Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/890548
38 maltatoday SUNDAY 22 OCTOBER 2017 Travel THE NATIVE Travelling is always risky business – get stuck in a tourist area and your meals are terrible. The same can be said of sightseeing, hotels and nightspots. Travelling to a place where you know people to recommend the right places makes your stay all the more enjoyable. Felicia Wijkander, 27, was born in Falun, and lived in Stockholm for five years. If you're visiting Stockholm, these are the places she recommends to hang out like a native. NEED TO KNOW How to get there There are many direct flights from Malta to Stockholm, either going to Arlanda or Skavsta (Ryanair). Get to Stockholm by air- transfer from Arlanda, or by Flygbussarna from Skavsta. Best time to visit From the beginning of June to end of August is the best time to visit Stockholm to experience the lush green nature and pleasant temperatures. End of the year can be cosy with Christmas markets and snow, but if you're unlucky the snow might not have arrived yet, as the most heavy snowfalls happen between January and February. Currency Sweden uses the Krona (SEK) as currency and you can easily exchange major currencies to Krona before or after your arrival. Note that Stockholm is moving toward being a cash-free city, many places might not take cash. Make sure to have a credit card handy! Visas Sweden is part of the Schengen Agreement and the same rules apply as for all countries part of Schengen. BEST PLACE TO EAT Stockholm is a multi-cultural Mecca when it comes to food, where my favourites are located on the island Södermalm, also called the "hipster"-area of Stockholm. Through a small door at Ringvägen 145 awaits true Israeli Hummus at Reggev Hummus, where you sometimes can experience live music, or play a round of backgammon with one of the regulars while you enjoy smooth hummus and maybe some spiced Israeli coffee. If you love vegetarian or vegan food, Hermans serve a large variety of dishes in a buffet every day, and if the weather allows it, they turn on the grill for a huge vegan and vegetarian BBQ. For hipster fine-dining however, head to Nytorget and Urban Deli, where the menu is created for the season. Make sure to make reservations. BEST SPOT FOR SIGHTSEEING Stockholm has plenty of high ground where you can get an amazing view of the city. Going for a walk along Katari- navägen on Södermalm, taking a drink at the secluded Sailor Bar at Scandic Sjöfartshotell, or listening to live music at Mosebacke Torg will all get you high above the city. Which can also serve as a good way to spot where you want to go next! For the daredevils, Ikaros at the amuse- ment park Gröna Lund takes you 95 me- tres up in the air, turns you 90 degrees, and drops you free-fall style straight to the ground. Definitely scary, but one hell of a view! Looking for a calmer way to sightsee your way around the city, the "Ocean- bus" is the way to go. The hybrid boat- bus tours around central Stockholm and gracefully enters the water to take you on a unique journey over the capital waters. Stockholm, Sweden Felicia Wijkander, 27, was born in Falun, and lived in Stockholm for five years. If you're visiting Stockholm, these are the places she recommends to hang out like a native.