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Showing posts with label Skansen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Skansen. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 17, 2013

This Weekend!

December 17th, 18th and 19th

The Winer Solstice is next Wednesday (Dec. 22nd). This the year's shortest/darkest day... but I think we can find some things going on in the city that might lighten the weekend for you!

  • They are celebrating the Winter Solstice in true pagan style at Skansen this weekend with "ice & fire" show. It will take place on the Solliden stage at 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Take advantage and visit their Christmas market... it is the last weekend they will be having it!
  • If you are a dog person then I have the perfect event for you... the Swedish Kennel Club has their FCI International dog show this weekend. It will be taking place at the International Fairgrounds in Älvsjö. Thousands of dogs on show and competing.
  • Advent Calendars are very popular in Sweden. Decorative pictures with little windows which you open once a day revealing an image or a poem. The Old Town (Gamla Stan) is having a living Advent Calendar this year. Everyday a window opens at a different adress in the Old Town to reval a choir, a singer, musicians or other artists. The windows open at 6:15pm, except on Christmas Eve when it opens at 11:30am. Their website is in Swedish, but there you will find a map showing the different addresses and dates.
  • The Maxim Theater is putting on a performance of Dicken's A Christmas Carol. Performances start on December 20th and run through January 8th (no show on the 24th, 25th and Jan 1st). It is a British cast, so the show is in English! If you are staying at the Rival Hotel then, contact me and I can help you with tickets.
The weather this weekend? Lots of snow, with temperatures between 0 and -5 degrees Celsius. Colder air expected on Sunday evening. Good news... it is pretty much official now: Stockholm will be having a white Christmas this year! (Both pictures here were taken outside of the hotel this morning)

AN christmas, Skansen, weekend
Wednesday, December 11, 2013

St Lucia Day

Photo: Marie Andersson, Skansen
(EDIT: Click here for information regarding 2013 Lucia) This Monday, December 13th, is St Lucia Day... an important day is the Swedish holiday calendar and one of the most beautiful of Swedish traditions. The main tradition is that of a parade of white clad singers holding a candle, led by a young woman (Lucia) with a wreath of candles in her hair. They sing the Lucia song while entering, followed by Christmas carols. This procession will take place in homes, schools and churches all through Sweden on Monday. In homes the processions are made up of the children in the family coming into their parents room in the morning. Elsewhere the Lucia is often elected. Check out videos on youtube to get a better idea of the ceremony.
Photo: Marie Andersson, Skansen
As a visitor to Stockholm, your best chance of witnessing this tradition is either in a church or at Skansen. Churches can have one or two processions/concerts during the afternoon and evening. There is generally an admission fee and tickets should be bought ahead of time as this is quite a popular event. While churches provide perhaps the most beautiful setting, the downside is that the church service will be generally done in Swedish and may be a bit hard for tourists to understand! The other option is Skansen. This is Stockholm's outdoor cultural museum and zoo and a great place to experience genuine Swedish traditions. Here you will find Lucia celebrations going on all day and into the evening... There will be four Lucia concerts in the Seglora church (12:30, 2:00, 3:30 and 5pm), otherwise the main Lucia procession & concert (with the official Lucia of Sweden) will be at the Solliden stage at 6pm. Please remember that most of Skansen is outdoors, so dress accordingly! The easiest way to get to Skansen from the Rival Hotel is to take the Djurgårds Ferry from Slussen (a 10 minute walk from the hotel).
Photo: Henrik Trygg, Stockholms Visitors Board
AN christmas, religion, Skansen, tradition
Sunday, November 24, 2013

Christmas Markets in Stockholm

Middle of Gamla Stan


 The dates and times here are for 2013- for 2011, click here!
Now that the holidays are around the corner, Christmas Markets (julmarknader) are starting to pop up around the city... and today your intrepid blogger braved the first winter storm to visit the market in the Old Town to make a report. The christmas market that is located in the main square of the Old Town (Stortorget i Gamla Stan) is the quintessential market and the first to open for the season. It is open daily from 11am to 6pm until December 23rd. Here you can purchase ceramics, hand-made candles, Swedish christmas decorations, arts & craft of the Sami, winter accessories, sausages, fresh baked bread and mustards & jams. There's a lot to snack on as well... hot dogs, waffles, candy and Swedish mulled wine (glögg). It's the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit! Free entrance and just a 12 minute walk from the Rival Hotel.
Santas and...

Another great market is the one at Skansen which is located on Djurgården. This christmas market is open on Saturdays & Sundays from 10am to 4pm up until Christmas. Otherwise there are a lot of Christmassy things going on during the weekdays... Skansen, as always, is the perfect place to experience Swedish traditions. There is an entrance fee to enter the park.

angels.
Kungsträdgården, located right in the middle of the city, has a christmas market as well which is open on weekends, but from the 4th of December will be open daily from 11am to 6pm. The advantage of this market is that it is a stone's throw from serious shopping, like the NK department store, and Santa Claus (jultomten) visits every Saturday & Sunday during the markets opening hours. You can also take in some outdoor ice skating as well. No entrance fee!

A market quite close to the Rival Hotel is located in SoFo. During the autumn it is a farmers market but for the first three Saturdays in December (10am to 3pm) it turns into a Farmers Christmas Market.
Other markets include the one at Beckmans School of Design on Decemebr 11th & 12th and the market at the Royal Stables on November 26th through 28th. Contact me for more detailed information.


wreaths
Another option is to visit a christmas market outside of the city... plenty to choose from! Strömma Sightseeing offers day trips to the island of Utö. They serve breakfast on the way out and, after 2½ hours visiting the market and village, they serve a Christmas buffet on the boat trip back. The trip lasts from 10am to 6pm and costs 850 SEK. There are also markets going on in Sigtuna on the 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas, Dalarö from November 27th to December 19th and in Jungfrusund on the weekend of December 4th & 5th.


AN archipelago, christmas, Gamla Stan, shopping, Skansen, tradition
Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Autumn Markets, Vintage Clothes and Beer & Whisky!

If you are coming to Stockholm this coming weekend (September 27th to 29th) then you chose a great time to visit Stockholm with lots going on in the city!
Photo by Anna Yu, Skansen
A personal favorite is the Autumn Fair at Skansen, which is located on the island of Djurgården. This is an annual event taking place during the last weekend of September... a traditional autumn market with a historical feel. The market takes place on both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Not only can you purchase this season's honey, marmalades, breads, cheeses and vegetables, you can also meet the farmers and other historical characters associated with farmer markets. Besides edible treats, you will find textiles, woodwork and other handicraft for sale. There will be traditional market games as well as live music. You can also try the oh-so-Swedish split pea soup. I mention this as I often get asked where one can try this traditional dish. So the answer is Skansen this weekend! After the market, make sure you don't miss having a walk around Skansen... both to see the village as well as the zoo with Scandinavian animals like moose, seals, reindeer, bears and more!
bakatframat.se
Another annual event this weekend is the Vintage Clothes Fair (Vintagemässan) taking place on both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. The best vintage clothes stores from all over Sweden are represented at the fair, which takes place at Drottninggatan 81. Entrance to the fair costs 60 SEK. While their website, which I linked to above, is in Swedish, there are some great pictures (for inspiration) of clothes and accessories which will be on sale at the fair.
stockholmbeer.se
Finally... if marmalade and vintage dresses don't do it for you, then you can always stop by the Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival! This a popular annual event attracting visitors in tens of thousands every year. As if beer & whisky wasn't enough... for the third year in a row there will be a sister festival going on next door called Taste Experience which concentrates on wine, champagne, rum, tequila and calvados! The entrance fee (250 SEK) gets you into both festivals. The festivals take place on Friday through Sunday. But if you can't make it this weekend, then you have another chance on October 3rd through 5th! Click here for specific opening hours, ticket prices as well as directions. At the festivals you will find tastings, classes, exhibitors, competitions, restaurants and bars. Please note that you need to be at least 20 years of age to enter the festival grounds. The festival takes place at Nackamässan in Nacka Strand. The easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel is by taking bus 443 from Slussen (10 minute ride). Stop by and talk to me if you are staying at the hotel and I can give you more detailed directions.

AN alcohol, fashion, festival, shopping, Skansen
Sunday, September 22, 2013

Calendar: Fall Market & Bleak Roe Festival

September 25th and 26th- The wonderful, outdoor cultural museum Skansen is having their yearly Fall Market this weekend. Take a trip back in time and experience a traditional Swedish fall market as they were 100 years ago. At the market you can buy everything from traditional textiles, woodwork and toys to honey, jams, vegetables and candy. There will be plenty entertainment in the form of song, dance, games and performers. The market takes place on both Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm. While you are there, take the opportunity to wander around the zoo and see the Scandinavian animals. Entrance costs 100 SEK (40 SEK for children and 80 SEK for seniors). Free entrance with the Stockholm Card. To get there: Bus 47 or a street car/tram from Normalmstorg or else the Djurgård ferry from Slussen or Nybroviken.

September 23rd to 29th- I have written earlier about all of the amazing fresh Swedish produce that can be found in menus this fall. One of these is bleak roe (löjrom in Swedish)... a tasty Swedish caviar from northern Sweden. A true Swedish delicacy! The restaurant Riche is having their annual Bleak Roe Festival (Löjromsfestivalen) this week... which means a menu filled with creative uses of the roe, besides the traditional toast with creme fraiche, onion and chives. The fishing season starts September 20th... so the roe will be at its freshest this week! Riche is located in the downtown area and is open for dinner Monday through Saturday. The closest subway is Östermalmstorg (red line).
AN Djurgården, festivals, restaurants, Skansen
Thursday, July 18, 2013

Rosendal's Garden



Last week, when we walked around Djurgårds Canal, we stopped at Rosendal's Garden (Rosendals trädgård) for a light lunch. Located on the island of Djurgården, behind Skansen, Rosendal is an open garden with orchards, vinyards and roses as well as greenhouses. They have a great café where you can get a lighter lunch, salads, sandwiches or cakes and cookies. All of the food is made using organic produce and the vegetables come from their garden and the bread is fresh from their bakery. One nice detail is that you can either eat indoors, in the garden or take your tray out to the orchard and use the picnic tables. There is also a cute shop where you can buy selected organic foods, bread from the bakery, oils & vinaegers as well as ceramics. Many tourist sites, like Skansen and the Nordic and Vasa Museums, are nearby. To get there just walk along the north coast of the island from the Nordic Museum and follow the signs for Rosendal. Their summer opening hours are from 11am to 5pm weekdays and 11am to 6pm on the weekend.
If you are more in the mood for a sit-down lunch then I would suggest Rosendals Wärdshus or Sturegård, which are both located in the vicinity of the gardens and offer both indoor and outdoor seating.
AN Djurgården, lunch, restaurants, Skansen
Saturday, June 22, 2013

Tip #9 - Midsummer in Stockholm



(Edit: Please note that this blog entry is from 2013, for 2013 blog entry click here!).
Poor tourists! Every year they wander around Stockholm Midsummer weekend (June 25th to 27th) wondering why the city has been turned into a ghost town. They don't understand that Midsummer rivals Christmas when it comes to a holiday that is celebrated with family and friends. Many stores and restaurants close as Stockholmers head to their countryside homes to celebrate in true pagan style. But, not to fear... there are still plenty of things to do this weekend!
The best bet is to head to Skansen park. There you can witness the traditional Swedish Midsummer celebration... singing, dancing around the maypole, games and much more. Open between 10am and 10pm, there will be celebrations going on all day and evening long. For more information about prices and how to get there, check my earlier blog entry about the park.


There will also be festivities occuring at Vasa park, in the Vasastan neighborhood, starting at 12pm. Fun for the whole family! Otherwise, get into a boat and head to the nearby island of Fjäderholmarna or the town of Vaxholm. Public festivities will be happening at both places. But... be aware of when the last boat goes back to Stockholm so you don't get stuck there!

Here are some special opening hours of some museums this weekend (Skansen is open all weekend):
The NK department store will be open on Friday until 2pm and then closed the rest of the weekend. All sightseeing tours will carry on as normal! For other opening hours, contact the hotel reception.
AN festival, midsummer, Museums, Skansen, tip
Monday, June 10, 2013

Skansen

When tourists ask me what they should see/do if they are only in Stockholm for one day, I usually say that they shouldn't miss The Vasa Museum and, especially if it is good weather, Skansen.
Skansen is a combination park, outdoor cultural museum and zoo. It is located on a hill on the island of Djurgården (where many other attractions are located). Founded in 1891, Skansen is the world's oldest open-air museum and one of the most popular attractions in Stockholm. The founder, Artur Hazelius, had around 150 buildings (from churches to manors to farmhouses) from different parts of Sweden shipped to the museum piece by piece... so you get a real feel for traditional Sweden. The buildings are all open to the public and there are usually people in traditional dress there to explain a little about the building and the traditions.
Skansen is also the perfect place to see how Swedish traditions and holidays are celebrated (Easter, Christmas, Midsummer, etc;). They have great Christmas and Easter markets every year. I was just there on June 6th which is the Swedish national holiday... park-goers were there waving their flags and having picnics. The king and queen were also there in the evening, front-row at a traditional concert.
The zoo is spread throughout the park with everything from exotic farm animals to Scandinavian wild animals like wolves, seals, bears, moose and reindeer. It really is fun for the whole family!
Skansen is open daily, year-round and entrance costs 120 SEK (50 SEK for children and 100 SEK for seniors). Free entrance with the Stockholm Card.
To get there: Bus 47 or a street car/tram from Normalmstorg or else the Djurgård ferry from Slussen or Nybroviken.
AN children, Djurgården, museum, park, Skansen, stockholm card
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