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| Photo: Marie Andersson, Skansen |
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| Photo: Marie Andersson, Skansen |
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| Photo: Henrik Trygg, Stockholms Visitors Board |
Showing posts with label tradition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tradition. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
St Lucia Day
Thursday, December 5, 2013
St Lucia Celebrations!
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| Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board |
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| Lucia at Skansen www.sverigeslucia.se |
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Swedish Holiday Traditions
If you are coming to Stockholm anytime between now and the first week or so of January, then it is good to be aware of some of the Swedish holiday tradtions especially the ones that may not be found in your own country.
Pictures to follow...
- Calendar: Besides Christmas itself, you have several other important dates. The four Sundays leading up to Christmas are the Advent Sundays. The tradition is to light a candle on the first Sunday and then an additional candle for each Sunday after that, until you have 4 candles burning on Christmas. The 13th of December is St Lucia Day, not a bank holiday, but a day with many traditions. I'll write more as the date approaches. December 26th is a bank holiday though here it is not called Boxing Day but Annandag Jul (2nd Day of Christmas). Finally there is the Epiphany, called Trettondedag Jul (13th Day of Christmas) which falls on January 6th and is also a bank holiday. It is also good to note that the main Swedish Christmas celebration is on the evening of the 24th, not the 25th, when families gather for dinner and get a visit from Father Christmas (jultomten), who actually physically visits the home with presents (usually a family member or neighbour in disguise).
- Food & Drink: The main Swedish holiday food tradition is the Christmas smörgåsbord called julbord. This buffet resembles a regular smörgåsbord with the addition of more holiday related foods like ham and lutefisk. Many Swedish restaurants serve this all through December until Christmas. It is almost impossible to visit Sweden this time of year and avoid glögg, a Swedish mulled wine... spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves. It is usually served with blanched almonds and raisins as well as gingerbread and/or saffron buns called lussebullar or lussekatter. Glögg does come in several "strengths", from non-alcoholic to regular to strong.
Pictures to follow...
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Christmas Markets in Stockholm
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| angels. |
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.
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| 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.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Restaurants During the Christmas & New Year Holidays
(Edit: for current information click here for a newer blog article!) I have already written about this once, but it is time for a friendly reminder...
As a tourist coming to Stockholm, you should be aware that many restaurants close during the holiday season. Some close just for the main holiday dates (Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, etc;), others close for a few more extra days while others actually close for a couple of weeks. When it comes to Christmas Eve, you should plan on eating in a hotel restaurant. They are the only restaurants of real quality open on that date. Many of the major hotels are open to general public, so you do have a choice! The Rival's Bistro is open to all guests (whether you are staying at the hotel or not) during the entire holiday season and there you can enjoy a menu filled with both Swedish Classics and international favorites. We will not be serving a Christmas smörgåsbord this year. To make a reservation, contact the bistro at bistro@rival.se . On Christmas Day a few more restaurants open in the city for business again and on Boxing Day a few more... so you don't have to only eat at hotels during your stay. As many restaurants do close, the ones that are open do tend to fill up so reserving a table on the same day can be difficult in some cases. I would recommend, if you are staying at The Rival Hotel, to contact me at concierge@rival.se and I will help you with recommendations of restaurants that are open as well as with eventual table reservations. If you are not staying at the Rival then I suggest you contact your hotel for help.
Regarding the New Year's weekend, it is New Year's Eve that is the tricky day. While some restaurants are closed, the majority will be open and will be serving a traditional multi-course New Years supper (nyårssupé). This is quite popular and last minute reservations are a near impossibilty... so make sure you have your dinner plans arranged before coming to Stockholm! The Rival's Bistro will be serving a traditional nyårssupé starting at 7:30pm. After dinner there will be a DJ playing in the Cocktail Bar, which is open until 2am. Local fireworks can be viewed from the Bistro's balcony, otherwise it is only a 10 minute walk down to the waterfront where the official firework display can be seen at midnight. For more information about the Rival's New year's Eve dinner and celebration click here. Many restaurants will be closed on New Years Day and the next (mainly due to staff hangovers one can assume!). Once again, if you are staying at the hotel, contact me for recommendations and reservations...
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| Photo by: Henrik Trygg, Stockholms Visitors Board |
As a tourist coming to Stockholm, you should be aware that many restaurants close during the holiday season. Some close just for the main holiday dates (Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, etc;), others close for a few more extra days while others actually close for a couple of weeks. When it comes to Christmas Eve, you should plan on eating in a hotel restaurant. They are the only restaurants of real quality open on that date. Many of the major hotels are open to general public, so you do have a choice! The Rival's Bistro is open to all guests (whether you are staying at the hotel or not) during the entire holiday season and there you can enjoy a menu filled with both Swedish Classics and international favorites. We will not be serving a Christmas smörgåsbord this year. To make a reservation, contact the bistro at bistro@rival.se . On Christmas Day a few more restaurants open in the city for business again and on Boxing Day a few more... so you don't have to only eat at hotels during your stay. As many restaurants do close, the ones that are open do tend to fill up so reserving a table on the same day can be difficult in some cases. I would recommend, if you are staying at The Rival Hotel, to contact me at concierge@rival.se and I will help you with recommendations of restaurants that are open as well as with eventual table reservations. If you are not staying at the Rival then I suggest you contact your hotel for help.
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| Photo by: Henrik Trygg, Stockholms Visitors Board |
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Christmas Markets in Stockholm 2013
Yup... it's that time of the year! Well, almost. It is less than three weeks until the first Christmas market opens for business, so I thought it would be appropriate to post a guide of the different Christmas markets in Stockholm this year.
Gamla Stan (old town)- this does feel like the "official" Christmas market of Stockholm in many ways. Located in the main square (Stortorget), this market definitely has the most central location and best opening hours/days. It is open daily (11am to 6pm) from November 23rd through December 23rd. Shop for delicacies like smoked sausages, jams, reindeer jerky and sweets or handcrafted presents like traditional holiday decorations, arts & crafts or knitwear. Otherwise you can buy a glass of glögg (hot, spiced wine) and walk around the market enjoying the atmosphere. Only a 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel!
Kungsträdgården- also centrally located, this market is found in the square/park Kungsträdgården. While this market can sometimes feel a little less traditional, it really wins on its location as the market is adjacent to the outdoor ice skating rink and across the street from the NK department store with its popular holiday window displays. Open daily (11am to 6pm) from November 29th through December 22nd.
Skansen- historic and very traditional, see how a Christmas market looked in Sweden during the 1800's. Skansen is an outdoor cultural museum (as well as zoo) and has, in fact, had a Christmas market since 1903. Plenty of homemade mustards, jams, sausages, marzipan, breads and cakes as well as traditional handicrafts (leather, embroidery, holiday decorations and more). Very family-friendly with song & dance and activities for children. Skansen is located on the island of Djurgården with regular ferries from Slussen (10 minute walk from Rival Hotel). Open 10am to 4pm on the four weekends before Christmas (starting on November 30th).
While these three are the main Christmas markets, there are many other smaller, specialty markets throughout the city. One such is put on every year by the students at Beckman's College of Design, where the students sell their own designs (decorations, art, jewellery, etc;). Very popular! One weekend only: 11am to 5pm on December 7th & 8th. Location. Another such market is to be found at the Royal Stables/Mews (Hovstallet). Shop for quality handicrafts and delicacies in a unique setting and visit the stables at the same time. One weekend only: November 29th to December 1st (see link for opening hours). Location. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me directly for more Christmas markets in and around the city!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Upcoming Events in November
Here are some dates to keep your eyes on if you are travelling to Stockholm in November:
- All Saints Day (Alla Helgons Dag) on November 6th. While this is celebrated in Anglo-Saxon countries on November 1st, in Sweden it falls always on the first Saturday in November. It is a holiday in Sweden, but, as it falls on a Saturday, it shouldn't disturb tourists too much... besides a few small shops being closed, all museums and such will be open. The Swedish tradition is to light a candle at the graves of family & friends. If you would like to witness this tradition then I would recommend a visit to the Woodland Cemetery (Skogskyrkogården).
- November 10th is Mårtensgås or Mårten Gås. Originally the celebration of St Martin, these days it is mostly celebrated in southern Sweden where it is tradition to eat a goose dinner. You can partake of this tradition in Stockholm as well. A few restaurants will be serving a goose dinner will all the fixings during the second week of November. I would recommend Den Gyldene Freden in the Old Town (goose dinner offered from Nov 8th through the 13th).
- The 21st annual Stockholm Film Festival will be going on between the 17th and 28th of November! Lots of cinematic happenings going on in the city. Besides plenty of top notch movies to be seen, there will be a competition (jury presided over by Holly Hunter), as well as parties & events. Gus van Sant will receive the Visionary Award and the festival is dedicated to the late Dennis Hopper. Click on the link above for program and more information.
- On November 20th it is time for the Stadium Winter Jam which takes place at Stockholm Stadion (old Olympic stadium). There is both a skiing and a snowboarding competition as well as a winter sports fair. And best of all... it's free of charge! Swedish webpage.
- November 26th - 28th are the dates for the Stockholm International Horse Show taking place at the Eriksson Globe Arena. This is the world's largest indoor equestrian event (in terms of daily spectators). There will be lots of entertainment as well as international competitions in dressage, jumping and hand driving. Click on the link above for program and more information.
- This year the first advent (fourth Sunday before Christmas) will be on the last weekend of November. Lots of Christmas markets will be starting on this date. I will be listing and writing more about the different markets later...
AN
event,
movies,
restaurants,
sport,
tradition
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Höstlov and Halloween in Stockholm
This is a special week (October 28th to November 3rd) in Stockholm for several reasons: it is autumn break (höstlov) and children are out of school for the whole week, All Saints' Day is this coming Saturday (Nov 2nd) and, of course, Halloween... an import from the US which has grown in popularity over the past decade.
If you are visiting Stockholm this week with your children then you chose the right week. As it is the autumn break, and Swedish children have vacation, there are plenty of child friendly activities and events. Many of the museums in the city have special events or exhibitions geared especially for children this week, often with more "spooky" themes. For example, Historiska (the history museum) has special tours where children wear headlamps and get to search through certain exhibitions in the dark looking for skulls and treasure. One example of many. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, and want more specific information of the different museum activities, talk directly with me!
Another fun place to visit with children this week is the park/square Kungsträdgården. From October 29th to November 1st they will have an activities tent set up (between 11am and 3:30pm) where children can try out different sports, arts & crafts, rock climbing and storytelling. Free admission. At Skansen park & museum they are having "magical days and spooky evenings" all week long with a more historic look at Swedish folklore relating to this season. Good for all ages... but keep in mind that some activities may be scarier than others (like certain ghost walks in the evenings). Another tip is that Drottningholm Palace, which is usually only open on the weekends during this time of year, is open all week long between 11am and 3:30pm. Unfortunately the boats aren't running... but you can take a combination of subway and bus to get there.
This Saturday, November 2nd, is the annual Halloween parade called, appropriately, Shock-holm. This has been going on for a few years and has gotten quite popular. The pre-party is at Medborgarplatsen between 3pm and 5pm, followed by the parade through Gamla Stan and ending at Kungsträdgården where the post party will go on until 7:30pm with live performances, food & drink and activities for all ages. You can either watch or walk in the parade, though the latter requires that you wear a costume/mask of some sort. Free admission!
Finally... for a more solemn and cultural activity, head to Skogskyrkogården ("The Woodland Cemetery") to celebrate All Hallow's Eve. This beautiful cemetery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was designed by famed Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund. This week is one of the most popular times of the year to visit as thousands of people come to remember loved ones and decorate the graves with candles and seasonal flowers making this special place even more hauntingly beautiful. More information. The main day to visit is Saturday (All Saints' Day), but the decorating does start in the week leading up to Saturday. Keep in mind to be respectful.
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| Photo by Jeppe Wikström, Stockholm Visitors Board. |
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| Grim Reaper at Skansen, Photo by Marie Andersson |
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| Skogskyrkogård (c) Susanne Hallmann, Cemeteries Administration of the City of Stockholm |
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Crayfish Season!
- Prinsen
- Den Gyldene Freden
- Sturehof
- Tennstopet
- Ulla Winbladh
- B.A.R.
- Pocket at Pontus!
- Strömma's Shrimp Buffet dinner cruise (crayfish as a special add-on for 120 SEK).
There are, I am sure, many other restaurants serving crayfish during these weeks... but the ones above are favorites of mine. If you are coming late in August, you might want to double check with the restaurant of your choice... not all of them have crayfish on the menu throughout the month. The pictures here were taken last week when I was at a friend's summer house for a kräftskiva.
AN
restaurants,
tradition
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Crayfish Party
It's just a week left until the traditional start of crayfish season (August 8th), which is celebrated by Swedes with a crayfish party... kräftskiva in Swedish. This is one of Sweden's most enduring and beloved gastronomical traditions. These days crayfish are imported from countries like the US, Turkey and China and are sold year-round, but the tradition of eating them in August endures. The party is celebrated with friends and family, hopefully outdoors (weather permitting), with colorful tablecloths, plates and paper lanterns. Revelers usually wear bibs and funny paper hats. The crayfish are cooked in a salty brine, seasoned with dill 
and served cold. Along with the crayfish one usually eats bread, strong cheese and other delicacies such as Västerbotten cheese pies. The traditional drink is beer and snaps(akvavit), and along with the snaps you generally sing songs called snapsvisor. At the very least, you raise your glass, look into the eyes of everyone at the table, say "skål" (pronounced skoal), drink and then look everyone in the eyes again before setting your glass down. Eating the bright-red little critters is a messy affair... you eat them with your fingers, the only acceptable utensils being a nut cracker and a long prong to get at the meat in the claws. Don't be surprised to hear Swedes noisily sucking all the juices from the crayfish!
and served cold. Along with the crayfish one usually eats bread, strong cheese and other delicacies such as Västerbotten cheese pies. The traditional drink is beer and snaps(akvavit), and along with the snaps you generally sing songs called snapsvisor. At the very least, you raise your glass, look into the eyes of everyone at the table, say "skål" (pronounced skoal), drink and then look everyone in the eyes again before setting your glass down. Eating the bright-red little critters is a messy affair... you eat them with your fingers, the only acceptable utensils being a nut cracker and a long prong to get at the meat in the claws. Don't be surprised to hear Swedes noisily sucking all the juices from the crayfish!
If you don't have any Swedish friends to invite you home for a crayfish party, all is not lost... there are several restaurants in town that have crayfish on the menu in August. You might not be able to experience decorations and party-attire, but you will get a taste of the tradition that many Swedes wait all year for! Here is a list of some of the restaurants:
AN
event,
restaurants,
tradition
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Restaurant Tradition
Last week I was invited to the premiere of a new restaurant on Södermalm called Tradition. This is their second restaurant with the original Tradition located in the Norrmalm district. This "sister restaurant" is located right next to the SoFo district of Södermalm, an easy 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel.
Their motto is "Svensk husmanskost. Punkt slut." which basically translates to "Swedish traditional cuisine. Period.". Well, sort of. I actually have a hard time translating husmanskost. It is one of those words that I think is only found in Swedish... like lagom and fika. There are several ways I use to describe this concept to visitors... rustic cuisine, meals your grandmother would make, workers' fare, traditional cuisine, historic cuisine, etc; Sometimes I compare it to types of dishes from the visitor's home country to give them a point of reference. For example Fish & Chips to someone from the UK, Coq au Vin to someone from France and Pot Roast to someone from the States. At any rate... it is good food! And a great way to "taste" Swedish history and tradition.
Restaurant Tradition is a good place to try husmanskost and they try to make it a complete Swedish experience with the Swedish interior design as well as Swedish music playing in the restaurant. As it was the premiere when I was there, we were served small tastes of different courses on the menu... like cod with shrimp, horseradish & egg sauce and black pudding with glazed apples and lingon berries. Click here for menu. All very good! As I mentioned earlier, Tradition is located near the SoFo district which is a nice place to wander in the evening with bars, pubs and restaurants. Good thing to know: all of the dishes on the menu are lactose free and they can make both vegetarian and gluten free dishes as well. Click here for other restaurant recommendations/reviews and click here for other restaurants that serve Swedish cuisine.
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| Swedish design... |
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| Cod with shrimp, horseradish and egg sauce. |
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| Black pudding with glazed apples and lingon berries. |
AN
restaurants,
SoFo,
tradition
Friday, June 21, 2013
Happy Midsummer!
This is Midsummer weekend... when the days are the longest (summer solstice) and Swedes make the most of being outdoors. They don't call Sweden the land of the midnight sun for nothing. The pictures below were taken last night at midnight, by yours truly, on Södermälarstrand looking at the City Hall.
Here is wishing everyone a fantastic Midsummer! And, if you are in Stockholm, click here for tips on what is open and closed during the weekend. Otherwise, stop by and talk to me if you are staying at the Rival Hotel. And speaking of the Rival... our Bistro is open for the general public all weekend long (opening at 4pm each day).
AN
tradition
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Midsummer Weekend 2013
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| Photo by Marie Andersson, Skansen |
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!
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| Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board |
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
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...
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.
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!
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| Smaka på Stockholm, photo by Peter Backman |
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| Smaka på Stockholm, photo by Peter Backman |
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Valborg (Walpurgis) Celebrations!
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.
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 and open microphone. 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!
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| Valborg at Skansen, photo by Dan Larsson |
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| Riddarholmen Church |
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The Semla
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Christmas in Stockholm 2012
(EDIT: from 2012. For information about Christmas markets in 2013... click here) Some of my most popular blog entries have been those I've written about Christmas in Stockholm, so I guess it is time to write about what is happening this year in Stockholm! If you are staying at the Rival Hotel and need more detailed information, stop by and talk to me or drop me a line.
The holiday season kicks off this Saturday, November 24th. This is the day the official Stockholm Christmas lights are lit and decorations revealed. 30 streets and squares in downtown Stockholm are decorated with thousands of LED lights. Last year was the first time the city made a real concerted effort to go "all out" for the holidays. There were some great decorations last year... should be fun to see what they come up with this year. Click here for map of the lights. While you are in the downtown area, stop by the NK Department Store to get a little more holiday cheer. Not only does this store have the best and most famous Christmas window decorations in Sweden, it is also the place to see Santa! He will be at NK every Friday-Sunday until December 13th when he also adds weekdays to his schedule (last day December 23rd).
This Saturday is also when the first Christmas markets open for business! In main square (Stortorget) in Gamla Stan you will find the Old Town Christmas Market, open daily from 11am to 6pm until December 23rd. In Skansen park and open-air museum, located on Djurgården, another Christmas Market opens. This one is very traditional and open between 10am and 4pm every Saturday & Sunday until the 16th of December. Skansen is also a great place to experience other Swedish Christmas traditions! Another large Christmas market opens on November 30th in Kungsträdgården park and will be open daily from 11am to 6pm until December 22nd. Kungsträdgården is right next to the above mentioned NK and is also where you will find the outdoor skating rink. Christmas markets in Stockholm are great places to pick up traditional Swedish holiday decorations, foods and handicrafts as well as to try glögg (Swedish hot spiced wine).
Other Swedish Christmas traditions you should be aware of... many restaurants serve a traditional Christmas smörgåsbord called julbord, where a cornucopia of Swedish holiday goodies are laid out buffet style, and nothing else. This is a real treat and should be tried, but once is probably enough and you might want to find out which restaurants don't serve julbord to get a little variety. One great option is Strömma's Julbord boat cruises through the archipelago. A nice way to combine julbord and sightseeing! Then there is the whole Lucia celebration on December 13th (as well as Nobel Prize ceremonies). I will write more bout this later, but in the meantime you can read what I wrote last year to get an idea.
Finally, two things just for fun, you have the popular gingerbread house competition at the Architecture Museum, right next to the Modern Art Museum located on Skeppsholmen (on display between Nov 28th and Jan 6th). And... got a craving for candy canes (polkagris in Swedish)? Stop by the Polkapojkarna in the Old Town, where they make the treats in front of your eyes, and get your fill! Merry Christmas!
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| Main X-mas tree at Skeppsbron |
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| Christmas market at Stortorget |
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| Ice skating at Kungsträdgården |
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| Julbord on Strömma boat cruise |
Friday, November 2, 2012
All Saints' Day at Skogskyrkogården
All Saints' Day is celebrated in Sweden this year on the 3rd of November and the best place to celebrate this holiday is at the beautiful Woodland Cemetery (Skogskyrkogården). This cemetery, designed by Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site... which denotes a place of special cultural or physical significance.
On this day many Swedes come to the cemetery to place lit candles on the graves of loved ones or light candles in general for loved ones who have passed. The Woodland Cemetery is a beautiful place year-round, but with all of the candles lit it becomes a magical place. On November 3rd they have longer opening hours: 10am to 8pm instead of 11am to 4pm for the rest of the week. There will also be choir and organ concerts in the Chapel of the Holy Cross (Heliga Korsets Kapell) between 3pm and 7pm. Just remember that it is a working cemetery and that you remain respectful of other visitors. Another tip... bring a flashlight if possible. The sun does set at around 3:50pm!
The cemetery is located on the southern outskirts of Stockholm and is easy to reach by subway. From the Rival Hotel you take the subway from Slussen, south in the direction of Farsta Strand. The cemetery has its own subway stop: Skogskyrkogård. Just follow the signs after exiting the station...
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(c) Susanne Hallmann, Kyrkogårdsförvaltningen Stockholms stad |
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(c) Susanne Hallmann, Kyrkogårdsförvaltningen Stockholms stad |
AN
architecture,
park,
tradition,
unesco
Friday, September 28, 2012
Busy Weekend... Vintage, Autumn Goodies, Beer & Whisky!
Something for everyone this weekend! Besides the wonderful art exhibitions going on in Stockholm, you also have several fairs and markets to keep you busy.
If clothes from the 50's, 60's and 70's are to your liking, then don't miss the popular Vintage Clothes Fair (Vintagemässan) going on Saturday & Sunday (29th & 30th of September). Around 40 vintage clothes stores from around Sweden bring their best clothes, accessories and shoes for you browse and buy. This is the 10th time this fair has been held and it gets more and more popular each time. The fair is located at Drottninggatan 81 in the downtown area, entrance is 60 SEK and it is open from 11am to 5pm both days. If you really like to rummage, click here for some tips about flea markets in the city.
Skansen (park, zoo and outdoor museum) is a favorite place of mine to visit. This weekend is extra special as they will be holding their annual Autumn Fair on both Saturday & Sunday. Lots of great, traditional goodies to purchase... handicrafts, honey & jams, textiles, toys, local produce, cheeses and bakery items. There will be live music as well as traditional games, dancing, food & drink. Skansen is located on the island of Djurgården, a 9 minute ferry trip from Slussen (10 minute walk from the Rival Hotel). Entrance to Skansen costs 100 SEK (adults) and the market goes on between 11am and 4pm. Tip: there is also a Farmers Market every Saturday (10am to 3pm) near the hotel on Katarina Bangata in SoFo. October 20th is their last day for the season.
Finally, if you are looking for something a little more adult (boozier?), then we have the Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival and Taste Experience going on. Two festivals, one location. Beer & Whisky concentrates on beer & whisky (obviously) as well as cider and calvados. At Taste Experience you will find wine, champagne, rum, tequila, cognac and more. This is the 21st annual festival(s) and very popular... there were over 36,000 visitors last year. At the festival you will find exhibitors, tastings, classes, competitions, restaurants, bars and more. Entrance costs 219 SEK and includes tasting glass which you can take home. Please note that you need to be 20 years old to enter! Opening hours are noon to 11pm on Friday and 11am to midnight on Saturday. In case you are busy this weekend, you have another chance to attend next weekend (October 4th to 6th). It is located at Nackamässan in Nacka Strand. The easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel is to take bus 443 from Slussen (10 minute bus ride). Happy weekend!
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| bakatframat.se |
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| Photo by Anna Yu, Skansen |
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| stockholmbeer.se |
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