Visiting Stockholm for a Weekend? Skip One Museum and Do This Instead

Most Stockholm weekend itineraries look the same. Gamla Stan, a museum, fika, another fika, Fotografiska if there's a good show, dinner somewhere in Södermalm. It's a good itinerary. Stockholm earns it.

There is also this: yoga on a paddleboard at Sickla Strand, followed by a sauna by the lake, 10 minutes from central Stockholm by metro, taught in English, open to complete beginners, no booking far in advance required. It costs 350 SEK.

You can do the museums anywhere in Europe. You cannot do this.

What it is

A weekly drop-in yoga class on a paddleboard, at Sickla Strand in Nacka on the edge of the city. The boards are wide and stable, designed for yoga, not racing. You paddle out a few minutes to an anchor point, do the class on the water, paddle back. Then a sauna by the lake.

The class runs 75 minutes. Plan for two hours on site total. The teacher is Australian. The class is in English. There is a café a hundred metres away for after.

Why it works for a short visit

• –No experience required. You don't need to have done yoga or paddleboarding to show up
• –It fits in half a day. Morning class done by noon, rest of the afternoon free
• –It's genuinely Swedish. Outdoor movement, water, sauna. Not a recreation of it, the actual thing
• –Easy to get to without a car. Metro plus a 10-minute walk along the waterfront
• –The drop-in format means no complex booking in advance, single class, one ticket
• –All equipment on site: board, paddle, life vest, dry bag, changing room, lockers

When to go

The season is late April through September. July and August are the warmest in the water. May and September tend to be quieter and easier to get a spot. The schedule changes week to week between vinyasa and yin styles. Check the current schedule on Smashing Balance before you book.

Morning classes work well if you want the afternoon free. Evening classes suit the long Scandinavian summer evenings, still light, still warm, the lake in better light.

What to bring

• –Swimwear under your clothes (you'll get some water on you)
• –A towel
• –Sunscreen and sunglasses with a strap if the forecast is clear
• –A change of clothes for after the sauna
• –Water bottle

Leave the phone in the locker. The board is wet and the locker is free.

The Sickla Strand neighbourhood

Sickla Strand sits on the Hammarby Sjö waterfront, next to Nacka nature reserve. The area is green, quiet for being so close to the city, and has a different texture from the tourist Stockholm. Elton's Café is the natural after-class stop: outdoor seating, food, good coffee. The nature reserve starts right behind the venue for a walk after if you want to push the morning out.

Not for you if

• –You're visiting in autumn or winter: the season ends in September
• –You're in a large group and want everything for yourselves: for groups of 3 to 10, a private booking is better and not much more expensive
• –You have very limited time: plan for two hours minimum, not one

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any experience?+

No. The boards are wide and stable, and the class starts with a safety briefing and begins with lying-down and seated poses. Complete beginners are common in every class.

Is the class in English?+

Yes. I'm Australian, all classes are taught in English by default.

How do I book?+

Through Smashing Balance at smashingbalance.se/collections/sup-yoga. You'll see the current schedule and book a specific time slot online.

How far is it from central Stockholm?+

About 10 to 15 minutes by metro from T-Centralen. Green line to Hammarby Sjöstad, then a 10-minute walk along the waterfront, or Tvärbanan tram to Sickla.

What if I fall in?+

Falling in is rare on these boards, but it happens. You'll be in swimwear, the water is shallow at the anchor point, and you'll have a life vest on. It's part of the experience, not a disaster.

Can I visit in winter?+

The SUP yoga season is late April to September. Outside that window, the sauna at Sickla Strand may still be available through Smashing Balance, and I run indoor yoga in Stockholm year-round.

Is there anywhere to eat afterwards?+

Yes, Elton's Café is right on site. Outdoor seating in good weather, solid food, good coffee.

Book a spot

Smashing Balance has the current weekly schedule. Single class 350 SEK including sauna, 150 SEK if you bring your own SUP. For a private booking for a group of 3 or more, email hello.yogawithcamilla@gmail.com.

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