Camping.  I love camping.  I grew up camping.  Camping was a huge bonding thing with my father and I, so it will forever hold a dear place in my heart.  So when I first heard the term “glamping” I scoffed.  “Really?  People can’t handle regular camping?  What wimps.” I, probably, sneered in derision.  But, as they say, time changes everything – and as your body changes and you start to get used to the idea of sleeping in a nice bed every night…that sneer lessens and your interest begins to pique.

As I was researching where we would spend our weekend outside of Stockholm in the Swedish archipelago, I was flush with options.  There are literally tens of thousands of islands within boating distance of Stockholm, so it may seem a bit daunting.  As I don’t know how to sail (much to my dad’s dismay) the easiest and cheapest option was to pick an island that would be reachable by one of the ferry services that leave Stockholm’s harbor.  I decided on the Cinderella ferries due to their speed, services, and that I couldn’t stop giggling with excitement over the fact they were called Cinderella ferries.

The Cinderella ferry website handily lays out some of the islands they service and what the islands each offer.  It was there that I discovered the large island Svartsö and the glamping offered at Svartsö Logi.  Glamping in the archipelago sounded like the PERFECT idea for a warm(ish) summer weekend in Sweden.

Our hotel in Stockholm was nice enough to hold our luggage for us, so all we had to lug along was our backpacks.  Boarding the morning ferry from Stockholm, we settled in to some seats to enjoy the 1.5 hour ride.  I’d definitely suggest getting to the ferry on the early side if you’d like a seat, as they get quite crowded with people heading to their summer houses.

When you arrive in Svartsö, Svartsö Krog/Logi are within walking distance of the ferry dock.  The ferry got us to the island earlier than check-in time so we dropped off our bags and then rented bicycles at the small grocery store directly at the ferry dock.  The island is fairly big, so if you’d like to see it all, definitely rent a bike.

After a ride around the island, we headed back to Svartsö Krog.  The pub is the main restaurant on the island and runs the glamping tents along their shoreline.

I had no idea at the time, but apparently people come from all over the archipelago just to eat at the restaurant – and I can see why.  The food is absolutely delicious!  Honestly, it’s some of the best I’ve ever had.  Lucky for anyone staying at the Logi, a 3 course meal is included in your nightly fee.

I can’t emphasize enough just how delicious this food was.  Really, go try it.  You’ll thank me later.

Even in the summer it can get quite cold at night, so it was nice to have the little wood burning stove inside the tent.  It made everything nice and toasty.  The beds are more than comfy enough for a camping experience, which was an added bonus.

The bathroom facilities for your tent are actually inside the pub, but when nature calls after the pub closes at midnight, you literally answer it.  Luckily the midnight sun is up during the summer, so it’s not horribly terrifying tramping in to the woods with just a roll of toilet paper.  In the morning, if you can brave the frigid ocean, use the special soap and shampoo supplied for sea bathing to wash up.

Breakfast is also included with your stay and is delivered to your tent in the morning in a cute whicker basket.

We had quite a while to wait between check-out, so we dropped our bags off and went and explored the island a bit more.

And with our stomachs full of delicious food and refreshed with cold ciders, it was time to hop back on the ferry to Stockholm.

So if you’re in Sweden during the summer and need a good place to relax with your favorite book, I highly recommend Svartsö Logi.

Glamp away, happy travelers!
-Ruby