The Fall 2016 shows have kicked off in Stockholm, the many-spired Swedish city built on 14 islands sometimes called the “Venice of the North.” Two of its most popular exports, style-wise, are denim (think Acne Studios jeans) and models. Tilda Lindstam, Carl Hjelm Sandqvist, Benjamin Eidem, and Sara Blomqvist are a few of the Swedish stunners who carry on in the footsteps of such greats as Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn and Helmut Newton muse Gunilla Lindblad.

Wondering what beautiful Stockholm looks like through models’ eyes, we asked 10 to share their favorite secret hangouts, restaurants, music venues, and local jeans shops with Vogue. Here, a Swedish models’ guide to Stockholm. Consider it your key to the city.

Adina Fohlin

“I’m lucky. I’m born like this,” Adina Fohlin once said matter-of-factly in a backstage interview. With her slender frame and bohemian sense of style, this ballerina turned model inspires designers (she wore some of Alexander McQueen’s most dramatic runway looks), musicians, and fellow photographers.

What do you miss the most when you’re away from Stockholm?

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That depends on where I’m at, of course, but I always miss my friends, the summer light, and salty licorice.

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm?

There are a lot of great thrift stores all over Stockholm. One of my favorites is Humana at Timmermansgatan 23. I also recommend Sidenkompaniet. Everything there is made out of mulberry silk and prints from one of my favorite artists, Martin Bergström. I get everything there, from bedding to pajamas that are so beautiful I wear them out.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

Most of my jeans I get secondhand. The ones that are not are from Weekday—the style called Thursday is my favorite.

Where do you fika with friends?

I really like Salong 2 because the venue is really beautiful. It is part of an old neighborhood cinema called Bio Rio.

Where do you escape on the archipelago?

There’s an art gallery not very far from the city called Artipelag. It’s a beautiful modern building by the water surrounded by pine trees. I did a shoot for Club Monaco there as a photographer.

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

I’m a sucker for salty licorice, and the best place to get it in Stockholm is at Lakrits on Folkungagatan 112.

Where do you like to go out to eat?

Go to Shibumi: The food is major. I also recommend Sannas if you’re in town for Fashion Week and want to meet others who are, too.

Best music venue?

My girlfriend has a karaoke club called Kaffe, Kaka Och Karaoke at Laika the last Saturday of the month. It’s the best club in Stockholm by far. Hornhuset, Långholmsgatan 15B.

Your secret hangout?

If I tell you it won’t be a secret anymore. When I need to study outside of my home or the university, I go to Stadsbiblioteket [Stockholm Public Library]. It was built in 1928 with awesome architecture.

Dorothea Barth-Jorgensen

If you were to run into Stockholm-born Dorothea Barth-Jorgensen off set, she might be wearing a sleeveless rock tee and an ankle-grazing skirt or one of those wide-brimmed Saint Laurent hats and a biker jacket—and they’d look like they were made for her. In addition to maintaining demanding shoot and show schedules, Barth-Jorgensen finds time to act, take photographs, and create a blog called Displaced Bones.

What do you miss the most when you’re away from Stockholm?

To sit and fika and catch up with friends—we can sit and talk for hours, order coffee after coffee. And I do miss the theater. I always try to go to Dramaten to see a play if I have time. I like the atmosphere there.

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm?

I love the Acne shop at Östermalm. Every time I’m in Sweden, I go there—they have a better selection than the New York shop and it’s cheaper. And Acne Archive is great, too. The other store I try to visit is the perfume store Byredo. My favorite perfume from them is Rose of No Man’s Land.

Where do you fika with friends?

Drop café in Södermalm—best coffee.

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

Swedish Fish—red and the salt licorice one.

Where do you like to go out to eat?

Lilla Ego is a new favorite; otherwise, Urban Deli. If I fancy vegetarian, I go to Hermans.

Best music venue?

Pet Sounds Bar: cute venue with great DJs.

Erika Wall

Erika Wall is a Swedish waif who enchanted not only the grunge-loving photographer Corinne Day, but designers like Nicolas Ghesquière and Alexander McQueen, as well. Though she’s scaled back somewhat on the catwalking, having spent five years assisting set designer Shona Heath, Wall has recently walked for Mary Katrantzou and Rick Owens.

What do you miss the most when you’re away from Stockholm?

At this time of year, the snow and the cold on a sunny day. I love skiing, sledding, and ice-skating.

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm?

I buy clothes for my daughter when I go there—Mini Rodini makes really nice things. I also go to Paradiset (an organic supermarket) to buy Maria Åkerberg’s organic skin products.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

Ström jeans by Swedish ex-model Erika Strömqvist are great. I have a pair of Ann-Sofie Back jeans that I wear all the time, too.

Where do you fika with friends?

Stockholm is filled with cafés, hundreds of really trendy ones, but my favorite is totally untrendy Konditori Valand. It was opened in the ’50s by a couple that has been there ever since. (The man just passed away, unfortunately.) The interior is amazing, and everything is baked in the café. They only serve filter coffee, and only just started taking card payments, which is very rare. Swedish people very rarely pay with cash.

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

The licorice especially. It’s in every grocer and corner shop.

Where do you like to go out to eat?

A new place called Teatern [The Theater]. The seating is like in an amphitheater where on the stage there are a few different kitchens making all kinds of food, all by top chefs. The ramen and the sashimi are amazing, and there are these guys doing a luxury hot dog who also sell the best ice cream ever. It’s a good place to go to if you’re with friends and everyone wants different cuisines. I also try to go to Strömmingsvagnen on Slussen square. It’s a hut on a square selling fried herring in various forms. It’s open every day, even if it’s minus-4 Fahrenheit! You have to eat outside, but I always go anyways. My favorite on the menu is the skåning.

Favorite neighborhood?

My family has lived in the royal park of Haga since the 1850s. We go ice-skating and sledding there in the winter and swim in the summer. It’s like being in the countryside, even though the Swedish Crown Princess moved next door recently, so now a lot more people are hanging around.

Your secret hangout?

The sauna at Hellasgården, a 15-minute bus ride from Slussen. A man is swirling around a towel and throws scented water on the rocks, then, when you think you’ll pass out from the heat, you run through the snow and jump down into a hole in the ice in the lake outside.

Stina Rapp Wastenson

Cast by Prada her very first season out, pretty, pouty Stina Rapp Wastenson has enjoyed nonstop work since she was discovered at the Hultsfred music festival.

What do you miss most when you are away from Stockholm?

The water and the overall structure of the city, how it’s built up on different islands, each one with its own vibe.

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm?

I find Stockholm to be great when it comes to buying stuff for my home, decorative pieces as well as furniture. Go to Brandstationen for a good, well-selected mix of vintage and new.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

Acne. Run to Acne Archive on Torsgatan 53 to find beautiful pieces from previous collections.

Where do you fika with friends?

Pom & Flora at Bondegatan 64 is a café where they serve breakfast with multiple cups of coffee. It is most definitely my favorite go-to place for breakfast or brunch.

Where do you escape on the archipelago?

Millesgården, a museum and beautiful sculpture garden.

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

Sour watermelon bars.

Where do you like to go out to eat?

The restaurant at Fotografiska, the museum of photography.

Best music venue?

Hornstull Strand.

Your secret hangout?

A small passage on Mariaberget. It’s by far the best place to go for a walk or whenever you just want to clear your head, and [has] the best view of Stockholm.

Vicky Andrén

Vicky Andrén can look like a Hitchcock heroine or an edgy stunner (as when she appeared in Stella McCartney–era Chloé). Since marrying Gustaf Magnuson, the king of Sweden’s godson, in a fairy-tale ceremony, she spends part of her time upping the glamour quotient in royal circles.

What do you miss most when you are away from Stockholm?

I miss the beauty of it all: the water, the islands, the old ships and steamboats, beautiful houses hundreds of years old. And how it all glows when the sun hits the city in the late afternoon.

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm?

The area around Birger Jarlsgatan, Biblioteksgatan is amazing for shopping designer-wear, accessories, and jewelry. But if I’m short on time, the best alternative is NK [Nordiska Kompaniet]. In this upscale warehouse you find the best pieces from all the great Swedish designers’ latest collections.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

Whyred or Acne.

Where do you escape on the archipelago?

We have a summer residence on one of the thousands of islands . . . but to visit I would probably have to say Sandhamn. It has a bit of everything. Very picturesque with all the cute little houses, but also has quite a [party] scene during summer. Very popular among Stockholmers.

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

I’m more of an ice cream person, but Swedes in general love salty/sour candy like the Swedish Fish made of licorice.

Where do you like to go out to eat?

I like Miss Voon for Asian and Ekstedt for innovative fine dining. Also Teatergrillen, an old classic place that has great Swedish/French food and a bit of scene.

Preferred music venue?

Rose or Sturecompagniet/V.

Favorite neighborhood?

Kungliga Djurgården (part of Östermalm). This piece of beautiful nature is something as rare as a city national park. If going for a run or a leisurely stroll, this is the place to visit. It’s not unusual to see horses, deer, and highland cattle. Sometimes you can even spot a hawk, an owl, or a fox.

Ella Wennström

This horse-loving teenager from Gothenburg has temporarily hung up her spurs, making time to walk Spring runways for the likes of Chanel and Burberry. At once baby-faced and imposing (that glare!), she’s a model on the rise.

What do you miss most when you are away from Stockholm?

All my friends and the atmosphere, as well. I really enjoy the high speed in a big city; it really suits me as a person.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

I’m in love with Crocker jeans, they have a perfect fit on me. Acne jeans as well!

Where do you fika with friends?

My favorite place to have a Swedish fika is absolutely at Espresso House—their cappuccinos are like heaven to me. You can find Espresso Houses all over town. It is kind of like the Swedish version of Starbucks.

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

If I had been in Stockholm during my cheat day, I would definitely go to Caramella—their chocolate is amazing.

Where do you like to go out to eat?

Underbar on Drottninggatan in Stockholm serves absolutely delicious food. I also like Hattori Sushi Devil.

Preferred music venue?

The best music venue I would say is Summerburst. This is a festival that takes place only once a year during summer.

Favorite neighborhood?

Besides the center of Stockholm, I really enjoy Barkarby. [It’s] just so peaceful there.

Your secret hangout?

I haven’t been out in Stockholm yet because of my age, but I have heard plenty about Berns.

Benjamin Eidem

When he’s not walking for Prada or shooting campaigns for Michael Kors Collection, Lanvin, and Valentino, clean-cut Benjamin Eidem is likely to be out at sea, sailing.

What do you miss most when you are away from Stockholm?

Since I’m not from Stockholm but Gothenburg, it’s hard to say, but it is a really beautiful city, so it’s always nice to visit. [What I miss most when I travel] is my sailboat, friends, and my apartment.

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm?

Elvine has a nice store in Stockholm, and I love their winter jackets. I use them for years before I get a new one, so I don’t get to shop there so much.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

There are so many talented designers from Sweden it’s hard to pick one, but when it comes to jeans I do like Dr. Denim. They are also from my hometown Gothenburg, so I’d say them.

Where do you escape on the archipelago?

I would like to visit Huvudskär. It is a small island where no ferries go, with just like seven houses or so . . .

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

Salt-and-sour mix. And chocolate.

Where do you like to go out to eat?

Bröderna Olssons Garlic & Shots. You can get everything you want with garlic, everything from beer to food.

Favorite neighborhood?

Söder and Gamla Stan. Gamla Stan is a bit touristy but still with some really nice places.

Your secret hangout?

Angelo’s Bar & Kök in Vårberg. It is a cheap place with nice atmosphere and staff.

Carl Hjelm Sandqvist

This long-haired model from Stockholm isn’t short on wit (see his answers below). When he’s not doing shows or hanging out in Loewe, he’s practicing with his band, Tella Viv, whose sound he describes as “psychedelic pop/rock with surf influences.”

What do you miss most when you are away from Stockholm?

The sunset view from Västerbron. And warm parquet floors.

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm, and what do you buy there?

I mostly shop online or during my travels to Tokyo. But in Stockholm, Paul & Friends is nice when looking for quality brands.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

Acne Ace, black. Still waiting for Ikea to launch their first jeans collection.

Where do you fika with friends?

Just avoid the trending spots that serve so special coffee from beans grown under the shade of a parrot’s wing. I hate that pretentious attitude. Instead, look for signs that say “bryggkaffe 20kr” and places that have checkered tablecloths.

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

Sura colanappar [sour cola bottles].

Where do you like to go out to eat?

Reggev Hummus on Götgatan. It’s just a plate of hummus with additional toppings, pita bread, and pickles. So good.

Preferred music venue?

Debaser Strand might have the best sound, but if you want to keep track of the emerging DIY scene, then go a few blocks away to Cantina Real—a Mexico-themed restaurant that for some reason has hosted all the important new bands in Stockholm.

Favorite neighborhood?

Årsta Torg, where I currently sleep on an air mattress in my brother’s flat. It’s near Södermalm but still super calm. It has all kinds of restaurants, antique stores, and small shops. My favorite place is the super-tacky pub called Hjälmaren, where it’s always dark and depressing like a Roy Andersson movie.

Your secret hangout?

I rehearse with my band [Tella Viv] in Sätra, which is a suburb about 15 minutes by metro from central Stockholm. We usually go to Ali Basha’s grill, where you can smoke shisha, drink banana milkshakes, and watch Turkish music videos.

Sophia Nilsson

This Supreme-wearing model from Sigtuna, Sweden, was a Céline exclusive for Spring 2015.

What do you miss most when you are away from Stockholm?

The cherry blossoms in spring and the sunny summer nights filled with open-air parties.

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm?

Unique showpieces at Acne Archive, bold and beautiful vintage from Beyond Retro, perfume at Byredo, amazing secondhand at Pop, Södermalm.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

My black Acne jeans, model Flex.

Where do you fika with friends?

Mellqvist, Vasastan—best espresso in town!

Where do you escape on the archipelago?

I come from this small city called Sigtuna, the oldest city in Sweden, just by the water and close to the forest—worth a day trip!

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

Soda pop!!!

Where do you like to go out to eat?

AG, Kungsholmen—I love everything with meat! Greasy Spoon—breakfast all day!

Preferred music venue?

Jazz club at Fasching.

Favorite neighborhood?

Vasastan, a quiet neighborhood with exhibitions at Bonniers Konsthall, coffee shops, and some nice unique stores.

Your secret hangout?

Bio Rio.

Sara Blomqvist

At home in Brooklyn, Sara Blomqvist might be in jeans and a biker jacket, but this Swede, who has appeared in ads for Vince and Banana Republic, married her model sweetheart, Jeremy Young, in custom Valentino.

What do you miss most when you are away from Stockholm?

I miss how pretty it is, the architecture, the nature, and how clean it is!

What are your favorite places to shop in Stockholm?

I recently discovered a vintage store called Aggie Twigg located on Kungsholmen. It has amazing vintage—everything from the ’20s to the ’70s.

What Swedish jeans do you wear?

Acne, of course! I started working with them when I was 15 and they have been in my life ever since. Jonny [Johansson] and Mikael [Schiller] are such brilliant human beings, I always love having a chat with them.

Where do you fika with friends?

Pom & Flora, which is a new and hip café. I love their breakfast menu and they have great vegan and raw food options.

Where do you escape on the archipelago?

One of my friends has a family summerhouse on Värmdön, and I spent a couple of summers there. It’s everything you could ever imagine when you think of the Swedish archipelago—green nature, small red houses, and smooth gray mountains leading down to a clear blue sea.

What’s your favorite pick-and-mix candy?

I absolutely love salty licorice. Actually, it shouldn’t even be allowed to be called licorice if it isn’t salty! My favorite is probably Djungelvrål and salta balkar.

Where do you like to go out to eat?

I have two favorite restaurants in Stockholm. One is owned by my very good friend and mother agent, Susanna Rönn, and the restaurant is simply called Sannas. They have amazing wine! My other favorite is called Rust and it’s located on Södermalm. It’s one of those places that combines a garage with live music, a bar, and a restaurant. A big plus to know is that your canine companion is welcome there!

Favorite neighborhood?

Södermalm. I don’t spend too much time in Stockholm, but when I do, that’s where you’ll find me. My dad grew up in that area during the ’60s, and I love looking at photos from that era!

Preferred music venue?

Trädgården is great during summertime, and Landet for smaller, more intimate live shows.

Your secret hangout?

Reimersholme is a great spot to go in the summertime, as you can barbecue and swim there.

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