£30 to Stockholm: A Budget Flight into a Nordic Fairytale

#budgetairlines When I booked a Ryanair ticket to Stockholm for just £30, I wasn’t expecting much—maybe a cramped seat, overpriced airport snacks, and a sleepy arrival in another European city. What I didn’t expect was to descend into a landscape that looked straight out of a dream. Flying into a Sea of Islands As the plane began its descent into Stockholm Skavsta Airport, I glanced out of the window and gasped. Below was a maze of deep blue water scattered with countless tiny green islands, some barely more than tree-covered rocks, others dotted with red cottages and little docks. From above, it looked like a Nordic version of China’s Thousand Island Lake, only more wild, more raw, and more quiet. It was my first view of the Stockholm Archipelago—and it was completely free, courtesy of a budget flight window seat. Tip: Always take the window seat. You never know when a £30 ticket turns into a priceless view. Arriving and Getting into Town Skavsta Airport is about 90 minutes from central Stockholm by bus, but if you book the Flygbussarna shuttle online in advance, you can often get it for under £10. I passed the time looking out at forests, lakes, and tiny red farmhouses that made it feel like driving through a postcard. Once in the city, I skipped the taxis and chose to walk. Stockholm is extremely walkable in summer, with long daylight hours and waterfront paths around every corner. Budget Bliss in the Capital With a tight budget, I stuck to free or low-cost sights. I wandered Gamla Stan, the old town, full of crooked streets and golden buildings that glow in the evening sun. I watched the boats come and go from Skeppsholmen Bridge, and even found a small hilltop view behind the Monteliusvägen walking path, offering panoramic scenes of the city and water, completely free. My favorite moment? Sitting by the shore on Djurgården Island, eating a grocery store pastry and watching swans drift past boats in the golden light. I had spent almost nothing that day—but I had seen so much.