Never been to Sweden before, and would love to go... but after buying tickets and flights for Finlandia Trophy, Trophee Eric Bompard, and the Grand Prix Final... we are now paupers. And we still have to pay the hotel bills >_<It's not 100% sure, but I should attend Euros this year, too! Anyone planning to be there? I think I'm going to buy a weekend ticket...
Never been to Sweden before, and would love to go... but after buying tickets and flights for Finlandia Trophy, Trophee Eric Bompard, and the Grand Prix Final... we are now paupers. And we still have to pay the hotel bills >_<
I expect we'll be living on dry bread and water for the rest of the year, with nothing but a candle for heat and light when the Winter comes. (I hope it doesn't get really cold this Winter, or we might have to light the candle...)
I'm going! I bought the tickets to the men's and women's free. I also bought the flights from Helsinki, one way was just 39 e by Norwegian. Almost cheaper and so much faster than the crazy ferries
I'm going! I bought the tickets to the men's and women's free. I also bought the flights from Helsinki, one way was just 39 e by Norwegian. Almost cheaper and so much faster than the crazy ferries
Well, Doris, maybe it's a bit early but there are a few pieces of advice and information people who have never been to Stockholm may find useful. I'm sure I will think of more later but here are a few practical tips that come to mind immediately:
- The arena, it's called the Globe arena, is situated quite close to the inner city and is easy to get to by underground/subway train from all parts of the inner city where most hotels are. It will take you five to ten minutes to get there depending on where you are staying and the station is very close to the arena, one to two minutes walk only. In the arena area, there are quite a few restaurants, a hotel adjacent to the arena where the skaters are likely to be staying (with bar and restaurant for star gazing, LOL) and also a small shopping mall with a few shops and restaurants.
- On the outside of the arena, there is a rail with a big glass bubble that will take you up to the top of the arena from where you will have a fabulous view. The arena building is round and very high. Tickets can be bought at a separate ticket office at the arena.
- Make sure you buy tickets for buses and trains when you arrive. Public transport is very expensive if you buy single tickets (around 30 SEK = just over 3 euro one way) so if you plan to go to and from the arena a couple of times a day, get a period ticket of some kind. There are tourist tickets valid for unlimited travel for a certain period, other period tickets etc. Ask at the local transport office in the railway station or airport bus terminal and they will advise you. English is quite widely understood and spoken here and employees in ticket offices will speak English. Please note that tickets can not be bought on buses and trains.
- Food: There are plenty of restaurants from all over the world here. Most restaurants open for lunch have special lunch menus at around 8-10 euros and these lunches usually include a soft drink, salad, bread and coffee. Dinner will cost you anything between 12 and 50 euros. Please note that alcohol is expensive here so check the menu before ordering drinks and wine if you are on a budget. I'm sorry I can't really recommend anything because I usually can't eat out but I will of course make an exception during Euros, LOL. Especially if there will be any kind of skating fan meeting! I've been a figure skating fan since the early seventies and would like to meet visiting fans.
- If you have time for anything but skating and haven't been here before, go and see the Old Town (Gamla Stan in Swedish). It is a very old area situated on a small isand right in the centre of twn. It is a tourist trap and a must if you see what I mean. Old houses from fifteen hundred something with narrow cobble stone lanes, plenty of lttle shops, cafés, bars and restaurants.
- If you skate and it's not too cold, go skating with the locals on the outdoor skating rink in Kungsträdgården, a big open square in the city centre. They rent out skates but as far as I have seen, they're old and of poor quality so bring your own if you have any and want to skate there.
- The weather in January can be very unpredictable, from raging snow storms to clear and sunny and temperatures can vary between 0 degrees Celcius (32F) to minus 15 Celcius. Bring steady shoes with good soles! The streets can be full of ice and snow and very slippery.
- I'm sorry I can't recommend places like bars and night clubs. I'm sixty and stopped going to those some twenty years ago, LOL.
Well, that is what came to mind immediately. Any questions anyone may have, please post. If you want to get in touch privately for any reason, please PM me and I can give you my mobile phone number in a PM. I speak quite good English. And last but not least, welcome to Stockholm!
Thankyou for this ragdoll
I just realized I forgot to write about the infamous taxi chaos here. All tourists need to know about it and I certainly don't want my fellow skating fans to be ripped off. Operating a taxi business is something that can be done by almost anyone here and small and often dishonest one man companies with extremely high rates are fairly common. Pricing is free and unfortunately there are plenty of drivers that are in the business of ripping off unsuspecting tourists.
Even normal cab fares are generally high here, much higher than in most countries. Count on a starting fee of about 6 euro and total fee of about 15 to 20 euros for a 2 or 3 kilometer long trip within the inner city area. A dishonest one man company can charge you much more though.