Drottningholms slott på två hjul

This bike ride starts at the handsome City Hall by Riddarfjärden in central Stockholm. The architect was Ragnar Östberg and the inauguration took place on June 23, 1923. It was quite quirky because it was on the day 400 years after Gustav Vasa rode into Stockholm to begin his time as Swedish king.

The next intermediate goal on the bike ride is Brommaplan in the western part of Greater Stockholm. From City Hall it is about 7 kilometers. Here the metro station opened in 1952 and there is a large bus terminal. There are plenty of shops so you can, for example, buy something to drink if needed. Are you craving coffee maybe small but nice cafe Vivels can be something.

You continue in a southwesterly direction on Drottningholmsvägen. From the name of the road, you understand that it is not far to the final destination. You can cycle on the bike path or quiet roads all the way. You cycle across Lake Mälaren on two bridges. First you cycle over the Nockeby bridge. There has been a bridge on the site since the 18th century when Gustav III had it built, but today's construction was completed in 1973. You cycle a short distance on Kärsön which is in Ekerö municipality and can get a glimpse of the restaurant Brostugan on your left side. The one who guarded the bridge once lived there. The next bridge that connects Kärsön with Lovön is called Drottningholmsbron. There is a nice yellow building from the same era to the right by the bridge pier, it is called Hertigarnas stall.

A walk in the castle park takes you through the 17th-century baroque, the 18th-century English-influenced park and areas inspired by Chinese culture. The baroque garden is located "behind" the castle in a large rectangle. The English park is located on the northwest side of the castle adjacent to a system of ponds. The garden at China Castle is located in the southern part of the castle area and goes in the more natural and freely composed direction. Near China Castle is Flora's hill with a statue depicting Flora, who was the goddess of flowers and spring in Roman mythology.

The China castle you can see today was preceded by a wooden pleasure castle that Lovisa Ulrika received as a birthday present from her husband Adolf Fredrik in 1753. There was great interest in the Chinese throughout Europe and the Swedish East India Company that traded with China was founded in 1731. China castle has many nice rooms, for example the Green Lounge with a view of Flora's hill. There are several notable pavilions adjacent to the castle: Adolf Fredrik's lathe chamber, Billiards, Confidencen which was used as a separate dining room by the royal family and the Silver Chamber.

In the area there is also the fine and well-preserved Slottsteatern from 1766 where not least Gustav III took the initiative for a rich opera life. The building was rediscovered in the 1920s and today gives performances in the typical 18th century environment. The castle church dates from 1730 but is still widely used. Another fascinating landmark is the Gothic Tower from 1792 in the northwest corner of the area not far from Ekerövägen.