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

Moderna- The Modern Art Museum

Art outside as well!

I'm finally getting around to writing about one of my favorite Stockholm museums... the Modern Art Museum (Moderna Museet). I was there last week to see their new exhibition for this fall: The Moderna Exhibition 2013. This show highlights the work of 54 contemporary Swedish artists, all who have made an impact in the Swedish art scene. Now, to be honest, I found some of the pieces to be a little out there for me... and I love modern art. But all in all it was a nice exhibition with a lot of interesting pieces and I'm all for the age old question: "What exactly is art?". Besides the temporary exhibitions, Moderna has a great permanent collection featuring all of the greats within the modern art genre... Dali, Picasso, Warhol, Matisse, Lichtenstein, Pollack, etc; The collection is, of course, not as extensive as at the larger modern art museums in NYC, Paris or London, though it is thorough and well presented.

The gift shop...

It is not only the art which makes this one of my favorite museums, it is the whole experience. I love the building itself, light and airy with skylights letting in lots of natural light. They have a great espresso bar which is perfect for a light snack, otherwise they have a nice cafeteria with great views over the harbour and Strandvägen. Their gift shop is the best museum gift shop in Stockholm with plenty of gizmos and gadgets as well as books on art, fashion and photography. They also have a good selection of prints and posters. The museum is located on the island of Skeppsholmen. The closest subway station is Kungsträdgården (blue line), otherwise it is a pleasant 25 minute walk from the Rival Hotel through the Old Town. One can catch a ferry from Slussen, via Djurgården, as well. Entrance is 100 SEK, 80 for seniors and free for children under 19. It is, of course, free with the Stockholm Card. Be advised that the museum is closed on Mondays.

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AN art, lunch, museum, shopping, stockholm card

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.

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AN Djurgården, lunch, restaurants, Skansen

Indoor Food Market- "Saluhall"

Whenever I travel to a new city, I love to visit their markets. You get a good feeling of the city and the culture's cuisine! Stockholm has a couple of good indoor markets called saluhalls. My favorite is the Östermalm Saluhall, it's in a beautiful brick building from the 1880's located on the Östermalmtorg (square). You enter a large hall filled with vendors selling everything from fresh fruit & vegetables, fish & shellfish to cheeses, chocolates and meats. It's fun just to stroll around and take in the sights and smells, or to pick up your favoite Swedish delicacy. There are also great places to grab a lunch inside... and you know the food is fresh! Several eateries there just have bar seats, great for a quick lunch and a little people watching. A personal favorite is Lisa Elmqvist seafood restaurant. Many of the vendors offer good take-away options if you feel like taking your lunch out to a nearby park for a picnic. The saluhall is open from 9:30am to 6pm Monday through Friday and 9:30am to 4pm on Saturdays, closed on Sundays. The closest subway station is Östermalmstorg (red line), just 4 stations from the Rival Hotel.
Another good saluhall is located at Hötorget (under the SF multiplex). Hötorgshallen isn't as fancy as Östermalms saluhall... but it is larger and you have the added bonuses of there being a liquor store (Systembolaget) inside as well as an outdoor fruit market just in front of the entrance. Be prepared... the vendors at the fruit market are very loud and vocal in selling their wares. They shout "half price only for you my friend" at each passerby. Good places for lunch inside! Open from 10am to 6pm Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. On Sundays the outdoor fruit market turns into a flea market. The closest subway is Hötorget (green line).

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AN lunch, restaurants, shopping

Tip #5 - Café culture

I often, at work, get asked to recommend a good place for lunch. While there are restaurants open for lunch... one can't escape the immensely popular café culture that you find in Sweden. Swedes, along with their fellow Scandinavians, are the top coffee consumers in the world. There are cafés on every corner throughout Stockholm and they are excellent places to eat lunch. Besides coffee, espresso drinks, tea and pastries they usually have good lunches... everything from salads, grilled sandwiches to regular lunch dishes. They are also excellent places to people-watch and get a feel of the city's pulse!

Stockholmers love to socialize in cafés and even have a word for it: fika (fee-ka). Both a verb and a noun, it means basically to take a break and meet casually with friends over coffee/tea and light food. Truly a Swedish social institution! So, my recommendation for lunch in Stockholm is to stop in at one of the many cafés, order a caffe latte and a grilled sandwich and watch Stockholmers doing what they like to do best.

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AN cafe, lunch, restaurants, tip

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

Best Brunch in Stockholm!

About 10 years ago, I pitched the idea of brunch to several restaurants here in Stockholm. They seemed to be leery of this American dining concept and I usually got the same answer... "why would anyone want to eat a big meal in the middle of a Sunday?". Well, these days brunch has become quite popular in Stockholm with many restaurants offering brunch on weekends. Even the tour company Strömma offers a brunch boat tour, as I've blogged about earlier.

Now, I know you think I might be a bit biased in saying this... but the Bistro Rival has one of the best brunches in Stockholm. It has become so popular with Stockholmers that guests need to reserve a table at least a week in advance. Otherwise there is usally seating in the bar and lounge areas for drop-in guests. The buffet tables are ladden with both warm and cold dishes... classics and Swedish additions. Eggs & bacon, pancakes, smoked salmon, lasagne, steak tartare, several sallads, coldcuts, fresh breads from the bakery, milkshakes, coffees & cocktails... not to mention the desserts! For more information, click here.

Brunch is served on Sundays from 1pm to 5pm. The cost is 265 SEK (all you can eat!). The last day for brunch before we take a summer break is May 22nd... opening again for business on August 21st. To make a reservation, send a request to bistro@rival.se

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AN lunch, restaurants