Chances are, if you’ve been telling your friends that you’re considering moving to Sweden, they have tried to warn you about the so-called “bland” social life in Stockholm. Actually, no need to get that personal: a simple google search will yield the same results. As someone who enjoys a mix of early nights in and late nights out, I admit I was scared to find myself in a city with no night-time pull. Fearmongers on the internet really did their job well—I’m looking at you, Reddit—but reality couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

Stockholm is both quiet and loud, and that’s where its charm lies. Whatever you want, you can find. Sober cafés? You got it. Crazy raves? Deal. Your average club with house music? Yes. People whose best party is staying in? That too. All you have to do is know where to look for it, and that’s an art I’ve been mastering since I arrived back in August, hence the title of this blog. Here are my three favourite pubs where you can have a nice time with your friends and have a few drinks without going broke.

In third place… Ölstugan Kungsholmen

AKA the beer house, this bar is known for welcoming students and professionals alike for an evening get-together to lay off some steam. It’s a student classic, it’s budget-friendly, and it has a lovely chill vibe. What’s more, it’s got the classic booths for when you feel like pretending you’re in a sitcom with your friends. What else could you want? There are actually three of these bad boys all over Stockholm, but my favourite has to be the one in Kungsholmen because one of my friends lives right in front—convenient, I know. Pints of good beer available for less than 60 SEK, decent wine for decent prices, and it’s one of the few bars in the city that close at 3 AM on the weekends. Check it out. That’s an order.

In second place… Lion Bar Vasastan

I must admit, this bar has an emotional hold on me because it’s the first one I went to with KI people during orientation week. In fact, this very picture was taken right there—not that day, though, considering we were all still strangers, but later on—and it’s where I first bonded with one of my closest friends. Similar to Ölstugan, it offers a nice selection of beers, ciders, sodas, and other drinks at affordable prices for us needy students. There are also multiple locations, but the one in Vasastan will forever be my favourite for obvious reasons.

In first place… International Pub Kungsholmen

A recent discovery, this bar came to dethrone every other for one reason only: on the evenings, their prices on selected drinks suddenly shrink. Their red wine is very good—I know pub wine isn’t usually great, but trust me on this one—and also quite affordable at around 60 SEK, which, in Stockholm standards, is amazing (you’ll realise this once you get here). Their food is also delightful, especially if you like burgers, but they also have a lot of other options like their own take on pizza. Like the previous two bars, Stockholm is also blessed with multiple locations of this pub, but Kungsholmen has my heart because they have a section with bookshelves and couches—yes, I’m that basic, but deep down we all probably are so please try it out!

Honorable mention to the International Pub in Gamla Stan (the one in the featured image for this blog) since it is always a pleasure to end a day playing tourist at this location.

In short

Hopefully this list comes in handy whenever you feel like destressing pub-style with some friends; they’re a good introduction to Stockholm night vibes. If you’re concerned about this side of student life in the Swedish capital, believe me when I tell you, you’ll be fine. And this is just pubs! I will soon come up with a list of my favourite night-time activities to check out in Stockholm, but this will have to do for now. Stay tuned for the next student spotlight, and make sure to check out Linnea’s own version of the student spotlight series, toxicology edition!











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Hopefully
this list comes in handy whenever you feel like destressing pub-style with some
friends; they’re a good introduction to Stockholm night vibes. If you’re
concerned about this side of student life in the Swedish capital, believe me
when I tell you, you’ll be fine. And this is just pubs! I will soon come up
with a list of my favourite night-time activities to check out in Stockholm, but
this will have to do for now. Stay tuned for the next student spotlight, and
make sure to check out Linnea’s own version of the student spotlight series, toxicology
edition!