The Stockholmtown Blog

Qatar Airways starts their flights to Stockholm-Arlanda from Qatar november 27 this year. Qatar Airways is just one of several new direct intercontinental flights to Stockholm. SAS started flights from Beijing and Bankok earlier this year. There will be four weekly flights from Doha to Stockholm every week and the will take 6 hours.  

The world is turning towards Sweden for fashion. The swedish designer Carin Rodebjer is one of them, based in New York. She has just opened her own first Rodebjer store on Jakobsbergsgatan 6, close to Biblioteksgatan in Stockholm.  The Architect Ola Andreasson and the illustrator Liselott Watkins have been working together with Rodebjer to create a cool new boutique.

The Hornstull area on Södermalm island will turn some of their buildings into a shopping mall of 14 000 square meters. According to the plans the shoppingmall will open in 2011. The new shopping mall will be situated at the corner of Långholmsgatan and Hornsgatan and will also include restaurants and cafés.

Stockholm-Arlanda Airport is one of the top three airports in the world, when it comes to flow in security controlles according to Skytrax global voting among 8 million travellers during one whole year. Stockholm-Arlanda was surpassed only by the two large airports in Honkong respective Zürich.

Per Lydmar, the man behind Berns Hotel and the now closed music hotel Lydmar, will open a new hotel focused on art, music and photo. The new hotel will be situated next to Nationalmuseum on Blasieholmen, in the former building of the German embassy, and is planned to open after summer 2008. The hotel will have some 50 rooms ccording to Dagens Nyheter. The new hotel will be named Hotel Lydmar. 

Zakes Mda, South Africa/USA (Thursday Nov 22)

The county administrative board of Stockholm (Länsstyrelsen) decided thursday to accept the new link "Förbifart Stockholm", next step is for the government to make the final decission. The 21 km link between E18 at Häggvik/Sollentuna, via Lovön, and E4/E20 at Kungens Kurva would make it possible to travel between northern and southern Stockholm without passing the City or Essingeleden. The National Environment Protection Board (Naturvårdsverket) is critical to the link because of the sensitive environment of the island Lovön.

Sterling launches three new european routes on October 28: From Brussels,  East Midlands UK and from Dortmund to Stockholm.

1. Oaxen, located on Hölö, Trosa archipelago is considered one of the best restaurants in Stockholm. Stay over night at the hotel boat m/s Stjerntorp.
2. Bullandö Krog, a popular place for Swedes with their own sailboat, on the island of Värmdö. Take bus 440 from Slussen or boat. 
3. A summermust for sailingcelebrities is Seglarhotellet in Sandhamn, easily accessed by boat from Strömkajen or Stavsnäs. Stay over night and enjoy the spa-area.
4. Utö Värdshus is well renowned for its good food. Stay over night at the youthhostel, in a house or in a archipelagosuit and enjoy the after-sail at the Seglarbaren.
5. Wermdö Golf och Country Club is the place to enjoy an evening after golfing, sailing. Stay at the small cottage by the puttinggreen. 
6. Holmen kök och bar in the fashionable waterfront suburb Saltsjöbaden is really nice and leisure. Enjoy a lunchbreak or a sunny evening. You will reach it with Saltjsjöbanan-tram from Slussen. Stay over night at the Saltsjöbaden Grand Hotel.
7. Kanalbaren, Strömma Kanal on Värmdö, the best bar in the neighbourhood. Take bus 433 or boat from Nybrokajen.
8. Bockholmen hav & Restaurant, though quite centrally located close to the Bergshamra underground station, Bockholmen is a relatively unknown island, even for stockholmers. The yellow wooden villa is transformed into a lovely restaurant by the waterfront.

1. Rowing boat in the city:  Djurgårdsbrons sjöcafé, Djurgården: 85 SEK/hr, 400 SEK/day
2. Rowing boat in the archipelago: Free of charge with ?båtluffarkort? (hop-on card) from Waxholmsbolaget. 
3. Pedal boat: Djurgårdsbrons sjöcafé, Djurgården: 100 SEK/hr, 300 SEK/day
4. Canoe in the Archipelago: Resarö, 
5. Sauna float:  First hour: 4875 SEK, following hours: 1875. Skipper, towels, soap etc is included.
6. Waterscooter in the archipelago  at Rindö harbour, costs 1250 SEK/hr and includes fuel, security and insurance.
7. Sailboat
8. Luxury yacht   

Stockholm is a walking city ? especially in the summer. Why not explore the city from above? Here are some ideas that you can read more about on Stockholmtown:
Kaknästornet, Djurgården
Stadshustornet, Kungsholmen

Vanadislunden, Vasastan,
Bredablick or Solliden at Skansen,
Skinnarviksberget, Monteliusvägen, Katarinahissen (Katarina elevator), Fjällgatan and Fåfängan on Södermalm

The Best Western Time Hotel will open in October 2007 situated in the calm, residential downtown area called Vasastan, close to Arlanda Airport bus stop and Vanadisbadet (out door poolarea). The hotel offers 144 comfortable rooms and most rooms have a French balcony. They have also got 15 studios with smaller kitchen for långterm-guests or families. 

The Best Western Time Hotel has a modern, classic design and the spacious lobby with its stylish lounge-bar is the natural meeting point for all guests.

One of Stockholms landmarks, the blue Concert Hall at Hötorget is so popular that it has grown out of its costume. During the years to come a transparent wing will be attached (towards the hötorget skyscrapers and on the parkinglot) to the building, including a restaurant for 120 people, a ticket centre, an exhibitionhall for video art. The new wing is planned to open in 2010.

Its often said that all great things are three. When you?ll try the new Yasuragi Sushi boat you will receive a nice sushi-lunch, a cruise through the archipelago and Spa treatments at Yasuragi Spa in Nacka.

Yasuragi Hasseludden arranges two daily sushicruises.
The boat leaves Nybroviken, kajplats 9, at 11.00 and 13.00. The trip includes roundtrip Hasseludden and costs 200 SEK which includes the 1 hour and 45 minute trip, sushi and misosoup. Stay for the day or stay over night.

Japanese architect, Yoji Kasajimas elegant, grey-brown buildings seem almost to rise out of the natural rock at this hotel and Japanese bath, with warm water sources inside and out. Massage, facial and body treatments, as well as other activities, such as meditation and qi gong ? all in a setting inspired by Japanese design.

35 rooms designed by Swedens? best architects and designers ages 24 to 75. The jugend buiding ?t-house? (Birger Jarlsgatan/Engelbrektsgatan) will transform into a temporary designexhibition. The aim is to show a home (not installations) for a fictive family of 11 persons including exwife, children etc and that it will include sounds, light and smells?!.

The exhibition also hosts a restaurant runned by Vassa Eggen, seminars twice/week and smaller events. The entrance fee will be first visit: 150 SEK, 2^nd visit: 50 SEK and 3^rd Free. It will be open every day, except Monday, from 11-22 o clock. Between september 1 and October 14. The items will be auctioned after the exhibition and the surplus goes to Childhood Foundation and the producers.

One of our ?unknown pearls? is the Carl Eldh Studio Museum. Due to the construction of Norra länken (car tunnel) the museum is closed during 2007. But don?t despair: In the meantime you can enjoy their new website.

Carl Eldh (1873-1954) was one of Sweden's most prominent sculptors during the first half of the 20th century. The studio in which he worked and lived for more than three decades is now preserved as a museum. This unusual wooden building was designed in 1919 by the architect Ragnar Östberg, who also designed the Stockholm City Hall and other buildings of note, and it contains several hundred sculptures by Carl Eldh.

The fashion industry has become very interested in sustainability. There are several places in Stockholm where you can buy trendy eco-clothes, so called ?fair trade?:

1. Ekovaruhuset  Österlånggatan 28, Gamla stan
2. Happy Hippo Riddargatan 28, Östermalm
3. Nudie Jeans   Skånegatan75, Södermalm
4. Bazoueira  Bondegatan 70, SoFo, Södermalm
5. Sencha  Sibyllegatan 36, Östermalm

Vasastan

Alfons coffee Shop, Scheelegatan 6

Ill Caffè, Bergsgatan 17

Alfons Coffee Shop, Birger Jarlsgatan 70

Caffè Nero, Roslagsgatan 4

Cocovaja, Norrtullsgatan 51

Mellqvist bar, Rörstrandsgatan 4

Primafila, Upplandsgatan 16

Mellqvist bar, Rörstrandsgatan 4

Salino?s, Dalagatan 58

Södermalm

Frapino Café, Långholmsgatan 3

Svart Kaffe, Södermannagatan 23

Esters Café & Thehandel, Folkungagatan 95

City/Norrmalm/Östermalm

Depå cofferoom, Smålandsgatan 10

Espresso House, Stureplan 8

Sosta Expresso Bar, Jakobsbergsgatan 5-9

Upper Queen Street, Drottninggatan 10

Zanzibar Café, Norrmalmstorg

Café Foam, Karlavägen 75

Molto Espressobar, Karlavägen 64

Djurgården/Gamla Stan

Blå Porten ,Djurgårdsvägen 64

Café Edenborg, Stora Nygatan 35

Caffellini, Västerlånggatan 60

Nina Persson, lead singer of the Indie-pop band The Cardigans, will be the fashion icon of the departmentstore PUB at Hötorget. She will blogg about fashion, design shoppingwindows among other things. The new PUB-departmentstore will become fashion-shopingstore number one with different inriktning on each floor. ?Love fool? was the first international hit by swedish indie pop band The Cardigans from their debute album ?First band on the moon? 1996. The song was featured in the film William Shakespeares Romeo + Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann starring Leonardo di Caprio.

There are three new ways to explore Stockholm this year. Strömma has introduced three new boat sightseeing tours; The first is Good Morning Stockholm , a sightseeing tour for stressful early birds. The two other are; Swedish Wilderness, a half day tour to Tyresta Nationalpark, in English and Swedish. An addition to the regular sightseeingtour Nybroviken-Djurgården, the Stockholm Sightseeing also stop at Masthamnen to pick up cruise passengers.

Moderna Museet, Skeppsholmen

Sirap, Surbrunnsgatan 31 A
Villa Källhagen by Djurgården.

Mosebacke, södermalm.

Fåfängan Restaurang & Café som ligger på Klockstapelsbacken 3.

Kharasmi som ligger på Dalagatan 44.

Mojo Coffee på Adolf Fredriks kyrkogata 12.

Deville som ligger på Roslagsgatan 6.

Café Creem som ligger på Fleminggatan

54 individually designed hotel rooms in the four wings of  Ulfsunda Castle is something out of the ordinary. The place is owned by Svensk Inredning Viking AB who bought the castle in 2003. The Castle was built during the years 1644 -1647 and the interior today is Scandinavian modern with thoughtful solutions to every detail and yet done truthfully to what you expect from a castle. They have really put an effort into every room, like light under the bed, nice and personal interior details. Different Swedish designers and artists have decorated some of the rooms, for instance Doc Forests room 112, well renowned tattooer (read about him in John Irvings ? until I find you) and Eva Paradis, potter and owner of paradisverkstans paradise room nr 101 . The Conference area with the soooo cool Kristinarummet is also worth a visit.

The label swan (Svanenmärkning) certifies that a hotel is working hard on sustainability. The two centrally located Nordic Hotels, Nordic Sea and Nordic light, received recently the ecological Svanenmärkning.

Two new designer cafées in Vasastan.  Caffé Como is a new cosy modern designed café in Vasastan and perfect place for breakfast. And yes, the name is inspired by the Corso Como boutique in Milan. Sandwiches, salads and a healthy menu are served at the new R4 on, Rörstrandsgatan, one of the most restaurant and bar dense street in Stockholm.    

• Caffé Como, Odengatan 106
• R4, Rörstrandsgatan 4

Restaurant Momma (former folkhemmet) is situated, close to Nytorget in SoFo, is a great place to go for food and drinks. Relax in the sofas and comfortable chairs in the bar area or eat  something from the ?rustic elegant? menu. The restaurant has got fine reviews from all newspapers in Stockholm as well.

Stockholm is enjoying really hot weather at the moment. A cool ice-cream in the sun is a great way to cool off a bit. Here are five places worth a detour:
Stockholms Glasshus,  Birkagatan 8, Vasastan
Montis, Gallerian, Hamngatan 37, City
Stockholms glass- och pastahus, Götgatan 5
Gelateria Italiana, Drottningholmsvägen 22, Kungsholmen
Kafé Kåkbrinken, Västerlånggatan 41, Gamla Stan

Enjoy a drink with a water front view on a ship or raft in Stockholm at:
Restaurang Kungsholmen near the City Hall, MS Gerda, Kungsholmen Mälarpaviljonen, Kungsholmen, Flyt,  Gamla Stan (Old Town), Strandbryggan, Djurgårdsbron, Loopen Marina, Södermalm, Thaiboat, Södermalm,
Sjökrogen Pampas Marina, Solna/Vasastan and Patricia, Slussen. 

Are you an early bird? Then you?d love the ?good morning Stockholm tour?. Experience a very different Stockholm from the water ? early in the day, as the city awakens, when the waters lie perfectly still and sweet birdsong echoes in the glittering morning light. The boat takes you from the Old town, Stockholm?s oldest parts, via Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm?s most modern parts, out to Fjäderholmarna ? the innermost islands of the Stockholm archipelago and Djurgården. The tour starts at 08.30 and takes 2,5 hours and costs SEK 150. The tour runs daily June 2 August 18 from Nybrokajen.

The Royal Swedish Opera House is open for guided tours summer 2007. Enjoy a tour in one of the Great opera houses of the world. The Royal Swedish Opera has a thrilling and dramatic history that goes back to the 18th century and King Gustavus III. The king loved opera! He was later assassinated at a masked ball in his own Opera House in 1792. A story that was used in Verdi?s opera The masked ball.  The 18th century building was pulled down and replaced in 1898 by the present building, which became the home stage for great singers such as Jussi Björling and Birgit Nilsson. Included in the guided tour is an exhibition of ballet and opera costumes.

Guided tours starts 19th of June and lasts until 19th of August, seven days a week, at 13.00 and 15.00 in English and Swedish. Cost 70 SEK  per person. Group booking on tel 08- 791 43 14 (12.00-17.00) Minimum group fee: 800 sek. 

The magazine King has listed the world's five best gyms in the world. Among them is Sturebadet Grand Hôtel

Dagens Nyheter (one of Swedens largest newspapers) have selected the best restaurants in Stockholm this year. Here?s the list of all Gulddrakar (golden dragons)

Restaurant Luxury/gourmet category

Winner: Leijontornet Gamla Stan.
Runner up:  Lux, Kungsholmen/St Essingen  and Mistral, Lilla Nygatan 21, Gamla Stan phone: +46 8 10 12 24

Restaurant Middle price

Winner: Carl Michael,  Djurgården
Runner up:   Kungsholmen, Kungsholmen and Momma, SoFo/Södermalm

Restaurant Budget price

Winner: Caffè Nero, Roslagsgatan 4, Vasastan phone: +46 8 22 19 35

Runner up: Kharazmi, Vasastan and Campoloro, Döbelnsgatan 71, City phone +46 8 612 81 09

Bar

Winner: Inferno, City

Runner up: Judit & Bertil, Street/Södermalm, Pet Sounds Bar, SoFo/Södermalm, Leijonbaren, Old Town and Reisen, Gamla Stan

Café

Winner: Xoko, Vasastan

Runner up:  Café Saturnus, Eriksbergsgatan 6, Östermalm, Café Lola, Renstiernas gata 23, SoFo/Södermalm, Kaffebar, Hornsgatan 78, Södermalm and Cocovaja, Vasastan

Going for dinner by yourself? Do you want company? Restaurant Jernet, Lidingö centrum, Elverket, Grill and Prinsen offers dinnertable for single persons wanting company for dinner. Just ask to be seated at the ?sam-bord?

"Krogrundan"(restaurant tour) is a new incentive idea for a company of 4-12 persons. The evening starts with a snaps followed by a beer and starter at Wärdshuset Ulla Winbladh, on Djurgården. After one hour a bus/taxi will take you to Melanders Fisk at Skeppsbron where the main course and wine will be served. Dessert, coffee and avec will be served at the last stop; Stockholm Fisk on Vasagatan. Food, drink and taxi fares are included in the 800 kronor/ person. Payment takes place at the first stop Ulla Winbladh. 

The Museum of Medieval Stockholm will temporarily be housed in Kulturhuset, at Sergels torg right in the middle of Stockholm, where a small display and shop will be opening on 14 August. The move is necessary because of the renovation of Norrbro (the North Bridge). While this is taking place we will be rebuilding our permanent displays. The new Museum of Medieval Stockholm is expected to open in the late autumn of 2009 or the spring of 2010.

A hundred-year-old custom warehouse, on the south quay of central Stockholm, will become an ABBA museum. At the turn of the year the renovation of the building will start and in the spring of 2009. Stockholm?s new attraction will open its doors, easily accessible by foot, bus or ferry from central Stockholm. ABBA the Museum will also house an event hall, a café and the world?s biggest ABBA shop.

The popular youth hostel ship ?Af Chapman? will be back at Skeppsholmen in november. The Af Chapman youth hostel on land is open during the summer as ususal.  

Time Magazine USA lists The Design Hundred. Three Swedes are among the 100 top deisgners:

Classic Josef Frank, is now being sold by furniture chain Anthropologie in the US. Design House Stockholm, who also been successful with several products in the Musum of Modern art shop and the designgroup Front.

The Sickla area is undergoing a transformation from an old industrial area to a commercial district for culture, design, education and business. Recently Sickla köpkvarter was awarded The best shoppingcentre 2007. The newest addition to the shopping area is Magasinet. You will reach Sickla Köpkvarter with Tvärbanan (Tram), station Sickla Udde and then on to bus 74.   

Carin Wester is one of Swedens best designers right now and on her way to an international career. Check out her new larger flagshipstore on Rörstrandsgatan 40.  

The SoFo-guys at Grandpa have opened a new store across the water from Södermalm. Check out their new store at Fridhemsgatan 43, Kungsholmen.

Bar: Riche, Rival and  Babs Bar och Kök

Clothes: Le shop, Birger Jarlsgatan 9, Weekday and Bröderna Erikssons Dammode

Café: Papa Ray Ray, Swedenborgsgatan 13, Mocco and Vurma, Gästrikegatan 2

Club:  Ace at Mango Bar, Housewives at Teatron and Yes! At mosebacke, Mosebacke Torg,

Night-food: Nybrogrillen at Berzelii Park, Folkets Kebab at Folkungagatan and Maxi Grillen, Björns Trädgård, Medborgarplatsen.

With the new large hotels in Stockholm the hotel map and the competition between the hotels will be sharpened. This is the top ten list of large hotels in Stockholm

1. Clarion Hotel Sign (Choice Hotels) with 578 rooms opens February 2008
2. Nordic Hotels (Nordic Sea and Nordic Light) with 542 rooms
3. Clarion Hotel Skanstull (Choice Hotels) with 532 rooms
4. Sheraton Stockholm (Starwood) with 462 rooms
5. Radisson SAS Royal Viking Hotel (Rezidor) with 459 rooms
6. First Hotel Amaranten (First Hotels) with 423 rooms
7. Park Inn Postterminalen (Rezidor) 420 rooms opens 2010
8. Scandic Sergel Plaza (EQT) with 403 rooms
9. Grand Hôtel Stockholm (Grand Group) with 376 rooms
10. Scandic Malmen (EQT) with 327 rooms

A Venetian palace at Birger Jarlsgatan 24-26 (beside Spy Bar) is turning into Hotel Stureplan. The new luxury hotel will open in January 2008 in end of October 2007. The interior design will be mainly in classic gustavian style and all Dutch tile stoves, stucco and beautiful windows will still be centrepieces in the interior.

35 rooms, 2000 square meters and some 30 architects ? The exhibition Casa Cor - the passionate home will show how Stockholmers will live in the future. The exhibition is not about technology, but about passion and the familyrelations within a family. There will be a ?house? for a fictitious family with parents, teens, ex-husbands and grandparents live together. The exhibition will be held at T-house, Engelbrektsplan 1, by Humlegården. The exhibition will open Sept 1-october 14.

Djurgårdslinjen (tram) will be modernised and extended. The tram runs between Waldemarsudde at Djurgården to Norrmalmstorg. The route will now be extended from Norrmalmstorg to Centralen and ready in spring 2010.

BackpackSweden  is an independent travel guide focusing on the budget tourism in Sweden. They aim to guide you through the hotspots of Stockholm and Sweden, valuable accommodation, and cheap alternatives with help from local tourist offices, businesses and expertise. 

Stockholm International Fairs will expand their exhibition facilities. 8 400 square meters in conjunction with the A-hall will include exhibitionspace, conference facilities, a new entrance and restaurants. The new hall will be ready in 2009.

Östermalmshallen in Stockholm is one of the world?s best food halls in the world according to the American magazine Bon Appétit. An expert panel of chefs and cookbook-writers chose the Stockholm food hall number 7 in the world:

1. Campo dei Fiori, Roma
2. Tsukiji, Tokyo
3. Borough Market, London
4. La Boqueria, Barcelona
5. Maché Raspail, Paris
6. Tor Kor, Bankok
7. Östermalms Saluhall, Stockholm
8. Central Market, Hongkong
9. Mercado de la Merced, Mexico City
10. Djemaa el Fna, Marrakech

Can I buy Ecological food in Stockholm. Here are some ideas from the booklet  ?Eko Stockholm? by Ekologiska lantbrukarna: Cajsa Warg at Renstiernas Gata 20, Södermalm is a great ecological store. Babajan at Etnografiska Museet, Djurgården, is one of the best eco-vegetarian restaurants in the city and always busy. Bondens Butik, at Tengdahlsgatan 30 sells products, including chicken and other meat, from small scale farms. In Sofo on Katarina Bangata, Södermalm and at Tessinparken, Östermalm, they sell newly harvested products in Bondens Egen Marknad (Farmers own market), Green n? Lean, on Scheelegatan 17, Kungsholmen serves eco-fastfood. Simons Skafferi (pantry), Kungstensgatan 12, Vasastan, Street Restaurang at the Street Market, Hornstullsstrand 4 Ekovaruhuset, Österlånggatan 28 i Gamla stan sells ?Fairtrade? clothes.

Skulpturens hus in Vinterviken/Aspudden closed down in November 2006. But has reopened again under the name Wintervikens konsthall and is now runned by the popular café next door. Winterviken. In 1865 Alfred Nobel constructed the world?s first nitropglycerin-factory in an area called Vinterviken in Stockholm. Two years later he invented the dynamite and manufactured it in this location undtil 1920. Today the factory-area is transformed in to an art-gallery, and a nice recreational area with cafées, allotment gardens and a beautiful park area by lake Mälaren. In the summer the outdoor ecological Vinterviken gardens serves sandwiches and music by local musicians. The area Aspudden, Midsommarkransen och Telefonplan is one of the trendier suburbs in Stockholm.

Villa Godthem (former Wärdshuset Godthem), next door to Ulla Winbladh värdshus, undergoes a transformation and will invite the public to a new Swedish-French/provancal style kitchen under the guardian of former Gyldene Freden chef Hans Eriksson with main courses 195-295 kronor. A new bar and a new place for barbecue is being built and will offer weekend brunches on Saturday and Sundays. The restaurant will be open Tuesday-Friday 11.30-23/24, Sat 12-24, Sunday 12-22.

Josefina opened in autumn 2006. It's a fine line between ostentatious and elegant. Whether the white décor with its stucco work, columns and huge crystal chandeliers belongs to the former category or the latter is in the eye of the beholder. The restaurant?s owners have said that they wanted to create a culinary amusement park, and they have certainly achieved this with their interior design, the stunning Djurgården waterside setting and the classic dishes on offer.

F12 in Stockholm was chosen number one for total experience and Oaxen Skärgårdskrog as number one for foodexperience, according to White Guide. Other restaurants chosen for international class was Esperanto and Mistral in Stockholm. Among the ten top restaurants in Sweden you will also find Edsbacka Krog, Vassa Eggen, Lux and Operakällaren in Stockholm.

Eight Swedish art experts have chosen the best Museum/Art Gallery in Sweden published in Swedish designmagazine Konstvärlden & Disajn. Three of the top five are situated in Stockholm: Number 1; Magasin 3, Number 2; Bonniers Konsthall and Number 3; Millesgården

Cino4, Sweden's first 4D cinema, has now opened. See film with all your senses and fly with us in a totally different way. In cino4 the chairs are moving, you get watersplashed, smell things and feels the breeze. Tickets costs 60 kronor for adults and  30 kronor for children.

Victory Hotels in Gamla Stan is the first hotell in Stockholm to become a member of the organaisation Small Luxury Hotels in the World. The chain has 400 members in 60 countries, among them two swedish hotels.

The large terminal will be 3,000 square metres in area and will be finished in time for the 2008 cruise season. Magazine 9 on the Frihamnen pier is to undergo a complete interior and exterior renovation. The terminal will be 3,000 square metres in area and will include a café, Internet access, shops, a departures hall, customs and luggage handling. The new terminal will exude a sense of modern Swedish design. Every year hundreds of international cruise liners call at Stockholm during the summer season. The number of calls is growing steadily, and over 300,000 cruise ship passengers are expected in the run-up to the 2007 season.

- This is an extremely important tourist group for Stockholm?s ever growing tourism industry. A good first impression ensures satisfied ambassadors for Stockholm as a destination,? says Martin Rosborg, Managing Director of Stockholm Visitors Board.

Construction will begin in spring 2007 to ensure it is completed in time for the 2008 cruise season, which runs from May to October. Planning for potential uses of the terminal during the winter is currently under way.