Overview

Sodermalm, also known as Soder (South), is one of the many islands that is part of Stockholm's City Centre. It's the island just south of Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town. I stayed in the Hotel Rival, see separate review, which is in the Mariatorget area of Sodermalm, so my review is going to focus on this neighbourhood. Mariatorget is the garden square that gives this area its name. At the centre of the square is a small park. The square and the surrounding nearby streets are flat. In recent years Sodermalm has been gentrified and I've heard it described as a Hipster neighbourhood. Personally I loved the area, it has a relaxed laid back feel and there's lots of lovely cafes and restaurants. There are no major tourist attractions in the area but to me that is part of its charm. Instead it has the feel of a residential neighbourhood or a suburb and this is a place mainly frequented by locals. This means the area is busy and lively but not rowdy. It feels inviting and safe and is also family friendly. For me it was the perfect spot after a day's sightseeing to head back to my hotel freshen up and then pop round the corner to one of its delightful restaurants. Also it is very accessible to the major tourist attractions in Stockholm. It was very easy, level 10 minute walk from Mariatorget over the bridge to Gamla Stan, or alternatively Mariatorget Metro Station is on your doorstep and Sodra Train Station a 5 minute level walk away.

Transport & Parking

Mariatorget Metro Station Mariatorget Metro Station is located on the corner of Swedenborgsgatan, a pedestrianised street with lots of cafes and restaurants and a 2 minute walk to Mariatorget square. The metro station is on the red lines 13 and 14. It is 2 stops from Gamla Stan (Old Town) and 3 stops from T Centralen (main railway terminal) which has a number of line interchanges. With frequent trains this means it is very quick to access other parts of the city. Mariatorget Metro Station is step free. It has a lift on the pavement outside of the station which goes to the ticket hall. Alternatively there are steps, including some steps with rails (see photo) which I saw a person using with a shopping trolley, but I have no idea if the gradient would make it suitable for wheelchair users. At the ticket hall level are ticket barriers. In front of the barriers there are brass rods on the floor. Where there are 3 rows of parallel rods this is where the entrance is to the ticket barrier. Where there is a single row of rods this is a no entry ticket barrier, as people are entering it from the opposite side. On the ticket barrier level there is also a small convenience store selling snacks, drinks, magazines, etc. There is then escalators or a lift, which is quite slow to travel and looks like it has been placed in the space where an escalator previously was as it is on a slope descending (see photo), which goes from the ticket hall to platform level. From here it is a level walk to the platform. Sodra Railway Station Sodra railway station is on the same street as Mariatorget Metro Station and a few minutes walks away. This railway station is a commuter railway line. However trains from here go direct to Arlanda Airport. There are 2 trains per hour from Arlanda Airport to Sodra and the train journey takes about 40 minutes. Please note that the trains to Sodra depart from Arlanda Central Station in Sky City, although you remain indoors, this is a quite a walk from the airport terminus. The final thing to note about this route is that even if you have a pre-paid travel card you have to pay a supplement of 120 SEK (2019) to travel on this route. It was explained to me that this is because it is a train line owned by a different company and you pay an additional charge at the start or end of your journey to cover these charges. Sodra railway station has a lift from street level, where the ticket office is, to the platform. Outside the station I noticed a sign for special assistance (2019). It said in Swedish and English Meeting Point Pre-Booked Assistance for help and further advice call +46 774 55 55. There was also some writing in braille. There was also a logo of 2 people walking holding hands. For both the commuter trains and Metro there were lifts (Hiss in Swedish) and in the carriages there were priority seats. I didn't notice any designated wheelchair spaces but I was always making for the nearest carriage, so I feel unable to comment on that. On board there are announcements in Swedish, and occasionally in English, there is also a board in each carriage and an announcement for the next stop. The board shows or announces nasta (which is Swedish for next) and then it says the stop. Public transport is excellent and frequent.

Access

Mariatorget square is level. At the centre of the square is a small park with at its centrepiece a small lake with a statue of Thor. There are paths, lawn area and plenty of bench seating. It's a nice place to sit out, relax and people watch. Swedenborgsgatan, a level, pedestrianised street just off Mariatorget square. The street is filled with local cafes and restaurants. There's plenty of nice places to choose from, serving a good selection of food and drink. Most of the cafes and restaurants had some outdoor seating, which was step free. Usually it was a step or two into the restaurant itself. I ate at Da Luigi, a family run Italian restaurant twice and also enjoyed fika (Swedish coffee and cake break) at Cafe Chic.

Toilets

Unable to comment, as I was staying at Hotel Rival nearby I just returned to my hotel room when I needed to use an accessible toilet. I saw a sign for an accessible toilet at Sodra railway station, but I didn't use this.

Staff

The staff at the restaurants were very welcoming and helpful. Although busy, service was prompt.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

Initially when I started looking at Stockholm hotels I was a bit unsure where to stay. Personally I quickly ruled out staying in Gamla Stan due to the age of the buildings and lack of disabled access/ lack of information about it. Likewise I quickly ruled out staying near the main train station and shopping district as I was looking for an area with a bit more personality. Hotel Rival caught my eye due to the excellent access information on its website. However, it wasn't until I arrived that I realised how easy it was to walk from there to Gamla Stan, walk to catch the boat to Djurgarden, where the Vasa and ABBA museums are and also the boats to Fjaderholmarna, Stockholm's closest archipelago island. Likewise I had no idea until I got there how truly charming the Sodermalm - Mariatorget neighbourhood is. It was delightful to sit in the park and watch the world go by for a change of pace after a busy day sight seeing. Likewise it was so convenient to pop out of an evening and have a great selection of places to eat on my doorstep and to hop on the metro into the city centre. If you are looking for a pleasant, accessible place to visit just a short distance from the main attractions of Stockholm I highly recommend the Sodermalm - Mariatorget. I will certainly return here next time I visit Stockholm.

Photos