Best Places to Swim in Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden (B)

If swimming and beaches aren’t the first things that come to mind when you think of Sweden, you’re not alone. Before this summer, I had no clue that Stockholm had beaches, let alone a beach culture.

But they do. And, let me tell you, it is popular! On any given day, if the sun is shining you’ll see Swedes of all ages, shapes and sizes sunning themselves on every flat surface. From rocks and beaches to lawns and beyond, basically, if they fits, they sits.

And I can’t blame them. After a long and cold winter, the only thing you want to do on a hot and sunny day is soak up some sunshine and cool off by taking a quick and refreshing dip. Thankfully, Stockholm is a city surrounded by water. It is covered in lakes, rivers, inlets and waterways that are safe and comfortable to swim in.

Over these last few weeks as we’ve enjoyed a pretty great heat wave I’ve had the chance to get out and test a handful of places. Here are the best places to swim in Stockholm:

Smedsuddsbadet is a nice stretch of sandy beach near Marieberg on Kungsholmen. One of the most popular beaches in the city, this the perfect place for an afternoon or evening swim. It has a nice bathing jetty and a large lawn where you can lay down a towel or set up a chair; however, be prepared to squeeze in if you want a place right on the sand. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).