Brunch Cruise with Strömma

Yesterday, a colleague and I were invited by Strömma to try out their popular brunch cruise in the archipelago. This is a sightseeing boat cruise of the (inner) archipelago that they offer every Saturday and Sunday (year round) on the beautiful boat s/s Stockholm, which was built in 1931.

s/s Stockholm at berth

The brunch is a mix of Swedish smörgåsbord favorites (like a variety of herring, gravad salmon, smoked salmon, arctic shrimp, ham, sausages, Jansson's Temptation, patés and meatballs) and popular brunch dishes (eggs & bacon, several sallads, chicken drumsticks and grilled vegetables). But don't eat too much as they have a really nice dessert table that you won't want to miss... cheeses, mousses, parfaits, cookies, pies and fruit sallad.

A very Swedish brunch buffet...

The cruise itself is about 3 hours long and takes you through the inner Stockholm archipelago, about as far as the town of Vaxholm. The route is very picturesque no matter the season, though I would say that summer is the best... that is really when the archipelago comes to life. However a snowy landscape in the winter or a colorful autumn vista can also be quite spectacular. We have no snow or ice right now (a mild winter to say the least) and I was afraid that it would be a little dreary, but the grey, misty weather had its own haunting beauty.

This is a great way to combine several popular experiences in one fell swoop: brunch, Swedish cuisine, sightseeing and the natural wonder of the Stockholm archipelago. The boat departs at 12 noon every Saturday and Sunday from berth 16 on Strandvägen. The cost (boat trip & brunch) is 450 SEK for adults, half price for children between 6 and 11 and free for children under 6 years of age. Tickets can be purchased at a Strömma ticket office, online or, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, you can talk to me and I can book your brunch cruise... or any of the other sightseeing options offered by Strömma. Click here for tour information, including menu, route, timetables and more.

The archipelago on a summer's day!

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AN archipelago, boat, lunch, sightseeing, strömma

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.



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AN archipelago, christmas, Gamla Stan, shopping, Skansen, tradition

Winter Sightseeing With Strömma

Strömma is Stockholm's premiere sightseeing company and last night a colleague and I attended their pre-winter party... a nice evening on their boats where they presented their winter offers and tours.
The Archipelago Tour w/ Guide continues through the winter taking visitors a bit out in the archipelago leaving each Saturday & Sunday at noon. During the winter Strömma adds a special Winter Tour several times a day from December 21st until April 7th (yes our winters can last that long!). The tour takes you through the Stockholm port and out to the islands of Fjäderholmarna... running about 1 hour and 15 minutes. There is food and drink available onboard and the cost is 190 SEK, half price for children between 6 and 11.

Photo by Magnus Rietz

A special Swedish Christmas tradition is the julbord, a holiday version of the classic smörgåsbord. Strömma gives you the opportunity to combine the julbord with a boat tour. Between November 25th and December 22nd, several boats a day will take guests through Stockholm and out among the islands all the while they enjoy a traditional Christmas feast. Four different boats leave at several times during the day... at noon, in the afternoon or in the evening. The cost runs from 425 SEK up to 675 SEK, depending on the time of day. There is also a special Christmas by Light tour that stays close to the city... you can enjoy an American/Swedish Christmas buffet while admiring the Christmas light displays along the waterfront. This is offered from November 30th through December 21st and the cost is 675 SEK per person.

Photo by Magnus Rietz

While many of the traditional sightseeing boat tours take a break during the winter season, remember that the Panorama bus tour runs year round!

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AN archipelago, boat, christmas, sightseeing, strömma, winter

Visiting the Archipelago (part 2)

The Archipelago Travel Agency!

Click here for part 1. While I am a pretty fabulous concierge and can give you a lot of information about Stockholm, the archipelago is another matter. I know of the main islands, a few hidden gems, guided tours as well as trips out with the Cinderella boats. But the Stockholm Archipelago has over 30,000 islands and it takes a real expert to help you plan a unique trip to the islands... especially if you want to get away from the crowded islands, have special requests, book packages and/or want to stay the night on an island. To get this expert help, contact the good people at Visit Skärgården (skärgården is the Swedish word for archipelago) either by visiting their website or by dropping by their archipelago travel agency... located right on the water on Strandvägen in the downtown area. Here you can also find brochures and other reading material regarding the different islands, lodgings as well as time tables for boats. They are open to 4pm everyday during the summer and you can also contact them at info@visitskargarden.se

A Waxholmsbolaget boat waiting at Strömkajen to take passengers.

In Part 1, I mentioned the company Waxholmsbolaget. This is the company that run the boats that function as "busses" for the archipelago. I just used them to visit friends at their summer house on the island of Ljusterö so I thought I would add a little more about them. With these boats you can travel to many of the islands in the archipelago... including the ones that aren't visited by hordes of vacationers. These boats are often used by residents of the islands. Be aware that many of the islands have a pier or two where Waxholmsbolaget's boats stop, but the pier may be a long walk away from any civilization (restaurants, hotels, inns, cafés, etc;). So make sure you do your research ahead of time, like talking to the abovementioned Archipelago Travel Agency, before just jumping off a boat at a random island.

Nearing the town of Vaxholm.

Boats depart from Strömkajen, just opposite from the Royal Palace, and most boats go first to the town of Vaxholm. From there you can transfer to other boats which head out in every direction. You buy your ticket onboard (no option to pre-purchase tickets)... and get there a little early to make sure you get a good seat! What you can purchase ahead of time are their 5 day and season cards, which allow you to island hop to your heart's content. One warning: you almost need a PhD in symbology to decipher their time schedules. The time schedules can be found on their website (in Swedish), at their offices on Strömkajen, or at the Visit Skärgård offices (where they can help you decipher them).

Waiting for the boat at the pier on Ljusterö

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Restaurant- Fjäderholmarnas Krog

A couple of days ago I took my parents to one of my favorite summer restaurants: Fjäderholmarnas Krog. The restaurant is located in an island group called Fjäderholmarna, just outside the city in the beginning of the archipeligo. It takes a 30 minute boat ride to get there and there are regular boats going from both Slussen (10 minute walk from the Rival Hotel) and Nybroplan... and the beautiful boat trip is part of the charm as it takes you through Stockholm harbour past Nacka and the island of Djurgården. The food is great with the menu emphasizing fresh seafood, but there are also meat and vegetarian dishes on the menu. I had the duck cooked three ways (smoked, grilled and confit) and it was delicious. It is the atmosphere, however, which lures people here again and again. It is almost hypnotic with crying seagulls and water lapping against the pier. The islands are located right at the entrance to the harbour and from your table you can watch the boats go by... everything from tiny sailing boats to large cruise ships.

Besides the restaurant, there is lots to do on this beautiful island. Many Stockholmers come out for the day to swim and have a picnic. There are quite a few handicraft stores, featuring glass-blowing and textile work. There are smaller cafés, other restaurants and a theater as well. I would recommend coming out to the islands an hour or so before your reservation just to wander about and soak in the atmosphere.

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Visiting the Archipelago- What to Consider!

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board

This article is a bit of a repeat from an earlier one... but it is because I run into the same problem every summer with visitors. Visiting the stunning Stockholm Archipelago (Skärgården) is on the top of the list for most visitors to Stockholm during the summer. They want to take a boat ride, experience the picturesque vistas they have seen in pictures, walk around on an island and maybe take a swim or have lunch.

Photo by... me! Taken from the back of a Cinderella boat.

Unfortunately, what most visitors don't realize is that it takes time and a bit of planning to really experience the true beauty of the archipelago. Almost every day during the summer, guests come to me around lunchtime and say that they want to see the archipelago. I ask "tomorrow?" and they answer "no... now!". Herein lies the problem. Your options are greatly reduced when you get too late a start in the day and/or give yourself too little time. In other words? Do a little research, have a plan and then have the appropriate time to spend on what you want to see/do.

A map showing a few of the 30,000 islands!

The archipelago is vast and is made up of more than 30,000 islands, stretching out into the Baltic Sea. The nature changes visibly the further out you get... with the vegetation becoming more and more sparse. In the outer archipelago you have small rocky islands and little red cabins flying the Swedish flag (which most people have seen pictures of). To get out to this area, it is a 2-4 hour boat trip, depending on the boat and which island you are travelling to. Put that together with time on an island and the return trip and you get a full day excursion! You have some great places to visit out here... like Grinda, Finnhamn, Sandhamn and Möja. You can either choose to take regular ferries (Cinderella) or a set tour to Sandhamn. Just remember that the further out you go, the less time you have to spend on the island you choose. There is also the option of doing a "thousand island cruise" where you get to visit three islands.

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board

If you only have a short time in Stockholm, and can't afford to spend a whole day in the archipelago, then you can take a short tour of the inner archipelago. This is a very pleasant way to spend a few hours and you do have the option of dining onboard! This tour, however, doesn't let you visit an island. To do this in, say, an afternoon... you can visit one of the islands closer to Stockholm, like Vaxholm or Fjäderholmarna. There is also a company called Waxholmsbolaget which runs commuter boats out to different islands and is a great choice if you want to visit less crowded islands. Visit their new offices at Strömkajen.

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

The islands mentioned above are just a few of the thousands you can visit! Looking to put together your own itinerary? Check out the archipelago tourist agency's website or visit their offices on Strandvägen. Otherwise you can also visit the good people at the Stockholm Information Center or, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, talk directly with me. Many of these islands have hotels, B&B's or guest cottages... so you can combine a stay in the archipelago with a city weekend in Stockholm!

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Renting Kayaks in Stockholm

Stockholm isn't called the Venice of the North for nothing! Central Stockholm alone is built on about 15 islands, so there is water everywhere. One fun activity to do on a sunny afternoon is to rent a kayak and paddle around the islands. Stockholm is at her most beautiful when seen from the water! Kayaking is fun and you don't need to be an Olympian to do it... good as a family outing. There are several places to rent kayaks by the hour/day and it is generally quite inexpensive. Depending on the place, you are looking at about 100 SEK an hour though it is sometimes cheaper if you take the kayak for half or full day.
When choosing a kayak rental place think about where you want to paddle! Stockholm actually strides the borderline between a lake and the ocean with the Old Town being the borderline. Everything to the east is the Baltic Sea and everything to the west is Lake Mälaren. If you want to paddle in the lake then I recommend Kafé Kajak located in Rålambshovs Park on the island of Kungsholmen. Or else you can head across the bridge to the island of Långholmen where you will find Långholmen Kajak. Here you will be able to paddle by a lot of parklands and beaches as well as cliffs where Stockholmers enjoy diving and sunbathing. If you want to paddle in the Baltic Sea area, then I recommend Djurgårdens Sjöcafé located on near the bridge leading from Östermalm over to the island of Djurgården.
Stay close to the island of Djurgården so you don't stray too far out into the shipping lanes! Lots to see here... beuatiful parks as well as great architecture on Strandvägen and the villas on the southside of the island. Another option is to paddle in the lake called Brunnsviken on the northern outskirts of Stockholm. Haga Park surrounds the lake with lots of interesting things to see like Haga Castle and Stockholm University... you also don't have to worry about larger boats! The place to rent kayaks here is Brunnsvikens Kanotcentral.
Their websites, that I've linked, are in Swedish so it is better to contact me directly at the hotel for prices and directions on how to get there as well as other practical information. Have fun!

If you are feeling more adventurous then you can do a full day of kayaking out in the beautiful archipelago. Stockholm Adventures offers tours all summer, Thursdays through Sundays. The price is approximately 1,000 SEK (depends on the day) and includes lunch. You leave Stockholm at about 9am and head to the town of Stavsnäs where you will be met by the guide. You will be back in Stockholm at around 6pm.

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AN archipelago, day trip, Djurgården, Haga Park, kayak

Day Trip - Finnhamn

Last week I visited one of my favorite islands located in the Outer Archipelago... Finnhamn. Along with my visiting parents, I took one of the Cinderella boats out. We opted for a short visit, taking the same Cinderella boat back when it returned 1½ hours later... though one can stay longer and take the evening boat back. There are also several forms of accomodations if you wish to stay the night. Everything from camping in your own tents to renting a cabin to staying at the hostel. The island has a nice restaurant as well as a store selling food and other necessities needed for camping or having a picnic. There are several trails criss-crossing the island and it's a perfect place to take a nature walk. Whenever I come here, I usually take a nice walk to the other side of the island through the beech trees and meadows before ending with a nice herring lunch overlooking the water.

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AN archipelago, day trip, Finnhamn, strömma

Stockholm Archipelago

Traversing Stegesund straights by Vaxholm

 One of the top destinations for summer tourists in Stockholm is the archipelago (called Skärgården in Swedish) stretching out from the city into the Baltic Sea. I have noticed, however, that tourists really don't understand just how large the archipelgo is. It is vast, about 1,700 square kilometers in size (150 kilometers north to south and 80 kilometers east to west) and made up of over 30,000 islands. I often get guests who think that they can see the whole archipelago in a couple of hours. While there are shorter tours that give you a glimpse of the islands, to really see the archipelgo you need a full day. Once again, the company Strömma gives you the most options of getting around. They offer both a shorter guided tour, which is about 3 hours long and takes you out to Vaxholm and back, and a longer guided tour, which is about 11 hours long and lets you see a large part of the archipelago. The shorter trip costs 220 SEK for adults (110 SEK for children 6-11yrs) and you can combine the tour with a meal. The tour does not stop at any of the islands. The longer tour costs 975 SEK and includes coffee, lunch and a dinner (488 SEK for children 6-11yrs). If you choose you can opt for a 2 course dinner (cost 1110 SEK and 550 for children 6-11yrs). On the longer tour you do stop at several islands and have a chance to explore a bit. Click here for a map showing some of the more popular islands. You can also explore the islands on your own, which I definitely recommend for those with a sense of adventure. The best option, in my opinion, are the Cinderella boats that travel from Stockholm to the outer archipelago and back. One boat goes to the island of Sandhamn before returning and another boat goes to Möja and back. Both boats stop at several islands along the way(there and back)... like Vaxholm, Grinda and Finnhamn. I often take a Cinderella boat and get off at one of the islands, explore and then jump back on the Cinderella boat on its return trip. Keep in mind... the farther out you go the less time you have to explore. The boats leave around 9am and get back around 5pm. There is a café and restaurant on board. It is quite inexpensive and you pay according to which island you disembark at, but no more than 300 SEK round-trip. Almost all of these islands have cafés, restaurants, trails and beaches. Lots to do and see! Strömma also offers daytrips to the island of Sandhamn (which some consider the quintessential archipelago village/island).



Cinderella boat arriving at Finnhamn

How ever you decide to see the archipelago, short or long, guided or on your own... you won't be disappointed! Truly a natural wonder of the world!

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AN archipelago, boat, day trip, sightseeing, strömma

Strömkajen Open Again for Sightseeing Boats!

One of Strömma's sightseeing boats

Yesterday I was invited by the Strömma sightseeing company for the "new" premiere of the Strömkajen dock, which has been closed for renovations over the past two years. Strömkajen is located just across the water from the Royal Palace, next to Kungsträdgården park... very central.

Strömma's new ticket office at Strömkajen...

Two of Strömma's most popular sightseeing boat tours, Under the Bridges and Royal Canal Tour, depart from Strömkajen as well as Nybroviken. During the past two years the tours have only departed from Nybroviken... but Strömkajen is closer to the Rival Hotel, so we are happy that they have reopened! Strömma has a ticket office there and you can purchase tickets not only for the two boat tours but also for any of their other sightseeing options (bus, boat, combination, etc;).

...and Waxholmsbolaget's ticket office right next to it.

Another popular boat company, Waxholmsbolaget, also has departures from Strömkajen. These boats aren't sightseeing tour boats, instead they are commuter boats that travel out into the archipelago and are used by both tourists as well as archipelago residents. They have quite a network of boats and their online schedule tends to be a bit complicated. You can contact me directly, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, for help... otherwise check out their new terminal at Strömkajen, where you can get information as well as book tickets.

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Brunch and Boat Cruise with Strömma

s/s Stockholm at dock in Nybroviken

What to do on a snowy weekend? Why not head out on a boat cruise of the inner Stockholm archipelago? While the archipelago is a more popular destination during the summer months, the snow covered islands do have a serene beauty during the winter as well! Even as a Stockholmer you forget that the further you get out of the city the more snow you have... which is always nicer to view from a cosy boat than trudging through on the city streets.

The brunch buffet!

And if the views are not enough, a nice brunch buffet is laid out for you to enjoy. The buffet is filled with Swedish and international favorites, both hot and cold. Herring, smoked salmon, gravad lax, Jansson's Temptation, omelette, bacon, sausages and more. One of my colleagues, that went with me last week, is a vegetarian and there was plenty for him to choose from... including different mixed salads and roasted vegetables. But pace yourself! You don't want to be too full to attack the dessert buffet, set up in a seperate room, filled with cookies, cakes, puddings, pies and cheeses.

Snow covered archipelago islands

This brunch cruise is run by the Strömma company and during the winter months it departs from Nybroviken/Strandvägen every Saturday and Sunday at 12 noon (more often in the warmer months). The beautiful ship, s/s Stockholm, was built in 1931 and the cruise lasts approximately 3 hours, taking you a bit out in the inner archipelago. The cost, which includes the brunch, is 430 SEK for adults, ½ price for children between 6 and 11 years of age and free for kids under 6. Tickets can be purchased through their website (linked above) or at the ticket booth in Nybroviken. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me directly and I can book it for you!

Heading back to Stockholm!

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AN archipelago, boat, cruise, lunch, sightseeing, strömma

Revisiting Restaurant Fjäderholmarnas Krog

The boat at Nybroviken

I have written about the restaurant Fjäderholmarnas Krog two years ago, but I revisited it last week and thought I would update the information here. In fact, I usually visit this restaurant at least once every summer... especially if I have friends/family visiting me. The restaurant is located on the Fjäderholmarna islands ("the feather islands"), which mark the beginning of the Stockholm archipelago.

Boat dock at Fjäderholmarna

Views of the archipelago

This is a great place to go for lunch or dinner and get a feeeling for the archipelago without having to make a full day trip. The main island itself is worth a visit... popular with Stockholm sunbathers, you also have shops, cafés and picturesque cabins to keep you occupied before or after your meal.

Pike!

View from their terrace

They have regular boats taking guests out to the islands from both Nybroviken and from Slussen (a 10 minute walk from the Rival Hotel). The boat trip takes 25 minutes. Click here for a timetable for the boat between Slussen and Fjäderholmarna. It is in Swedish, but basically... the boat out leaves at the top of every hour and the boat back leaves at the bottom of every hour.

Indoor seating as well...

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AN archipelago, boat, restaurants

Sightseeing Tours During the Fall

Many sightseeing tours stop running at the end of August... but there are still many that run through the Fall. Be aware that while many tours run through the Fall, they usually don't have as many start times as they do during the Summer. Check the timetables in the links I provide below for the times, prices and more information. Here is a list of your choices of tours provided by the tour company Strömma:

• Hop On Hop Off- both the blue and yellow bus lines run year round. The hop on hop off boat will only be running until September 11th. 


• The sightseeing bus tour Panorama also runs year round!


• Sightseeing boat tours- while the Historic Canal tour is over for the season, the Under the Bridges tour runs until November 6th and the Royal Canal tour until December 18th.


• Boat tours out to Drottningholm Palace will be running until November 6th.


• The Little Archipelago boat tour will be running into December, but only daily until September 25th after which it will run on the weekends until December 31st.


• Only a few more days to take advantage of the boat tours to the Viking city of Birka. Last tour runs on September 11th.


• The Cinderella boats, that take you outer archipelago are also in their final weeks... last trips on September 18th!

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AN archipelago, boat, bus, sightseeing, strömma

Strandvägen Waterfront & Esplanade

Strandvägen with Strandbryggan in the foreground

Strandvägen is the waterfront road located in the Östermalm district with some of the most prestigious addresses in Stockholm. With its tree-lined esplanade, boat quays and gorgeous architecture, it has become a favorite promenade for tourists and Stockholmers alike. It is about 1 kilometer in length and connects the downtown area with Djurgården (where you will find popular sights like the Vasa Museum and Skansen Park). Along the way (in the summertime) you will find a few cafés and casual restaurants. One of special note is Strandbryggan Sea Club, a floating restaurant & bar that I've mentioned earlier just at the base of the bridge over to Djurgården.

The palace guard cavalry marching on Strandvägen

On the western end of the street, along the shores of the Nybroviken inlet, you have the starting point for the Strömma and Cinderella boats heading out to the archipelago. Don't feel like walking? The Djurgård Streetcar line runs along Strandvägen taking people from the downtown area out to Djurgården and back. Want to walk even further? The Djurgårds Canal walking/jogging path starts at the Djurgårds bridge. The easiest way to get to Strandvägen from the Rival Hotel is by subway... red line, 4 stations to Östermalmstorg and then it's just a ten minute walk down to the water.

Streetcar that traffics Strandvägen

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AN archipelago, architecture, Djurgården, strömma, walk