STOCKHOLM

City Portrait
Stockholm - often described as the Venice of the North - is a changing city. Many may lament this - others are fascinated by the vibrance of this once very quiet and sedate Nordic city. What most people can agree on is that Stockholm continues to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

GUIDEBOOKS tend to date, especially when it comes to a trend-conscious city like Stockholm. At the Tourist Centre in Sweden House (MonFri gam-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-2pm, across from the NK department store), you can buy the guides "Discover Stockholm" and "What to See and Do in Stockholm" . But the best way to pick up the pulse of the city is to read all the exciting free magazines available everywhere. You will find N& D (Night and Day) and This Week in Stockholm in English as well as Passion, Nöjesguiden, Citynytt and the latest one called Kometen (if you are interested in discovering the trendy south side of Stockholm) and others in Swedish. The magazines generally have a tabloid format and give you a quick guide to movies, music, restaurants and fashion. Even though most of the free magazines are monthly, they seem to be more in touch with the current restaurant and show scene than the weekly city supplements På Stan and City in the daily Dagens Nyheter and Svenska Dagbladet.

THE STOCKHOLM CARD is a unique Stockholm package that was initially started to sell hotel rooms during summer and weekends, when businessmen normally stay home. These excellent inexpensive hotel packages are now marketed by Destination Stockholm and are available through travel agents in Sweden and in the Nordic countries. The Stockholm Card that is included in the deal can also be bought separately for 1, 2 or 3 days. It gives you free admission to 60 must-sees, guidebook and free travel by subway, bus and local trains. You can also hop aboard specially-marked tourist boats and tourist buses. In short - the least expensive way to really sightsee Stockholm and its surroundings.

THE OLD TOWN is situated on the most central of the 14 islands that make up the
city. Stockholm was founded in 1252 and in the Old Town, you will find cobblestone alleys and narrow streets with beautiful buildings that date back almost to this time. Olof Palme lived in one of these buildings. The present prime minister Ingvar Carlsson has -just moved into the Sagerska Palatset not too far from the Old Town. The King and his family moved out a few years ago to the Drottningholm Palace, situated on the outskirts of the Old Town, to get away from the pollution of the city, now using the Stockholm Royal Palace as a workplace. With its 608 rooms and kitchens, the Stockholm Royal Palace is the world's largest palace, still used by the head of the state. There is a changing of the guards ceremony here just after noon on weekdays and just after 1 pm on Sundays and holidays. You can visit the exhibition apartments, the palace church, the museum, the royal treasury and the spectacular armoury most afternoons. During the summer you can also see King Gustav Ills collection of antiques. This king, who was assassinated at the infamous masked ball, was a passionate collector of ancient art and in the museum you can see the result of his Italian shopping spree in 1780. Within walking distance of the Palace, there is the Stockholm Cathedral (where the King got married), the House of Nobility (with 2325 shields of the noble families of Sweden), the Riddarholmen church (where 17 kings are buried), the Middle Ages Museum (with finds and reconstructions from 1530 onwards) and the fairly newly-restored House of Parliament (well worth the Saturday and Sunday noon, 12.30, 2 and 3 pm free tours).

THE MANY MUSTS of Stockholm are all quite centrally located, except perhaps for the Drottningholm Palace and the Millesgården sculpture garden. Drottningholm Palace, "the
Versailles of the North" is located on the island of Lövön, just west of Stockholm. Every summer there are candlelit opera performances at the Drottningholm Court Theatre, built 1764-66 with the old machinery still intact. Tickets have become hard to come by (check out the Confidencen 18th century theatre out in Ulriksdal as an excellent alternative) but it is really a world-class experience. During the day, visit the China Pavilion. The Palace itself and parts of the park have been out of bounds since the Royal Family moved out here. You can go to Drottningholm by boat, from another must, the City Hall. This 1923 landmark is the site of the Nobel Prize banquet and festivities, which take place in the stunning Golden Hall. There is a fantastic view from the 320 feet tall tower. The latest tourist "must" in Stockholm is the Gold Room at the Historic Museum that has a unique collection Viking treasures. When you are there you should also check out Northern Europe's finest collection of wooden sculptures and handicraft.

DJURGÅRDEN is a whole island that is a Stockholm must. Start by spending a few hours at the S kansen Open-air Museum that has a collection of old houses from all over Sweden. In some of the houses, there may be a fire blazing and inhabitants in folkdresses ready to tell you more about the wellworn furniture and utensils. Skansen is a historical and geographical crash course on Sweden, with no museum atmosphere whatsoever. All animals natural to Scandinavia also roam about here. There are also the hard to motivate monkeys. This is a museum that is alive with nostalgia. An extended collection relating to daily life and culture from the 16th century is housed in the nearby Nordic Museum. Also on Djurgården Island, you will find the famous Warship Wasa, that foundered on her maiden voyage in 1682 and was raised from the Stockholm harbor
in 1961. The imposing ship in its own magnificent museum complete with films and audiovisual displays will take you back in history in a fascinating way. Also on the island of Djurgården you will find Grana Lund, Stockholm's tivoli and amusement park, a must for all native Swedes visiting their capital. Many of Sweden's big names like Sven-Bertil Taube and Lill Lindfors perform here every summer. If you are tired of tourist hangouts, take a walk along the Djurgårdskanal for a slightly different experience.

SOME THINGS ARE FREE even in Stockholm. During the summer Parkteater gives high-class performances in the parks around Stockholm. In the winter you can skate free to music in the Kungsträdgården Park. Stockholm Information Service in the nearby Sweden House runs several programs that are free. In the Old Town, the Postal Museum has an interesting collection of stamps including two of the famous rare Swedish Skilling Bancos. Many other museums are free on certain days. Always free and welcoming is the Kulturhuset at Sergelstorg. This is the perfect meeting place, filled with exhibitions, books, tapes and magazines and newspapers from all over the world. There are lots of special activities for the junior set, not to mention washrooms and a cafeteria. If you really want to relax and experience Stockholm in a different way, bring your
fishing rod. Fishing is free in Stockholm and you may be as lucky as Portuguese tourist Ricardo Santos who caught a 19.8 kilos (44 lb) salmon right across from the Royal Palace. Restaurants in the Old Town may not be overly eager to prepare your catch for you. Do not forget to throw back any salmon under 60 centimeters, trout under 50 cm, and pike and perch under 40 cm.

ART ABOUNDS
in Stockholm. Wherever you go in the center of Stockholm, you will see sculptures and frescoes. Every public building must designate a certain portion of its area to art. This philosophy is specially evident when you travel on the subway system - the world's largest art gallery! Many of the stations have been decorated in very imaginative ways. Check out the Rådhuset and Solna centrum stations (and get the free SL guide to art at the other stations). Make your way out to Millesgården and
see the Swedish-American Carl Milles' sculptures. The out- and indoor museum is carved out from the steep cliffs of the Lidingö Island, high above Stockholm - a spectacular setting for Milles' monuments, fountains and collection of ancient Roman and Greek art. In the center of the city many of the great masters from 1500-1900 are represented at the National Museum (free on Tuesdays) which has also, through the years, had extraordinary exhibitions. The Museum of Modern Art is right now temporarily housed at the Spårvagnshallarna at Jarlaplan, a location which by many is considered to be quite spectacular. In about two years the museum will move back to Skeppsholmen to a new home. Stockholm has more private galleries per capita than any other capital in the world.

SHOPPING in Stockholm means NK. Pub or Ahlens to most tourists. These big department stores have almost everything the visitor would want to bring home. Do not forget your tax-free option, especially if you are buying expensive items. Check out Hennes & Mauritz for bargain clothes. Stor & Liten has a great selection of toys but very few bargains. Svenskt Tenn, Nordiska Galleriet and Inside are unbeatable when it comes to contemporary design.

STOCKHOLM WATER FESTIVAL is the best thing that has happened to the capital in later years. Try to be in Stock holm between August 11 and 20 this year for the more than 1 500 events lined up and lots of makeshift restaurants, cafés, pubs and fast food stands. Don't miss the crayfish party where thousands of Swedes with bibs and silly hats slurp and eat a hundred thousand of the delicious critters. The popular world championship in pyrotechniques draws mega crowds that watch the beautiful firework displays from various vantage points. Most of the Water Festival events are free of charge.

RESTAURANTS come and go and a recommendation now may not be a big deal by the end of the summer. If you are a gourmet and are prepared to spend quite a bit of money try out one or all four of the Guide Michelin one-star restaurants - KB, Paul & Norbert, Eriks and Wedholms Restaurang. Or you can take the short trip to Sollentuna and enjoy a one-star meal at Edsbacka Krog. Paul & Norbert is probably the most expensive restaurant in Stockholm. If you want to go all out you can order a bottle of their most expensive wine at 13 000 kronor a bottle. But you can also keep to their pris fixe dinner with eight different dishes at 980 kronor. Otherwise an entree costs .240375 kronor. For a terrific smörgåsbord there is no place like the pretty Ulriksdals Wärdshus. The Operakällaren is one of Europe's most beautiful restaurants with its unique art nouveau (especially in the bar) interior. For a terrific view go to Gondolen that you reach by taking the Katarinahissen elevator in Slussen. This restaurant now also combines the view with good food since being taken over by Erik Lallerstedt of Eriks fame. A trendy place to see and be seen at is Ture's. If you do not want to spend big bucks a very good deal right now is Collage where a buffé is served every evening for only 20 kronor! You can eat as much as you want and the food is fresh. A glass of beer or wine costs a krona less. Be prepared to line up. Otherwise try and eat your main meal at lunchtime when you can get reasonably priced all-inclusive dagens rätt for around 50 kronor. Swedish pizzas are still a bargain and the best in the world. The Ahlens department store's food section has a terrific selection of take-out foods that you can have a good picnic with at Djurgården or on a bench at Kungsträdgården. And don't lavee Sweden without trying a hot dog.

NIGHTLIFE in Stockholm means waiting in line at Café Opera, Berns, Riche, Lanbyska verket, Kvarnen and Sture Compagniet. The lines at Sture have changed in character after the shooting incident last December. Now the place is avoided by the establishment but loved by younger suburbian wannabes who like the notoriety and a chance to rub shoulders with gangsters. If you want to
rub shoulders with the music scene you go to Pa & Co in the city or Hannas Krog on the trendy "southern" island of Stockholm (where a typical bar round last summer also included Snaps, Bonden, Spisen, WC, Bröderna Olssons, Kvarnen and Rangus Tangus). Stockholm is famous for its jazz clubs and its pubs. Check out clubs like Stampen, Kolingen and the Fashing. The oldest music pub in Stockholm is restaurant Kaos (St. Nygatan 21. Phone 08-20 58 86) established 1965 in the Old Town, where you eat a Jokkmokk burger and drink a Pajala sunrise while you take in anything from Bellman ballads performed in historic attire to hard rock. During the summer there are also jazz boats that take you for an entertaining trip out to the archipelago. If you long for old-fashioned and big band dancing, there are many large places like Aladdin with a lot of eager dance partners.

BEST HOTELS in Stockholm are Grand Hotel, Royal Viking and Sergel Plaza. It is not cheap to spend a night here but most, hotels offer some kind of a special package deal. If you are desperate Hotellcentralen at the Central Station (Phone 08-240880, Fax. 08-7918666) can always help you. Popular first class hotels like Lord Nelson in the Old Town are a bargain with Destination Stockholm's weekend package. A well-kept secret is the Salvation Army's hotel also in the Old Town - nothing fancy but clean and very convenient. One way of travelling on a budget in Sweden is to arrive with an international youth hostel card. There are several excellent hostels in Stockholm, with the sailing ship Af Chapman (08-10 37 15, open from Mar 1 to Dec 15) being the most popular. It is however always fully booked, at times for years ahead.