cities

in short…

• a beautiful Stockholm interior design store from the 1920s 

• handcrafted furniture and textiles from local manufacturers 

• genuine Swedish design treasures - a significant part of the selection is made exclusively for Svenskt Tenn and therefore hard to find else where in the world 

In a round of quick-fire questions, almost all of us would probably respond to „Swedish interior design shop?” with „Ikea!”.

The far more exciting answer, however, is „Svenskt Tenn”!

This gorgeous traditional establishment has been located on Strandvägen, Stockholm’s elegant boulevard right by the water, since 1927.

As we make our way through the rooms aligned one after the other, up and down the stairs, our design-loving hearts beat a little faster.

in short…

• just one bedroom in this cute hotel in Vesterbro

• delicious breakfast included – served in the hotel’s own café

• luxury like at the big ones – Aesop toiletries in the bathroom and a complimentary welcome drink

“I can recommend a cute little hotel.” 

Whenever someone states this, they usually mean a hotel with twelve, perhaps fifteen rooms.

When we say that we love the tiny Hotel Central on Tullinsgade, we really do mean tiny!

There’s just one room here, perched above a charming mini café.

When we’re lucky enough to get this room booked for our stay in Copenhagen, it’s always a very special treat, because every luxury is on offer in this smallest of spaces, topped off with a very personal touch and plenty of warmth.

in short…

• historic tea merchant with a tea room on Kronprinsengade 

• this small shop still preserves some of its original furnishings from 1835 

• from organic Assam to White Temple tea - a must for tea lovers

I have an English great-grandmother – Grandma Gitta, a delicate, refined lady with neatly curled red locks.

Her passion for beautiful things has left us with several twelve-piece, ornate tea services.

And her traditional British fondness for a proper five o’clock tea has been passed on to us in every way.

Putting the kettle on, finding a pretty cup, some biscuits – sweet or savoury, a little milk or rock sugar – tea always brings that moment of calm to life.

For us, A. C. Perch is one of Europe’s finest tea houses (even if my British great-grandmother wouldn’t be keen to leave the field to the Danes).

So anyone who loves tea as much as we do should definitely visit this little shop in Copenhagen’s Indre By.

in short…

• sweet boutique hotel in the heart of Östermalm

• spacious rooms in a charming vintage look and a wonderful breakfast

• our tip - take an evening stroll through the park to Hantverket, then slip slightly tipsy into your cosy hotel bed

Everyone knows the saying „A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush“.

In German, this proverbial bird is specifically a sparrow.

It means you’re better off having something little and good for sure than chasing after something bigger out of reach.

The Sparrow Hotel in Stockholm’s Östermalm not only has a plump sparrow as its logo, but is exactly that – a small, really good, charming boutique hotel.

If you're considering staying here, you really don't need to search any further.

in short…

• Swedish squid and Norwegian oysters

• pub atmosphere in a cosy basement in Vasastan

• the perfect way to while away time - watching the friendly team in the open kitchen

This little restaurant, tucked away in a cosy basement in trendy Vasastan, describes itself rather well:

“Främmat is a cosy, charming restaurant where the scent of good food and a great atmosphere linger in the air. Our food and drink menus are constantly changing. We have one foot in classic French cuisine and the other in innovative, creative cooking with no rules.”

And we can only add how incredibly welcoming Främmat is, with its open kitchen and friendly team - definitely one of our all-time favourites in Stockholm!

in short…

• quiet boutique hotel in a historic university building

• cosy city hideaway close to the canal belt

• coffee in bed with a front row view of Oosterpark

The feeling of snuggling into freshly starched, soft, gently rustling hotel bed linen is simply wonderful.

Outside, heavenly peace, only the rustling of the trees in front of the window – it is hard to believe that the Pillows is not a wellness hotel on the edge of a forest, but a fine, small and supremely comfortable city hotel in the middle of Amsterdam. 

Located right on the edge of the canal belt, it is super central yet beautifully quiet with a view of the green Oosterpark – simply dreamy!

in short…

• a small shop for Japanese crafts and interior design in Frederiksberg

• Danish hygge and Japan’s delicate aesthetic

• we love the vintage kokeshi dolls

Who doesn’t dream of a visit to Japan? To see the snow at the top of Mount Fuji with your own eyes or the delicate cherry blossoms in Kyoto, is surely high on the list for not only us.

But it is also the refined aesthetic of Japanese craftsmanship that is so appealing.

If you frequently travel to Japan with an empty extra suitcase, to bring it back home packed with travel treasures, you might want to stop reading here.

But if you’re longing for a little bit of lovingly curated Japan within Europe, this charming shop in Copenhagen’s Frederiksberg is just the place for you.

in short…

• a picturesque cheese shop in Amsterdam’s Negen Straatjes

• handmade raw-milk cheeses from local farms

• favourite souvenir - Skylger cheese and dried muscat grapes

Tulips, windmills, Gouda? Of course - if you want to, you can find that charming cliché everywhere in Holland.

And we realise we’re asking for a leap of trust when we say that our secret tip is located in Amsterdam’s Nine Streets, which are actually anything but secret.

But those who, like us, love good cheese should know that the art of cheese-making has been cultivated in the Netherlands for centuries.

And at De Kaaskamer, the lovely little cheese shop in the old town, the finest local cheeses are stacked right up to the ceiling. 

in short…

• a gorgeous restaurant in Amsterdam’s historic Lastage district

• chef Orlando David combines fabulous food with warm hospitality

• the perfect start – a glass of champagne with brioche and smoked eel

A chef with South American roots, trained in European Michelin-starred cuisine, cooking with local Dutch produce.

The combination is just as exciting as it sounds.

Orlando David’s restaurant, with the unpretentious name R21, won our hearts straight away. 

Set in a beautiful historic Amsterdam house on the edge of the Lastage district, it is laid out over three adjoining rooms.

Each is as elegantly furnished as the next, yet the refined restaurant does not feel intimidating.

The welcome could hardly be warmer, and a glass of champagne is served here with French nonchalance as a delightful aperitif to accompany Dutch Zeeland oysters.