Winter Inspiration!

Mariatorget Square in front of the Rival Hotel.

I am back from my vacation! I thought I would start back on my blog with some inspirational pictures of a snowy Stockholm... in case you are visiting us this winter season. According to the newspapers and weathermen, it is supposed to be colder than normal this winter (after a warmer than normal December). Though we do know that this is not an exact science! Hopefully this means that we will have snow for a few more weeks. But keep your eye on the weather websites to get accurate forecasts for Stockholm.

Stockholm offers many fun winter activities to try out when visiting the city... everything from skiing and ice skating to sauna with ice-hole swimming. Click here for more information. Strömma offers a great Stockholm Winter boat tour which takes you a bit out in the Stockholm archipelago. Otherwise, one of my favorite things to do is to take a long walk and enjoy how beautiful the city is when covered in snow (like on the island of Djurgården). Just be careful! It can get slippery on the sidewalks.

Winter Inspiration!

Posted by zlatin

Mariatorget Square in front of the Rival Hotel.

I am back from my vacation! I thought I would start back on my blog with some inspirational pictures of a snowy Stockholm... in case you are visiting us this winter season. According to the newspapers and weathermen, it is supposed to be colder than normal this winter (after a warmer than normal December). Though we do know that this is not an exact science! Hopefully this means that we will have snow for a few more weeks. But keep your eye on the weather websites to get accurate forecasts for Stockholm.

Stockholm offers many fun winter activities to try out when visiting the city... everything from skiing and ice skating to sauna with ice-hole swimming. Click here for more information. Strömma offers a great Stockholm Winter boat tour which takes you a bit out in the Stockholm archipelago. Otherwise, one of my favorite things to do is to take a long walk and enjoy how beautiful the city is when covered in snow (like on the island of Djurgården). Just be careful! It can get slippery on the sidewalks.

New Year's Eve in Stockholm - 2014!

New Years is just around the corner! If you are visiting the city during this holiday, then I hope you have already finalized your New Year's Eve plans because it's getting down to the wire. Here are some things you should be aware of when making your plans:

• Restaurants- Many restaurants are closed on the 31st. The ones that are open generally serve a traditional multiple course menu called nyårssupé and nothing else. It can be anywhere between 3 and 9 courses and cost anywhere between 500 and 1200 SEK, depending on the restaurant. This means that going out for a simple dinner or quick bite will probably be problematic unless you are looking at pubs or fast food establishments. These dinners are quite popular and the restaurants tend to fill up, so don't leave it to the last minute! Most of these restaurants have two seatings during the evening... an early (5-8:30pm) and a late (8:30pm-12am). There are a select few that serve both the nyårssupé alongside a regular menu. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact us as soon as possible to make arrangements!
• Nightclubs- Here it is important to plan ahead as well. Tickets to the parties at the nightclubs can be pre-purchased in advance. If you don't pre-purchase a ticket, you can end up standing in long lines in subzero temperatures! Here are some of the larger nightclub parties this year: Stureplansgruppen (an umbrella group that runs several nightclubs), Café Opera, Södra Teatern and Berns. These are the more posh nightclub venues... there are, of course, many smaller parties going on at different venues.
• Taxis- These are notoriously hard to catch on New Year's Eve... especially after 11pm. This is because of the huge demand. Most taxi companies don't accept prebookings because they don't want their cars tied up waiting for people who don't show up. You don't have to worry about being stranded though... the subways will be running all night long. If nighttime subways aren't your thing, just make sure that you are within walking distance of your hotel. Stockholm isn't that big so this isn't that hard to accomplish. And remember... be careful when catching taxis in Sweden!
• Fireworks- Locals will be setting off their own fireworks throughout the city, especially in the parks & squares and at midnight. The official fireworks will be shot off above the harbor (eastern side of Gamla Stan). The best places to see the fireworks are along the waterfront, by the City Hall, on Fjällgatan or Monteliusvägen. Some places will be quite crowded, especially the Slussen area which will be cordoned off from car traffic, but you will still be able to see the fireworks!
• Skansen- Once again, this is the center of Swedish holiday tradition. This is the spectacle that is televised and shown around all of Sweden... kind of like the Swedish version of the ball dropping at Times Square. There will be music and speeches and the official countdown. Skansen is also a great place to see the official fireworks! To be honest, I'm not sure how much someone who doesn't speak Swedish will get out of the event as most of the program is in Swedish... but it is an option. The program starts at 11:10pm and ends at 00:10am.

The Rival Hotel- our restaurant is already fully booked on this evening! However... our bars are open until 2am and there is no entrance fee (rare on this evening). There will be a DJ playing and the square in front of the hotel is a popular place for the locals to light their fireworks.

New Year's Eve in Stockholm - 2014!

Posted by zlatin

New Years is just around the corner! If you are visiting the city during this holiday, then I hope you have already finalized your New Year's Eve plans because it's getting down to the wire. Here are some things you should be aware of when making your plans:

• Restaurants- Many restaurants are closed on the 31st. The ones that are open generally serve a traditional multiple course menu called nyårssupé and nothing else. It can be anywhere between 3 and 9 courses and cost anywhere between 500 and 1200 SEK, depending on the restaurant. This means that going out for a simple dinner or quick bite will probably be problematic unless you are looking at pubs or fast food establishments. These dinners are quite popular and the restaurants tend to fill up, so don't leave it to the last minute! Most of these restaurants have two seatings during the evening... an early (5-8:30pm) and a late (8:30pm-12am). There are a select few that serve both the nyårssupé alongside a regular menu. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact us as soon as possible to make arrangements!
• Nightclubs- Here it is important to plan ahead as well. Tickets to the parties at the nightclubs can be pre-purchased in advance. If you don't pre-purchase a ticket, you can end up standing in long lines in subzero temperatures! Here are some of the larger nightclub parties this year: Stureplansgruppen (an umbrella group that runs several nightclubs), Café Opera, Södra Teatern and Berns. These are the more posh nightclub venues... there are, of course, many smaller parties going on at different venues.
• Taxis- These are notoriously hard to catch on New Year's Eve... especially after 11pm. This is because of the huge demand. Most taxi companies don't accept prebookings because they don't want their cars tied up waiting for people who don't show up. You don't have to worry about being stranded though... the subways will be running all night long. If nighttime subways aren't your thing, just make sure that you are within walking distance of your hotel. Stockholm isn't that big so this isn't that hard to accomplish. And remember... be careful when catching taxis in Sweden!
• Fireworks- Locals will be setting off their own fireworks throughout the city, especially in the parks & squares and at midnight. The official fireworks will be shot off above the harbor (eastern side of Gamla Stan). The best places to see the fireworks are along the waterfront, by the City Hall, on Fjällgatan or Monteliusvägen. Some places will be quite crowded, especially the Slussen area which will be cordoned off from car traffic, but you will still be able to see the fireworks!
• Skansen- Once again, this is the center of Swedish holiday tradition. This is the spectacle that is televised and shown around all of Sweden... kind of like the Swedish version of the ball dropping at Times Square. There will be music and speeches and the official countdown. Skansen is also a great place to see the official fireworks! To be honest, I'm not sure how much someone who doesn't speak Swedish will get out of the event as most of the program is in Swedish... but it is an option. The program starts at 11:10pm and ends at 00:10am.

The Rival Hotel- our restaurant is already fully booked on this evening! However... our bars are open until 2am and there is no entrance fee (rare on this evening). There will be a DJ playing and the square in front of the hotel is a popular place for the locals to light their fireworks.

Outdoor Ice Rink Open for the Season!

A sure sign that winter is almost upon us: the popular outdoor ice skating rink in Kungsträdgården park has opened for the season... even if the temperatures haven't gone under the freezing point in Stockholm yet. It is open 7 days a week with generous opening hours (weekdays from 9am to 9pm, weekends from 10am to 9pm). If you have your own skates then skating is free. If you don't have your own skates, don't worry... they have skates for rent at the rink. Rental prices are also generous with adults paying 60 SEK per hour and children/youth under 20 only needing to pay 30 SEK per hour.

The central location of the rink means that you can combine ice skating with a visit to Kungstädgården's Christmas market (open daily from November 28th to December 22nd) or perhaps a visit to the NK department store or downtown shopping district. The rink is lit up in the winter darkness and they play music, so it is fun just to stop by and watch the skaters while sipping some glögg.To get there from the Rival Hotel, it is just a 30 minute walk through the Old Town (Gamla Stan), 3-4 stops on the subway or a 5 minute taxi ride.

Outdoor Ice Rink Open for the Season!

Posted by zlatin

A sure sign that winter is almost upon us: the popular outdoor ice skating rink in Kungsträdgården park has opened for the season... even if the temperatures haven't gone under the freezing point in Stockholm yet. It is open 7 days a week with generous opening hours (weekdays from 9am to 9pm, weekends from 10am to 9pm). If you have your own skates then skating is free. If you don't have your own skates, don't worry... they have skates for rent at the rink. Rental prices are also generous with adults paying 60 SEK per hour and children/youth under 20 only needing to pay 30 SEK per hour.

The central location of the rink means that you can combine ice skating with a visit to Kungstädgården's Christmas market (open daily from November 28th to December 22nd) or perhaps a visit to the NK department store or downtown shopping district. The rink is lit up in the winter darkness and they play music, so it is fun just to stop by and watch the skaters while sipping some glögg.To get there from the Rival Hotel, it is just a 30 minute walk through the Old Town (Gamla Stan), 3-4 stops on the subway or a 5 minute taxi ride.

Winter is Finally Here... Ski Slopes to Open!

It has been a relatively warm winter so far... with no snow and temperatures well above freezing. Quite unusual! But winter (and the snow) has finally come to Stockholm. We had our first real snowfall this past weekend and the weather reports show more snow and continuing below freezing temperatures in the coming weeks.

Map of Hammarbybacken
www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

This all means that the ski slopes around Stockholm can finally open for business! To give you an idea of how warm this winter has been... last year the ski slopes opened on December 13th. The Stockholm region has no mountains, so we are talking smaller slopes. But they still have lifts, multiple runs and the opportunity for the popular "after-ski". You can also rent ski and snowboard equipment there, so you don't have to worry about bringing it with you from home.

Hammarbybacken- open in the evening.
www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

The closest slope to Stockholm is Hammarbybacken. In fact, it is so close (located in the southern suburbs) that you have great views of downtown Stockholm from the top. They are busy preparing the slope with snow cannons and plan to open on Saturday (Jan 18th). To get to Hammarbybacken from the Rival Hotel, it is only a 20 minute trip with the subway and street car (Tvärbanan) or by direct bus (#74). Other ski slopes in the Stockholm region that are planning on opening this coming weekend are Ekebyhovsbacken and Flottsbrobacken. These are, however, a bit further away than Hammarbybacken! Full list of nearby ski slopes.
Click here to read my article from last year (with more information).

Winter is Finally Here... Ski Slopes to Open!

Posted by zlatin

It has been a relatively warm winter so far... with no snow and temperatures well above freezing. Quite unusual! But winter (and the snow) has finally come to Stockholm. We had our first real snowfall this past weekend and the weather reports show more snow and continuing below freezing temperatures in the coming weeks.

Map of Hammarbybacken
www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

This all means that the ski slopes around Stockholm can finally open for business! To give you an idea of how warm this winter has been... last year the ski slopes opened on December 13th. The Stockholm region has no mountains, so we are talking smaller slopes. But they still have lifts, multiple runs and the opportunity for the popular "after-ski". You can also rent ski and snowboard equipment there, so you don't have to worry about bringing it with you from home.

Hammarbybacken- open in the evening.
www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

The closest slope to Stockholm is Hammarbybacken. In fact, it is so close (located in the southern suburbs) that you have great views of downtown Stockholm from the top. They are busy preparing the slope with snow cannons and plan to open on Saturday (Jan 18th). To get to Hammarbybacken from the Rival Hotel, it is only a 20 minute trip with the subway and street car (Tvärbanan) or by direct bus (#74). Other ski slopes in the Stockholm region that are planning on opening this coming weekend are Ekebyhovsbacken and Flottsbrobacken. These are, however, a bit further away than Hammarbybacken! Full list of nearby ski slopes.
Click here to read my article from last year (with more information).

The Nobel Prizes!

Not only is it the season for Christmas and Lucia... it is Nobel Prize season as well! On December 10th the annual ceremony will be held here in Stockholm to award the prizes for Economy, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Literature. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded seperately in Oslo on the same day.
This weekend and the days leading up to the 10th are busy here in Stockholm with lectures, concerts as well as arriving dignitaries and award recipients. On December 10th the awards will be presented by the Swedish Academy and the King at the Stockholm Concert Hall (Konserthuset)... followed by the famous banquet at City Hall (Stadshuset). To be honest, none of these events are open to the general public. However, there are many other ways to get into the Nobel spirit while you are visiting Stockholm.

Bird's eye view of the ceremony
Copyright © Nobel Media AB 2012 Photo: Alexander Mahmoud

First of all is the Nobel Museum, which is located in Gamla Stan (15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel). Here you can learn about Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and founder of the Nobel Prizes, as well as the history of the prizes and past winners. They have temporary exhibitions as well... and the current exhibition (opened yesterday) fits right in with the season. Called "Fashion Innovation 3", it features creative interpretations of this year's awards by students from both Beckman's College of Design and the Royal College of Music. Sounds interesting! The exhibition will continue until April 13th, 2014.

Alfred Nobel- the man responsible for it all.

Another option is to visit the City Hall and take a tour of the inside and see the hall where the Nobel banquet is held every year. Tours in English are given (in December) at the top of every hour between 10am and 3pm and taking a tour is the only way to get inside. Be aware that there are no tours on the 9th and 10th of December due to the banquet and the preparations. Having dinner at Den Gyldene Freden is a great way to round off your Nobel visit. It is here that the Swedish Academy, who choose the winners for the Literature Prize, eat dinner every Thursday evening.

City Hall (Stadshuset) at twilight...

Finally... you can do like Swedes traditionally do: view the festivities on TV (mostly to see what the queen and princesses are wearing). Some hardy people do stand in front of the Concert and City Halls to see the royalty, dignitaries and prize winners arrive and depart.
Here you can read about my recent visits to the Nobel Museum, City Hall and Den Gyldene Freden.

The Nobel Prizes!

Posted by zlatin

Not only is it the season for Christmas and Lucia... it is Nobel Prize season as well! On December 10th the annual ceremony will be held here in Stockholm to award the prizes for Economy, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Literature. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded seperately in Oslo on the same day.
This weekend and the days leading up to the 10th are busy here in Stockholm with lectures, concerts as well as arriving dignitaries and award recipients. On December 10th the awards will be presented by the Swedish Academy and the King at the Stockholm Concert Hall (Konserthuset)... followed by the famous banquet at City Hall (Stadshuset). To be honest, none of these events are open to the general public. However, there are many other ways to get into the Nobel spirit while you are visiting Stockholm.

Bird's eye view of the ceremony
Copyright © Nobel Media AB 2012 Photo: Alexander Mahmoud

First of all is the Nobel Museum, which is located in Gamla Stan (15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel). Here you can learn about Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and founder of the Nobel Prizes, as well as the history of the prizes and past winners. They have temporary exhibitions as well... and the current exhibition (opened yesterday) fits right in with the season. Called "Fashion Innovation 3", it features creative interpretations of this year's awards by students from both Beckman's College of Design and the Royal College of Music. Sounds interesting! The exhibition will continue until April 13th, 2014.

Alfred Nobel- the man responsible for it all.

Another option is to visit the City Hall and take a tour of the inside and see the hall where the Nobel banquet is held every year. Tours in English are given (in December) at the top of every hour between 10am and 3pm and taking a tour is the only way to get inside. Be aware that there are no tours on the 9th and 10th of December due to the banquet and the preparations. Having dinner at Den Gyldene Freden is a great way to round off your Nobel visit. It is here that the Swedish Academy, who choose the winners for the Literature Prize, eat dinner every Thursday evening.

City Hall (Stadshuset) at twilight...

Finally... you can do like Swedes traditionally do: view the festivities on TV (mostly to see what the queen and princesses are wearing). Some hardy people do stand in front of the Concert and City Halls to see the royalty, dignitaries and prize winners arrive and depart.
Here you can read about my recent visits to the Nobel Museum, City Hall and Den Gyldene Freden.

St Lucia Celebrations!

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board

(Edit: This is info for 2013, for updated info... click here!)
Lucia, the festival/celebration of St Lucia, happens on December 13th and is, along with Midsummer, the most Swedish of holidays and many of you have seen a picture of a young girl wearing a wreath of candles (Lucia). Basically, the celebration consists of a procession led by a candle wreathed young woman and followed by other young women (& men called stjärngossar) holding candles. Click here for video ("Lucia for Dummies"). They sing Lucia songs as well as other Christmas carols. The traditional places where this procession takes place is in Swedish homes on the morning of the 13th, where the procession is made up of the family's children, and during the evening in various churches. These days, however, you will find Lucia processions also at different businesses, shopping malls and retirement centers throughout the country. Because of the popularity of Lucia, you need to purchase tickets to see the procession in most churches. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and I will help you with tickets.

Lucia at Skansen www.sverigeslucia.se 

These church services, while traditional and beautiful, might be a little problematic for foreign visitors as there is often a church sermon included in the celebration which is in Swedish. Another option, and a good one at that, is to visit Skansen, the open-air museum dedicated to Swedish culture and traditions. Here they will be celebrating Lucia for three days (Dec 13th to the 15th) with processions, historical reenactments and concerts. The main Lucia concert at Skansen will be on the Solliden stage at 6:30pm. Skansen also has a great Christmas market on Saturday and Sunday which you can combine with a Lucia concert during weekend. Skansen is located on the island of Djurgården and easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... with regular ferries (10 min trip) going from nearby Slussen.

St Lucia Celebrations!

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board

(Edit: This is info for 2013, for updated info... click here!)
Lucia, the festival/celebration of St Lucia, happens on December 13th and is, along with Midsummer, the most Swedish of holidays and many of you have seen a picture of a young girl wearing a wreath of candles (Lucia). Basically, the celebration consists of a procession led by a candle wreathed young woman and followed by other young women (& men called stjärngossar) holding candles. Click here for video ("Lucia for Dummies"). They sing Lucia songs as well as other Christmas carols. The traditional places where this procession takes place is in Swedish homes on the morning of the 13th, where the procession is made up of the family's children, and during the evening in various churches. These days, however, you will find Lucia processions also at different businesses, shopping malls and retirement centers throughout the country. Because of the popularity of Lucia, you need to purchase tickets to see the procession in most churches. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and I will help you with tickets.

Lucia at Skansen www.sverigeslucia.se 

These church services, while traditional and beautiful, might be a little problematic for foreign visitors as there is often a church sermon included in the celebration which is in Swedish. Another option, and a good one at that, is to visit Skansen, the open-air museum dedicated to Swedish culture and traditions. Here they will be celebrating Lucia for three days (Dec 13th to the 15th) with processions, historical reenactments and concerts. The main Lucia concert at Skansen will be on the Solliden stage at 6:30pm. Skansen also has a great Christmas market on Saturday and Sunday which you can combine with a Lucia concert during weekend. Skansen is located on the island of Djurgården and easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... with regular ferries (10 min trip) going from nearby Slussen.

Countdown to Christmas- Part 2!

The royal palace lit up under a wintery sky.

Last weekend I wrote about the first Christmassy happenings in Stockholm... but this weekend (Nov 29th to Dec 1st) is the official start of the holiday season in Sweden (and many other parts of the world). It is the beginning of Advent, which always starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It is this weekend when Swedes traditionally consider it permissible (in the name of good taste) to put up holiday decorations at home 

So, what kicks off this Advent Season? Well, to start off with, two more Christmas markets open for the season. The traditional & historic market at Skansen opens on Saturday and will be open each Advent weekend (Sat & Sun). The market in Kungsträdgården opened today (Friday) for business and will be open daily until December 22nd. Two specialty markets are open this weekend and only this weekend. The Royal Mews/Stables have their traditional Christmas fair this weekend (Fri-Sun) and the students at Konstfack (College of Art, Crafts & Design) have their market on Sat & Sun. Click for more information on various Christmas markets this season.

A contestant at last year's competition.

The Swedish Center for Architecture & Design's popular gingerbread house contest has started and the "houses" competing are now on display. You have until December 14th to stop by and cast your vote (they will, however, be on display until January 5th). The theme of the competition is "future forms" and the competitors are split into three groups...1. architects, designers and professional bakers. 2. children under the age of 12. 3. everyone else! The Center is located on the island of Skeppsholmen. 

Last minute preparations of the official tree.

Finally... the official Christmas tree is going to be lit at 3pm on Sunday! This giant tree is a bit of a symbol for Stockholm during the holiday season and is located in Gamla Stan on the Skeppsbron waterfront. Right next to the tree is the restaurant Mr French which I visited a few weeks ago. Not only will they be serving julbord, the traditional Christmas smörgåsbord, but they will be putting on their own Christmas market in their lounge where you can buy traditional market items as well as sandwiches and hot chocolate while sitting around an open fire. 

Countdown to Christmas- Part 2!

Posted by zlatin

The royal palace lit up under a wintery sky.

Last weekend I wrote about the first Christmassy happenings in Stockholm... but this weekend (Nov 29th to Dec 1st) is the official start of the holiday season in Sweden (and many other parts of the world). It is the beginning of Advent, which always starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It is this weekend when Swedes traditionally consider it permissible (in the name of good taste) to put up holiday decorations at home 

So, what kicks off this Advent Season? Well, to start off with, two more Christmas markets open for the season. The traditional & historic market at Skansen opens on Saturday and will be open each Advent weekend (Sat & Sun). The market in Kungsträdgården opened today (Friday) for business and will be open daily until December 22nd. Two specialty markets are open this weekend and only this weekend. The Royal Mews/Stables have their traditional Christmas fair this weekend (Fri-Sun) and the students at Konstfack (College of Art, Crafts & Design) have their market on Sat & Sun. Click for more information on various Christmas markets this season.

A contestant at last year's competition.

The Swedish Center for Architecture & Design's popular gingerbread house contest has started and the "houses" competing are now on display. You have until December 14th to stop by and cast your vote (they will, however, be on display until January 5th). The theme of the competition is "future forms" and the competitors are split into three groups...1. architects, designers and professional bakers. 2. children under the age of 12. 3. everyone else! The Center is located on the island of Skeppsholmen. 

Last minute preparations of the official tree.

Finally... the official Christmas tree is going to be lit at 3pm on Sunday! This giant tree is a bit of a symbol for Stockholm during the holiday season and is located in Gamla Stan on the Skeppsbron waterfront. Right next to the tree is the restaurant Mr French which I visited a few weeks ago. Not only will they be serving julbord, the traditional Christmas smörgåsbord, but they will be putting on their own Christmas market in their lounge where you can buy traditional market items as well as sandwiches and hot chocolate while sitting around an open fire. 

Ice Skating Rink at Kungsträdgården is Open for the Season!

This weekend we are expecting subzero (Celsius) temperatures which means that it is cold enough for the popular outdoor ice skating rink in Kungsträdgården to open for business. A sure sign that winter is not far off! Stockholmers have been skating here since 1962, when the rink first opened for business. It's location in the center of the city makes it a popular activity for both locals and tourists... whether they actually take to the rink or just observe. The downtown shopping district is nearby with the NK department store located right across the street. Starting next Friday (Nov 29th) a Christmas market will open up just adjacent to the rink. This market will be open daily, 11am to 6pm, until December 22nd.

On a snowy evening last winter... no snow yet this year!

The ice skating rink is also open daily: weekdays from 10am to 9pm and weekends from 11am to 9pm. If you don't feel like packing your ice skates when you come to Stockholm... don't worry, they have skates for rent! The cost is 60 SEK for adults and 30 SEK for youth/children under 20 (prices are for one hour rental). Children are required to use a helmet and they have them to borrow- free of charge (even for adults). The rink is lit up in the winter darkness and they have fun music playing over the loudspeakers, so it is worth a visit even if it is just to have a cup of glögg and watch the skaters. It is easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... either a 30 minute walk through Gamla Stan, 3-4 stops on the subway or a 5 minute taxi ride.

Ice Skating Rink at Kungsträdgården is Open for the Season!

Posted by zlatin

This weekend we are expecting subzero (Celsius) temperatures which means that it is cold enough for the popular outdoor ice skating rink in Kungsträdgården to open for business. A sure sign that winter is not far off! Stockholmers have been skating here since 1962, when the rink first opened for business. It's location in the center of the city makes it a popular activity for both locals and tourists... whether they actually take to the rink or just observe. The downtown shopping district is nearby with the NK department store located right across the street. Starting next Friday (Nov 29th) a Christmas market will open up just adjacent to the rink. This market will be open daily, 11am to 6pm, until December 22nd.

On a snowy evening last winter... no snow yet this year!

The ice skating rink is also open daily: weekdays from 10am to 9pm and weekends from 11am to 9pm. If you don't feel like packing your ice skates when you come to Stockholm... don't worry, they have skates for rent! The cost is 60 SEK for adults and 30 SEK for youth/children under 20 (prices are for one hour rental). Children are required to use a helmet and they have them to borrow- free of charge (even for adults). The rink is lit up in the winter darkness and they have fun music playing over the loudspeakers, so it is worth a visit even if it is just to have a cup of glögg and watch the skaters. It is easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... either a 30 minute walk through Gamla Stan, 3-4 stops on the subway or a 5 minute taxi ride.

Royal Palace Sprint (Skiing in Gamla Stan)

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board

One of world's most unique sporting events takes place in Stockholm tomorrow (Wednesday, March 20th)... the Royal Palace Sprint! This is a cross country sprint skiing competition. What makes it unique is that the course is in the middle of a major city, around the Royal Palace located in Gamla Stan. This isn't any amatuer event either... it is part of the World Cup series, so some of the best cross country skiers will be competing! This is the final sprint event of the season and the winner of the Sprint Cup will be announced and "crowned". Important points for the overall World Cup trophy (awarded this coming weekend in Falun, Sweden) are up for grabs as well. Apparently, there is only 15 points separating the top three in the current standings (Levkov, Northug and Cologna). So this is serious business!

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board

This will be the tenth time this event will be held here in Stockholm. The good news is that this is the first time I can remember that the weather has been "wintery" when the event has been held. Usually it is warm, spring weather and the fact that they truck in snow has been met with raised eyebrows by the locals. This year it is cold and snowy! The bad news is that this is apparently the last time for a few years that they will have the event in Stockholm... I read a quote from an official this morning where he said "hopefully by 2016". So, if you are in town, head down to Gamla Stan and see this unique event!

Photo by... me (from last year). Bad quality but, hey, they ski really fast! Hard to catch them!

The qualification rounds will be held between 2 and 2:45pm. The opening ceremonies with HRH Prince Carl Philip will be at 3pm followed by the semifinals and finals. The award ceremony, with His Majesty the King, will be held at 5:30pm. So plenty of chances all afternoon to see some quality skiing and spot some royals.

Royal Palace Sprint (Skiing in Gamla Stan)

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board

One of world's most unique sporting events takes place in Stockholm tomorrow (Wednesday, March 20th)... the Royal Palace Sprint! This is a cross country sprint skiing competition. What makes it unique is that the course is in the middle of a major city, around the Royal Palace located in Gamla Stan. This isn't any amatuer event either... it is part of the World Cup series, so some of the best cross country skiers will be competing! This is the final sprint event of the season and the winner of the Sprint Cup will be announced and "crowned". Important points for the overall World Cup trophy (awarded this coming weekend in Falun, Sweden) are up for grabs as well. Apparently, there is only 15 points separating the top three in the current standings (Levkov, Northug and Cologna). So this is serious business!

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board

This will be the tenth time this event will be held here in Stockholm. The good news is that this is the first time I can remember that the weather has been "wintery" when the event has been held. Usually it is warm, spring weather and the fact that they truck in snow has been met with raised eyebrows by the locals. This year it is cold and snowy! The bad news is that this is apparently the last time for a few years that they will have the event in Stockholm... I read a quote from an official this morning where he said "hopefully by 2016". So, if you are in town, head down to Gamla Stan and see this unique event!

Photo by... me (from last year). Bad quality but, hey, they ski really fast! Hard to catch them!

The qualification rounds will be held between 2 and 2:45pm. The opening ceremonies with HRH Prince Carl Philip will be at 3pm followed by the semifinals and finals. The award ceremony, with His Majesty the King, will be held at 5:30pm. So plenty of chances all afternoon to see some quality skiing and spot some royals.

Ski Slope in Stockholm is Open!

SkiStar Hammarbybacken

A very cold and snowy December means that the Hammarby Backen ski slope is open for business much earlier than in previous years! It officially opened on December 13th. Does Hammarby offer as high quality skiing as the Alps or even the mountains of northern Sweden (Åre & Sällen)? No, it's a small slope, but that really isn't the point. The selling point for Hammarby is that it is right in the middle of the southern suburbs with views of Stockholm from the top. There aren't many "urban" ski slopes in the world, so it is quite a unique experience.

www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

While it is a smaller, contained ski resort... it is still equipped for a complete ski experience: 2 lifts, 4 slopes, a children's area, a snowboard park, a ski school, ski equipment rental and (most importantly) After Ski at their restaurant and bar. Click here for a map. So far, they are open evenings during the weekdays and daytime on the weekends (closed on Christmas Eve). But it is early days for the season and the opening hours are sure to expand. It is very easy to get to the slope from the Rival Hotel... subway from Slussen to Gullmarsplan (green line southbound) and then transfer to Tvärbanan (street car) in the direction of Sickla. Exit at Sickla Kaj and from there it is just a 10 minute walk. See you on the slopes!

www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

More ski slopes in the Stockholm area!

Ski Slope in Stockholm is Open!

Posted by zlatin

SkiStar Hammarbybacken

A very cold and snowy December means that the Hammarby Backen ski slope is open for business much earlier than in previous years! It officially opened on December 13th. Does Hammarby offer as high quality skiing as the Alps or even the mountains of northern Sweden (Åre & Sällen)? No, it's a small slope, but that really isn't the point. The selling point for Hammarby is that it is right in the middle of the southern suburbs with views of Stockholm from the top. There aren't many "urban" ski slopes in the world, so it is quite a unique experience.

www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

While it is a smaller, contained ski resort... it is still equipped for a complete ski experience: 2 lifts, 4 slopes, a children's area, a snowboard park, a ski school, ski equipment rental and (most importantly) After Ski at their restaurant and bar. Click here for a map. So far, they are open evenings during the weekdays and daytime on the weekends (closed on Christmas Eve). But it is early days for the season and the opening hours are sure to expand. It is very easy to get to the slope from the Rival Hotel... subway from Slussen to Gullmarsplan (green line southbound) and then transfer to Tvärbanan (street car) in the direction of Sickla. Exit at Sickla Kaj and from there it is just a 10 minute walk. See you on the slopes!

www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

More ski slopes in the Stockholm area!

Snowy Stockholm

Off for the weekend! But I thought that I would leave you with some pictures I took this week of a snow covered Stockholm. The city is especially beautiful all covered in white. The weather is supposed to remain below zero for at least the upcoming week (with more snow expected), so the snow isn't going anywhere soon! If you get too cold walking around the city, do like a Swede and stop by a café, bar or Christmas market and try a glass of glögg. This is hot, spiced/mulled wine served with almonds and raisins and comes in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties... or, if you are really cold, a strong variety spiked with cognac or other strong spirit.

Gamla Stan waterfront with official Christmas tree

On Skeppsholmen island...

Kastellholmen in Stockholm harbor

Gamla Stan seen from the water

Snowy Stockholm

Posted by zlatin

Off for the weekend! But I thought that I would leave you with some pictures I took this week of a snow covered Stockholm. The city is especially beautiful all covered in white. The weather is supposed to remain below zero for at least the upcoming week (with more snow expected), so the snow isn't going anywhere soon! If you get too cold walking around the city, do like a Swede and stop by a café, bar or Christmas market and try a glass of glögg. This is hot, spiced/mulled wine served with almonds and raisins and comes in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties... or, if you are really cold, a strong variety spiked with cognac or other strong spirit.

Gamla Stan waterfront with official Christmas tree

On Skeppsholmen island...

Kastellholmen in Stockholm harbor

Gamla Stan seen from the water

Winter Warning!

In front of the Rival Hotel 

Well, our winter weather is continuing! We have had a major snow storm today with 3 decimeters of snow which has caused the city to come to a standstill. Many flights and trains have been cancelled or severely delayed due to the snow and strong winds. So, if you are traveling to Stockholm in the next couple of days, keep your eyes on the weather report and pack for cold weather. It is also a good idea to be careful while walking around Stockholm in the next few days due to snow falling from buildings! Just for fun you can check the webcam showing the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan to see what the weather is like...

Keeping the street in front of the hotel clear for our guests!

Winter Warning!

Posted by zlatin

In front of the Rival Hotel 

Well, our winter weather is continuing! We have had a major snow storm today with 3 decimeters of snow which has caused the city to come to a standstill. Many flights and trains have been cancelled or severely delayed due to the snow and strong winds. So, if you are traveling to Stockholm in the next couple of days, keep your eyes on the weather report and pack for cold weather. It is also a good idea to be careful while walking around Stockholm in the next few days due to snow falling from buildings! Just for fun you can check the webcam showing the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan to see what the weather is like...

Keeping the street in front of the hotel clear for our guests!

Christmas in Stockholm 2012

(EDIT: from 2012. For information about Christmas markets in 2013... click here) Some of my most popular blog entries have been those I've written about Christmas in Stockholm, so I guess it is time to write about what is happening this year in Stockholm! If you are staying at the Rival Hotel and need more detailed information, stop by and talk to me or drop me a line.

Main X-mas tree at Skeppsbron

The holiday season kicks off this Saturday, November 24th. This is the day the official Stockholm Christmas lights are lit and decorations revealed. 30 streets and squares in downtown Stockholm are decorated with thousands of LED lights. Last year was the first time the city made a real concerted effort to go "all out" for the holidays. There were some great decorations last year... should be fun to see what they come up with this year. Click here for map of the lights. While you are in the downtown area, stop by the NK Department Store to get a little more holiday cheer. Not only does this store have the best and most famous Christmas window decorations in Sweden, it is also the place to see Santa! He will be at NK every Friday-Sunday until December 13th when he also adds weekdays to his schedule (last day December 23rd).

Christmas market at Stortorget

This Saturday is also when the first Christmas markets open for business! In main square (Stortorget) in Gamla Stan you will find the Old Town Christmas Market, open daily from 11am to 6pm until December 23rd. In Skansen park and open-air museum, located on Djurgården, another Christmas Market opens. This one is very traditional and open between 10am and 4pm every Saturday & Sunday until the 16th of December. Skansen is also a great place to experience other Swedish Christmas traditions! Another large Christmas market opens on November 30th in Kungsträdgården park and will be open daily from 11am to 6pm until December 22nd. Kungsträdgården is right next to the above mentioned NK and is also where you will find the outdoor skating rink. Christmas markets in Stockholm are great places to pick up traditional Swedish holiday decorations, foods and handicrafts as well as to try glögg (Swedish hot spiced wine).

Ice skating at Kungsträdgården

Other Swedish Christmas traditions you should be aware of... many restaurants serve a traditional Christmas smörgåsbord called julbord, where a cornucopia of Swedish holiday goodies are laid out buffet style, and nothing else. This is a real treat and should be tried, but once is probably enough and you might want to find out which restaurants don't serve julbord to get a little variety. One great option is Strömma's Julbord boat cruises through the archipelago. A nice way to combine julbord and sightseeing! Then there is the whole Lucia celebration on December 13th (as well as Nobel Prize ceremonies). I will write more bout this later, but in the meantime you can read what I wrote last year to get an idea.

Julbord on Strömma boat cruise

Finally, two things just for fun, you have the popular gingerbread house competition at the Architecture Museum, right next to the Modern Art Museum located on Skeppsholmen (on display between Nov 28th and Jan 6th). And... got a craving for candy canes (polkagris in Swedish)? Stop by the Polkapojkarna in the Old Town, where they make the treats in front of your eyes, and get your fill! Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Stockholm 2012

Posted by zlatin

(EDIT: from 2012. For information about Christmas markets in 2013... click here) Some of my most popular blog entries have been those I've written about Christmas in Stockholm, so I guess it is time to write about what is happening this year in Stockholm! If you are staying at the Rival Hotel and need more detailed information, stop by and talk to me or drop me a line.

Main X-mas tree at Skeppsbron

The holiday season kicks off this Saturday, November 24th. This is the day the official Stockholm Christmas lights are lit and decorations revealed. 30 streets and squares in downtown Stockholm are decorated with thousands of LED lights. Last year was the first time the city made a real concerted effort to go "all out" for the holidays. There were some great decorations last year... should be fun to see what they come up with this year. Click here for map of the lights. While you are in the downtown area, stop by the NK Department Store to get a little more holiday cheer. Not only does this store have the best and most famous Christmas window decorations in Sweden, it is also the place to see Santa! He will be at NK every Friday-Sunday until December 13th when he also adds weekdays to his schedule (last day December 23rd).

Christmas market at Stortorget

This Saturday is also when the first Christmas markets open for business! In main square (Stortorget) in Gamla Stan you will find the Old Town Christmas Market, open daily from 11am to 6pm until December 23rd. In Skansen park and open-air museum, located on Djurgården, another Christmas Market opens. This one is very traditional and open between 10am and 4pm every Saturday & Sunday until the 16th of December. Skansen is also a great place to experience other Swedish Christmas traditions! Another large Christmas market opens on November 30th in Kungsträdgården park and will be open daily from 11am to 6pm until December 22nd. Kungsträdgården is right next to the above mentioned NK and is also where you will find the outdoor skating rink. Christmas markets in Stockholm are great places to pick up traditional Swedish holiday decorations, foods and handicrafts as well as to try glögg (Swedish hot spiced wine).

Ice skating at Kungsträdgården

Other Swedish Christmas traditions you should be aware of... many restaurants serve a traditional Christmas smörgåsbord called julbord, where a cornucopia of Swedish holiday goodies are laid out buffet style, and nothing else. This is a real treat and should be tried, but once is probably enough and you might want to find out which restaurants don't serve julbord to get a little variety. One great option is Strömma's Julbord boat cruises through the archipelago. A nice way to combine julbord and sightseeing! Then there is the whole Lucia celebration on December 13th (as well as Nobel Prize ceremonies). I will write more bout this later, but in the meantime you can read what I wrote last year to get an idea.

Julbord on Strömma boat cruise

Finally, two things just for fun, you have the popular gingerbread house competition at the Architecture Museum, right next to the Modern Art Museum located on Skeppsholmen (on display between Nov 28th and Jan 6th). And... got a craving for candy canes (polkagris in Swedish)? Stop by the Polkapojkarna in the Old Town, where they make the treats in front of your eyes, and get your fill! Merry Christmas!

Ice Skating Rink in Kungsträdgården

(EDIT: This info is for 2012, for current opening hours and prices... click here!) A sure sign that winter is just around the corner (besides the dropping temperatures) is the opening of the outdoor ice skating rink in Kungsträdgården for the season! For decades this has been a popular activity for young & less-young, natives & visitors alike. It is quite affordable... free if you have your own skates, otherwise renting skates costs 50 SEK for adults and 20 SEK for children up to 19 years of age (prices per hour). The skating rink is open 7 days a week (usually into late spring), from 11am to 7pm on the weekends and 10am to 8pm on the weekdays (open to 9pm on Tues & Thurs).

This is a great activity to take children to and, when the Christmas Market opens in Kungsträdgården on November 30th, the perfect place to get into the holiday spirit. Kungsträdgården is a park located in the downtown area, just a 25-30 minute walk from the Rival Hotel (through Gamla Stan), otherwise bus #43 or #55 will take you there in about 10 minutes. Happy skating!

Ice Skating Rink in Kungsträdgården

Posted by zlatin

(EDIT: This info is for 2012, for current opening hours and prices... click here!) A sure sign that winter is just around the corner (besides the dropping temperatures) is the opening of the outdoor ice skating rink in Kungsträdgården for the season! For decades this has been a popular activity for young & less-young, natives & visitors alike. It is quite affordable... free if you have your own skates, otherwise renting skates costs 50 SEK for adults and 20 SEK for children up to 19 years of age (prices per hour). The skating rink is open 7 days a week (usually into late spring), from 11am to 7pm on the weekends and 10am to 8pm on the weekdays (open to 9pm on Tues & Thurs).

This is a great activity to take children to and, when the Christmas Market opens in Kungsträdgården on November 30th, the perfect place to get into the holiday spirit. Kungsträdgården is a park located in the downtown area, just a 25-30 minute walk from the Rival Hotel (through Gamla Stan), otherwise bus #43 or #55 will take you there in about 10 minutes. Happy skating!