The sense of the Lagom

The Swedish equation for well-being

[Tripper: Paola]

IT

The narrative of a city can pass through the things to see and to do but describing Stockholm as a list of places does not do it justice because what is most attractive in the Swedish capital is the sense of balance that reigns in everything. There is a word that exemplifies the Swedish style: it is Lagom which translated means to moderate.
The search for the right middle ground that leads to full satisfaction with living is evident in the urbanization, in the services that work, in the choice of the tourist offer.

Stockholm

Stockholm Royal Palace

Built on several islands, Stockholm is a continuous interspersing of land and sea that makes the space airy and allows the gaze to pause. This characteristic alone is already a source of harmony but so are the animated streets of the small island of Gamla Stan, the historic heart of the capital, which can be accessed by crossing the Norrbro bridge.
Immediately at the entrance is the Royal Palace, sober and elegant despite its majesty. More than 600 rooms arranged over 11 floors divide the space between the royal residence, places of work and ceremonies and rooms open to visitors, in a combination of typically Swedish practicality.
Among the narrow streets of Gamla Stan it is nice to get lost and wandering finally find yourself in front of the most iconic image of the city: the colored houses of Stortorget, which once belonged to the city nobility, but also the Nobel Museum where documents and relics of the history of the most prestigious award in the world, including the office of Alfred Nobel, inventor of the award.
The museum is located on the ground floor of the old Stock Exchange building, now the seat of the Swedish Academy which takes care of the national language. This body, managed by 18 members, is also the one that decides each year who is the winner of the Nobel Prize for literature.
Regarding the prize, we recommend a visit to the Stockholm City Hall, a red brick building overlooking Riddarfjärden, the easternmost bay of Lake Mälar.
The building, built starting in 1911, has a 106-metre-high tower, visible from all parts of the city and recognizable thanks to its golden spire which incorporates the national symbol of the three royal crowns: Tre Kronor
The Town Hall, in addition to being the venue for the city's civil weddings, also hosts the annual banquet of Nobel Prize winners and it is nice to linger in the Blue Hall, which is not blue, imagining that we are showing off our best outfit, guests of the Swedish royal family between kings and queens of all Europe.

Returning to a less regal level, among the attractions not to be missed, especially if you are traveling with children but also if you are a little child inside, is the reaches Junibacken park, which translated sounds like The hill of June.
Known as Pippi Longstocking Park, Junibacken is a fantasy world where you can experience moments of simple serenity. Nothing extreme, crazy, unbridled, adrenaline-pumping, just the magic of theatre, singing, music and the enormous power of imagination. This is once again the Swedish balance that can be found in being together, adults and children, playing with the imagination, the key to well-being. Pippi taught us all.
On the same island, ten minutes on foot, there is also Skansen, an open-air museum, the first of its kind in the world, which reproduces the setting of the Swedish villages of the past. It is a way to rediscover the history of the country, not to forget customs and traditions, to discover the Nordic fauna but also, again, to rediscover that healthy way of life without haste, marked by the seasons, which we seem to have somewhat forgotten.
To fully experience the territorial context, we also recommend embarking on one of the many boats that move on the fjords. You can take for example the one that reaches Drottingholm Palace on the island of Lovön. The castle has been the permanent residence of the Swedish royal family since 1981 and consists of an elegant building, built on French models, a wonderful park where there is also a Chinese pavilion and a theater.
Stockholm mixes people of all ethnicities in its streets, who find work here but more importantly find that sense of proportion, neither too much nor too little, which ensures serenity. When you visit the city maybe you don't catch it immediately, but it stays with you and never lets go.
Have a good trip!