Usually summer in Sweden is very chilled, as most people prefer taking long vacations starting from Midsommar celebrations and later on. However, my summer will be quite busy. It will take place in three main locations, three cities that I absolutely love. So in this post, I’m going to share with you my summer plans and tell you more about my life outside of studies.
Stockholm
Of course, Stockholm is number one in the list. I’ve spent the whole June here, and most likely will be coming back and forth during the summer. And let me tell you something, I spent almost a year here, and Stockholm is insanely beautiful during the hottest season! The city is shrouded in sunshine and warmth, everybody is enjoying nice weather in the parks or on the beaches. I was quite surprised when I found out that there are plenty of beaches around the city, and you don’t even have to go to the suburbs to get a nice tan or relax by the water with a book in your hand. And that’s exactly what I did with my friends during June.
First, we went to Brunnsviksbadet, which is a nice swimming spot located really close to KTH campus, and has a sandy beach. Even though it gets quite crowded sometimes, it is still very good, the beach and the water are super clean, and even smaller kids enjoy being there.
Then we also checked out Café Båthuset in Solna, not far from Västra skogen subway station. It is mainly a sun bathing spot by the summer cafe, but you can also swim. However, entry into the lake is quite deep from the beginning, so don’t expect shallow water there. The location is amazing, and the road to the spot goes through a beautiful hike route. During our visit, we were lucky to even meet a roe for the first time in Stockholm.
St. Petersburg
The second city to visit this summer is the city I’m used to calling home, St. Petersburg. Most of my loved ones live there, and I’m very much looking forward to finally seeing and hugging all of them again. The main reason for the trip is the wedding of my close friends at the end of July. The ceremony will take place in a country residence by the lake, not far from the city. It’s a two-day wedding, so during the first day there will be an official ceremony and banquet, and on the second day we’re going to have some barbeque and a chilled afternoon by the lake.
And a few days prior to that, we’re holding a bachelorette party for the bride! In Russia, it is usual for the bridesmaids to organize a surprise party for the bride and share the costs. Our bachelorette party is going to take almost the whole day. First, we’re holding a city quest in several memorable places in the city with funny little tasks for the bride to remind her of all the cool moments with her friends and her future husband. Then we will do some pre wedding stress relief by smashing the plates and cups with baseball bats in a special anti-stress space, and have a photoshoot in the studio. Finally, we’ll close the evening with a boat trip along the rivers and canals of magical St. Petersburg during the white nights.
Berlin
Finally, the third city where I’m going to spend my summer is one of my favorite cities ever, Berlin. I’m traveling to Berlin to visit one of my closest friends, who I met with during my exchange semester in the U.S. in the University of Mississippi during my bachelors. Last time we saw each other was before covid hit, so we have a lot to catch up to! My friend works as a radio host, and has a very interesting social circle around her with many different people coming from various backgrounds. This is probably one of my favorite things about Berlin: everybody is so different, and the way this city embraces diversity is amazing.
Although, visiting my friend is not the only reason why I’m traveling to Berlin, I’m not going to reveal all of the cards just yet, and tell you more about it in the upcoming posts, so stay tuned!
Take care!
// Valerie
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