How to fika in Stockholm
Built on 14 islands and home to ABBA The Museum, Stockholm has a lot to offer travelers. The public transit is fantastic, the streets are clean, and I felt relatively safe as a woman. Much to my surprise and pleasure, their ice cream eating culture in summer is strong – it seemed like everybody was enjoying the frozen treat while outside and I, of course, had to partake.
I visited during May when the sun shines brightly for most of the day and the weather is positively delightful. I found that Stockholm offered many peaceful respites throughout the city; plenty of benches were available and I brought a towel to use on the lawn at a public park where people tended to respect the space of those around them. I really had no agenda other than to casually see the sites and relax. As the city is very walkable, I found myself ambling about and naturally making my way to the main sites without a map.
There was one item on my must-do list while I was here: to learn how to practice the Swedish art of fika. On the surface, fika can be defined as a coffee break/treat with friends and seems rather simple to do – go to a café with friend for a bit, yeah? However, per Sweden’s offical website for tourism and travel information, “the social aspect is as important as the delicious pairing of steaming coffee and sugary pastry” and “so ingrained in the Swedish psyche is the custom that some companies add a clause to contracts stating that employees are entitled to fika breaks.”
Thankfully, a friend of mine joined me for part of the trip and we both were on the same page about ignoring our American hyper-efficient mindsets to embrace some fika. We spent the better part of two days stopping at cafes and restaurants whenever we wanted, eating whatever pleased us, and enjoying each other’s company.
Did we fika correctly? We didn’t exactly get a scorecard when we cleared immigration on our way home, but I certainly felt well rested, full of desserts, and incredibly grateful to have this experience with my friend. Whether you are traveling in Stockholm, or in your hometown, make some time to catch up with friends over café and pastries and enjoy those little moments. Oh, and don’t forget the ice cream.