A Pre-Christmas Travel Tradition to Reconnect as a Couple

Östermalm: Villa Dagmar & Saluhall

After a short-haul flight from the UK, we were warmly welcomed to Villa Dagmar, a chic and vibrant boutique hotel that has been rewarded with one Michelin key for 2025. I loved the fact that the design of Villa Dagmar was inspired by Karin Larsson, Sonia Delaunay, Peggy Guggenheim and Kiki De Montparnasse: visionaries who represented culture, intellect, and modernity. Villa Dagmar has a discreet and direct connection to Saluhall, one of the finest food markets in the world. This masterpiece of the 19th century allows visitors to experience the ‘Swedish Terroir’ with Nordic charcuterie, Toast Skagen (shrimp salad on toast), fried herring with mashed potatoes and lingonberries and classic Swedish meatballs. Definitely, a highlight for us as one of our priorities is to discover the local cuisine, wherever we travel.

Skeppsbron Streets Stroll: Moose Lights and a 35 meter Christmas Tree

Afterwards, we continued our journey to reach Berzelii Park to see the iconic Moose Lights or Älgarna as part of the Stockholmsjul (Stockholm Christmas light displays). Then, we arrived to The Kinnevik Tree (Kinneviksgranen), a 35 meter high Chrismas tree, which we could see before from the other side of the Nybroviken river. It is an iconic Christmas landmark in the city, built with a 120 year old spruce trunk from northern Uppland and has 100 meter garlands made of storm sail cloth…just to name some few impressive facts. It is enormous and I was under the impression of having shrunk as Clara Stahlbaum from the Nutcracker!

Saint Lucia Day: 13th of December

On the morning of 13 December, we were invited by Villa Dagmar to breakfast in celebration of Sankt Lucia, one of Sweden’s most cherished traditions. Taking place at the darkest point of the year, the festival brings together Christian symbolism and ancient Nordic folklore. In the hotel’s courtyard, we were served lussekatter, the saffron buns traditionally associated with Lucia, warm from the kitchen and paired with coffee, just as the Luciatåg began. The procession is led by Lucia, wearing a crown of seven candles, followed by handmaidens each carrying a single light, their voices rising in ‘Sankta Lucia’ and familiar Christmas carols. Listening to the choir was unexpectedly moving, a quiet reminder of how deeply travel can connect you to another culture. It is a tradition that stayed with us, and one we would encourage experiencing at least once.

Vasa Musem: A Majestic Ship from 1626

After the stillness of the Lucia choirs, we walked on towards Djurgården to visit the Vasa Museum. The ship itself feels almost mythical. Commissioned in 1626 by King Gustav II Adolf during Sweden’s war with Poland-Lithuania, Vasa was intended as a floating statement of power, a flagship designed to awe allies and intimidate enemies. Instead, it became famous for a spectacular failure, sinking just minutes into its maiden voyage in 1628.

Lost to the depths for more than three centuries, Vasa was rediscovered in 1956 by amateur archaeologist Anders Franzén. Thanks to the Baltic Sea’s lack of shipworms, the oak hull survived almost untouched. Today, 98 percent of the ship is original, making it the only fully preserved 17th-century warship in the world. Standing before it, you are struck not just by its scale, but by its extraordinary baroque detail, carved figures, colours, and ambition frozen in time. The preservation continues to this day, and the effect is breathtaking. Vasa is not simply a museum piece, it is an encounter.

Skansen: The First Open-Air Museum from 1891

During our visit, we discovered that Skansen held a special place in the heart of Swedish culture, but it truly came alive for us at its world-famous Christmas Market, a tradition we learned has been held annually since 1903. While we found the Gamla Stan market charming for its narrow alleys, Skansen offered us a sprawling, nostalgic journey back in time, where the scents of open fires and roasting nuts filled the air across the historic Bollnäs Square. We strolled between dozens of red wooden stalls filled with high-quality Swedish handicrafts, traditional sausages, and handmade candles, all while surrounded by the museum’s historic farmsteads.

The experience felt uniquely immersive to us because it paired our Christmas shopping with ‘living history’: we stepped inside old cottages to see how Swedish families celebrated Christmas in the 1800s, listened to traditional folk music, and watched artisans demonstrate age-old techniques. For us, it was more than just a market; it was a sensory celebration of Nordic winter heritage that made the dark December days feel incredibly warm and festive.

Archipelago Boat Tour: Snow-dusted Islands with Shimmering Christmas Lights

Our Stockholm archipelago tour revealed a gentler, more intimate side of the city, heightened by the days leading up to Christmas. As the boat eased away from the harbour, the pace shifted almost immediately. Snow-dusted islands slipped past, red wooden cottages glowed softly from within, and thin trails of smoke rose into the pale winter sky. The sea moved slowly, edged with ice, and the surrounding quiet felt almost ceremonial.

At this time of year, the archipelago holds a particular kind of magic. Christmas lights shimmer in island windows, church bells carry across the water, and the landscape feels both lived-in and beautifully remote. It was never about spectacle, but about atmosphere, a calm that settled in as the city gradually disappeared behind us.

We can arrange this experience as a private, tailor-made journey, shaped entirely around your own rhythm. You travel aboard a vessel selected just for you, wrapped in warm blankets and sipping hot glögg, while a private guide brings the stories of the islands to life. A seasonal lunch is served slowly and without rush, making the day feel effortless and deeply personal. In the heart of December, the journey becomes less about sightseeing and more about feeling part of the season. Stockholm at its most understated and unforgettable.

Cocktail at the Grand Hôtel next to Nobel Prize Guests

On the evening of 13 December, the Grand Hôtel felt charged with occasion. In the bar and corridors, we caught sight of Nobel Prize guests in formal dress, the men distinguished by green sashes and medals that caught the light as they moved through the room. There was a sense of ceremony without spectacle, history unfolding in plain view. As the night drew on, we were also able to witness the Luciatåg procession and listen to the choirs one final time, their voices carrying through the space with a calm, luminous clarity. It was a rare overlap of tradition and modern ritual, and a fitting close to one of Stockholm’s most meaningful days of the year.

Slakthusområdet: One of the Most Quietly Compelling Food Neighbourhoods

After a glass of Champagne at the Grand Hôtel, enjoyed beside Nobel Prize guests still wearing their green sashes and medals, we were driven south to Slakthusområdet, Stockholm’s former meatpacking district and one of the city’s most quietly compelling food neighbourhoods. Tucked within the soaring concrete walls of a repurposed warehouse, Bar Montan strikes a rare balance between industrial edge and neighbourhood warmth. Inside, the atmosphere is social but unforced, with an open kitchen, a communal energy, and a crowd drawn as much by the food as by the wine.

Slow Morning in Villa Dagmar: Wellness Retreat

Our day began at an unhurried pace, lingering over the breakfast buffet at Villa Dagmar and easing into a classic fika moment with Lucia buns, cinnamon buns, and fresh coffee. We chose not to rush, spending the morning in the stillness of the hotel’s courtyard and letting the atmosphere settle. Later, we booked Spirit & Retreat, Villa Dagmar’s intimate wellness experience, reserved in advance and centred around a private sauna and steam room. It offered a welcome moment to slow down and reconnect.

In the warmth and quiet, we shared thoughts and impressions from the days just lived. The Lucia choirs, candlelit processions, shared meals, and winter rituals that had shaped our time in Sweden. It became a pause for reflection, allowing the meaning of these Christmas traditions to surface more clearly and to recognise how deeply they had stayed with us. Less about rest alone, and more about making space for what the journey had given us.

Off to Lapland: Northern Lights in Sweden

As mentioned, we recommend pairing a tailor-made Stockholm holiday with our Northern Lights in Sweden itinerary, flying north to Swedish Lapland for a complete contrast in pace and setting. Here, you would check in to the iconic ICEHOTEL, the world’s largest hotel made entirely of snow and ice. Over three nights, one is spent in an Ice Room, sleeping on reindeer skins in thermal sleeping bags, an experience as memorable as it is atmospheric. The remaining nights are enjoyed in adjoining Warm Rooms, offering comfort and balance. Days can be shaped around husky sledding or a reindeer safari, allowing you to experience the Arctic landscape at its most elemental. Taken together, this journey offers a rare chance to slow down, share something extraordinary, and reconnect with your partner before the rhythm of the Christmas festivities begins.

Connect with one of our tailor-made travel experts to craft a European (or further-afield) journey that lets you and your partner truly reconnect before Christmas. Call +44 (0) 203 8132 555 or make an online enquiry.

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