Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kungsträdgårdenalsothrowshugeparties.TheTasteofStockholmfestival
runs for a week in early June, when restaurateurs show off and bands entertain
all day. Beer flows liberally—a rare public spectacle in Sweden.
The nearby Kungsträdgården T-bana station (on the side street called
Arsenalsgaten) is famous for having the best art of any station in town. The
man at the turnstile is generally friendly to tourists who ask
snälla rara
(snel-
lah rar-rah; pretty please) for permission to nip down the escalator to see the
far-out design, proving to the gullible that Stockholm sits upon a grand, an-
cient civilization.
• Walk back to the park and stroll through Kungsträdgården up to
Hamngatan street. Go left, and look for the...
Gallerian Mall:
Among this two-story world of shops, you'll find plenty
of affordable little lunch bars, classy cafés for your
fika
(traditional Swedish
coffee-and-bun break), and even a spa providing an oasis of relaxation for
stressed-out shoppers.
• Just beyond this huge mall, Hamngatan street leads to...
SergelsTorg:
Thissquare,worth▲,dominatestheheartofmodernStock-
holm with its stark 1960s-era functionalist architecture. The glassy tower in
the middle of the fountain plaza is ugly in daylight but glows at night, sym-
bolic of Sweden's haunting northern lights. The big, boxy, and glassy build-
ing overlooking the square is Stockholm's “culture center,” the
Kulturhuset.
Inside, just past the welcoming info desk, you'll find a big model of the city.
There's a library, Internet café, chessboards, fun shops, fine art cinema, art ex-
hibits, a venue for new bands, and a rooftop café with foreign newspapers and
a grand view (Tue-Fri 9:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-17:00, closed Mon but retail
shops stay open; tel. 08/5083-1508,
www.kulturhuset.stockholm.se
).
