OmnOmnOmn Chocolaterie Stockholm

Offering delicious chocolates, pralines and even gelato, there is always something yummy to try at OmnOmnOmn Chocolaterie.

Stockholm's smallest chocolate shop is located in the neighborhood of Hammarby Sjöstad. We've always had friendly service. All of the chocolates are made right in the small production kitchen at the shop!

There are 8-10 different flavors of homemade gelato. The gelato and praline flavors change with the season. 

During the Summer, there are a few tables outside the cafe to sit.

If you're looking for a gift or something to treat yourself to, stop by this amazing chocolate shop. It's always great to support local small businesses!

Don't forget your snacks!

OmnOmnOmn Chocolaterie

Hammarby allé 50, 120 61 Stockholm

Check out their website for more info and opening hours.

Riga with Kids

We had a wonderful time visiting and exploring the Latvian city of Riga with the kids!

Our visit was in late February and it was mostly cloudy and no snow. This meant we were able to be out with the kids and they didn't get too cold. 

We stayed in the city center near Old Town at Avalon Hotel and it was a great location. If you're visiting Riga, stay on the side of Old Town and not across the river. This way you are near everything and can easily walk around the city. 

Getting into the city

We took the city bus #22 from the airport to a stop near our hotel. The cost was under 4 Euros for 2 adults. The ride was about 25 minutes but it was unfortunately crowded on the bus into the city. 

There are also taxis available and the hotel told us it could cost around 25 Euros if they booked one for us. 

The kids loved exploring the city and finding new playgrounds. There were so many different playgrounds and lots of green space in the city. It's great to walk around then sit at a bench to have a coffee or snack.

We had a couple of days where it was raining for a few hours. We decided during that time to take kids to a museum for our indoor activity. 

Museums

There are quite a few museums in the city! We took them to Cosmos and the National History museum of Latvia.

Cosmos adults 10€, children under 6 are free and kids are 6€. Here the kids really enjoyed all the illusions. It was great that the museum wasn't busy when we visited so we could take our time at each of the rooms and stations.

National History museum is 4€. There is a search and find activity board you can pickup at the start and quite a few drawing stations around the exhibits. It's probably more interesting activity for older kids but we lasted an hour in there!

Coffee breaks!

Kids of course love to take coffee breaks or fika as we refer to it in Sweden. Riga has many different cafes and we enjoyed trying a few places.

Some of the kids favorites: 

Crumble cake - check out my blog post

Molberts - a nice ice cream shop

Coffee Academy - check out my blog post

We also really enjoyed trying traditional Latvian food.

Some restaurants we found to be family-friendly and had good dining experiences were

Lasite and DOM were very nice dining experiences even with the kids.

There is also a chain called LIDO where you serve yourself cafeteria style. Check out my blog post on LIDO. 

Cherry Fix - good for snacks after playing at the park

Playgrounds

We visited this amazing playground area that had so many areas for different ages! There were climbing structures, slides, trampoline, zip line and more. Kids loved it.

Near this playground there's this cafe called Yohoho Cafe. Check out my blog post on this cafe. 

There is a lot of green space in the center of the city and quite a few play areas along the canal and nearby. We visited a different area each day during our trip.

Overall, our visit to Riga was enjoyable and manageable with young kids. We stayed a week, but we enjoy traveling slow. Note: we flew in both directions, but you can also get to Riga as part of a cruise from Stockholm. 

Don't forget your snacks!

Yohoho Cafe Riga

We found a huge kids playground on the map about a 30min walk from city center and the kids were getting cold and hungry. Fortunately,  we found Yohoho cafe! With drinks and food for both parents and kids it was a lovely spot to recharge before more outdoor play.

There was a variety of items to choose from, including a few Latvian dishes and burgers. It was quiet when we visited but I'm sure during the weekend or spring/summer season this cafe can be popular.

Kids menu items included sausages and mash potatoes!

The owners, parents themselves, tried their best to cater to kids. From the baby change area and potty in the bathroom to a seating area for kids with toys, games and even a kids table. Parents can let kids enjoy until their food is ready or when they're done eating but parents need a bit longer to finish up.

If you're looking for a great cafe option before or after outdoor play that is also kid-friendly, check out Yohoho cafe!

Don't forget your snacks!

Yohoho Cafe

Aleksandra Čaka iela 129, Latgales priekšpilsēta, Rīga, LV-1012, Latvia

Check out their instagram for more info.

Gravensteen castle Ghent

We were pleasantly surprised by our visit to Gravensteen castle in Ghent, Belgium.

This 10th century castle has a nice treasure hunt for kids who need to find the jester. Kids enjoyed their tour and the guide book with clues for the hunt. Kids under 12 are free!

There was a lot more indoor time in the castle than we initially expected. We thought it would mostly be outdoors or in the castle courtyard. However, the tour had us going up and down and into different areas of the castle.

We really enjoyed the entertaining audio guide, which is included with ticket. The history of the castle wasn't just a bunch of dry facts. Instead, the narrator shares many  interesting stories with a bit of humor to keep the listener engaged.

Very friendly service at the shop and the ticket booth. There is even a room in the ticket area to park strollers.

There are such stunning views of the city from the roof of the castle! 

We had such a fun experience exploring and learning about the history of the Gravensteen castle! 

If you're visiting the Belgian city of Ghent and looking for a nice family activity, visit Gravensteen in Old Town and pickup some audio guides! 

Don't forget your snacks!

Gravensteen 

Sint-Veerleplein 11, 9000 Gent, Belgium

Check out their website for more info.

If you need a coffee break after the castle, Julie's house is a nice dessert place nearby Gravensteen.

Ritorno Konditori Etc Stockholm

With a few locations in Stockholm, Ritorno Konditori offers some delicious classic Swedish buns.

The cafe offers soft and delicious pastries. It really is tough to have just one. Order your favorite hot drink and it's the perfect Swedish Fika or coffee break.

Staff were friendly and the cafe has a lovely ambiance.

The location we visited was small with only a few tables indoors, but there is a larger location near Vasaparken.

Whether it's the classic cinnamon bun you're craving or another delicious bun, have a cozy coffee break or grab something to go, ay Ritorno Konditori.

Don't forget your snacks!

Ritorno Konditori

Dalagatan 41, 113 23 Stockholm

Check our their website for more info

Le Violon Dingue Stockholm

 

Le Violon Dingue or "The Crazy Violin" is a nice little cafe in downtown Stockholm located near Hötorget. This cafe may be tiny but it made a huge impression on us. They had amazing coffee and the pastries are delicious!

There so many different treats to choose from baked fresh daily.

This place is open from 7am on weekdays but only until 4pm. So get there early if you want a chance for some delicious fika!

If you're looking for a nice little cafe for a Swedish fika, check out Le Violon Dingue. Take the fika with you or sit outdoors at the cafe to enjoy it.

Don't forget your snacks!

Le Violon Dingue

Olof Palmes gata 12, 111 37 Stockholm

Check out their website for more info.

Choklad Fabriken Stockholm

Chokladfabriken or the Chocolate Factory is a high quality chocolate shop with a couple of locations in Stockholm, Sweden.

It's a great place to find a delicious variety of chocolates gifts or a chocolate treat to enjoy with a coffee. You can find everything from coffee chocolate to licorice chocolate and truffles.

The location on Södermalm offers a soup lunch during the weekdays which includes cakes for dessert and coffee.

It's a cake buffet with a soup starter ;) The soup is always vegetarian.

It's also possible to order cakes or pickup one from the shop.

If you're in Stockholm and looking for some delicious fika, chocolate gifts or a soup and cake buffet lunch, check out Choklad Fabriken.

Choklad Fabriken

Renstiernas gata 12, 116 28 Stockholm

Check out their website for more info. Cake buffet is only available at some locations.

St Paul Bageri Stockholm

 

While strolling through Södermalm on the way to Slussen, you'll find St Paul Bageri. This is a great cafe to start your day. Grab a fika to go or sit and enjoy your breakfast. They are open daily and on weekdays they open at 7am.

Friendly service, nice ambience and a good selection of fresh breads and Swedish fika buns to choose from. They even have some Vegan options.

You can sit indoors or outdoors,  depending on the weather, to enjoy your coffee! 

The cafe is spacious enough to bring strollers in as well, but check with staff before.

If you're looking for a cafe, that opens early with some nice coffee and Swedish pastries, check out St Paul Bageri.

Don't forget your snacks!

St Paul Bageri 

Götgatan 42, 118 26 Stockholm

Check out their website for more info

There are a few locations around Stockholm and we visited the Södermalm location.

Arlanda Express Stockholm

There are a few options to get from Stockholm to the Arlanda Airport.

Depending on where you are in Stockholm and how many are traveling, you can choose a taxi, a commuter train, the airport bus or the Arlanda express train.

On a recent trip, there were some delays for the commuter train, so we decided to head to T-Central and catch the Arlanda Express. 

You can buy your ticket online ahead of time or at the platform. There is a ticket checker that comes by to checks tickets on the train.

A few great to know things:

*Kids (0-7 years of age) travel free on the Arlanda Express!

*8-17 travel free with an accompanying adult.

*8-17 travel on a youth ticket if not with an adult

*If you are traveling with more than one person, there is a Group Discount price!

The train had really comfy seats and a fast trip (18 minutes) from Arlanda airport to T-Central in downtown Stockholm.

We had a pleasant experience with kids on the Arlanda Express and would take it again for an easy journey to Stockholm center.

Don't forget your snacks!

Arlanda Express

Check our their website for more info.

Gimo Herrgård Sweden

Located in the town of Gimo in northern Uppland, you can find the hotel, Gimo Herrgård. We stayed one night during our road trip and had a lovely experience. 

Gimo Herrgård is a beautiful old mansion with gardens and several buildings where the elegant hotel rooms and suites are located. The 18th-century manor house functions as a hotel year round.

Dinner is served in the hotel's restaurant but remember to book a reservation.

The hotel also offers a delicious breakfast buffet, served at the restaurant. It features a cold section, a few hot items, yogurt and even a coffee machine for those who like to start their day with lattes.

There are also dairy-free alternatives for those who have special diets.

The family room included a sofa bed and a double bed and was located in a building a few minutes from the main reception and restaurant. A kettle with complimentary tea was included.

For those 15+ there is a lakeside spa with outdoor hot tubs and sauna that you can use for an additional fee (195kr as of May 2024)

If you're looking for a morning walk before breakfast, walking by the lake, Gimosjön, is perfect. There's a path along the lake and you can turn around when you like.

Friendly staff and good service during our stay. Gimo Herrgård is a beautiful place! We were also lucky to see the Northern Lights during that weekend.

If you're planning a roadtrip and looking for a nice hotel stay north of Stockholm, check out Gimo Herrgård!

Don't forget your snacks!

Gimo Herrgård 

Bruksgatan 24, 747 44 Gimo

Check out their website for more info.