THE OPEN CITY

At the start of August, the Swedish capital of Stockholm hosted its annual Pride celebration. Beatrice Fanucci was invited to attend, witnessing all of the rainbow-filled glory the Scandi city has to offer.

On a recent trip to Stockholm, I quickly learned why locals call it the Open City. What they mean is that the city is welcoming of different perspectives and new ideas. That it invites people from all walks of life to come and experience it. A place “where narrow streets meet open minds”, they told us.

From the very beginning of my stay, Stockholm felt like a peaceful, clean, and tidy city. No one appeared to be in a rush, there seemed to be space for everyone, and diversity thrived. Plus, everything there seemed to just work.

Such feelings correspond to the general statistics about Sweden. According to the 2024 World Happiness Report, Sweden is the fourth happiest country in the world, jumping two spots from last year’s sixth position on the list. The Scandinavian nation boasts strong social support networks, excellent healthcare, perceived accountability of its institutions and enviable work-life balance for its citizens.

One day when I was visiting the city, a person in our group asked a Swede what was the secret to such a functioning society. “Trust,” he said. “Trust in each other.” I don’t know if trust is what it took to build Stockholm and make it into the place that it is today. What I do know is that, walking around its streets, you truly feel safe, welcome and like you can be whoever you are in the absence of fear. Too often, that’s not the reality for queer people. Society teaches us to watch our back from the moment we realise we don’t fit into the strict norms it’s built upon.

But in Stockholm, signs that the LGBTQ+ community is welcome and celebrated are everywhere. Just walk down the cobbled streets and the charming squares of Gamla Stan - the Old Town - where among the colourful facades of the townhouses you’ll find Chokladkoppen. This LGBTQ+ owned café was the very first business in Stockholm to fly the rainbow flag publicly back in 1997. To this day, the flag is still there, a clear sign to all queer people walking by that they are welcome to relax and enjoy some delicious food in the establishment.

If you happen to visit the stunning Royal Palace, the official residence of the King of Sweden, you will find queerness embedded within the history that dates back to the 1700s - and not just because it’s the home of Young Royals’ Prince Wille. A queen who demanded the title of king, Christina was one example of queerness in the history of Sweden’s rulers, with speculation that she might have been lesbian or transgender. Another example was King Gustav V, who was at the centre of a scandal for having a clandestine affair with a male restauranteur in the 1930s.

And what could be more queer than an entire museum dedicated to LGBTQ+ icons ABBA, who created unforgettable hits like ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!’ for DJs to play at gay clubs all over the world. In this interactive museum, you can browse through the fabulous costumes that the band wore on stage, read their history and even become the fifth member of the group! And if you, like me, think that karaoke would fit right in among the circles of hell, there is a Silent Disco corner where you can enjoy ABBA’s most famous songs without having to sing a single note.

After all the exploring, it might be time for dinner, and there’s no better place for that than Mälarpaviljongen. This unique LGBTQ+ owned restaurant is a green oasis in the blue waters of Mälaren where you can enjoy delicious food and a large selection of beers and wine. More importantly, the business donates a portion of its profit to Regnbågsfonden, a foundation that works tirelessly on LGBTQ+ first-response causes around the world, such as in Chechnya and Uganda. If that wasn’t enough, Mälarpaviljongen also sponsors LGBTQ+ refugees, offering work at the venue.

When dinner is over, Stockholm offers plenty of nightlife options to get the party started. There is no gay neighbourhood there, because queerness is sprinkled all around the city in places like The Blue Oyster, Sidetrack and Backdoor. If you’re searching for the queerest drag show in the city, then look no further than Tuck o Hej; and if instead you’d like a safe space for queer women and their friends, Moxi is the place for you.

There’s something for everyone in the city, and when in doubt, you can trust the capable hands of the amazing duo behind Stockholm LGBT, an organisation made up of LGBTQ+ owned and friendly travel businesses. They were the ones who invited us to experience the city during the queerest time of the year, the week of Stockholm Pride. This year was a big celebration as the Scandinavian country marked 80 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1944 and 15 years of full marriage equality. Stockholm celebrated its 26th annual Pride and it was bigger than ever. With a population of only one million, the city managed to gather 50,000 people marching in the parade and over 500,000 cheering from the sidelines. The streets were washed in the colours of the rainbow, a spectacle that we were lucky enough to watch from above in one of the magnificent rooms at Hotel Kung Carl, a place where drag bingos are hosted every Wednesday night.

A trip to Stockholm is packed to the brim, and if you want to experience some authentic Swedish culture, below are some things you can’t miss out on.

Just 20 minutes away from the city, you will find the Stockholm Archipelago, a world of beautiful nature, great local food and exciting adventures spread out on 30,000 islands (no, that’s not a typo). There’s nothing more Swedish than 10 minutes in a sauna followed by a jump in the sea, an experience that is accessible at any of the countryside spa hotels that populate the archipelago, like the chic and refined Smådalarö.

The epitome of Swedish tradition is the kräftskiva, or crayfish party, a summertime eating and drinking celebration where the food is accompanied by Akvavit (shots) and other snaps and snapsvisa (traditional drinking songs). We were hosted by the picturesque Hotel J to participate in this delightful tradition, where each one of us got to sing a song from our own country. Even for a seasoned karaoke hater, it was lovely.

You can taste the best of Swedish gastronomy at Gondolen, a renowned landmark that offers an outstanding view of the city. This premier dining destination was first opened in 1935 and the venue still preserves the classic heritage, adding a modern touch.

If you’re in the Swedish capital, you can’t miss out on a visit to the famous Vasa Museum, which is home to the world’s only intact (98 per cent) 17th-century warship. The ship sank in the Stockholm harbour and it was raised after 300 years to be restored and placed in the museum.

Another, less traditional, spot that needs to be on your Stockholm itinerary is Slakthusområdet, the hottest entertainment and nightlife district. There’s a bit of everything in this area under rapid development, from conceptual live-music venues like Hosoi to Michelincheffed restaurants like Solen. One of the most recent additions is Containerparken, a venue devoted to cocreativity and sustainability entirely built of containers. The idea is to create a circular space where people’s new ideas are welcomed and realised with minimal environmental impact. And we all know that where creativity meets sustainability, it is very likely that queer people are just around the corner.

During this unforgettable trip, I stayed at the Hellstens Glashus hotel, a lovely gem with a unique seven-metre glass facade situated in one of the most hip and popular areas of the Swedish capital. This is one wonderful option, but there are plenty of queer friendly spaces to choose from in the list of Stockholm LGBT’s partners. To name a few: the queer-owned Villa Dagmar, a boutique hotel that boasts a state-of-the-art fitness, health and beauty centre; Blique by Nobis, with its wonderful rooftop bar that offers a breathtaking view of the city; Ett Hem, which translates to ‘at home’, because that’s exactly how you feel when you’re in one of these three beautiful private houses filled with a sophisticated blend of contemporary and vintage furniture; and LGBTQ+ run Hotel Skeppsholmem, an ecofriendly hotspot situated on the waterfront of a peaceful and lush island.

On the last day of our trip, we visited the Drottningholm Palace, the King and Queen’s permanent residence that is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our tour guide there read a few words that Crown Princess of Sweden Victoria pronounced during her speech opening the Pride 2020 online festival, organised during the Covid-19 pandemic. After a week in Stockholm, it felt like it was the city itself speaking those words.

“If you are one of those who cannot or dare not be open about who you are, I just want you to know one thing: you have the right to be exactly who you are, and there are many of us who stand behind you. I stand behind you.”

A special thank you to all the partners of Stockholm LGBT: Alanda Express, The Nobis Group, Ett Hem, Hellstens Hotels, Hotel J, Hotel Kung Carl, Hahn Charter, Hotel Rival, The Diplomat Collection, ABBA The Museum, The Royal Palace and Drottningholm Palace, Vasa Museum, Visit Stockholm, Travel Exclusive, Mälarpaviljongen and The Green Queen, Sveska Brasserier.