Page 28 - Sphere No.24 (Mar 2009)

26 SPHERE
Spoilt for choice : Clockwise from below left: The luxurious Grand Hotel; a scenic panorama of Stockholm; Gothenburg,
river views; cross-country skiing; the Ice hotel at Jukkasjarvi; Stockholm’s port; the Northern Lights; a 3 shop.
Inset: The origins of the Dala Horse, a national symbol and a popular tourist souvenir, date back hundreds of years.
bished Cadier bar is both stylish and fun.
Smaller and with a more intimate feel, the Hotel Stureplan
opened last year and blends old and new with a contemporary
décor contrasting with high ceilings and chandeliers.
The champagne bar is a magnet for both visitors and
locals, while guests can also enjoy access to Stur-
ebadet, one of the city’s best spas.
If Stockholm seems a little staid at first sight,
with grandiose buildings and monuments at every
turn, then its nightlife offers a stunning contrast. A
vast range of bars, clubs, pubs and live music venues
get going shortly after dusk and rarely let up until the
early hours of the morning.
TypicalofthebreedisStampen,aMeccafordevoteesofthe“sound
of surprise” as it plays Dixieland, NewOrleans andmainstream jazz
beneath a ceiling hung with stuffed animals and an assortment of
antiques, while the outdoor veranda is especially popular in sum-
mer. Rather more trendy, the BlueMoon Bar attracts a host of mod-
els and actors, with a chic modern décor and a DJ spinning a huge
variety of tunes from all over the globe. Alternatively, Café Opera is
a bistro, brasserie and tearoom by day, but in the evening is trans-
formed into one of Stockholm’s most happening nightclubs.
More formal entertainment is on offer at the Royal DramaticThe-
atre – Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern – where Greta Garbo launched
her acting career – which stages both classics and experimental pro-
ductions. Evenmore spectacular, the DrottningholmCourtTheatre
dates fromthe 18th century andputs onbothopera andbal-
let with performers dressed in period costume while the
music of the time is played on antique instruments.
Sweden’s second city, Gothenburg, was once the
centre of the country’s ship building industry, howev-
er nowadays it’s better known for its universities and
the student population gives the metropolis a merrily
rumbustious air. Yet the greatest change in Gothenburg
in recent years has been amini-gastronomic revolution, with
dozens of smart eateries opening up in and around the city centre.
Fresh fish from the North Atlantic is the prime ingredient,
and one place to sample it is Sjomagasinet, right by the Alvsborg
Bridge. The restaurant boasts a coveted Michelin star, awarded in
1999. Meanwhile, Gallic and Swedish cuisine is beautifully fused
at Kock &Vin, which concentrates onmatching the various dishes
with the wines in the restaurant’s extensive cellar.
Health-conscious eaters should drop by Wasa Alle, where
nutritional ingredients are served up in dishes from all over the
world. Not all of Gothenburg’s dining is so formal; after work
on Fridays pubs such as Respekt, Rumpanbar and Tres lay on