getting a bus ticket on the hate side. I agree fully - I think everyone here would - but I have never thought about how the system might seem to a tourist. I share your frustration. :)
+Evi Dumea Yeah, if you have the means to go to Gothenburg or Norrland, then I of course recommend those places instead. That said, I like how close to nature you can get a bit outside of Stockholm, and I've always been fond of the atmosphere where I live. Kinda hard to explain. Plus, great diverse food at a lower cost, if you find Stockholm city too expensive. :)
+Sebastian Åkerberg Stockholm is a bit more that Norrmalm and Stadsholmen/Gamla Stan. Just move a shade south over the water to the annoyingly hip Söder (or Stockholm's Brooklyn) or continue across the next water to laid back Söder om Söder (or New Jersey to continue the NY hip comparison ;))
Jessica Sierra I just got back last week. I actually paid $380 from NY to Iceland, stayed there for 3 days and then flew to Stockholm, stayed for 4 days and then flew back to NY. Try TheFlightDeal.Com
one of the worst place in europe to eat. not a single restaurant where you cant eat well for a moderate price... there isnt something really particular to see exept the urbanistic is perfect
The bad thing mentioned here regarding the bus ticket is actually a good thing. I recommend that once you get to Central station, buy an access card-valid for however many days that you are there. I was there for 4 days and it cost around €20. This gives you unlimitted travel on bus and train and underground. Then you never have to worry about a ticket. You can go really far on the train as well, if you feal like exploring. Absolute bargain :)
I have newer worried about paying on the bus... That was the good thing with cash, they automatically worked _everywhere_, for _everything_, for hundreds of years.
How the world looked before the 1990s is not really relevant for how to manage things in 2016 though :) Now it is an issue and the risk for the drivers are probably not worth it just for the convenience of the passangers...
Some of the love/hate facts of those video reflect tha difference by an "American goes to Europe" way.. It is not so correct for an European guy for example, closer to Sweden lifestyle than american one... For example to me (i'm from Italy) it's easier to dela with a swedish than an american... That's the real difference! By the way, nice video man! :-p
+FERROVIE DEL TRENTON totally agree! Also with what he said about price since food and all is extremely cheap in the US and if you go out to eat pretty much anywhere in Europe, they won't serve you as well as in the states because in the US, you are expected to tip instead of it being included in the bill.
no offence to Americans but European food is much better even though restaurants have become expensive a little bit everywhere. The problem in the US is that food portions are way too big and yes you are expected to tip and I understand that because I'm sure wages are crap. I found in NYC that some places already include how much you should tip (10-15%). In Europe you don't pay for service everywhere. Here in Ireland they put a cup on the desk where you go pay and you can leave a tip there otherwise is not customs to leave a tip. Some places charge for the service and is written on the receipt but not many of them do it.
There are plenty of awesome restaurants in the States ans Europe- i wouldn't say one is better. The portions are smaller which is better for health though unless you just take the rest home and have a second meal. You are expected to tip at least 20 percent in the States also because servers make around $5/ hr but they end up making far far above minimum wage because of it. Also in Sweden, a small percentage of gradituity is usually put on the bill. I have seen this in Germany as well.
I have been to italy 2 times every year for all my life because we have a summerhouse there, and i would say that italy is vastly different than sweden, the climate is the complete opposite of eachother, the culture is the complete opposite of swedens and the living standard is also vastly different than swedens.
1:19 as a Swede living in Stockholm, I've always kinda wondered about this.... The cards are kinda handy for your every-day commute, but it seems really inconvenient for visitors :O I guess a good idea would be to download the app, so you can buy your tickets straight from the app instead:)
Also if you come for summer, it can still get quite cold at night or on crappy days. You should always have layers to take off and put on :) (I live in Stockholm)
Hmm your #4 Hate (I think) about the customer service could actually be a huge plus for me as I'm rather introverted. While I understand that this is a part of their job, I personally don't really like feeling "chased down" by sales reps here in the U.S. And nice video as always :) Are you planning to do videos on other swedish cities?
+Horse san There was an editorial (of a kind) in a major daily promoting the concept of "MwB", or Menu without Bullshit. As in, show me the menu without a lecture of the entire history of every part of the meal down to the pedigree of every single pea on the plate ...
Are prices a lot more in the grocery stores? Does it help save money shop at a grocery store and buy some bread, cheese and fruit to eat, instead of going out to eat for every meal?
Excellent advices about the city. Thank you!! Regarding SL card, now you can buy your tickets on the SL app directly. No need for card anymore. Cheers!
i have had some very dark times to time of my life in Stockholm. It's one of the easiest cities to get around if you prepare yourself a little for example get the tavelling card before hitting the city. expensive well yes but like any other city there are some unexpensive places and shops there. i think the Gamla Stan is the most expensive areas there. And yes the weather, it IS very dark especially in winter time and day light is Limited but I have visited Stockholm during the winter and in the summer and have loved it anyway anytime.
Fun fact about the special lunch menues - or, more specifically, Lunch Restaurants (they usually only serve breakfast and lunch and close early). In order for restaurants to be "eligable" to actually call themselves lunch restaurants they must allow you to eat unti your're full. It's a remnant from back in the day when a lot of blue collar workers had their lunch. So basically, if you get a plate and finish it you can ask for more with no extra cost incurred. I don't think breakfast falls under the same rules but lunch is the one you're after anyways. It's a great little rule that most, if not all, luncheons will honor with no questions asked. There are caveats, of course. I doubt you could pull it off on a pizzeria but your normal lunch restaurant that serves meatballs and mash will happily refill your plate.
I like that you do pro's en con's! I'm from The Netherlands and doing a Tour de l'Europe this year. (Berlin-Rome-Kopenhagen-Lissabon-Stockholm-Paris-Vienna yes, I know. It is north, south then north again ;) ) Your video is great, thanks for the inspiration.
2,5 years late but if anyone watches this and finds this comment here are som tips for you. -When eating out on town do not eat food at all on Drottninggatan except two places: Jappi and Grill. Jappi is a solid japanese restaurant with some cheap beer (for that location in Sweden) and Grill has one of the best lunch buffés in Stockholm (not on weekends though). When travelling with local transportations rememer that the SL-app on your phone is great, easy to pay and your ticket works on trains, subway, trams, busses and boats. Bars rarely have bouncers, usually only when it is late at night or when it is crowded. Great bars are in no short supply in Stockholm (if yoou get over the price). Pubs goes the same way. Night clubs can vary very much since some want certain standards. On Östermalm it is usually higher standards and more picky bouncers than in Kungsholmen or Södermalm. Haha no comment on service at all, it is in general subpar with the rest of Europe and nothing compared to the US. However, only real fancy restaurants expect tip so no need to do it really. You can pay with cards EVERYWHERE in Stockholm and Sweden so tipping is maybe just adding a few kronor (not even a dollar) up if you feel like it. But yeah, tipping not really a thing in Sweden but should be done if the service was extra nice and good. Weather in Stocholm can be tricky, sometimes it can be great in april and sometimes it can be shit in july. So double and tripple check weather before going and be prepared for cold and rain just in case even during the summer. However mostly the weather during late spring, summer and early fall the weather is great and during that period I dear say it is 3rd most beautiful capital in Europe (after Prauge and Paris). As kind of mentioned in the video it is an easy city to navigate with excellent, if not one of the best, infrastructure. It is clean and everything moves along like clockwork. With the beautiful arcitecture it is worth walking or renting a bicycle. EVERYONE in Stockholm can to some extent speak english, by European standards we may be the best english speaking city outside the UK and Ireland.
Yeah I walked around Malmö and there were barbershops offering 50 sek haircuts everywhere, in Göteborg or Stockholm you would pay atleast 4 times as much for a haircut
Leo B Malmö has a lot of cheap fast food joints and small businesses simply because many do not pay their taxes. Lots of "black market" business right in the open. Also one of the reasons that Malmö county needs to be subsidized by the rest of us.
Fun fact.... Stockholm is not Sweden (as in all of Sweden just like any other capital is not that country in its whole)... For those of you who have been to Sweden.... How many of you have actually been outside of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo? If you look at a map of Sweden.... You will notice that all of these cities are in the south half of Sweden....
My grand father has been living there for more than 50 years.But he never invited us ,he married to a Swede had two boys together ,my uncles, who are fathers .Ill go one day with the opportunity!
Hey mark just wanna tell you how fantastic you are! you need to be my travel agent. after a while watching your videos i noticed how amazingly sharp you pictures are! so i have some questions i want to ask if you don't mind? What camera do you use? do you edit them? if so what software. last tell us how you learned or make a video for 10 tips on how to take exceptionally memorable photos. -thank you.
Expensive meals? I know this video is old, but going to a restaueant is much cheaper in Sweden than in the US. Bus tickets you can buy on the bus with your credit card. Members only? Haha no. This is wrong. Maybe just a few bars. Just dress normal. It's time for an update or delete this video becuase most of it is just bullsh*t.
Nr 3 bad is way off. There are a few clubs where the bouncers pull that ”pointing-at-you-no-not-you-YOU-can-come-in-not-you” crap. A few. Those are like the ten worst places in Stockholm, strictly for insecure wankers! Just don’t go to those clubs. If you see a bouncer pointing at people standing in line, it is a bad place and you won’t enjoy yourself, even if you do get in. Keep walking. There are a thousand nicer bars, clubs, restaurants within walking distance.
I think ANY TRAVEL REVIEWS should just delete the critique of the climate / weather ... because any normal intelligent person expects to find that data elsewhere, it’s not something in a city’s control. Having said that it is valid to criticize the city which hasn’t taken account into its own weather & how it handles those conditions. --> for example I could complain that maybe there aren’t enough canopies or awnings along buildings for when it’s raining/snowy, or that the city’s streets flood when rainy, because the city doesn’t clean out, maintain storm drains enough, or any number of infrastructure lacks that don’t address their preexisting climate/seasonal conditions.
Hey! Hopefully you're still responding to questions on this video. I am going to Stockholm and Copenhagen in September. I was originally going to stay in Copenhagen longer, but now I am thinking of staying in each place 50/50. I'll be gone for about 10 days. What is your opinion? TIA
50/50 sounds good, but what you should take in consideration is that Sweden has twice the population vs Denmark, hence, the "scene" may offer twice as much. If you have any questions, just mail me, r237mw@gmail.com
Seems a lot are going in September. Me too. Travelling from London to Copenhagen on the 24th, Stockholm 27th and Helsinki 30th. Onward journey to St Petersburg, and back home to Mauritius via London.
I guess in my books the UK is the most polite, friendly and open-minded society (before Brexit anyway). But anyway I'm looking forward to my Stockholm trip. Let's see how it turns out.
I think you've been seeing the wrong side of town. The prices you talk about are mostly in the North side of the city center, however if you go to the South side it's much cheaper and people are way more friendly and the also goes for the bouncers. Also the bus ticket are way easier if you download the app. It's super easy to get a ticket on that.
What I hate about Stockholm is: - The expensive "fika". 30 kr for a small cookie???? - It smells shit and urine at several places. - Hard to find free toilets. (Which could explain the smell of shit and urine)
You can tell he’s American 😂 it would be SO RUDE here in England to have staff running around after you, asking you if you need anything all the time or to have ‘greeters’ in places. American food and retail staff are so fucking obnoxious and irritating, but I guess it’s not their fault people need their hand held constantly just cause of the culture
A little clarification about the recurring food subject: Here in Sweden it's more common to eat home cooking style food in a restaurant. Not everything is prepared with truffles using tweezers (that's available too if you want to make it an occasion). But the homestyle stuff and the Swedish lunches people eat daily are not THAT expensive, everyone usually likes them and they're usually quite good for you, too - take a look at people in the street to see the difference ;)
I have now watched a couple of your vids about Sweden and you seem to know what you're talking about whilst also being interesting to listen to. What I wanted to say is that you repeat yourself to much in all of your vids, saying the same things over and over again, sometimes in different words and sometimes not. It kind of got me a little annoyed that you said kind of the same things in all of your videos just to pull in those likes and views. In reality you could've easily taken all your videos about Sweden and compromised them into a single 15min long vid. Good luck in future endeavors!
I agree about the "you have to look good to be treated good" attitude among the Swedes. I live in Göteborg and it's the same thing here. I don't really go out much.
good way to save money is not to buy any booze from bars or resturants. on average 3 times more expensive than anywhere on earth. average beer in stockholm 8-11 euros. its not a large glass either and the beers mmeh!
Who is your ministers??do you have homeless people??can you tell your minister to reduce prices for food and introduce modern hotels that don't cost a fortune??who teach you about mineral resources??
Restaurant service is not like America where they rush you through a meal to turn an extra seating to make more money. Food and drinks are a relaxing social experience not how many times can they turn a table.
hello i really reccomand you go to Pakistan and make a vedio about the peoples and hospitality. hope you will enjoy and learn as a new life. bye take care
