When in Sweden - Fika!

“The concept of ‘fika’ is a long and cherished tradition in Sweden”, says ECT’s very own Swedish team member, Anna. (It dates back to the introduction of coffee in the 18th century and the arrival of patisseries in the 19th.)

“It’s impossible to translate, but means to take a break, sit down, drink a hot drink (usually coffee – Swedes are mad about coffee, and the word ‘fika’ originally comes from a slang word version for coffee), with a sweet treat.  This can be the traditional cinnamon bun, some sweet biscuits, or a piece of cake. My mum used to bake seven types of fika cookies when I was child, but that’s dying tradition now and today, my favourite fika treat is Prinsesstårta - Princess Cake. This globe-shaped cake is made from layers of light sponge, topped with vanilla pastry cream and plenty of whipped cream. The icing on the cake – quite literally – is a layer of green marzipan topped with a pink marzipan rose.

“But fika is more than simply coffee and cake, it’s also about taking time out with friends, family and even work colleagues. ‘Fika breaks’ when you can talk more casually with colleagues are such a part of the normal working day that some companies add a clause to contracts stating that employees are entitled to fika breaks. Swedes often do fika outdoors too, but  if you want to follow their lead then you have to stop and sit down for a while to take in the scenery - you cannot have fika while you’re walking!”

We think a daily fika is just the thing to get us through the winter, but if you want to do it properly, you need to be in Sweden so why not come with us to Stockholm in 2025?