Sweden Information
Joined: 21 Oct 2006
Posts: 18
Home Country: sweden
|
 Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:10 am Post subject: NIGHTLIFE IN SWEDEN (STOCKHOLM) |
 |
|
NIGHTLIFE IN SWEDEN
STOCKHOLM
The late evening summer sun in Stockholm seems to stretch on forever, while the long winter nights need to be filled with fun. The result is a city committed to its nightlife. Strong jazz traditions and smart bars cater to older or smoother patrons, while the club scene (often Spanish in flavour) parties hard. The area around Stureplan is the most happening place in the city. Admission to clubs can cost anything between SKr5 and SKr100, while a liter of beer will cost in the region of SKr70-100 and 4cl of vodka around SKr70. The minimum age for buying alcohol is 20 years – 18 years in restaurants or nightclubs. The sale of alcohol is restricted to 1200-2400 (from 1300 on Sunday), although nightclubs or the occasional favoured bar, such as Kvarnen on Södermalm, sell drinks later into the night. Standard hours for bars and clubs are from about 0900-0200, with restaurant bars opening earlier and some clubs closing later (at around 0500). From 1 June 2005 smoking is no longer permitted indoors at Stockholm’s restaurants, bars and pubs.
The official Stockholm tourism website, www.stockholmtown.com, is an excellent source for information on nightlife.
Bars: Halv Trappa Plus Gård, Lästmakargatan 3, is a ferociously trendy bar-restaurant and a great retreat for local celebrities. Another hot spot is Spy Bar, Birger Jarlsgatan 20, an intimate and stylish place. Gondolen, Stadsgården 6, serves drinks to match its unbeatable view. The Sturehof Bar, Stureplan 2, and its upstairs cousin, O-bar, are benchmarks in the style-conscious re-branding of the old Sturehof Restaurant. The Grand Hotel’s Cadier Bar, Södra Blasieholmshamnen 8, is the place to enjoy a classy cocktail, while the Opera Bar, Karl X11’s Torg, offers quiet surroundings for a relaxing drink. Conversely, Kvarnen, Tjärhovsgatan 4, is a beer hall with a typically rootsy Södermalm charm, open until 0300 and hugely popular. Tennstopet Bar, Dalagatan 50, is over 100 years old and another solidly traditional drinking hole. The Absolut Ice Bar in the Nordic Sea Hotel, Vastaplan 7, while not unique in the world any more, is still a special place, with its year-round temperature of -5° C (23° F). Drinks are served in hollowed-out ice cubes from a bar also made of ice. Even the walls and tables are made of ice taken from the Torne River on the border between Sweden and Finland. It costs Skr140 to get in, and the price includes the ice glass and a drink.
Casinos: Casino Cosmopol, Kungsgatan 65 (tel: (08) 781 8800; website: www.casinocosmopol.se) opened in 2003, is the biggest casino in Sweden and the main casino in the capital. There are 31 casino tables, and Roulette, Black Jack, Caribbean Stud, Punto Banco, Sic Bo, Touch Bet Roulette and poker are played. There are also some 300 slot machines on the premises. Only those over 20 years of age are admitted, and guests must carry some form of official photo ID.
Clubs: Some of Stockholm’s liveliest clubbing goes on under the palm trees at Blue Moon, Kungsgatan 18, which incorporates the Havana Bar, dispensing Cuban cigars along with the drinks. Equally Latin in flavour but more upmarket, Sophie’s Bar, Biblioteksgatan 5, plays host to the rich and funky. Café Opera, Kungsträdgården, draws an eclectic crowd of all ages and tastes to its fabulous interior, plying mainstream partygoers with cutting-edge sounds. Fasching Jazzclub, Kungsgatan 63, has jazz, soul and Latin American sounds at the weekend. Tre Remmare, Vasagatan 17, feeds, waters and entertains night owls long after the other venues close and boasts the Sinatra Bar, offering cocktails in a mini-shrine to crooner Frank. Köket (The Kitchen) at Stureplan is one of the most popular and stylish nightclubs in Stockholm with three bars and a relaxed atmosphere.
Live Music: The hotel bar at Lydmar, Sturegatan 10, regularly holds unadvertised soul and jazz gigs. Nalen, Regeringsgatan 74, is run by the Swedish Artists' and Musicians' Interest Organization in a wonderful old building with four concert venues where pop, rock and jazz from big international stars as well as obscure Swedish bands can be heard. Mondo, Medborgarplatsen 8, is another versatile venue that attracts both international and Swedish artists and has a wide-reaching program of musical and other events. Stockholms Stadion, Lidingövägen, is the venue for large-scale stadium rock.
GOTHENBURG
To the Gothenburger, there's nothing more exciting than sitting outdoors at a cafe along the Avenyn enjoying the short-lived summer season. Residents also like to take the whole family to the Liseberg amusement park. Although clubs are open in the summer, they're not well patronized until the cool weather sets in.
For a listing of entertainment events scheduled at the time of your visit, check the newspapers (Götenborgs Posten is best) or inquire at the tourist office. If Swedish dinner theater interests you, see Restaurang Gillestugan.
Theatre:The Gothenburg Card allows you to buy two tickets for the price of one. Call the particular theatre or the tourist office for program information. Performances also are announced in the newspapers.
MALMO
For serious after-dark pursuits, many locals, especially young people, head for nearby Copenhagen. However, there are several local amusements, as well, the best of which are previewed below.
From May to September, locals head for Folkets Park (People's Park), Amiralsgatan 35 (tel. 040/709-90), where sprawling amusement grounds and pleasure gardens, dancing pavilions, vaudeville performances, and open-air concerts all draw big crowds. Children will enjoy the playhouse, small zoo, reptile centre, and puppet theatre. Restaurants also dot the grounds. Hours are daily from 3pm to midnight in summer, noon to 6pm in winter. Admission is free; however, some performances require an admission price of Skr50 to Skr110. Take bus no. 11, 13, or 17 from the Gustav Adolfs Torg.
Dancing is the rage at the creatively designed Nightclub Etage, Stortorget 6 (tel. 040/23-20-60). Initially conceived as an upscale bar and restaurant in the late 1980s, this nightspot lowered its prices and began marketing to a mass audience in the early 1990s. Despite its lowered expectations, the bar has not seemed to suffer as a result. It's reached by climbing a circular staircase from an enclosed courtyard in the town's main square. Satellite bars open and close regularly on every floor. The complex is open Monday and Thursday through Saturday from 11pm to at least 4am, depending on the crowd. Cover for the dance club ranges from Skr60 to Skr80.
Many love affairs, some of which have segued into marriages, have gotten a boost at Swing Inn, Hamburgsgatan 3 (tel. 040/12-22-21), where romantic dancing is the norm. Attendees tend to be over 35 and the recorded music is reminiscent of a '60s variety show. There's a restaurant on the premises serving platters of traditional Swedish food Thursday to Saturday between 10 and 11:30pm. Main courses cost from Skr120 to Skr175. Music and bar activities are scheduled on Thursday 10pm to 1am, Friday from 10pm to 3am, and Saturday from 10pm to 4am. The cover charge is Skr80 after 11pm.
The largest nightclub in Malmö, Club Privée, Malmborgsgatan 7 (tel. 040/97-46-66), contains five floors and tends to attract a slightly younger (20-25) clientele on Friday than it does on Saturday (20-30). Set near the Gustav Adolfs Torg, in the center of town, it has a decor that replicates an English pub -- there are, for example, lots of Chesterfield sofas. There's a bar, and different music is played on each of the establishment's five floors. It's open only on Friday and Saturday nights from 11pm to 5am. The cover ranges from Skr80 to Skr100, and a large beer costs Skr45.
Nostalgic for Britain? The best replica of a British pub is the Bishop's Arms, Norra Vallgatan 62 (tel. 040/664-48-88), at the Savoy Hotel. Some of the best and coldest beer in town is served here, and there's always a congenial crowd.
Those seeking cultural activities after dark should get tickets to the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, which is renowned across Europe. It performs at the Konserthus, Föreningsgatan 35 (tel. 040/630-45-06). The tourist office distributes programs of other cultural events. |
|
Register
Log in
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
