Day 307: Wind, Churches, and a Ship Hostel in Stockholm

Weather Update: Sunny with a cold wind. High —

Elevation: 28 metres

A Slow Start to the Day

Breakfast was simple: toast, jam, and hot chocolate. I wrapped up the blog entries with photos, but felt little enthusiasm to do much. Overnight rain had cleared, leaving behind bright sunshine, but the wind had a sharp bite that cut straight through me. Since losing my jacket on the bus in Tallinn, I’ve been making do — today I decided to track down something second-hand.

The map promised a 2.2 km walk to a shop, but it was much further. Inside, I scrolled through racks of jackets, shocked at the prices, but I managed to find a thin jumper for 58 SEK (€5.31 / NZD 10.41). It’s light, but enough to take the edge off the Stockholm wind.

St. Clara Church – An Open Door

Heading back into the city centre to get my bearings, I passed S:ta Clara kyrka (St. Clara’s Church) and decided to step inside. I was glad I did. Despite being right in the heart of Stockholm, entry is free, and the church is known for its open policy toward the homeless — people are allowed to rest on the pews during the day, though they’re encouraged to move aside during services.

📸 Interior of St. Clara Church with ceiling paintings and the organ

Inside, I admired the colourful ceiling paintings, the elegant apse with its fine façade, and the grand organ above the entrance. Built in the 16th century on the site of a former convent, St. Clara has long been a place of refuge and continues that tradition today.

Searching for Routes and Sending Postcards

Afterwards, I wandered past the bus and train stations, still undecided whether to head north toward Oslo via a different route. Practicalities aside, I stopped in Old Town to pick up postcards and stamps for the grandchildren.

On the way, I paused at the Swedish Parliament Building (Riksdagshuset) to take photographs.

📸 The Swedish Parliament Building

My timing was less than perfect, as a large group of Chinese tourists descended just before me, posing in all angles for ten minutes. Finally, it was my turn — mission accomplished.

I had hoped to revisit Wirstrom Pub, but it was closed, so I ducked into an Irish bar nearby to recharge my phone, which has been draining battery at an alarming rate, and to fill out my postcards.

The Af Chapman Ship and Skeppsholmen

Later in the afternoon, I set off toward Skeppsholmen. My target was the af Chapman, a full-rigged steel ship built in 1888. Once named Dunboyne and later G.D. Kennedy, it sailed as a merchant vessel before retiring here in the 1940s. Today, it serves as one of Stockholm’s most unique youth hostels.

📸 The af Chapman ship moored at Skeppsholmen

Unfortunately, the ship wasn’t open when I arrived, but standing beside it, moored proudly along the waterfront, I could easily imagine life aboard.

Nearby stands the Skeppsholmen Church, built in the 19th century with an unusual octagonal design. Once a naval church serving Stockholm’s fleet, it has since been deconsecrated and today hosts cultural events.

📸 Exterior of Skeppsholmen Church

It, too, was closed, but the building itself — with its simple neoclassical lines — is worth the walk.

Glimpses of Djurgården

From Skeppsholmen, I could see across the water to Gröna Lund, Stockholm’s historic amusement park.

📸 View across to Gröna Lund amusement park

Opened in 1883, it remains one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, a summer haven of roller coasters, funhouses, and concerts. It looked lively from afar, though I didn’t cross over this time.

Evening with Travellers

By evening, I made my way back to the hostel, where a bottle of Merlot was shared among fellow travellers. We swapped stories well into the night, the kind of conversations that make hostelling such a rewarding way to travel.

Reflections

Though the day started slowly, it unfolded with small surprises — a jumper found in a second-hand shop, a church that welcomed all, and the sight of a ship transformed into a hostel. Even with closed doors at Skeppsholmen and the sharp wind cutting across Stockholm, the city revealed another side of its character: resilient, open, and full of history at every turn.

Andrew. (inspireseniorstravel.com)