Sweden's pearl
Staff Writer
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Christer Lundin / stockholm visitors board
Boat's taking part in Stockholm's annual regatta sail past the city's landmark City Hall.
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Sweden is a country where the king drives himself to work, where mothers get 80 percent of their salary during maternity leave, where everyone speaks English, and where women are almost exclusively all beautiful. Those are the four things that really impress a newcomer to this lovely country. Sweden's pearl is the country's capital - Stockholm. Stockholm, located on an archipelago, is known for its natural beauty, its Nobel Prize Gala, and the ancient sights of Gamla Stan. Gamla Stan, or Stockholm's Old Town, founded by the regent Birger Jarl in 1252, is one of the most impressive parts of the city. It is situated on one of the islands and includes the Royal Castle, where the royal family no longer resides, although King Carl XVI Gustaf has his office there. Most of the streets in Gamla Stan are so narrow that residents can literally shake hands with their neighbors across the street. However, they are not as excited by this as romantic tourists are because their apartments lack sunlight and privacy. The Old Town is full of bustling streets, souvenir shops, bookstores, churches and museums. Tourists flock there, including those who travel to Stockholm on Silja Line ferries for a day. FOR YOUNG AND OLD Opposite the Royal Palace on the eastern side of Stockholm's main waterway is the Blasieholmen spit and the charming islands of Skeppsholmen and Kastellholmen. Connected by bridges, this is where 19th century palaces such as the National Museum of Fine Arts jostle with grand hotels, banks and renowned places of entertainment, as well as with auctioneers, art galleries, exclusive antique shops and antiquarian bookshops. Here, I was a guest of the luxury Radisson SAS Strand Hotel for three days last month. Many of the archipelago's boats, ferries and sightseeing tours depart from the quays below. One of the most attractive museums in Stockholm is the Vasa Museum, featuring a huge royal ship that sank in Stockholm harbor 15 minutes after it was launched in 1628. The gigantic, seven-story wooden galleon was recovered from the harbor bottom 333 years after it sank, but it was still in a good condition, and a museum was built around it. Another exciting museum is Junibacken, or a museum and theme park based on the work of Swedish children's writer Astrid Lindgren. It is amazing even for an adult to take the "fairy train tour" to the land of Lindgren's characters such as Karlson on the roof, Mardie (or Mischeivous Meg as she's known the U.S.), or Pippi Longstocking. This year the museum is also playing host to Tove Janssen's Moomins and presents their valley home, complete with the lovable family's blue house, for guests to explore. Parents can't tear there children away from this enchanting exhibit. Another favorite place to explore is Skansen, which claims to be the world's first open-air museum, dating from 1891, where you will find old Swedish handicrafts, old houses and exhibits on original traditions. Swedish elk and other typical Swedish animals can be found here at Skansen's zoo. The green island of Djurgarden, which used to be a royal hunting park, has more opportunities to enjoy nature - people can ride on bicycles, paddle canoes or just walk around. In winter Djurgarten turns into a Christmas market, where one can buy homemade jams, fruits and vegetables. OPULENT PRIZE Stockholm is also known for hosting the smartest people on the planet who every year come to the city to receive Nobel Prizes on Dec. 10. The prominent Nobel Prize Gala is held in the Blue and Golden halls of Stockholm City Hall. After the prize-giving ceremony, a splendid banquet for 1,200 invited guests is held in the Blue Hall. Tourists are able to tour these famed halls, and well as the rest of City Hall - an important national symbol with the three golden crowns at the top of its tower. The tower, at 106 meters high, offers one of the best views of Stockholm. If you only have time for one gallery, go straight to the National Museum on the south side of Blasieholmen. Designed by the 19th century German architect August Stuler, it houses Sweden's largest art collection, with over 16,000 works from the 15th-20th centuries. Another place reveling in 19th century opulance is Cafe Opera, a center Stockholm nightlife for the young and elite, located in the grandiose building of the Opera House. The Cafe is not just a cafe, despite its name. It includes a luxurious restaurant in the baroque style, an open-air bar, and a fashionable disco after midnight. One of the best and most expensive restaurants in town, Operakallaren, is also located in the building. The restaurant, which one can enter only if dressed in a suit and one has foregone using one's mobile phone, offers its lavish dinners and services to Sweden's top people, including the royal family. The restaurant's wine bar has a collection of nearly 30,000 bottles of the most best wine ever produced. Clearly this place isn't cheap. EATING, DANCING, SHOPPING The Opera House is located just next to the city's business district, which is home to a number of Stockholm's biggest department stores, banks, nightclubs and business centers. The area includes the so-called "Golden Triangle," where many fashionable stores and restaurants are located. Here one can see the famous Stockholm "Mushroom" - a sort of a city monument shaped like a mushroom, where Stockholm residents like to arrange to meet each other. Just next to the "Mushroom" is the Sture Hof restaurant which indulges its guests with a great variety of sea food. As a coastal city in a seafaring nation, Stockholm offers a real feast of seafood at its restaurants and cafes. For young people looking for a fancy disco, Stockholm residents advise hitting the Spy Bar. They say even princesses visit the place sometimes. One of the biggest department stores in Stockholm is NK. Its round emblem, which tops the roof of the huge building, can be seen from far away in the city center, so it's not a problem to locate. Unfortunately, NK was the focus of the world's attention for tragic reasons when Swedish foreign affairs minister Anna Lindt was stabbed to death in one of its sections in 2003. GOOD ADVICE The city of Stockholm has extremely clean air compared to many other European capitals. They say that this is because many Stockholm streets are so narrow it discourages cars from the city center. At least 70 percent of Stockholm residents use public transport to avoid traffic jams. On weekends many Stockholm residents go outside the city to relax on the numerous beautiful islands that surround the city. Some of the most popular among them there are the five Jaderholmarna or "Fluffy Islands." To get there take a 20-minute boat ride and pass by a coast dotted with the villas of the wealthiest Swedish families. Among them is the estate of Sweden's richest family, the Wallenbergs, who own 7 percent of Swedish industry. Surprisingly, while the villas look pretty, they are not super glamorous. Swedes are modest. Even rich people prefer not to display their wealth. Unsuprisingly, Stockholm is a very attractive place to tourists. The Stockholm Visitors Board, which promotes tourism in Stockholm, says that in 2003 about 6.5 million tourists visited the city. The Board also declared recently that Stockholm has become more popular among Russian tourists. Last year the number of Russian tourists visiting Stockholm increased by 4 percent, totaling 68,000 visitors. Practical advice Stockholm residents give to foreign tourists includes how find the best currency exchange rate - Sweden's currency remains the Kroner after the EU member state rejected adopting the euro - at FOREX bureaus and good taxi rates from Taxi Stockholm. It is also important to know that Stockholm museums and public transport are rather expensive, and it's worth buying special tourist cards to make excursions cheaper. Irina Titova was a guest
of the Radisson SAS Strand Hotel
in Stockholm. HOW TO GET TO STOCKHOLM SAS Scandinavian airlines have a daily flight from St. Petersburg to Stockholm (except Saturdays). Tickets: $279 for an economy class ticket plus $78 airport commission. Those who prefer more romantic traveling can buy an excursion package to get to Stockholm by ferry which goes from Helsinki. The package also includes a bus ride from St. Petersburg to Helsinki, and atogether it costs about $200. The tour includes two nights on a ferry - one night on the way to Stockholm and one night on the way back to Helsinki, and a day tour in Stockholm. WHERE TO STAY Stockholm has a wide variety of comfortable accommodation. However, if you're looking for a central 5 star hotel with a magnificent view of the water and the splendid historical buildings, located next to the harbor, you could choose to stay at the Radisson Strand SAS Hotel at 9 Nybrokajen Street. It offers a hospitable atmosphere, top-of-the-line service, fine interiors and the most delicious breakfasts.
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