Hotel Riddargatan

Guard Change Ceremony

by Tanechka

The main features of the Stockholm royal palace is not only a unique museum of treasures, but also kept ancient tradition of changing the guard which is passing every day in a court yard of a palace and going back to an epoch of coronation of Gustav Vasa. Ceremony starts from the Museum of Army and goes through Riddargatan, Artillerigatan, Strandv?gen, Hamngatan, Regeringsgatan, Gustav Adolfs torg, Norrbro, Skeppsbron and Slottsbacken. In summer time this ceremony goes daily at 12:15, on the week-ends 13:15, other time on Wednesdays and Saturdays . It was the most remarkable ceremony I ever had seen.

CHANGING OF THE ROYAL GUARD

by DAO

The Hogvakten (Royal Guards) have been stationed at the Royal Palace since 1523! How could you miss out on this bit of history? It’s free to watch and there is never really a crowd you need to fight in order to see this happen. They sometimes do wear elaborate dress uniforms, just not on the day I took their photos.

The changing of the guard at the Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet) on Gamla Stan takes place each day. The participating soldiers are chosen from the ranks from the armed forces of Sweden. The procession starts at Nybroplan at 11:45am every day except Sunday (12:45 pm on Sunday). The guards and band march across the Norrbro Bridge and arrive at the Royal Palace in about 30 minutes (12:15pm, 1:15pm on Sundays). A squad of 20 soldiers replaces another squad in an interesting and precise display.

During the summer (middle of May until September), the parade begins at the Army Museum (Armemuseum, Riddargatan) 30 minutes prior to the palace ceremony. The bands only participate during these months, but not every day.

Eat and drink in Stockholm

by Mittnic

I think Stockholms reputation of being very expensive is exaggerated. There are many good restaurants in the city and quite a few of them offers reasonable value for the money. All restaurants have special lunch menus which are generally a better deal. Many restaurants I go to for lunch only and others I have only been to in the evening.

Good places are spread evenly across the inner city except for the area near the central station and Vasterlanggatan, the main shopping street in the old town. All restaurants there are to be avoided.

If one is looking for cheap in Stockholm (and doesn t want hamburger or pizza) Indian restaurants are generally low priced.

http://www.sunkhak.se/karta/ is a site dedicated to places where you can get cheap beer in Stockholm. Food will be cheap too. The site is in Swedish but click on the map and you will get a list of cheap restaurants.

I intentionally will refrain from mention some of my favourite restaurants. In my opinion most restaurants don?t fare well of good reviews. It is common that they raise prices or lower quality, or generally both. That said, there are a few that been around for long and are well known and liked anyway, so there is little harm mentioning them here.

"Lunch"

Van der Nootska Palatset
In a 17th c building, in the summer there is a backyard where you can sit outside. Inexpensive. S:t Paulsgatan 21, Soedermalm www.vandernootska.se

Wedholms Fisk
Best Fish in Sth. Very expensive but worth it. Nybrokajen 17 08 - 611 78 74

Kajsas Fisk
The fisk restaurant inside the market-hall Hoetorgshallen.
Inexpensive. Try the Baltic herring with mashed potatoes. I like to sit in the small bar section and watch the food being prepared. Hoetorget

The food stands at Slussen
Fried Baltic herring or North-Swedish food. Tasty and cheap! Next to Stockholms stadsmuseum

Modern Museum
This museum has a restaurant offering good food and a great view. Average prices. www.modernamuseet.se/

Opera Kaellarens Bakficka
One of four restaurants in the Opera house. Typical Swedish food items on the menu. Also good for an early dinner. This nice bistro is a good place for the single traveller. Expensive. Jakobs Torg 10,

"Dinner"

Vassa Eggen
Great food! Expensive but worth it. Reservations essential 08-216169. Birger Jarlsgatan 29
http://www.vassaeggen.com/ENG/index.html

Cafe Piastowska
A unique Polish restaurant! This place is a time machine back to 1910. Inexpensive
08 - 21 25 08 Tegnergatan 5

Ho s
The best Chinese in Sth. Inexpensive Hornsgatan 151 S?dermalm

Goeteborg
This place is in Hammarby Sjoestad, a newly build residential area just south of the inner city.
Good food at reasonable prices. 031-13 99 33 Midskeppsgatan 31

Fredsgatan 12
Fantastic food at high prices. http://www.f12.se/generellt/index2.asp?lang=eng Fredsgatan 12

Wedholms Fisk
Never wrong..

"Bars"

Berns

Gondolen

Mosebacke

"Coffee"

Blaa Porten
Nice place between Vasa and Skansen. Also outdoor.
Djurgaardsvaegen 64

Vetekatten
Traditional Swedish coffee shop. Kungsgatan 55

Sturekatten
Traditional Swedish coffee shop. Riddargatan 4

Citykonditoriet
This place is run by Pentecostal Movement, but don t let that put you off. It is situated in a former dance palace from early 20 th c. Beautiful setting! Cheap! Adolf Fredriks Kyrkogata 10 (up-stairs)

Stockholm, 15.-17.October 1996

by Hestia

"Useful information from A to Z"

ART GALLERIES Stockholm is known for its many galleries. You will find a great deal of them on "Puckeln" on Hornsgatan.

BANKS Banks are open Mo.-Fri 09.30-15.00, some banks in central Stockholm are open until 18.00. On Thursdays the banks are usually open in the evening as well.

BICYCLE RENTAL By the bridge leading to Djurg?rden you can rent bicycles, inlines etc. at Djurg?rden bridge Sj?caf?. Ph. 660 57 57.

BOAT RENTAL Canoes, pedalboats and other boats can be rented at Tvillingarnas by the bridge leading to Djurg?rden. Ph. 663 37 39.

CAR RENTAL There are many car rental firms in Stockholm, for example; Hertz, Vasagatan 26, tel. 454 62 50, Avis, Vasagatan 10 B, tel. 20 20 60, and Budget, Klarabergsviadukten 92, tel. 411 15 00.

CHANGING OF THE GUARDS A century long tradition, known to be a spectacular show, is taking place almost every day during summer (12.15 PM) and Weekends (13.15).The parade starts from the Army Museum and walks toward the Royal Palace via Riddargatan, Artillerigatan, Strandv?gen, Hamngatan, Regeringsgatan, Gustav Adolfs torg, Norrbro, Skeppsbron and Slottsbacken. During the rest of the year, changing of the guards take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

CHURCH SERVICES In English: Anglican church St. Peter and St. Sigfrid, Strandv?gen 76 Phone: 08-663 82 48 Sundays at 11.00. Evengelical International Fellowship at Immanuel Church, Kungstensgatan 17 Phone: 08-674 13 07 Sundays at 11.00. Ecumenical International Church of Stockholm at St. Jacobs, V?stra Tr?dg?rdsgatan 2 Phone: 08-723 30 00 Sundays at 18.00. Roman Catholic St. Eugenia, Kungstr?dg?rdsgatan 12 Phone: 08-679 57 70 Sundays at 18.00. In German: Deutsche St. Gertruds Kirche Tyska Brinken, in the Old Town Phone: 08-411 11 88 Sundays at 11.00. In Finnish: Finnish Church, Slottsbacken 2C Phone: 08-206140 Sundays at 11.00 every other week

DENTAL CARE In case of urgent dental care, visit the hospital of S:t Erik, open 07.45-20.30. Dentist on-call, 672 31 00.

EMERGENCY Dial 112 for ambulance, fire department, police. and on-call doctors. If you need medical advise during your stay, call the Public health service on 463 91 00.

FILM If you would like to develop your films within the hour, visit any of the following shops: Fotomax, Sl?jdgatan 2, Fotomax, Olof Palmes Gata 16, Fotomax, Odengatan 49, Fotomax, G?tgatan 96 or Fotomax, J?rnv?gsgatan 38.

INTERNET To send and receive e-mails or to send an virtual postcard is possible to do at internetcaf?s, situated very central is the one in Kulturhuset.

LIQUOR STORES In Stockholm liquor is sold in special stores. There are 23 stores in the citycenter. The following have self-service system: Klarabergsgatan 62, Regeringsgatan 44, L?ngholmsgatan 21, Norra Stationsgatan 58-60, F?lt?versten Karlaplan 13 and Garnisonen Karlav?gen 100 A. Openinghours are Mo-Fri 10.00-18.00 (some close at 19.00), Saturdays 10.00 - 14.00.

LOST AND FOUND Lost and found items can be asked for/handed in at the following places: On the groundfloor of the Centralstation (Ph. 762 25 50), SL Lost and Found on Klara ?stra Kyrkogata 4 (Ph. 412 69 60) or the Lost and Found department at the Policestation on Bergsgatan 39 (Ph. 401 07 88).

MOVIE THEATRES There are plenty of theatres in Stockholm showing movies. On H?torget you will find Filmstaden Sergel with 14 different auditoriums. Ph. 56 26 00 00.

PARKING Parking correct and legal in Stockholm can be quite difficult. At some place there are, once a week, no parking allowed during 00.00-06.00 due to cleaning of the streets. For information about parking, call 457 00 11. Central, large parking garages can be found on following places: Gallerian, H?torget, Odenplan, NK, ?hl?ns and by Norra Latin.

POLICE The Police Headquarters for Stockholm is located on Kungsholmsgatan 37 (Kungsholmen), ph. 401 10 00. If you have questions concerning the traffic, call 401 77 07.

POST OFFICES The post office inside the Centralstation is open Mo.-Fri 07.00-22.00 and Saturdays 10.00-19.00. Stamps can be bought in most news stands and kiosks.

PHARMACY There are about 130 pharmacies in Stockholm. Close to the Centralstation (Klarabergsgatan 64) you will find Pharmacy C.W. Scheele which is open 24 h. Ph.454 81 30.

SHOPPING Shops are usually open 10.00 - 18,00 Mo.-Fri, 10.00 - 17.00 on Saturdays. Department stores and many of the larger stores in city are open on Sundays 12.00 - 16.00. Grocer's shops are open everyday, most of them until 20.00, some of them even longer.

SPORT For information about events and tickets, contact Globen (Ph. 725 10 10), R?sunda Fotbollsstadion (735 09 35), Stockholms Stadion (21 94 56).

SWIMMING Sturebadet in Sturegallerian (Ph. 545 015 00) and Centralbadet on Drottninggatan 88 (Ph.545 213 00) are two places offering in-door swimmingpools, relaxing, fitness and body treatments.

TAXI Taxi Stockholm, 15 00 00. Taxi Kurir, 30 00 00. Taxi 020, 020-93 93 93.

TOURIST INFORMATION The official tourist information is situated in Kulturhuset Cultural Center at Sergels Torg. Opening hours: Mo.-Fri 09.00-18.00, Sat-Sun 10.00-15.00. Ph. 789 24 90.

TRAINS & BUSES Information regarding train traffic is given on 0771-75 75 75 or www.sj.se. Call 660 10 00 or www.sl.se for information regarding buses, subway and commuter trains

http://www.stockholm-rootsi.com/