By telling us your country of residence we are able to provide you with the most relevant travel insurance information.
Please note that not all content is translated or available to residents of all countries. Contact us for full details.
Shares
Cities have heartbeats. Coming from London it was raw, visceral and unrelenting. Arriving in Stockholm presented us with a newer, soothing rhythm; as if to say 'relax. You can take your time here.' I wasn't particularly thrilled for this trip - what is Sweden really known for aside from pretty women and IKEA? It was an impulse journey; but I figured complaining about our first trip abroad together would boarder on blaspheming. The apartment was remote to say the least, but something about observing the locals gingerly minding their business ushered in a wave of serenity. It was an atmosphere I knew wouldn't exist as we got closer to the city centre - so again we obeyed the will of the city heartbeat and took our time. The train journey to Stockholm Central station was easy (trust me being from London I could've expected much less) and upon arrival our ears were filled with the most charming music I've ever heard; just the tempo and melody of the bouncy Swedish language was like a carnival for the soul! The music kept us walking for miles, journeying through time all the way to Stockholm’s Old Town. The bustling narrow streets suggested there was nowhere else anyone would rather be. Crowds meandered through the shops, cafes and galleries like a river - picking up and dropping people off wherever their curiosity placed them. Passing the colourful buildings put us in a trance, feeling as if we were guided by our mind rather than our eyes. One swift turn of a corner displaced us into the most ethereal scene: we did not know the Old Town was an island. Our two bodies stood idly beside an expanse of water, glistening below the pink evening sky. Boats drifted effortlessly by in the distance, as the impressive Parliament House stood guard to our left. The feeling of cobblestone beneath our feet was much more prominent now – perhaps a reaction to the weight of our awe. Damn we were hungry. Having spent little of our budget for the day (and with only two more left) we decided a meal with a view was in order. Perched in the sky (the restaurant was called Himlen - the Swedish translation for sky) we feasted. From up here we watched the city’s heartbeat slow as it prepared for night-time, lights began illuminating spots of the city one by one, until the once colourful scene became a display of light – filling our eyes as the fine French cuisine filled our stomachs (and emptied our pockets!). It was approaching evening now, and we only had one destination on our mind...the amusement park! Like the Old Town, the park stood isolated from any other structure - surrounded by water; it reassured us this was a place for fun - any inhibitions would drown on the boat ride there. We stepped of the boat into a swarm of lights and sprinted, immediately to the biggest ride in the park: FREE FALL. The seats crept steadily up the cold metal track, our hearts felt tight as we approached the apex - you were visibly nervous as I clutched your shaking hand - but the sight of Stockholm scintillating amongst the black night was something to behold. Behold the drop! It was a catharsis from the wonders of the day! A symbol of our awe and gratitude condensed into one euphoric descent... And then there was laughter. A lot of it. We trekked back to the remote apartment, exhausted, and as I closed my eyes the events of the day lulled me into the softest of slumbers. My unconscious mind disallowing me to forget the magic of my motherland, the melody of my native tongue or the soothing rhythm of the city's heartbeat - my own. My perspective had been inverted. Stockholm, the city which represented my childhood had always been grey and predictable; but with you, my love, it was a leap into the unknown.