Do your Christmas shopping in style in Stockholm

Shopping is not one of my strengths. It is very easy for me to slip into ‘trolley trance’ but in the right place I can be as cheery and helpful as a Christmas elf.

So with the Festive season looming, Further Afield is today unveiling new places to stay in Stockholm, Sweden, in time for Christmas and New Year shopping city breaks.

Why go now: “The Girl with the Dragon” tattoo will hit the big screens this December and propel Stockholm into the limelight. Further Afield has just returned from the beautiful city of 14 islands, where the new SOFO district (Stockholm’s SoHo) is the hub of Swedish design and fashion – a funky area on the island of Södermalm where boutique design shops sit alongside quirky cafes and galleries. Winter is a great time to go – the water ices over around the city and it takes on a special romantic feel. Outdoor ice skating, stunning shop window displays, and traditional Swedish hot spiced wine (glögg) all add to the festive atmosphere.

Christmas shopping tips: Markets: Open daily in the old town (Gamla Stan) and on Saturday and Sunday at Skansen Park. Buy handicrafts, reindeer pelts, ceramics and local sausages from the indigenous people of northern Sweden – the Sami. At the more luxury end there is the famous NK department store and lots of famous brands  including H&M Home Store, Design House Stockholm, Byredo parfums and Acme plus unique jewelry by Efva Attling, Sweden’s most famous Jeweller.