Ressel Ferries in Stockholm

The private ferry company Ressel Rederi Ferries provides two ferries that help residents in Hammarby Sjöstad and Södermalm commute between both islands and to Stockholm city.

One ferry, the "Emelie",  runs from Hammarby Sjöstad to Nybroplan, in Stockholm center, stopping at Djurgården on it's way. The other ferry runs a triangular route between Hammarby Sjöstad to Henriksdal and then Barnängsbryggan on Södermalm.

This triangle ferry is free and makes it very convenient to get to the other islands! 

The ferry into Stockholm city is a beautiful scenic ride and much nicer than taking the Stockholm Metro. You can buy a single ride, a month card or a pack of 10 rides. Seniors get a discounted price on all 3.

If you're visiting Stockholm and staying outside the city in Hammarby Sjöstad, the Emelie ferry is a great option for getting into town!

The Ressel Rederi ferry staff work so hard yet they've been super friendly and helpful each time. They even offer tea on the morning commute into the city!

Be sure to check out the latest ferry schedule on their website. There was recently some construction at Danviksbron so the Emelie did not run from Hammarby Sjöstad during specific weeks. All the details were posted at their website.

Ressel Rederi ferries run year-round in all weather and have been quite reliable - even in the winter snowy weather! Definitely, beats the Stockholm Metro!

If you're visiting Stockholm or live in the city and need to commute, hop onboard the Ressel Rederi Emelie ferry to get into the city and enjoy a scenic ferry ride!

Don't forget your snacks!

Ressel Rederi AB

Check out their website for more info 

A Visit to Astrid Lindgren's Värld

 

Located in Vimmerby, Sweden, Astrid Lindgrens Värld (Astrid Lindgren's World  in English) is a Theme Park based on characters and little houses from the Swedish Author's stories.

The idea of Astrid Lindgren's World was to create a 'Fairy tale village' and the first houses started in 1981. 

About a 4h drive south from Stockholm, we visited this magical theme park during our Summer vacation and it was actually better and bigger than we expected. 

There were theater performances all around the park with singalongs and different areas from the books to discover! Areas one has only read or heard about from the stories really come to life in this park!

Despite it being a warm summer day, the kids enjoyed the play areas! The little houses to enter even had little details like indoor furnishings and school desks so they could pretend-play to their heart's content. It's wonderful to have so many different park areas to walk through and visit. Even just spending time relaxing in one area in the shade was great. 

Of course, one has to see the most famous character from Astrid Lindgren's stories, Pippi Longstocking, and the Pippi Longstocking performance at the main stage. 

The kids rushed in to check out Pippi's house after the show and even went down the slide from the second floor. However, it was a bit chaotic as they just let everyone in at the same time. 

After one of the Pippi performances, you can get a chance to say hello to the characters, including Pippi, from the show!

There are more than few different eating places throughout the park. We stopped for hot dogs on the way to a show then fika in one of the cute little cafes in the afternoon. It was too hot to sit in, so we grabbed takeaway and sat outside.

A visit to the park wouldn't be complete without stopping for a souvenir or a gift for others who also enjoy Astrid Lindgren's characters and stories.

There are some cabins you could stay during your visit. Tickets to enter the park can be single day or multi-day tickets as well. We visited from the cabins we stayed at in Gamleby (blog post on our cabin stay).

Some of the gifts we picked up at the Pippi store!

Enjoy your visit and remember, kids are hungry for snacks all the time, so don't forget your snacks!

Astrid Lindgrens Värld

598 85 Vimmerby, Sweden  

Check out their website to plan your visit!

(The park is open from May to August)

Småland at IKEA

We visited the second largest IKEA in the world located just outside of Stockholm. 

If you're a parent, you know, shopping with kids can be exhausting. It takes longer, since you are always putting things they've grabbed back or they are having tantrums over wanting to buy something.

A visit to IKEA however, the shopping experience is made a little easier. You could go for a reasonably priced lunch at the IKEA cafeteria with the kids, they could find something to play with in the kids area or even better head over to IKEA's kids-only area, Småland! 

Parents can get some shopping done, browse for design ideas, pickup their IKEA order or even sit and have a dessert and coffee. It's really a brilliant idea! 

Remember to pack some socks to wear in the Kids area, if it's a warm day and the kids are wearing sandals. The same parent who checks in the kids, must pick them up. In Sweden, the kids area is only for kids 3-7yrs old.

One of us picked up the kids while the other parent stood in line to pay for everything we had bought that day. Then we switched and got the kids some Vegan softserve ice cream :)

Enjoy your next trip to IKEA (after you drop the kids off at Småland)!

Don't forget your snacks!

IKEA Stockholm - Kungens Kurva

Ekgårdsvägen 2, 141 75 Kungens Kurva

Check out more info on the IKEA website 

Quiet Time For Yourself

Everyone needs quiet time once in awhile. With how busy we are each day, it is often not something we prioritize. I didn't realize how important quiet time was until I had my first baby. 

There wasn't a moment that the baby wasn't with me. Having a baby who was very attached since birth and who breastfed, meant they were feeding all the time.

The few minutes between feedings, I rushed for a bathroom break or to eat a snack. Of course, I tried to sleep when baby slept but I don't remember having so much quiet time back then by myself. 

While feeding, I would maybe watch a show or eat a meal. I did manage to take some walks while baby napped in the stroller or baby carrier and I was thankful for having a few friends to meet while the baby slept. 

As parents, we always have something to do - folding laundry, preparing food, playing with the kids, cleaning up, it can be an endless list. We need to remind ourselves that it's OK to take a break once in awhile. How else can we have the energy to continue taking care of everyone and ourselves?

I recently took a much needed break for myself. I took some time off at the spa, kid free. I gave my self a chance to forget about all the housework and messes the toddler made. The kids and I both benefited from that time apart especially after we had been together all summer and all week while they were home sick.

Whatever you prefer doing during your quiet time, whether it's spa time, watching a show, going for a walk or happy hour with a friend, you should do it at least once in awhile. You deserve a break!

Don't forget your snacks!

Elements Spa 

Ringvägen 98 104 60 Stockholm

Clarion Hotel Stockholm

Check out their website for more info