Midsummer Weekend 2013

Photo by Marie Andersson, Skansen

(EDIT: info for 2013... click here for updated info. Basically the same but a few date and link changes) The biggest holiday in the Swedish calendar is just a little over a week away: Midsummer (June 21st to 23rd)! It rivals Christmas as a holiday to spend with friends and family, filled with age-old traditions. On this weekend, Swedes flee the cities and head to their country homes to celebrate in the outdoors. Unfortunately, every year Stockholm is filled with tourists who are unaware of this holiday and are confused why the city resembles a ghost town. While it has become better in recent years (as Swedes become more capitalistic in their mind-set), many restaurants and shops are still closed and even a few museums. But not to worrry, there is still plenty of things to do & see and ways to experience traditional Swedish midsummer. Here is a little guide to the weekend:

Museums-

• Skansen (zoo, open air cultural museum)- open every day, all weekend.
• Vasa Museum- open every day, all weekend.
• ABBA the Museum- open every day, all weekend.
• Royal Palace- open every day, all weekend.
• Drottningholm Palace- open every day, all weekend.
• Fotografiska (photography museum)- closed on Friday, open on Saturday & Sunday.
• Moderna (modern art museum)- closed on Friday, open on Saturday & Sunday.
• Nordiska (nordic culture museum)- closed on Friday, open on Saturday & Sunday.
• Nobel (Alfred Nobel & the Nobel prizes)- Closed on Friday, open on Saturday & Sunday.
• Royal Armoury- closed on Friday & Saturday, open on Sunday.
• Historiska (history museum)- closed on Friday & Saturday, open on Sunday.
• Medieval Museum- closed Friday & Saturday, open on Sunday.

If you are travelling with children, it is good to know that both the amusement park Gröna Lund and Astrid Lindgren's world Junibacken are open all weekend!

Restaurants-

Here is where you can get into a little trouble. Many restaurants are closed for the whole weekend, while others will be closed at least on Friday. Most hotel restaurants are open to the general public (like the Rival Bistro) all weekend. There are also a few other restaurants that are open all weekend... but, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me as soon as possible for help booking a table, as they will probably fill up and last minute reservations might be tough!

Shopping-

Also a little tough. Many smaller boutiques will be closed for the whole weekend. Even large shopping centers, like Mood and Sturegallerian, will close on both Friday and Saturday. The two largest department stores, NK and Åhlens City, will close early on Friday (10am to 2pm) and stay closed on Saturday. Officially, it is only Saturday which is a bank holiday... but Friday is about as close as you can come "unofficially", so expect many pharmacies, banks and liquor stores to be closed that day as well.

Sightseeing-

Large sightseeing companies like Strömma run as normal with bus, boat and combination tours available all weekend. Smaller, independant sightseeing companies may be closed. Public transportation runs as normal, though on a more limited "holiday" schedule, all weekend.

Experience Midsummer-

After all of this negativity, you may be wondering "but where do we experience the Midsummer celebrations?". Well, the best place to see how Swedes traditionally celebrate this holiday is at Skansen. They have a full program all weekend long! While most Swedes do leave the city, the few that are left will celebrate with picnics and games in the different parks throughout the city. So, when in doubt, just head outdoors to celebrate. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel and need further information... contact me directly at the hotel!

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

Midsummer Weekend 2013

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Marie Andersson, Skansen

(EDIT: info for 2013... click here for updated info. Basically the same but a few date and link changes) The biggest holiday in the Swedish calendar is just a little over a week away: Midsummer (June 21st to 23rd)! It rivals Christmas as a holiday to spend with friends and family, filled with age-old traditions. On this weekend, Swedes flee the cities and head to their country homes to celebrate in the outdoors. Unfortunately, every year Stockholm is filled with tourists who are unaware of this holiday and are confused why the city resembles a ghost town. While it has become better in recent years (as Swedes become more capitalistic in their mind-set), many restaurants and shops are still closed and even a few museums. But not to worrry, there is still plenty of things to do & see and ways to experience traditional Swedish midsummer. Here is a little guide to the weekend:

Museums-

• Skansen (zoo, open air cultural museum)- open every day, all weekend.
• Vasa Museum- open every day, all weekend.
• ABBA the Museum- open every day, all weekend.
• Royal Palace- open every day, all weekend.
• Drottningholm Palace- open every day, all weekend.
• Fotografiska (photography museum)- closed on Friday, open on Saturday & Sunday.
• Moderna (modern art museum)- closed on Friday, open on Saturday & Sunday.
• Nordiska (nordic culture museum)- closed on Friday, open on Saturday & Sunday.
• Nobel (Alfred Nobel & the Nobel prizes)- Closed on Friday, open on Saturday & Sunday.
• Royal Armoury- closed on Friday & Saturday, open on Sunday.
• Historiska (history museum)- closed on Friday & Saturday, open on Sunday.
• Medieval Museum- closed Friday & Saturday, open on Sunday.

If you are travelling with children, it is good to know that both the amusement park Gröna Lund and Astrid Lindgren's world Junibacken are open all weekend!

Restaurants-

Here is where you can get into a little trouble. Many restaurants are closed for the whole weekend, while others will be closed at least on Friday. Most hotel restaurants are open to the general public (like the Rival Bistro) all weekend. There are also a few other restaurants that are open all weekend... but, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me as soon as possible for help booking a table, as they will probably fill up and last minute reservations might be tough!

Shopping-

Also a little tough. Many smaller boutiques will be closed for the whole weekend. Even large shopping centers, like Mood and Sturegallerian, will close on both Friday and Saturday. The two largest department stores, NK and Åhlens City, will close early on Friday (10am to 2pm) and stay closed on Saturday. Officially, it is only Saturday which is a bank holiday... but Friday is about as close as you can come "unofficially", so expect many pharmacies, banks and liquor stores to be closed that day as well.

Sightseeing-

Large sightseeing companies like Strömma run as normal with bus, boat and combination tours available all weekend. Smaller, independant sightseeing companies may be closed. Public transportation runs as normal, though on a more limited "holiday" schedule, all weekend.

Experience Midsummer-

After all of this negativity, you may be wondering "but where do we experience the Midsummer celebrations?". Well, the best place to see how Swedes traditionally celebrate this holiday is at Skansen. They have a full program all weekend long! While most Swedes do leave the city, the few that are left will celebrate with picnics and games in the different parks throughout the city. So, when in doubt, just head outdoors to celebrate. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel and need further information... contact me directly at the hotel!

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

Royal Wedding This Weekend!

Tomorrow, Saturday June 8th, H.R.H. Princess Madeleine will marry Chris O'Neill... and royal wedding fever is descending upon Stockholm. There are some good things to know if you are visiting Stockholm this weekend, whether you want to see the couple, join the festivities or just avoid the hooplah!

The Royal Couple. Photo by Brigitte Grenfeldt

Princess Madeleine's older sister, the Crown Princess Victoria, got married three years ago and the celebrations were huge with Stockholm throwing a week-long Love Festival in honour of the wedding. The festivities this time around will not be as grand (as Madeleine is only fourth in line to the Swedish throne), but there will still be enough to see and do to keep royalists happy. The wedding itself will take place in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace, located in Gamla Stan, at 4pm and televised live on Swedish TV. It is expected to last until 4:45pm upon which there will be a 21 gun salute (cannons firing from the island of Skeppsholmen). The couple will show themselves at the palace's south gate after the ceremony. Another great opportunity to see them will be during the cortège... and it looks like it will be great weather! The royal couple will be taken by horse and carriage from the Royal Palace (start at approximately 5:50pm) on a short tour around the adjacent neighbourhoods. Click here to see the cortège route. Finally, the royal couple will take a boat from Riddarholmen to the Drottningholm Palace, where a dinner (hosted by the king & queen) will be held.

Now, please keep in mind that many streets around the Royal Palace will be closed off Saturday afternoon and evening... best to stick to walking and subways. There may be additional traffic problems on Friday and Sunday as European royalty and foreign dignitaries are shuttled to different parties and events. Keep in mind also that several tourist sites will be closed on Saturday... the Royal Palace (obviously) as well as adjoining museums like Tre Kronor and the Treasury. In fact, the Treasury is closed from June 3rd to 9th. The royal regalia needs to be polished and made ready! The Royal Armoury will be open, though they will close at 4pm. The Drottningholm Palace is closed from June 4th to 11th as it will house visiting royalty... though visitors may still travel out by boat to see the beautiful parks and pavilions. However, be aware that there will be lots of security and limited access! None of the sightseeing busses will be running, neither the Panorama tour or the Hop On Hop Off busses. Hop On Hop Off boats will also not be running. However, the Under the Bridges and Royal Canal boat tours will be running! More information about these tours at Strömma's website. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel... contact me directly for further information! Here is some extra information from the local English language newspaper.

Royal Wedding This Weekend!

Posted by zlatin

Tomorrow, Saturday June 8th, H.R.H. Princess Madeleine will marry Chris O'Neill... and royal wedding fever is descending upon Stockholm. There are some good things to know if you are visiting Stockholm this weekend, whether you want to see the couple, join the festivities or just avoid the hooplah!

The Royal Couple. Photo by Brigitte Grenfeldt

Princess Madeleine's older sister, the Crown Princess Victoria, got married three years ago and the celebrations were huge with Stockholm throwing a week-long Love Festival in honour of the wedding. The festivities this time around will not be as grand (as Madeleine is only fourth in line to the Swedish throne), but there will still be enough to see and do to keep royalists happy. The wedding itself will take place in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace, located in Gamla Stan, at 4pm and televised live on Swedish TV. It is expected to last until 4:45pm upon which there will be a 21 gun salute (cannons firing from the island of Skeppsholmen). The couple will show themselves at the palace's south gate after the ceremony. Another great opportunity to see them will be during the cortège... and it looks like it will be great weather! The royal couple will be taken by horse and carriage from the Royal Palace (start at approximately 5:50pm) on a short tour around the adjacent neighbourhoods. Click here to see the cortège route. Finally, the royal couple will take a boat from Riddarholmen to the Drottningholm Palace, where a dinner (hosted by the king & queen) will be held.

Now, please keep in mind that many streets around the Royal Palace will be closed off Saturday afternoon and evening... best to stick to walking and subways. There may be additional traffic problems on Friday and Sunday as European royalty and foreign dignitaries are shuttled to different parties and events. Keep in mind also that several tourist sites will be closed on Saturday... the Royal Palace (obviously) as well as adjoining museums like Tre Kronor and the Treasury. In fact, the Treasury is closed from June 3rd to 9th. The royal regalia needs to be polished and made ready! The Royal Armoury will be open, though they will close at 4pm. The Drottningholm Palace is closed from June 4th to 11th as it will house visiting royalty... though visitors may still travel out by boat to see the beautiful parks and pavilions. However, be aware that there will be lots of security and limited access! None of the sightseeing busses will be running, neither the Panorama tour or the Hop On Hop Off busses. Hop On Hop Off boats will also not be running. However, the Under the Bridges and Royal Canal boat tours will be running! More information about these tours at Strömma's website. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel... contact me directly for further information! Here is some extra information from the local English language newspaper.

Restaurants Closed During the Summer- 2013

(EDIT: these dates are for 2013, for current information... click here!) Every summer, especially during late July and early August, visitors to Stockholm who are interested in haute cuisine are disappointed to find out that the top tier restaurants (Michelin rated and such) close for a few weeks. This is mainly due to the generous Swedish vacation rules and the fact that many top restaurants feel that they can't offer excellent service with summer replacement staff. Another reason, perhaps, is that most Stockholmers leave the city during this period and there aren't enough visiting "foodies" to fill these types of restaurants. At any rate, the good news is that several of these top tier restaurants have some other options during these weeks... and you always have a plethora of great summer restaurants to choose from!

• Restaurant Frantzén (former Frantzén/Lindeberg)- closed between July 14th and August 16th.
• Flying Elk- closed between July 14th and August 16th.
• Mathias Dahlgren- closed between July 12th and August 5th.
• Ekstedt- closed "second half of July and first half of August".
• Restaurant Jonas- closed between July 1st and August 9th. Their more casual Food & Wine Bar is closed from July 6th to August 1st. 
• Esperanto- closed between June 20th and August 9th. Instead they will have a "summer lounge" open with a scaled back menu.
• Lux Stockholm- closes on July 14th for the summer. Reopens?
• AG- closed between June 30th and August 4th.
• F12- closed between July 7th and August 7th. Their popular nightclub F12 Terrassen is open all summer!
• Smak på Restaurangen- closed between July 7th and August 7th.
• Le Rouge- closed between July 7th and August 12th. Their more casual Le Bar is open all summer.
• Grill- buffet only between July2nd and July 20th, after which they close through July 30th.
• Miss Voon- closed between July 7th and August 6th.
• Farang- closed between July 7th and July 28th.
• Operakällaren- closed between July 1st and August 6th. Their more casual Bakfickan is open all summer.
• Sjögräs- closed between July 14th and August 4th.
• Pontus!- closed between July 1st and August 11th. Their more casual Pocket is open all summer.
• Djuret- closed between June 20th and August 17th. During this time they have an outdoor grill restaurant called Svinet.
• Pubologi- closed between July1st and August 1st.
• Griffin's Steakhouse- closed between July 15th and July 31st.
• Niklas- closed between July 8th to August 6th. 
• Gastrologik- closed between July 21st and August 12th. Their casual, drop-in restaurant Speceriet will be closed the same time.
• Nostrano- closed between July 7th and July 24th. 

I will be adding to this list as I find more restaurants that close during the summer. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel this summer and are interested in a specific restaurant... just drop me a line. And remember, the Rival Bistro is open 365 evenings a year!

Fjäderholmarnas Krog- a good choice for summer!

Restaurants Closed During the Summer- 2013

Posted by zlatin

(EDIT: these dates are for 2013, for current information... click here!) Every summer, especially during late July and early August, visitors to Stockholm who are interested in haute cuisine are disappointed to find out that the top tier restaurants (Michelin rated and such) close for a few weeks. This is mainly due to the generous Swedish vacation rules and the fact that many top restaurants feel that they can't offer excellent service with summer replacement staff. Another reason, perhaps, is that most Stockholmers leave the city during this period and there aren't enough visiting "foodies" to fill these types of restaurants. At any rate, the good news is that several of these top tier restaurants have some other options during these weeks... and you always have a plethora of great summer restaurants to choose from!

• Restaurant Frantzén (former Frantzén/Lindeberg)- closed between July 14th and August 16th.
• Flying Elk- closed between July 14th and August 16th.
• Mathias Dahlgren- closed between July 12th and August 5th.
• Ekstedt- closed "second half of July and first half of August".
• Restaurant Jonas- closed between July 1st and August 9th. Their more casual Food & Wine Bar is closed from July 6th to August 1st. 
• Esperanto- closed between June 20th and August 9th. Instead they will have a "summer lounge" open with a scaled back menu.
• Lux Stockholm- closes on July 14th for the summer. Reopens?
• AG- closed between June 30th and August 4th.
• F12- closed between July 7th and August 7th. Their popular nightclub F12 Terrassen is open all summer!
• Smak på Restaurangen- closed between July 7th and August 7th.
• Le Rouge- closed between July 7th and August 12th. Their more casual Le Bar is open all summer.
• Grill- buffet only between July2nd and July 20th, after which they close through July 30th.
• Miss Voon- closed between July 7th and August 6th.
• Farang- closed between July 7th and July 28th.
• Operakällaren- closed between July 1st and August 6th. Their more casual Bakfickan is open all summer.
• Sjögräs- closed between July 14th and August 4th.
• Pontus!- closed between July 1st and August 11th. Their more casual Pocket is open all summer.
• Djuret- closed between June 20th and August 17th. During this time they have an outdoor grill restaurant called Svinet.
• Pubologi- closed between July1st and August 1st.
• Griffin's Steakhouse- closed between July 15th and July 31st.
• Niklas- closed between July 8th to August 6th. 
• Gastrologik- closed between July 21st and August 12th. Their casual, drop-in restaurant Speceriet will be closed the same time.
• Nostrano- closed between July 7th and July 24th. 

I will be adding to this list as I find more restaurants that close during the summer. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel this summer and are interested in a specific restaurant... just drop me a line. And remember, the Rival Bistro is open 365 evenings a year!

Fjäderholmarnas Krog- a good choice for summer!

A Taste of Stockholm & The National Holiday

There are so many things happening this week that I am killing two birds with one stone in this post...

Smaka på Stockholm, photo by Peter Backman

The first festival of the summer starts today and runs through Sunday, June 9th: A Taste of Stockholm (Smaka På Stockholm). This is one of my favorite festivals... especially if the weather cooperates! The festival takes place in the park Kungsträdgården and features 20 different local restaurants, representing a wide variety of cuisines: Swedish, Mexican, Vietmanese, Chinese, South American, Spanish and more. Besides the restaurants, there will be several bar tents to keep you hydrated as well as live music to keep you entertained! The festival is open each day from 11am to 11:30pm except on Sunday when they close at 10pm. This is a great chance have an inexpensive meal, do some people watching and listen to some good music.

Smaka på Stockholm, photo by Peter Backman

Tomorrow, Thursday June 6th, is the national holiday in Sweden (Nationaldagen). This is a bank holiday... which means that banks, liquor stores and smaller boutiques will be closed. This shouldn't be too noticeable for visitors as museums, restaurants (for the most part) and sightseeing tours will run as normal. If you want to celebrate the holiday (or watch Swedes celebrate), head to Skansen which is located on the island of Djurgården. There will be plenty of activities, flag waving and entertainment! Another great choice is to visit the Royal Palace where they are having an "open palace" (as oppsed to open house)... plenty of free activities and events all day long ending with the royal family's departure for Skansen in horse and carriage at 5:55pm. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me for further information about these two events/festivals. Happy Sweden Day!

A Taste of Stockholm & The National Holiday

Posted by zlatin

There are so many things happening this week that I am killing two birds with one stone in this post...

Smaka på Stockholm, photo by Peter Backman

The first festival of the summer starts today and runs through Sunday, June 9th: A Taste of Stockholm (Smaka På Stockholm). This is one of my favorite festivals... especially if the weather cooperates! The festival takes place in the park Kungsträdgården and features 20 different local restaurants, representing a wide variety of cuisines: Swedish, Mexican, Vietmanese, Chinese, South American, Spanish and more. Besides the restaurants, there will be several bar tents to keep you hydrated as well as live music to keep you entertained! The festival is open each day from 11am to 11:30pm except on Sunday when they close at 10pm. This is a great chance have an inexpensive meal, do some people watching and listen to some good music.

Smaka på Stockholm, photo by Peter Backman

Tomorrow, Thursday June 6th, is the national holiday in Sweden (Nationaldagen). This is a bank holiday... which means that banks, liquor stores and smaller boutiques will be closed. This shouldn't be too noticeable for visitors as museums, restaurants (for the most part) and sightseeing tours will run as normal. If you want to celebrate the holiday (or watch Swedes celebrate), head to Skansen which is located on the island of Djurgården. There will be plenty of activities, flag waving and entertainment! Another great choice is to visit the Royal Palace where they are having an "open palace" (as oppsed to open house)... plenty of free activities and events all day long ending with the royal family's departure for Skansen in horse and carriage at 5:55pm. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me for further information about these two events/festivals. Happy Sweden Day!

Helmut Newton at Fotografiska

The Stockholm museum of photography, Fotografiska, goes from strength to strength with their exhibitions. Annie Leibovitz, Christer Strömholm, Robert Maplethorpe and David LaChapelle have been some of their popular, past exhibitions. Yesterday was the premiere of their big, summer exhibition... a retrospective of the great fashion and portrait photographer Helmut Newton. I, of course, stopped by and checked it out.

Helmut Newton has always been one of my favorite photographers, so I was happy when the exhibition was announced. His work is very recognizable... either through the style, subject/model or both. The photographs, often in black & white, are almost always erotically charged and provocative. Sometimes through nudity or sometimes with an article of clothing that hints at slightly "kinky" sexual behaviour... women in men's clothing, corsets, leather or stiletto heels (some so high they resemble weapons). Nothing overt, just a nod and often with a sense of humour.

Fashion collaboration with Yves Saint Laurent

His models also tend to be Amazonian in appearance: strong, confident with impossibly long legs. Newton was one of the first fashion photographers that combined sex with fashion, collaborating with designers like Saint Laurent, Lagerfeld and Mugler in the pages of Vogue, Elle and Stern from the late 60's through the 90's. His photography does stir up debate (shouldn't all good art?). Was he a misogynist or did he celebrate powerful women? Was he living out his sexual fantasies through his art or just having a good laugh? Be aware that the exhibition does contain nudity! In fact, there is one whole room dedicated to his nudes.

Portrait of Salvador Dalí

Newton's portraits (also featured in this retrospective) are, as a group, a fantastic window on his era with subjects that younger generations might not recognize today: Salvador Dalí, Claus von Bülow, Yves Saint Laurent, Princess Caroline of Monaco and Andy Warhol among others. This exhibition runs all summer until September 29th. Fotografiska is located on the waterfront and easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... just a 15-20 minute walk, down to Slussen and then along the waterfront. An extra recommendation: be sure to visit their cafe/bar on the top floor for great views of the city and their gift shop on the ground floor.

Classic Newton. Defintely a "leg man".

Helmut Newton at Fotografiska

Posted by zlatin

The Stockholm museum of photography, Fotografiska, goes from strength to strength with their exhibitions. Annie Leibovitz, Christer Strömholm, Robert Maplethorpe and David LaChapelle have been some of their popular, past exhibitions. Yesterday was the premiere of their big, summer exhibition... a retrospective of the great fashion and portrait photographer Helmut Newton. I, of course, stopped by and checked it out.

Helmut Newton has always been one of my favorite photographers, so I was happy when the exhibition was announced. His work is very recognizable... either through the style, subject/model or both. The photographs, often in black & white, are almost always erotically charged and provocative. Sometimes through nudity or sometimes with an article of clothing that hints at slightly "kinky" sexual behaviour... women in men's clothing, corsets, leather or stiletto heels (some so high they resemble weapons). Nothing overt, just a nod and often with a sense of humour.

Fashion collaboration with Yves Saint Laurent

His models also tend to be Amazonian in appearance: strong, confident with impossibly long legs. Newton was one of the first fashion photographers that combined sex with fashion, collaborating with designers like Saint Laurent, Lagerfeld and Mugler in the pages of Vogue, Elle and Stern from the late 60's through the 90's. His photography does stir up debate (shouldn't all good art?). Was he a misogynist or did he celebrate powerful women? Was he living out his sexual fantasies through his art or just having a good laugh? Be aware that the exhibition does contain nudity! In fact, there is one whole room dedicated to his nudes.

Portrait of Salvador Dalí

Newton's portraits (also featured in this retrospective) are, as a group, a fantastic window on his era with subjects that younger generations might not recognize today: Salvador Dalí, Claus von Bülow, Yves Saint Laurent, Princess Caroline of Monaco and Andy Warhol among others. This exhibition runs all summer until September 29th. Fotografiska is located on the waterfront and easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... just a 15-20 minute walk, down to Slussen and then along the waterfront. An extra recommendation: be sure to visit their cafe/bar on the top floor for great views of the city and their gift shop on the ground floor.

Classic Newton. Defintely a "leg man".