It’s that time of year; holiday planning. As usual we have been all around the globe over the last few weeks considering where we fancy going this summer and seem to have plumped for Sweden. Why?
- Denmark was fabulous last Easter: loved the Scandinavian vibe so would like to see more.
- Still influenced by my dad’s stories of his trips to Sweden in the 1950s.
- With all the Stieg Larsson mania there is at the moment, Sweden seems a hip place to go. In fact there are numerous ‘Millennium Tours’ available for fans who want to stay in a hotel near Lisbeth Salander’s apartment, drink in the bar frequented by the Millennium journalists and travel several hours in a train to go to a town which near-enough matches the fictional town of Hedeby.
- Last year was lovely doing nothing on a beach in Portugal but we did become a bit restless; touring a country will be far more interesting with plenty of blog-fodder.
Now we have to decide which bits of Sweden we should visit in a two-week period. I’m trying very hard not to try and ‘do’ everything: we want to have some stops of at least three days to avoid it just being a race around the southern half of the country. But which parts to leave out? Should we include Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo or just two fo the three, leaving time to chill by a lake or a beach? I asked on Twitter about the logistics of doing all three cities and got some helpful advice from @Davtel in Stockholm about driving times and a suggestion from @KaisaLarkas in Finland to add a boat trip to the itinerary so we could visit Helsinki too.
We are almost certain we’ll fly cheaply with Ryanair from Stansted to any of the three cities: fly to one and come back from another. Having saved money there, we can splurge a little on the hotels. I keep mentioning interesting hotels to Dougie, carefully avoiding showing him room rates. So far we are looking at two classy joints in Stockholm each with a different story to tell: the chic Hotel Rival, partly owned by Benny Anderson from ABBA or Hotel Nobis, a new hotel in a grand building which used to be the bank where hostages were held captive in 1973, leading to the term the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’.
Malmo keeps coming on and off our itinerary. I’d like to see the Turning Torso building and Dougie is amused by a Wikipedia entry which states that the Malmo town council have passed a law permitting women to swim topless in the public baths. As one council spokesman put it: “”We donβt decide what men should do with their torso, why then do women have to listen to the men. Moreover, many men have larger breasts than women”.
Mind you, as both Dougie and Rory are wondering about the nudist beaches and the Swedish liberal attitude to sex, I have drawn their attention to the introduction in The Rough Guide to Sweden which states, “Sweden isn’t populated soley with people waiting for any opportunity to tear off their clothes and make passionate love under the midnight sun…..You’ll doubtless see people sunbathing naked but this state of affairs is not an invitation for a love-in”. Take note, boys.
The Rough Guide is giving me lots of information and, as it only arrived yesterday, has caused even more changes in the itinerary. I’m dipping into it for the detail but we’ve also got the DK Eyewitness Guide for the pictures. A perfect balance.
One thing we are definitely going to do is hire a decent car and spend time checking it over so we don’t, like we did last year, set off with bits dropping off it and find our spare tyre has a huge gouge in it. I’m sorry if that means less funny stories but I can assure you we will get lost frequently and fight even more frequently so there’ll be a good smattering of schadenfreude to make up for it.
Any suggestions of places to go still very welcome. Tack.
Having never been to Sweden (only Holland) I can't offer any advice, but I can tell you that about half of the country's population were with us on the beach in Phuket, and that my boys (all 3) were deeply appreciative of the topless preference exhibited by many of our co-holidaymakers.
I've never heard of Rough Guides before and just googled them…must add to my library.
Ms Caroline – that news will please the boys, though I suspect they will hope I don't join in.
Rough guides v good. Bit of a misnomer as they aren't the guide to 'roughing it' in a country – all budgets catered for and the detail really helps plan a trip.
Sounds like you're planning a fab trip. If you leave some of the sights it'll give you an excuse to go back another time.
Stockholm is one of my absolute favourite cities. If you're staying fairly centrally don't bother to get a travel pass, you can walk anywhere. Great things to see: Skansen, the Vasa, loads of museums. The changing of the guard thing at the palace seems to rehearse at the army museum first without the big crowds. Good shops (if you like Scandi style) and good eating (can particularly recommend vegetarian buffet at Herman's – great view from the terrace). Try to plan in a cruise to the archipelago, even if just a day cruise.
I've only spent one day looking Gothenburg but it was lovely and I'd like to go back! There was a big festival when I went, loads of free entertainment on the streets and in the park (this was August I think).
I'd always advocate fewer places and more time at each, just because I'm quite a lazy traveller and just like to sit around eating cake (great cake in Sweden too) and watching the world go by!
Just stay away from Martin Vanger. He's not a nice boy.
So jealous… I love Sweden! Lovely people, gorgeous country, some wonderful food!
But when are you coming to Munich, that's what I want to know!?! π
hubby said Malmo is a bit dull compared to Stockholm and Copenhagen but he is usually working (or so he tells me) so perhaps he means the office interiors just don't meet the grade. Have a great time.
Sarah – I think that's how we're going to play it. As Dougie said to me last night, if someone was planning a fortnight in Scotland they wouldn't need to fit in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen plus all the east and west coasts!
blurofwoodsmoke – Thanks so much for all that info: just the sort of personal experience that's so valuable. And yes, sitting watching the world go by while eating cake is what holidays should be about.
Steve – Warning heeded!
Bavarian sojourn – glad to hear your positive comments. If the country is half as nice as the parts of Denmark we saw last year, we should have a great holiday.
kelloggsville – I think, even though there are parts of Malmo I'd like to see, it may be better to travel through it towards Gothenburg. Will have to have another think.
Read a story in the Guardian yesterday about the luxury hostel in the Jumbo Jet at Stockholm Airport: Jumbo Stay. You might want to check that out…?
Asproulla – that sounds fab, have just looked it up. What a brilliant idea!
I second the tips from blurofwoodsmoke on Stockholm – and would definitely recommend a trip to the Vasa Museum. The ship is just amazing and was so well preserved (nothing like the disappointment that is the Mary Rose). The Moderna Museum is great and the Nationalmuseum has some great exhibitions, if you like museums.
Gamla Stan – the old town – is lovely to walk around, and Skansen (open air museum) is also highly recommended, followed by a walk around DjurgΓ₯rden, the island it is on, afterwards.
If you stay at the Nobis hotel, you can check out Hallwylska Museum just around the corner – it has been preserved as it was when the last residents lived there – and she was a huge collector of absolutely everything. Fascinating place. (My only reservation about staying at the fun jumbo jet hostel would be that it means you're based 40km outside the city and it's a pain/expensive to travel in.)
Vaxholm, a little way out into the archipelago, is lovely, and the further you head out, the fewer people and the more beautiful it gets.
I've been to Gothenburg a couple of times and the city really doesn't do much for me (Gothenburgers will say it's because I've lived in Stockholm too long!). However, the archipelago around it is simply stunning and quite different from that outside Stockholm. If you're travelling up to Gothenburg from MalmΓΆ, I would recommend a stop along the route as the coastline there in the SkΓ₯ne region is gorgeous, especially near Torekov and Kullen.
I have a soft spot for MalmΓΆ as I lived in Copenhagen for some years and as Husband's family live 40 mins from there, but it's not to everyone's taste. The Turning Torso is amazing and VΓ€stra Hamnen, the area where it is situated, is full of great architecture (an influence from Copenhagen, I think, as good architecture seems lacking in Stockholm). If you do go to MalmΓΆ, I highly recommend a day spent in Lund (15 mins away by train), which is a much older city and far more beautiful. It is a university city with a huge church (it was the religious capital of the area in medieval times) and is great for wandering around.
Oh, I know this misses out the whole middle of the country – there is just so much to see in Sweden. The area around the two big lakes is also beautiful. And the mountains further north and the coastline around Γsterlen in the south east…
Four years living here and I think I've been converted! (Pls feel free to get in touch if you'd like any more tips – am sure I can come up with more!)
Wow, that jumbo jet place looks really fun! I want to go to Stockholm again!
We had a plan to do Stockholm – Aland Islands – Turku – Tampere this summer but I need to be employed before we can consider shelling out on that, may well be blagging the use of someone's caravan this year!
English Mamma – Oh this is just fantstic – thank you so much.
Husband has mentioned Lund as somewhere he'd like to see and we both fancy a stop in the lake region, maybe near Lake Vanern on way to Stockholm?
I may well be popping over to pick your brains a little more. Very grateful.
Blurofwoodsmoke – I love the idea of the Jumbo hotel for an overnight stop if we were flying from that airport, but we'll probably be flying out of Vasteras airport so logistically probably not a good idea.
Maybe next summer for your Stockholm plan? Blagging a caravan this year will still be fun…keep telling yourself that! π
I've always fancied holidaying in Scandinavia, sadly I think I shall need to save up a lot first!
I think Heather (notes from lapland) once wrote about an airoplane hotel in Sweden although I could be wrong…
Very Bored – as you've said to me just now on Twitter, you commented before reading the other comments! A lot of interest in the Jumbo hotel and yes, I think I remember her article now; didn't realise it was about Sweden at the time.
Are you planning a Lisbet Salandr/The Killing/Wallander tour?
I would love a holiday in Scandanavia but the cost of living puts me off and the very expensive wine even more so.
Mrs W – not intentionally, but we have looked at Wallander's gaff, Ystad, as a spot for a night and of course plenty of Larsson locations in Stockholm.
According to my research so far, the Swedish currency is such that it's like for like with the UK on most things but yes, alcohol much more expensive. A sober holiday then!
I had to laugh reading your post… I have just spent 6 days in Sweden by proxy during the holidays, reading the complete "Millennium" trilogy! I bought the books over a year ago but waited until I had enough free time to read the whole story in more or less one go. So, I am a total fan, but no use to you as I have never actually been to Sweden, only to Finland… Let me know if you change your plans!! ;o)
Funky Wellies – Another Stieg Larsson fan! Must admit, I read the first one but only got half way through the second one and now I've forgotten what was happening so may have to start again!
Trish this all sounds fabulous….can't wait to 'hear' all about it!
If you do go to Malmo by the way, definitely go to Ystad. I wrote about it on Scandinavian Sojourn a couple of times….
Libby – ah thanks and trust me, you'll hear about it!
Bavarian sojourn – I think the plan so far is to fly to Stockholm, have a few days there then head West via lakes to Gothenburg. Probably saunter south to Lund and Malmo and finish with a couple of nights near beach at Ystad. Will have to look at your old blog. Looking at hotel Ystad Saltsjobad?
You stopped in the middle of the second book?! How did you manage that? I could not put any of them down!
The Swedish films are being shown on German TV at the moment, so I am watching that too.
Funky – I don't know why I stopped but yes, I forgot about it.
Have just found out that the cast and crew of the new Daniel Craig film stayed at the Hotel Nobis in Stockholm so that's jumped up my list now!
Have a look at this place before you book anywhere, the food is incredible too! π
http://www.abbekashamnkrog.se/About-Abbekas-Hamnkrog.php
You have to visit Ales Stenar up the road too! Emma π
Blow, no love-in? Some of our best friends in London were Swedes and in fact they were quite Germanic in nature, rather than being free and easy. This sounds like a great plan. Guess what? you won the cashmere blend scarf on my blog today! Email me your address and I'll send it off toot sweet!
Bavarian sojourn – thanks so much for the recommendation. It's added to my expanding list of possibles. I really should sort the flights and get cracking!
About last weekend – will have to send Rory off for a walk and have my own love-in!
Great news about the scarf, have emailed you my address.