Are you looking to rest and relax after a full-on wedding, or do you want to go and experience somewhere new and exciting?

When choosing a destination for a honeymoon, couples have a lot of factors to weigh up. Are you looking to rest and relax after a full-on wedding, or do you want to go and experience somewhere new and exciting? Wherever you choose, the first question you ask yourselves should be: will we feel comfortable as a same-sex couple? Your honeymoon is the time to celebrate and enjoy the newness of your freshly-wed status and being somewhere that lets you revel in that should be a key deciding factor.

Stockholm has always been at the forefront of celebrating the LGBT+ community. It has a long history of doing so; in fact, in 2019 the city will be celebrating 75 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality, and 10 years since the introduction of equal marriage. It’s also home to the largest pride in Scandinavia, which has been running for 20 years and attracts over half a million visitors annually. So it should come as no surprise that this Open City is considered the LGBT+ capital of Scandinavia.

This openness makes it an ideal location for same-sex couples embarking on their married lives. But it’s also a cosmopolitan, stylish and exciting city with a rich history and present, with plenty of art, culture and life to explore. Here, we feature the hotspots that make Stockholm the perfect destination for a honeymoon.

1. Hotel Diplomat – Where better to mark your nuptials in style than this breathtaking art nouveau property set in a former palace. It’s a stylish mix of modern Scandinavian design and original heritage features. It’s also the perfect bolthole for your time in the Swedish capital, with its central location on the waterfront, offering vistas over the Nybroviken bay and being within walking distance to all the main attractions.

Image courtesy of Hotel Diplomat

2. Royal Palace – One of the largest palaces in Europe and the official residence of the royal family, this impressive palace contains four separate museums open to the public. Sweden’s royal family has a tradition of strong female figures; for example Christina, Queen of Sweden, one of the most educated women of the 17th century, defied expectations by dressing in what was considered a masculine style. She was also widely known to be a lesbian and caused a scandal by refusing to marry. Today, over half the palace’s staff are female.

Nobis – Renowned for its Swedish design, the Nobis offers comfort and Scandi design chic, incorporating the original, protected 19th-century masonry. In fact, before its present luxurious incarnation, the building was the bank that came to coin the term “Stockholm syndrome” – the psychological phenomenon whereby the hostages who were held for ransom inside began to empathise with their captors. A truly unique piece of the city’s history!

Malarpav

Mälarpaviljongen – Of a long Scandinavian summer evening, this quirky bar/cafe/boutique concept buzzes with locals and visitors alike. Situated on a pontoon over lake Mälaren, you can enjoy a glass of rosé or afternoon snack alfresco whilst overlooking the waters. The crowd is mixed and welcoming, plus the gay owners are board members of the Rainbow Foundation, an organisation set up to aid LGBT people in countries where they are persecuted for being who they are. As such, the profits for certain signature drinks are donated to the Foundation.

Hotel Skeppsholmen – Set on the tiny island of Skeppsholmen, the entrance to the city from the Baltic Sea, this unique property is a cosy home-from-home for honeymooners. It’s steeped in character and history; the building was originally a military barracks built in 1699, but the rooms have had a 21st-century redesign so they’re up to spec with the modern traveller. And for the design lover, the hotel is a stone’s throw from some of the city’s best galleries including the Museum of Modern Art and the Architectural Museum, also on the island.

For more LGBT+ travel inspiration from the world’s most Open City, visit www.StockholmLGBT.com or follow the conversation on social media at #stockholmlgbt