From Copenhagen, I flew to Stockholm with no set itinerary. If Copenhagen was about seeing and doing everything, Stockholm was for eating and people watching and relaxing.

I stayed in an Airbnb where the host prepared a beautiful breakfast each morning. The rest of the day was simple. Walk, stop for coffee, read, walk again. I spent time exploring neighborhoods, visiting cafés, and paying attention to architectural details like doors and windows. I also visited the Architecture Museum and spent an afternoon seeing the painted metro stations.

One of the most memorable stops was a shop selling handcrafted goods made by visually impaired artisans. The quality was exceptional, and I purchased most of my trip gifts and souvenirs there, including a wool blanket. I also visited a food hall and walked through luxury furniture stores.

One afternoon, I took a train south of the city to a lakeside sauna, Hellasgården. It was all locals except for three American visitors. The routine was simple: sauna, run to the lake and jump in, repeat. We did this three times. It was the best experience of the trip.