Valborg (Walpurgis) Celebrations in Stockholm

Photo by Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se

Tonight is Valborgmässoafton (or Walpurgis Eve) here in Sweden! This is a great, traditional spring celebration where Swedes gather in the evening, light bonfires and sing traditional songs. Tomorrow, May 1st, is a bank holiday (International Workers Day) so younger celebrants can get a little rowdy. But it is all in good fun. There are official bonfires being lit tonight throughout the city, but if you are staying at the Rival Hotel then there are two that are conveniently close to the hotel... if you wish to witness and partake in the festivities.

Valborg at Skansen, photo by Dan Larsson

The first is in Gamla Stan and Riddarholmen. A torch procession starts at the square Stortorget in Gamla Stan at 8:10pm and winds its way through the old town to Riddarholmen where the bonfire will be lit at 8:30pm. There will be entertainemnt in the form of an orchestra, choir, open microphone and fireworks. They will start selling torches at Stortorget at 7:45pm if you wish to be part of the procession. The second celebration is at Skansen on the island of Djurgården. There will be things (concerts, speeches) going on all afternoon and early evening... but the all important bonfire will be lit at 9pm. Happy Spring!

Valborg (Walpurgis) Celebrations in Stockholm

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se

Tonight is Valborgmässoafton (or Walpurgis Eve) here in Sweden! This is a great, traditional spring celebration where Swedes gather in the evening, light bonfires and sing traditional songs. Tomorrow, May 1st, is a bank holiday (International Workers Day) so younger celebrants can get a little rowdy. But it is all in good fun. There are official bonfires being lit tonight throughout the city, but if you are staying at the Rival Hotel then there are two that are conveniently close to the hotel... if you wish to witness and partake in the festivities.

Valborg at Skansen, photo by Dan Larsson

The first is in Gamla Stan and Riddarholmen. A torch procession starts at the square Stortorget in Gamla Stan at 8:10pm and winds its way through the old town to Riddarholmen where the bonfire will be lit at 8:30pm. There will be entertainemnt in the form of an orchestra, choir, open microphone and fireworks. They will start selling torches at Stortorget at 7:45pm if you wish to be part of the procession. The second celebration is at Skansen on the island of Djurgården. There will be things (concerts, speeches) going on all afternoon and early evening... but the all important bonfire will be lit at 9pm. Happy Spring!

The World's Top 50 Restaurants- 2014

Chef Group Shot © The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014 sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna and onEdition Photography, the official photographers for 2014

So far this season, I have reported on the Gulddraken awards, Stockholm Steakhouse awards, White Guide and Michelin Guide. Now it is time for the last restaurant awards of the season... the World's Top 50 Restaurants. Organized by Restaurant Magazine, this list is created through voting by the 900 strong Diners Club® World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. This academy is made up of international leaders in the restaurant industry.

Interior Restaurant Frantzén. Photo by Martin Botvidsson

This year's list has been a mixed bag for Swedish restaurants. Fäviken Magasinet, located in the northern county of Jämtland, has moved up the list to #19 (from #34 last year). For Stockholm restaurants, Frantzén moved down a few notches, from #12 last year to #23 this year. I believe that this is just a temporary "setback" for the restaurant (they changed from Frantzén/Lindeberg to Frantzén last year, shortly after the 2013 list was announced), and next year they will climb back up. And 23rd best restaurant in the world is definitely something to be proud of! I have eaten there myself and it was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had... sadly it was before I started writing this blog, so no article.
Please keep in mind that dining at Frantzén requires some pre-planing and booking in advance! If you are going to be staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me directly for help in reserving a table.

Björn Frantzén. Photo by Fredrik Skogkvist.

I can't write this article without congratulating our Scandinavian neighbors... Noma, in Copenhagen, regained their #1 spot this year. Fantastic good news for Nordic cuisine in general! And don't forget, the Bocuse d'Or Europe competition will be held in Stockholm in May (more to come on that).

The World's Top 50 Restaurants- 2014

Posted by zlatin

Chef Group Shot © The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014 sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna and onEdition Photography, the official photographers for 2014

So far this season, I have reported on the Gulddraken awards, Stockholm Steakhouse awards, White Guide and Michelin Guide. Now it is time for the last restaurant awards of the season... the World's Top 50 Restaurants. Organized by Restaurant Magazine, this list is created through voting by the 900 strong Diners Club® World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. This academy is made up of international leaders in the restaurant industry.

Interior Restaurant Frantzén. Photo by Martin Botvidsson

This year's list has been a mixed bag for Swedish restaurants. Fäviken Magasinet, located in the northern county of Jämtland, has moved up the list to #19 (from #34 last year). For Stockholm restaurants, Frantzén moved down a few notches, from #12 last year to #23 this year. I believe that this is just a temporary "setback" for the restaurant (they changed from Frantzén/Lindeberg to Frantzén last year, shortly after the 2013 list was announced), and next year they will climb back up. And 23rd best restaurant in the world is definitely something to be proud of! I have eaten there myself and it was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had... sadly it was before I started writing this blog, so no article.
Please keep in mind that dining at Frantzén requires some pre-planing and booking in advance! If you are going to be staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me directly for help in reserving a table.

Björn Frantzén. Photo by Fredrik Skogkvist.

I can't write this article without congratulating our Scandinavian neighbors... Noma, in Copenhagen, regained their #1 spot this year. Fantastic good news for Nordic cuisine in general! And don't forget, the Bocuse d'Or Europe competition will be held in Stockholm in May (more to come on that).

Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm- 2014

(EDIT: Click here for this year's information) This Saturday, April 26th, is the fifth annual Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. It has become quite popular! So, what exactly is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. To break it down in numbers, this festival will have almost 400 events taking place at over 1000 different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

The After Party last year! Photo by Robert Höglund/Kulturnatt

There is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a list of venues, with a map, to download in English on their website (click here), just scroll down to "information". More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program with actual events can be found by clicking here.

The official After Party (live music, DJ's, dancing), with free admission of course, will take place at the iconic Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset)... where the Nobel dinner/party takes place every year. It starts at 10:30pm and goes on to 3am. Last year they had over 7000 people at the party. The City Hall is located on Kungsholmen. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can explain in more detail about the different events. Otherwise, stop by the Stockholm Visitor Center or Visit Djurgården for more detailed information about what is happening!

Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm- 2014

Posted by zlatin

(EDIT: Click here for this year's information) This Saturday, April 26th, is the fifth annual Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. It has become quite popular! So, what exactly is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. To break it down in numbers, this festival will have almost 400 events taking place at over 1000 different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

The After Party last year! Photo by Robert Höglund/Kulturnatt

There is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a list of venues, with a map, to download in English on their website (click here), just scroll down to "information". More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program with actual events can be found by clicking here.

The official After Party (live music, DJ's, dancing), with free admission of course, will take place at the iconic Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset)... where the Nobel dinner/party takes place every year. It starts at 10:30pm and goes on to 3am. Last year they had over 7000 people at the party. The City Hall is located on Kungsholmen. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can explain in more detail about the different events. Otherwise, stop by the Stockholm Visitor Center or Visit Djurgården for more detailed information about what is happening!

Urban Deli in SoFo

Nytorget square...

There have been many travel articles comparing Brooklyn with Stockholm, especially the Södermalm neighborhood. I'm not sure whether it is similar gentrification projects, hipster culture, fashion or some type of combination that is the main reason for this comparison. The BBC recently reported that Stockholm was in love with Brooklyn, which was met with consternation by some locals. In 2012, Out Traveler voted Stockholm as the Style Capital of the World, with Brooklyn coming in 2nd place. There is even a Brooklyn Bar in the Hornstull neighbourhood. You will have to decide yourself how the two cities compare. Why am I babbling about this? Well, last week I visited a restaurant that I feel epitomizes this Brooklyn in Stockholm vibe: Urban Deli.

The deli of Urban Deli.

Urban Deli is located on the quaint square Nytorget in the heart of the SoFo district of Södermalm. They have also opened at a second location in the suburbs (Sickla). Urban Deli is a restaurant, bar, bakery, grocery store and, of course, a deli... all under one roof. It is very popular, both with the locals and visitors to the SoFo neighborhood. The bakery is well known for its freshly baked sourdough bread, but they also have a wide assortment of pastries and other breads. In the deli you will find delicious cheeses, sausages, meats, shellfish and more. They also do special events... everything from poetry readings to beer tasting.

Looking down on the bar and restaurant.

 The menu in the restaurant is filled with produce from their deli and I would describe the cuisine as Swedish/International. They were having a special Italian week when I was there with a friend last week, so the menu was all Italian. Their website is in Swedish but, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, talk to me and I can let you know if they are having any special events or menus while you are visiting. As I mentioned, they are very popular and this, coupled with the fact that they don't accept reservations, means you might have to wait for a table. We had to wait 30 minutes or so for our table, which was fine as the bar is a great place to people watch and enjoy a pint of Brooklyn Lager (what else?). They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner... 7 days a week so you have plenty of options to visit them!

View of the deli and grocery store from restaurant.

They are also one of the stops on Food Tours Stockholm's tour of SoFo restaurants, which is a fun way to sample food from a variety of eateries in the neighborhood. Urban Deli is located on the same island (Södermalm) as the Rival Hotel... so it is just a 20 minute walk from the hotel. Otherwise the nearest subway station is Skanstull (green line).

Urban Deli in SoFo

Posted by zlatin

Nytorget square...

There have been many travel articles comparing Brooklyn with Stockholm, especially the Södermalm neighborhood. I'm not sure whether it is similar gentrification projects, hipster culture, fashion or some type of combination that is the main reason for this comparison. The BBC recently reported that Stockholm was in love with Brooklyn, which was met with consternation by some locals. In 2012, Out Traveler voted Stockholm as the Style Capital of the World, with Brooklyn coming in 2nd place. There is even a Brooklyn Bar in the Hornstull neighbourhood. You will have to decide yourself how the two cities compare. Why am I babbling about this? Well, last week I visited a restaurant that I feel epitomizes this Brooklyn in Stockholm vibe: Urban Deli.

The deli of Urban Deli.

Urban Deli is located on the quaint square Nytorget in the heart of the SoFo district of Södermalm. They have also opened at a second location in the suburbs (Sickla). Urban Deli is a restaurant, bar, bakery, grocery store and, of course, a deli... all under one roof. It is very popular, both with the locals and visitors to the SoFo neighborhood. The bakery is well known for its freshly baked sourdough bread, but they also have a wide assortment of pastries and other breads. In the deli you will find delicious cheeses, sausages, meats, shellfish and more. They also do special events... everything from poetry readings to beer tasting.

Looking down on the bar and restaurant.

 The menu in the restaurant is filled with produce from their deli and I would describe the cuisine as Swedish/International. They were having a special Italian week when I was there with a friend last week, so the menu was all Italian. Their website is in Swedish but, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, talk to me and I can let you know if they are having any special events or menus while you are visiting. As I mentioned, they are very popular and this, coupled with the fact that they don't accept reservations, means you might have to wait for a table. We had to wait 30 minutes or so for our table, which was fine as the bar is a great place to people watch and enjoy a pint of Brooklyn Lager (what else?). They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner... 7 days a week so you have plenty of options to visit them!

View of the deli and grocery store from restaurant.

They are also one of the stops on Food Tours Stockholm's tour of SoFo restaurants, which is a fun way to sample food from a variety of eateries in the neighborhood. Urban Deli is located on the same island (Södermalm) as the Rival Hotel... so it is just a 20 minute walk from the hotel. Otherwise the nearest subway station is Skanstull (green line).

Easter in Stockholm- 2014

Photo by Henrik Trygg/mediabank.visitstockholm.com

(EDIT- for updated information for 2015, click here!) To start off with... the Swedish word for Easter is Påsk (good to know when visiting the city this week). While Sweden is one of the least religious countries in the world, it has loads of bank holidays that are religious in origin. On Easter weekend we have two bank holidays (besides the obvious Easter Sunday, or Påskdagen): Good Friday (Långfredag) and the Monday following Easter Sunday (Annandag Påsk). Even Thursday (Skärtorsdag) is somewhat special as many office workers take a half day off ahead of their 4 day holiday. Once upon a time this meant that the city came to a standstill for 4 days... but these days it isn't that bad. Banks, liquor stores, cafés and smaller shops will be closed or have changed opening hours. Many restaurants, most larger department stores and shopping centers will be open as normal. Though perhaps with shortened opening hours. The Rival Bistro, Bar and Café are all open all weekend long!

Easter Lunch!
Photo by Marie Andersson/Skansen

As for museums... the big ones (Vasa, Fotografiska, ABBA, Skansen and Moderna) are open as normal. Some others are closed on Friday (April 18th); these include the Royal Palace, The Royal Armoury, Maritime (Sjöhistoriska) and Army museums. The History Museum (Historiska) is closed on both Friday and Saturday. While these closures can be bad news, there is some good news as well. Monday is a day in Sweden when many museums are closed, however some of these museums are staying open on Monday, April 21st, as it is a holiday. They include Army, Artipelag, History, Medieval, Millesgården, Natural History, Stockholm City and Drottningholm Palace.  Keep in mind that I haven't checked ALL the museums in Stockholm... just the top 20 or so of the 85 museums in the city. Talk to me directly, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, or check the individual websites if you are interested in other, smaller museums. Sightseeing tours operate as normal.

Children dressed up as Easter witches (påskkärringar)
Photo by Marie Andersson/Skansen

If you want to experience Swedish Easter traditions then you should definitely visit Skansen (open-air museum, park and zoo). Don't be surprised if you see little children dressed up as cute witches (påskkärringar)! Here you can learn about, watch, listen to or partake in traditional Easter activities. These are all of special interest if you have children with you. They also have an Easter Market, open (11am to 4pm) from Thursday to Monday, where you can purchase traditional Easter handicraft, decorations, toys and food. For a full calendar of activities at Skansen... click here. I did mention that Sweden isn't a very religious country, but that doesn't mean that it is devoid of religion! There are, of course, many churches (mainly Lutheran and Catholic) that have special Easter services and masses. Contact me directly, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, for service/mass times at different churches. Several churches offer services in languages other than Swedish. More Easter tips! And even more tips...

Scene from Skansen. Photo by me!

Easter in Stockholm- 2014

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Henrik Trygg/mediabank.visitstockholm.com

(EDIT- for updated information for 2015, click here!) To start off with... the Swedish word for Easter is Påsk (good to know when visiting the city this week). While Sweden is one of the least religious countries in the world, it has loads of bank holidays that are religious in origin. On Easter weekend we have two bank holidays (besides the obvious Easter Sunday, or Påskdagen): Good Friday (Långfredag) and the Monday following Easter Sunday (Annandag Påsk). Even Thursday (Skärtorsdag) is somewhat special as many office workers take a half day off ahead of their 4 day holiday. Once upon a time this meant that the city came to a standstill for 4 days... but these days it isn't that bad. Banks, liquor stores, cafés and smaller shops will be closed or have changed opening hours. Many restaurants, most larger department stores and shopping centers will be open as normal. Though perhaps with shortened opening hours. The Rival Bistro, Bar and Café are all open all weekend long!

Easter Lunch!
Photo by Marie Andersson/Skansen

As for museums... the big ones (Vasa, Fotografiska, ABBA, Skansen and Moderna) are open as normal. Some others are closed on Friday (April 18th); these include the Royal Palace, The Royal Armoury, Maritime (Sjöhistoriska) and Army museums. The History Museum (Historiska) is closed on both Friday and Saturday. While these closures can be bad news, there is some good news as well. Monday is a day in Sweden when many museums are closed, however some of these museums are staying open on Monday, April 21st, as it is a holiday. They include Army, Artipelag, History, Medieval, Millesgården, Natural History, Stockholm City and Drottningholm Palace.  Keep in mind that I haven't checked ALL the museums in Stockholm... just the top 20 or so of the 85 museums in the city. Talk to me directly, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, or check the individual websites if you are interested in other, smaller museums. Sightseeing tours operate as normal.

Children dressed up as Easter witches (påskkärringar)
Photo by Marie Andersson/Skansen

If you want to experience Swedish Easter traditions then you should definitely visit Skansen (open-air museum, park and zoo). Don't be surprised if you see little children dressed up as cute witches (påskkärringar)! Here you can learn about, watch, listen to or partake in traditional Easter activities. These are all of special interest if you have children with you. They also have an Easter Market, open (11am to 4pm) from Thursday to Monday, where you can purchase traditional Easter handicraft, decorations, toys and food. For a full calendar of activities at Skansen... click here. I did mention that Sweden isn't a very religious country, but that doesn't mean that it is devoid of religion! There are, of course, many churches (mainly Lutheran and Catholic) that have special Easter services and masses. Contact me directly, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, for service/mass times at different churches. Several churches offer services in languages other than Swedish. More Easter tips! And even more tips...

Scene from Skansen. Photo by me!