Stockholm Syndrome

I think I have a problem and I think it’s something that won’t go away. My name is Matt Porter and I am addicted to Scandinavia and its cities.

My most recent ‘fix’ was a trip to Sweden’s grand and majestic capital city, Stockholm. I think the city captivated my attention through its ever changing and disparate vistas. Whether it is open and mesmeric waterways, the medieval cobbled streets of Gamla Stan or the grid-like and statuesque avenues of Södermalm – I couldn’t get enough.

Combining this with meandering through design stores, eating in Nordic inspired restaurants, sampling the best of Scandinavian cuisine or taking time out to reflect and have ‘Fika’, it was almost impossible to not enjoy yourself.

Unlike my home base of London, Stockholm’s cosmopolitanism and tourist highlights are not shrouded in swathes of people and you can move freely through the streets to really feel and experience the city. Accompanied by my trusty ‘Lost In’ city guide, the city was mine to discover. I enjoyed the alternative approach to a city guide that this had to offer, using locals with similar tastes and aesthetics to myself to provide suggestions on the best places to find yourself in Sweden’s biggest city.

I tried to capture some of the highlights of the city to reflect my journey through a city littered with cultural, social and gastronomic highlights. Whilst this was my second visit, it definitely won’t be my last.

Image Courtesy
Matt Porter

This article first appeared in New Heroes & Pioneers magazine. Our friends at NHP publish a range of coffee table books in design, culture and the visual arts