As usual this summer is packed with wonderful entertainment for free! Check out Parkteatern’s homepage for dates.

You can see theatre, dance, music and other performances all summer, yes, for free. Best and cheapest happening every summer in parks with big stages.

Parkteatern has invited people since 1942! Last year they had 104 performances at 21 different locations.

Just be sure to come early, these events are very popular. I’m always there at least one hour before to make sure I’ll get a seat. For popular events I come even earlier. The benches aren’t the comfiest; bring something to sit on! People bring blankets, picnic baskets, their dogs, their friends, books to read while waiting for the performance to begin… It’s a wonderful place mixing all sorts of people.

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Parkteatern | Music, Snacks, Theaters, Festivals & events | Free
Different locations, see their homepage
Usually from 19:00, see homepage

This is a lovely café. They make delicious sandwiches and use organic ingredients, try my favourite “Shiva” with lots of garlic. The environment is warm and homely with a kitschy touch. The first room is green, the next one blue and the one further back is red. When the weather is nice you should fetch a table outside, it’s really nice and relaxing.

My favourite room is the red one where you find the nicest photo (at first glance I though it was a painting). It’s of a friendly dog and it’s framed with a really kitschy, gold frame. There’s something about that friendly dog. Excellent shit!

The blue room has many mirrors with golden frames, stars on the walls and a nice painting of Virgin Mary. The green room is the largest one and if you can squeeze in by the window (this spot is pretty small) you should, it’s a delightful little spot with a nice view over the street. The toilet is really nice as well; it’s pink and has a Hindu theme.

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Blå Lotus | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich SEK 60.00
Katarina Bangata 21 | +4686445043
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat – Sun 11:00 – 19:00

This restaurant/bar is a good choice if you are in the area of Stureplan/Östermalmstorg. This newly opened Italian is a little different from the other restaurants in the group (Sturehof, Riche, Teatergrillen) as they offer a marketplace with pizza, a bakery, an orangerie and an ice-cream café in connection to the restaurant. The new restaurant is designed under the lead of Swedish interior designer Jonas Bohlin. Just that is worth a visit I think.

The word Brillo can be translated into “tipsy” as this is what you will end up becoming here. The restaurant is surrounded by three bars, you can choose depending on what mood you are in. At Växthuset ( the greenhouse) you can listen to electronic dance music with live performaces between thursday and saturday. The bar in the middle is more classic and calm, suitable for chit chatting and the third bar is more like a cafe serving coffee, apertivo and delicious icecream.

The opening hours are very generous, and this place becomes very packed Friday and Saturday nights. Be early!

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Taverna Brillo | Bars, Restaurants (Italian) | Main meal +/- SEK 150
Humlegårdsgatan 19
Mon – Fri 07:00 – 02:00, Sat 08:00 – 02:00, Sun 08:00 – 12:00

This is Stockholm’s number one playground, but for adults. Imagine a basement full of games such as boule, pool tables, table tennis, foosball and lots of different parlor games such as scrabble and local favorites.

This is also a place for good beer. At the far end of the basement they have a bar where they serve a wide range of beer from the Scottish micro brewery Brewdog. A favorite in Stockholm. There is also a music scene available for smaller gigs.

This place is known to be a little different, being able to mix games with a unique bar concept and an alternative art gallery. Unlike other boule bars, this one is more intimate with a personal touch. The feeling when you’re there is like an underground party. People are happy and very relaxed. A great cozy place in the kinder south district.

Visit their website or call to book an activity in advance, although there is no need to book.

P.S. You must be 23 or older to get in!

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Ugglan Boule & Bar | Bars | 1 game (p.p) SEK 100
Närkesgatan 6 | +4686412626
Tue – Thu 16:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 16:00 – 01:00

This huge department store is one of Stockholm’s oldest, offering everything from interior design and tea to fashion and jewellery. A great place to go shopping for Swedish design. Since the opening in 1902, it has been seen as a palace with the most elegant fashion models and attracted a large clientele. At that time, the department store offered not only the latest fashion and exclusive products. The staff also instructed its customers in contemporary manners and etiquette.

My favorite stores at NK are Acne and Filippa K, Swedish designers, the Hat bar and Ordning & Reda, a Swedish company that offers stylish, high quality products that helps you keep track of life, both at home and at work.

The cafe at ground level makes a perfect spot if you like to watch people passing by, a great way to make time pass.

NK’s famous logo was designed by David Blomberg and has not changed since 1902. I recently found out he was my great grandfather.

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Nordiska Kompaniet | Shopping | Free
Hamngatan 18
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 11:00 – 17:00

You feel like doing something, seeing something, feel a bit cultural? Kulturhuset is the place to get inspired or just to wander around. There’s always something going on for everyone.

The bottom floor welcomes you with a café and nice library with lots of comfy sofas, here you can hang for hours.

This place really makes me happy, the exhibitions are cheap or for free and they always have interesting activities going on. They have several exhibitions, theatres, a cinema, cafés, music performances, an impressive library with lots of art-books and newspapers from all over the world, an unique library for comics, a large imaginative place for children, a creative place for teenagers called LAVA, they arrange meetings with writers and much more…

This is a big bubbling place that wants everyone to get inspired, to think for themselves and to share their big and small thoughts with each other; or just to sit down, play some chess and drink coffee.

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Kulturhuset | Art & culture, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Music, Theaters
Sergels torg | +46850831508
Check the website for opening times

Stockholm’s House of Dance is the place if you enjoy contemporary art forms and want to see something live. You can enjoy it (or hate it) without knowing a word of Swedish.

Dansens Hus has a bunch of interesting performances every season; at least 35 every year.

I guess I really started going to Dansens Hus after seeing Virpi Pahkinen dancing for free at Parkteatern a couple of years ago. She totally blew me away. I looked her up and discovered that she usually presented her work at Dansens Hus. I’ve been going there regularly since then.

Other performances at Dansens Hus that I’ve really enjoyed are by Dorte Olesen, Cullbergbaletten; and DV8. DV8 was truly outstanding a couple of years ago, got standing ovations and left the audience clapping for 10 minutes.

Dansens Hus was founded in 1991 and has two stages, the prices are low; especially if you’re a student or below 26. They also arrange lectures, workshops and show movies; often for free.

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Dansens Hus | Art & culture, Music, Theaters | Entrance student SEK 130.00
Barnhusgatan 14 | +46850899090
Mon – Fri 14:00 – 18:00, Sat 14:00 – 19:00 (only in conjunction with performances)

I don’t know what happened but my favorite café isn’t my favorite anymore. I still come here and enjoy the furnishing and cozy atmosphere but the sandwiches aren’t like they once used to be.. It’s still cheap though and definitely worth going to, it hasn’t lost its charm.

The atmosphere is warm, relaxed and creative. It was really hip a couple of years ago but people keep coming. Downstairs you find more seats and if it’s nice weather they have a couple of attractive tables outside.

It’s been serving us cheap sandwiches since 1992. Every sandwich comes with a tasty little salad as well. Their Soya-latte is one of the best in town and their carrot cake is excellent. They have music and theatre performances downstairs every Wednesday and the art hanging on the walls is for sale.

Oh, if you like the chair you’re sitting on you can buy it as well, all furniture is for sale.

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String | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Music, Shopping, Snacks | Sandwich SEK 40.00
Nytorgsgatan 38 | +4687148514
Mon – Thu 09:00 – 20:00, Fri 09:00 – 19:00, Sat – Sun 10:30 – 19:00

This is one of my favorite places to dance for sure! They have many different clubs and they’re usually for free if you come before 22:00. They also have lots of concerts, check their homepage for dates! Some of them here at Medis and some of them at Debaser Slussen.

The first floor has two rooms. The larger room gives me a feeling of prom-night or something. The ceiling is really high, the stage is large and the floor spacious. There’s lots of room to dance, though it does get pretty packed during the night. Losing your friends in the crowd is not unusual, which is okay, you always find someone else to chat or dance with.

The smaller room is more chilled out with a bar, seats and you can order food. They also have a nice bar and a small cinema on the second floor.

Bring earplugs!

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Debaser Medis | Bars, Cinemas, Music, Snacks | Entrance SEK 100.00
Medborgarplatsen 8 | +4686947900
Fri – Sat 17:00 – 03:00 (concerts 19:00) | Check their website

Stadsmissionen is a humanitarian organisation which focuses on helping homeless people. Their Second Hand shops are part of their social work.

There are 7 Stadsmissionen Second Hand shops in Stockholm. This one, at Hornsgatan, is one of my favourites. Mostly because it’s on a great street where I often stroll. Another one, at Skånegatan, might be the most popular one and a real pearl. I always find really cheap and nice clothes here.

They have a Re-make department where they give old fabric new life. You can find really nice remade clothes in every store. A very cool and environment-friendly idea!

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Stadsmissionen | Shopping | Re-made pillow SEK 120.00
Hornsgatan 58 | +4686429335
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:30, Sat 11:00 – 16:00, Sun 12:00 – 16:00