Utö's island bakery is a consistently bustling hub just a short walk from the island’s docking harbour. The red-panelled bungalow, set apart with its turquoise-painted door, stocks its shelves with sticky, cinnamon-spiced rolls, morning rolls, and loaves of seeded rye in the morning. Pick up a seasonal special rabarberbullar, a sweet dough topped with the island’s rhubarb compote and a grainy crumble, for the afternoon fika, stop by for lunch and order a courgette, lemon pizza slice from the take-out window hatch.  

Follow the gravel trail from Utö to Rävstavik Bay, paved by forest and woodland for an easier hike, or set out on the more scenic 10km loop around the northern tip of the island. Fishing villages, pastures, and lakes lead to Stora Sandvik before continuing to the rocky Rävstavik Bay. It’s here that the island boasts the best cliffs for jumping into the chilly Baltic Sea.   

The entirety of Ålö is a nature reserve connected to the larger island of Utö by a small bridge and a five-kilometre hiking trail that passes through the island’s military training ground and ends at Stora Sand beach. This white, sandy stretch is often deserted in off-peak season but becomes a popular hangout for friends and family on the longer, summer days. Find the locals grilling hot dogs on the public BBQs and swimming in the clear water bay.   

Bageri Kompass may be in the suburbs of Stockholm though it's causing quite a stir in the cities vast, bakery scene. Open until sold out (a regular occurrence, especially at the weekend) pop by for a freshly-baked loaf and a magnificently flaky croissant that could whisk you back to the streets of France.