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Stockholmo!
It’s the capital of the country that gave us the classic gay-icon band ABBA. It’s the Capital of Scandinavia. And in the summer of 2008 it will once again be the Gay Capital of Europe, when it hosts Europride for the second time in just ten years. What is it that makes Stockholm a perfect paradise for gay men and lesbians in search of a destination that seems to have been created just for them? What is that makes the Swedish capital one of those exceptional cities that beckons back visitors, gay and straight, time and time again, with the promise of fresh, exciting experiences for every trip?
Gay life in Stockholm is like the city itself: easily accessible, hugely fun, highly varied, and warm and welcoming in a laid-back, typically Scandinavian type of way. It is never brash, ghettoised or in-your-face, as some of Europe’s other capital cities can be. Stockholm can be gay, gay-friendly, or simply friendly, depending on what you are looking for in a holiday destination. But it is never, ever, dull or predictable.
First-time gay or lesbian visitors to Stockholm quickly lose any stereotype image they made have had of Swedes as a dour and distant Nordic race. Swedes are a fun-loving, open and tolerant people, at ease with diversity, and filled with a huge love of life that makes them great people to be around. (Most of them are also a glory to behold – stylish and stunning Nordic gods and goddesses abound wherever you go in this city!). Whatever time of the year you visit Stockholm, you’ll see the locals enjoying themselves to the full, and you’ll quickly find yourself joining in.
Go ‘Out’ on The Scene
Stockholm has no gay enclave as such, but gay and gay-friendly establishments are scattered throughout this city, and rainbow flags fly high in most of Stockholm’s central districts. But the greatest concentration of gay bars and clubs is to be found in two areas: the Södermalm district and in Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town, where the original medieval town lives on in the cobblestone streets and the stunning buildings. Södermalm is where you’ll find, for example, the gay club Side Track, as well as the SM/leather clubs LASH (for women) and SLM (for men) – if that’s your taste …. In the Old Town, Torget is a firm favourite among gay bars, with different themes each evening.
For dancing queens, a unique event is the Sunday tea party on the old steamship Patricia, from whose upper deck you can admire the lights of Stockholm while taking a rest from the dance-floor. The Patricia has been known to host the occasional foam party, adding to the excitement of finding yourself pressed hard up against the locals! Or try the intimate Connection club every Friday and Saturday, at the Cattelin's eatery; or the more male-dominated Lino club, just west of the Old Town, with four bars, three dance-floors and a big outdoor terrace.
But remember that, whatever your taste in gay ‘recreation’, it couldn’t be made any easier for you to get the information you need. The indispensable QX GAYMAP, covering all the clubs, restaurants, and bars, is available from their website ( HYPERLINK "http://www.qx.se" www.qx.se), along with the regularly updated QX GUIDE to events of interest to gay men and lesbians.
The Stockholm Pride Festival runs through the first week in August, and features lectures, debates, and art exhibitions. It culminates in the annual Stockholm Pride parade with about 30,000 participants and more than 150,000 spectators who gather to watch the procession of Viking Bears, Stockholm Queer Volleyball, gay Christians, gay socialists … you name it, they’re there.
Go Sightseeing
This friendly, spotlessly-clean city starts with a massive advantage: its breathtakingly beautiful setting. Stockholm is built on 14 islands, set in a sparkling sea so unpolluted that you can even swim in it (and many people do!). And, if the sea is never far away, the same is true for nature in all its splendour and ever-changing variety. Whether you are exploring the Old Town or the stylish modern architecture of Stockholm’s business district, beautifully-designed parks and gardens are a constant reminder of nature’s responses to the changing seasons. Whatever the season, you’ll want to enjoy the sights, both indoor and outdoor.
Indoors, you can choose from any of the 74 museums in the Stockholm area, from the unmissable Vasa Museum, which houses a perfectly-preserved warship that sank in Stockholm harbour on its maiden voyage in 1628, to the more esoteric private institutions such as the Donkey Museum or the Museum of Dance, next to the Royal Opera House. Or you can follow in the footsteps of Swedish aristocracy by heading for some of Stockholm’s stately homes and palaces. Try the Swedish Versailles, Drottningholm Palace, home of the royal family. Or take a tour of the incredible Hallwylska Palatset, built in 1898 for the Count and Countess von Hallwyl who collected everything from toothbrushes to Steinway pianos.
Outdoors, visit the Skansen open-air museum, with its fascinating collection of 150 houses and farmsteads from all over Sweden. Or drama queens could make a pilgrimage to the strangely romantic and mesmerizing Woodland Cemetery, where Greta Garbo is buried. Make time too for Millesgarden on the island of Lingingö, northeast of Stockholm. This is the former villa and sculpture garden of Carl Milles, Sweden’s foremost sculptor, and his most stunning works are on display here. But, if outdoor ‘romance’ is uppermost on your mind, gay men should head for the island of Långholmen or Frescati next to Stockholm University where in summer you´ll find droves of stunning Swedes, sunbathing and swimming in all their glory.
And remember that a boat tour is as essential for visitors to this city as it is for visitors to Venice. The Strömma Canal Company (Strömma Kanalbolaget) runs various boat tours of the city, departing from quays near the Royal Dramatic Theatre, the Grand Hôtel and City Hall.
Go Dining
There’s much more to Swedish food than smorgasbord, and Stockholm abounds in fashionable restaurants with enticing menus, rivaling those of any European capital city. The restaurant scene in Stockholm is known for its wide selection of dining options, high standards, and professional service.
Creative menus in of hip locations are on offer in the many gay-friendly restaurants all around the city, such as Cattelin, Ghetto, Spisa Hos Helena and the intriguingly named Mandus Bar & Kök. Or for a gourmet seafood meal afloat, you could try the gay-managed former troop transport ship M/S Gerda which now functions as an exclusive floating restaurant. (Incidentally, the women's bathroom has two toilets next to each other – very cosy!) In Södermalm's fashion district Roxy is a lesbian-run restaurant/lounge
Go Shopping
For all its lovingly-preserved traditions, Stockholm is clearly a 21st century city that has made quite a name for itself in recent years, as one of the world’s leading centres of design, fashion and music. You will inevitably want to take some of those typically Swedish goods back home with you, so head for Stockholm’s shops – you have 4000 to choose from. In the department stores and exclusive boutiques, traditional Swedish handicrafts sit side by side with clothes and accessories, glass-ware and ceramics of superb contemporary design that often draw their inspiration from Swedish folk-art and crafts. The street called Hamngatan is a good place to start, since two of Stockholm’s leading shopping paradises are to be found right there. The Gallerian, Stockholm’s first shopping mall offers more than 60 different stores; and NK, a former department store now accommodates many exclusive shops selling exclusive brands, as well as the acclaimed Restaurant Boberg.
Stay in Style
Stockholm specializes in chic, gay-friendly hotels, all of which appear to be staffed by the seriously gorgeous – are they all recruited from some exclusive Scandinavian model agency? And how is it possible for them to be so attractive and yet so friendly and helpful at the same time?
For minimalist Swedish style at its very best, try the centrally-located Nordic Light Hotel, recently voted ‘The World’s Sexiest Hotel’ by the readers of Elle magazine, for its highly acclaimed weekend ‘Love Packages’. And at the Nordic Sea Hotel, its sister hotel located right next door, you’ll find Stockholm’s coolest bar, the Icebar, where the temperature is always -5°C (23°F), and all of the furnishings, including the glasses, are made of 100% clear ice…
Situated close to the Old Town, the Berns Hotel is a chic art-deco boutique property that calls itself the ‘Designer Hotel for people tired of designer hotels’. The Berns’ previous guests have included Marlene Dietrich and Diana Ross, and was a regular haunt of August Strindberg, who named one of his novels after the hotel’s over-the-top, ornately decorated Red Room.
Or, if heritage and tradition are your thing, try the superbly elegant Grand Hotel, right across from the Royal Palace. The Grand offers exquisite Romantic Weekend breaks that include Champagne and fresh strawberries in your room. (If you’re feeling extravagant, check into the Princess Lilian Suite right at the top of the Grand. Northern Europe’s largest suite, it is 330 sqm in size, including its own cinema, gym and sauna. Go on, you know you want to!)
But if modernity is your preferred style, look no further than the excellent Clarion Hotel, Stockholm’s largest. Rightly describing itself as ‘Stockholm’s art hotel no 1’, the Clarion offers much more than just a place to stay. Their fascinating collection of contemporary Nordic art can be seen in all rooms and in the hotel’s public areas.
And if you’re the kind of person who likes to be right in the middle of things, then either of these two hotels could be just right for you: the Victory Hotel, in the middle of the Old Town, is compact, charming and friendly – and a must for anyone with an interest in antiques and 19th century memorabilia, which feature as decorations all over the hotel. It also hosts the very gay-friendly bar, the Leijonbaren. And the Stockholm Hilton Hotel is just 2 minutes’ walk from the Old Town, on Södermalm Island. It’s a modern, purpose-built property situated just across the water from the heart of Stockholm city, and most of the rooms have a excellent views of Lake Malaren and the Old Town.
Last, but definitely not least, is a veritable gem of a hotel, the Hellsten. Cosy and uniquely charming,
the Hellsten is a quiet temple of impeccably good taste, from the individually decorated and furnished bedrooms to the exquisite conservatory that is used as the breakfast room – serving up one of the
best breakfasts in Stockholm!
Contact Information
For RFPs:
Magnus Lindbergh, Marketing & Sales Manager Meetings & Incentives
VisitSweden, New York
Ph: 212 885 9753, E-mail: magnus.lindbergh@visitsweden.com
For general information:
web: visitsweden.com/gay, email: usa@visitsweden.com, phone: 212 885 9700
web: stockholmtown.com/gay, email: info@svb.stockholm.se, phone: +46 8 508 285 00
VisitSweden and Stockholm Visitors Board are members of IGLTA. Several of our hotels are TAG Approved. See hotel list at www.visitsweden.com/gay.
