Don’t let the rain dampen your trip away, here are six things you can do in Sweden’s capital Stockholm when the heavens open up.
1. Take a fika
Absorb local culture by taking a fika. Essentially meaning a coffee break with a cake or pastry (the cinnamon bun or kanelbullar is a favourite), ‘fika’ can be used as both noun and verb and is a word – like hygge in Danish – that’s hard to define and very much of its place.
The key ingredient? Sit back and slow down. You’ll find no shortage of cool and cosy Stockholm cafes in which to fika!
2. Vasa Museum
Head to Scandinavia’s most visited museum for a one-off experience: to see the world’s only preserved 17th-century ship. The Vasa capsized and sank in Stockholm in 1628 and spent 333 years on the ocean floor before being salvaged and restored.
Today, visitors can find their sea legs throughout a variety of exhibitions based around the ship and life on board in the 1600s.
3. Östermalms Saluhall
Stockholm’s historic food hall – which dates from 1888 – is undergoing a renovation and is out of action until 2018. But the Östermalm district’s main square, the site of a thriving market trade prior to 1888, has become a temporary hub for all things foodie.
Visitors can find gourmet Swedish fare – such as västerbottenpag (cheese pie) from Lisa Elmqvist – alongside international cuisines in a contemporary space designed by architecture firm Tengbom at Östermalms.
4. Stockholm Public Library
If you’re a book lover, an architecture enthusiast, or even just an avid Instagrammer then check out Stockholm’s Public Library, or Stadsbibliotek. With a rotunda built by architect Gunnar Asplund in 1928, this beautiful space is a city landmark. Monumental from the outside and majestic inside, its books are spaced over three floors.
5. Swedish style
Make the most of being at the heart of Scandinavian design by hitting the shops. Head to the creative Södermalm district for an eclectic mix of fashion, interior design and vintage stores; and explore the more exclusive streets around the Östermalm neighbourhood for classic Swedish interior design store Svenskt Tenn on Strandvägen and big Swedish exports such as Acne and COS.
6. Fotografiska
There’s no shortage of great contemporary art galleries in Stockholm, and Södermalm is home to some of the best. Fotografiska is a must: its 2500 square metres of exhibition space showcases the works of world-renowned contemporary photographers and the building also houses a good bookshop, a rooftop cafe-cum-bar and an award-winning restaurant (with one of the city’s best views).
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Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.
The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.
1. Easy access to good food
Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.
One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.
In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.
In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.
Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.
At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.
While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.
It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.
2. Better sleep options
Sleep deeply with Novotel.
There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.
For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.
The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.
3. More ways to move
Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)
Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.
At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.
Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.
4. Better connections
Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.
One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.
Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.
A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.
Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.
All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.
