Stockholm has a special place in my heart because it was my first solo trip in 2017. I was extremely excited when Visit Stockholm invited me to experience Finnair’s new business class experience on their direct flights from NYC to Stockholm. It has been five years since I’ve last visited Sweden. And that also marks the time when I started focusing more on travel blogging. Nonetheless, it has been rewarding and humbling to see it come full circle with this partnership with Visit Stockholm and Finnair!

ABOUT FINNAIR: member of Oneworld Alliance

We are a network airline specialised in connecting Europe and Asia with the shorter northern route via our Helsinki hub. The geographical location of Helsinki enables offering fast and efficient connections between key cities in the two continents.

Founded in 1923, Finnair is one of the oldest continuously operating airlines in the world. Sustainability is a core value of the airline. In fact, Finnair intends to reduce its net emissions by 50% at the end of 2025 and achieve carbon neutrality latest by the end of 2045.

For this specific press trip, I was lucky enough to experience their new business class. The airline launched direct flights from JFK and Los Angeles to ARN (Stockholm Arlanda Airport) on Airbus A350-900s. Flights between JFK and ARN are daily, with three weekly between ARN and LAX. There will also be direct flights from MIA and ARN starting November 2022.

FINNAIR BUSINESS CLASS EXPERIENCE

It’s not everyday that I get to fly business class, so I was beyond grateful and excited to experience it with Finnair. Comfort is the first word that comes to mind when I reflect on my amazing in-flight experience. I was also blown away by all the amenities and features. Finnair is the first to launch the new Collin’s AirLounge seat, which has an innovative contoured fixed shell design, amplifying passenger’s personal space, freedom and privacy.

The seat came with a proper mattress pad and turned into a spacious lay-flat bed. We also received a Marimekko designed travel kit pouch, which contained a lip balm, ear plugs, toothbrush and toothpaste. There were ample stowage features, so I can easily tuck away my belongings and personal bag. What really surprised me was the wireless charger by the seat, which was a genius addition!  I usually try to watch movies during a long haul flight to keep me distracted. The BOSE noise cancelling headphones were a great, added touch to zone into my own world and made me feel home above the clouds.

Aside from the comfort and privacy of the business class experience, I loved the top- class service. My flight attendant, Nina was an absolute angel! She was extremely friendly, attentive and welcoming throughout the whole flight. When it came to dining, the food was delicious and well balanced. I tried the blueberry juice before takeoff and had the baked cod with vegetables and bread for the first meal. Before landing, they gave us another meal, which contained a quiche, fruit and salad. Personally, I was satisfied and loved that these weren’t heavy or unhealthy options.

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

I remember choosing Stockholm as the destination for my first solo trip because I felt like it was a safe and friendly city with rich culture. And I was not wrong for assuming that. Stockholm, the capital of Sweden and has acquired the nickname “Venice of the north.” Some may be surprised to know that the city consists of fourteen islands located between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. It is also one of Europe’s most environmentally friendly cities, which makes sense that Finnair also values sustainability.

I loved that most of the city speaks English, it’s easy to get around and to explore and that the locals are welcoming. Five years later, I still stand by my first impression of Stockholm and have nothing, but fond memories. With that being said, I was excited to explore Stockholm for the second time and Visit Stockholm created the perfect 3 day itinerary for us. Even though I have already been to Sweden and have experienced some of the activities, it was a new and better experience with the tourism board.

PRESS TRIP ITINERARY

Day 1:

• Art in the subway tour: The Stockholm subway system is said to be the world’s longest art exhibit – 110 kilometers long.  I actually didn’t take the subway when I visited the first time, so I was blown away by the cave like interiors and the stunning murals. I particularly loved the  draped dome at Stockholm City station. It was designed by Karin Lindh as part of an artwork called ‘the commuter cathedral’ and was inspired by Marilyn’s Monroe’s skirt. I don’t even think some locals know about this fact, so it was interesting to get the history and information about it from a local guide. Overall, the metro system is like a museum in it itself and it was a cool introduction to Stockholm
• Visit Space and Avicci Experience: Space is a culture center and meeting place, for anyone that loves gaming and digital culture. It also has a co-working space and will host regular courses and workshops in programming, for anyone who wants to get started in the games industry. The Avicii Experience is also part of Space, which is an exhibition about the life and music of Tim Bergling. I saw Avicii play at Syracuse University in 2011, so it was a very powerful and moving tribute exhibition.

 

• Dinner and drinks at TAK: Tak (“roof” in Swedish) is a restaurant, a raw bar, and a rooftop bar all rolled up into one. TAK was designed and furnished by award-winning architect Gert Wingårdh. The merge between Scandinavia and Japan is the core philosophy at TAK. Head Chef is Frida Ronge and the menu mixes Japanese techniques and Swedish ingredients. I really enjoyed my evening at TAK because we were blessed with an amazing sunset view after a brief rainstorm. The food was delicious and interesting and if I lived in Stockholm, this would’ve easily become my go to spot.

DAY 2:

• Interior and Fashion tour in Östermalm: Nadya Gruner, fashion and design journalist gave us a tour through Biblioteksstan, an upscale shopping district where many Swedish brands have their concept stores. It was interesting to get to know more about Swedish fashion and brands. If I can categorized Swedish fashion, it would be minimalist, versatile and timeless. I could see myself wearing a lot of the clothes at the stores we visited :
• Svenstk Tenn: A classic interior design company with its flagship store on the beautiful shoreline boulevard Strandvägen. The store originated with the fortuitous combination of two courageous people with fresh ideas: the stylist and business woman Estrid Ericsson and the designer Josef Frank. This was such an interesting shop. I am so happy it was included in the itinerary because I don’t think I would’ve known to visit this myself. There were many unique items and finds and I loved exploring the shop. Like Stockholm’s metro, this was a museum in it itself.
• Södermalm: Södermalm – also called Söder – has developed into one of Stockholm’s hottest neighborhoods. The atmosphere is relaxed, creative and trendy, and the neighborhood offers a myriad of vintage, fashion and design shops. In addition to smaller boutiques and galleries, there is an abundance of places to eat and drink.
• Dinner at Oxenstiernan: Restaurant Oxenstiernan is run by star chef Elvira Lindqvist and silversmith Sebastian Schildt. This is where you’ll enjoy innovative, Swedish cuisine on a beautiful old “malmgård” which means an urban farm/summer residence that dates back to the 18th century. The restaurant has a strong focus on sustainable cuisine, with locally sourced food and beverages, and is also a natural draw for those interested in Swedish design and quality craftsmanship. When we visited, it was asparagus season, so we had a lot of dishes that contained this ingredient. I loved that the restaurant uses seasonal items and I really enjoyed my meals!

DAY 3:

• Nordiska Museum: Nordiska Museet is nominated for European Museum of the Year Award. The museum was founded back in 1873 and designed in Renaissance style and opened in 1907. The heart of the museum is an enormous hall, with a ceiling height of 24 meters. At the center of the hall is a large oak statue of King Gustav Vasa designed by the renowned sculptor Carl Milles. It was interesting to see the vintage posters and advertisements used to promote Sweden. I also visited “Paris of the North” which examines how Parisian haute couture was translated for the Nordics between 1902 and 1966. Since I love fashion, it was compelling to see how fashion has changed over the years.
• Vasa Museum: The Vasa is the best-preserved seventeenth-century ship in the world and a unique art treasure. More than 98 percent of the ship is original and is the most visited museum in Scandinavia. This is a must visit attraction if you’re in Stockholm and one that I had high on my list during my first visit. It was nice to see it again and definitely brought me back to the first time I saw it
• Gamla Stan: Gamla Stan, the Old Town, this is where the city once was founded back in the 13th century. This is hands down my favorite neighborhood in Stockholm. I loved the alleyways, the colorful buildings and all the cute shops and cafes. You can easily spend an afternoon here and it is conveniently located by Central Station
• Dinner at Villa Dagmar: Centrally located in picturesque and dynamic neighborhoods, Villa Dagmar is the sister property to the more classic Hotel Diplomat and part of the legendary food hall of Östermalm. This luxurious boutique hotel features 70 rooms and suites, meeting and event spaces, spa, a flower shop and a restaurant. The restaurant offers a modern, warm and contemporary environment. This was where we had our last dinner. I loved that we had a separate private dining room to ourselves. The restaurant itself is pretty loud, but I loved the ambiance. We didn’t know what we were having for dinner and all the dishes came out as a surprise. However, everything tasted fabulous and it was a great way to wrap up my Stockholm trip.

BOOK YOUR DIRECT FLIGHT WITH FINNAIR

In conclusion, I enjoyed my in-flight experience with Finnair and my time in Sweden with Visit Stockholm! During my direct flight to Stockholm, I was able to watch a few movies and even sleep for a few hours. The flight was so comfortable that I almost forgot that I was flying. Definitely choose the window seat if you book the direct flight. I lucked out with the amazing sky views and I felt like I was floating with the clouds.

Finnair also a promotion happening from now until May 31, 2022. The code FINNAIR gives you 15% off all cabins and the details are as follows:

• Selling: May 10- May 31, 2022
• Travel: Until November 30, 2022
• Routes: NYC- ARN, LAX- ARN, MIA- ARN (starts in November 2022)