Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
are plainly decorated but at the
ir good-value
weekday prices
leave little room for complaint.
750kr/950kr
First Grand Falun
Trotzgatan 9-11
T
023 79 48 80,
W
firsthotels.se.
The swankiest hotel in town is the central
First Grand
,
whose rooms are sumptuous to say the least.
However, it's the generously sized pool, sp
a and gym whic
h
really make a stay here worth the money.
998kr/1299kr
Lugnets Camping
Lugnetvägen 5
T
023 654 00,
W
lugnetscamping.se.
The nearest campsite
is up at
Lugnet by the National Ski Stadium, 1.5km from the town
centre. There's also a choice of cabins with full
self-ca
tering
faciliti
es or m
uch smaller, simpler
ones. T
ents
140kr
, small
cabins
355kr
, self-catering cabins
975kr
Youth hostel
Vandrarvägen 3
T
023 105 60,
W
stffalun.se; take bus #701 from the centre to Hosjö,
and get off at the stop called “Koppartorget”.
The
nearest hostel, this is located 4km from the centre in the
Haraldsbo part of town. Rooms are located in three
separate single-store
y brick
building
s whic
h each have a
guest kitchen. Dorms
220kr
, doubles
480kr
EATING AND DRINKING
Ì
Banken
Åsgatan 41
T
023 71 19 11.
A trendy bistro
with a grand stuccoed ceiling which takes its name from
the former bank that once stood here. Changing modern
Swedish dishes make up the menu here (around 230kr),
although there are always burgers and pasta dishes
available (145kr).
Mon-Thurs 11.30am-11pm, Fri
11.30am-midnight, Sat 1pm-midnight.
Bishops Arms
Östra Hamngatan 12
T
023 123 90.
One
of
the
places to be seen, this fake-English pub has wooden
beams and lots of brass ornaments and serves a range of bar
meals such as burgers and steaks as well as a good selection
of beer on tap.
Mon & Tues 4-11pm, Wed & Thurs 4pm-
midnight, Fri & Sat 4pm-2am, Sun 4-10pm.
Falu Stekhus
Stora torget 1
T
023 254 00.
Located
under the Rådhus, this is an atmospheric place to indulge
in succulent grilled steaks for around 250kr per main
course. On Fri there's a special deal on the salad buffet
including a beer for 99kr.
Wed & Thurs 5pm-midnight,
Fri & Sat 5pm-2am.
Hammars Pizza & Pasta
Åsgatan 28
T
023 390 39.
A
chi-chi new brasserie serving good-quality Italian antipasti
as well as juicy steaks, local fish, pasta and pizza. Look out
for its lunchtime pizza and pasta buffet served weekdays
until
2pm.
Tues
&
Sun
3-10pm,
Wed-Sat
3pm-midnight.
The Kings Arms
Falugatan 3
T
023 71 13 44.
A cosy and
popular bistro pub with a heavy wooden interior and
models of rigged sailing ships in the windows. Light bar
meals such as burgers (125kr) and fish and chips (135kr)
are available as well as heftier steak and fish meals (from
155kr).
Mon-Thurs 11am-2pm & 4pm-1am, Fri
11am-2pm, Sat noon-2am, Sun 4pm-1am.
8
Around Lake Siljan
Things have changed since Baedeker, writing in 1889, observed that “Lake Siljan owes
much of its interest to the inhabitants of its banks, who have preserved many of their
primitive characteristics. In their idea of cleanliness they are somewhat behind the age.”
Today it's not the people who draw your attention but the setting.
Lake Siljan
, created
millions of years ago when a meteorite crashed into the earth, is what many people
come to Sweden for, its gently rolling surroundings, traditions and local handicrafts
weaving a subtle spell on the visitor. There's a lush feel to much of the region, the
charm of the forest heightened by its proximity to the lake, all of which adds a pleasing
dimension to the low-profile towns and villages that interrupt the rural scenery. Only
Mora
stands out as being bigger and busier, with the hustle and bustle of holiday-
makers and countless caravans crowding the place in summer.
Leksand
Perhaps the most traditional of the Dalarna villages,
LEKSAND
, about 50km northwest
of Falun, is certainly worth making the effort to reach at midsummer, when it stages
festivals recalling age-old dances performed around the
maypole
(Sweden's maypoles
are erected in June - in May the trees here are still bare and the ground can be covered
with snow). The celebrations culminate in the
church boat (kyrkbåtar) races
, a
waterborne procession of sleek wooden longboats, which the locals once rowed to
church on Sundays. Starting on Midsummer's Day in nearby
Siljansnäs
- take the
roughly hourly bus #84 from Leksand - and continuing for ten days at different
locations around the lake, the races hit Leksand on the first Saturday in July. Leksand's
tourist office will have details of the arrangements for each summer's races.
