Brunch and Boat Cruise with Strömma

s/s Stockholm at dock in Nybroviken

What to do on a snowy weekend? Why not head out on a boat cruise of the inner Stockholm archipelago? While the archipelago is a more popular destination during the summer months, the snow covered islands do have a serene beauty during the winter as well! Even as a Stockholmer you forget that the further you get out of the city the more snow you have... which is always nicer to view from a cosy boat than trudging through on the city streets.

The brunch buffet!

And if the views are not enough, a nice brunch buffet is laid out for you to enjoy. The buffet is filled with Swedish and international favorites, both hot and cold. Herring, smoked salmon, gravad lax, Jansson's Temptation, omelette, bacon, sausages and more. One of my colleagues, that went with me last week, is a vegetarian and there was plenty for him to choose from... including different mixed salads and roasted vegetables. But pace yourself! You don't want to be too full to attack the dessert buffet, set up in a seperate room, filled with cookies, cakes, puddings, pies and cheeses.

Snow covered archipelago islands

This brunch cruise is run by the Strömma company and during the winter months it departs from Nybroviken/Strandvägen every Saturday and Sunday at 12 noon (more often in the warmer months). The beautiful ship, s/s Stockholm, was built in 1931 and the cruise lasts approximately 3 hours, taking you a bit out in the inner archipelago. The cost, which includes the brunch, is 430 SEK for adults, ½ price for children between 6 and 11 years of age and free for kids under 6. Tickets can be purchased through their website (linked above) or at the ticket booth in Nybroviken. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me directly and I can book it for you!

Heading back to Stockholm!

Some good news...

Photo by Jeppe Wikström, Stockholm Visitors Board

I like spreading about a little good news in the middle of the week! And we have had some great news in Stockholm this week.

1. First of all, a big congratulations to the Swedish team for winning the gold medal in the Culinary Olympics! Not only that, but this team is now the "winningest" team ever... they have won three gold medals (2000, 2004, 2012) and one bronze (2008) since the new millennium started. Swedish culinary skills have come a long way since the Swedish Chef entertained people on the Muppets. Michelin stars, gold medals and even preparing the Obama's first state dinner (Marcus Samuelsson).  Interest in Swedish chefs and restaurants is great. In fact, the top three posts viewed (all time) in this blog are Michelin Guide, White Guide and my own restaurant recommendations. 
2. The cruise season is officially over in Stockholm for 2012... and this past season has broken records again! 273 ports of call between May and October brought approximately 470,000 passengers to Stockholm. The Rival Hotel was popular with cruisers starting or ending their cruise in Stockholm... and we look forward to welcoming the next batch in 2013!
3. Finally... some good news from our modern art museum (Moderna). I recently blogged about their new exhibitions and now they are extending their opening hours on Fridays, starting October 12th until January 18th. The Tillmans exhibition will be open until 8pm and... free entrance between 6pm and 8pm! The fun continues on certain Fridays in the new Moderna Bar (next to the museum restaurant) where they will have film showings, DJ's and other events. Art in the evening... so civilized!

Stockholm Ports & Docks for Cruise Ships

Photo: Stockholm Business Region, Stockholm Vistitors Board

Summer is around the corner and soon the cruise ship season will start. Cruises in the Baltic Sea have become increasingly popular with such interesting stops like Copenhagen, Tallin, St Petersburg and, of course, Stockholm. I get a lot of questions regarding the distance between the harbour and the Rival Hotel. It is actually not an easy question to answer. What many people don't understand is that there are four main ports servicing cruise ships in the Stockholm area, some closer than others. So the answer depends on which port the cruise ship will be docking at. Here are the four ports and their distance from the hotel:

• Stadsgården- One of the two main cruise ship ports. It is located on the north-east coast of the island of Södermalm (where the hotel is located as well), just a 10-15 minute taxi ride from the Rival Hotel. This is also the docks where the Birka and Viking Line ferries to Finland and Åland depart from.
• Frihamnen & Värtahamnen- The other main cruise ship port. These two docks are right next to each other and are located in the northern outskirts of the city, about a 20-30 minute taxi ride from the Rival Hotel. There are also special buses that can take you to the City Terminal next to the Central Train Station.This is also where the Silja Tallink Line ferries to Finland, Latvia and Estonia depart from.
• Nynäshamn- Cruise ships get bigger and bigger each year and some are so huge that they cannot make it through the narrow straits in the archipelago to get to Stockholm. These ships dock, therefore, in the port of Nynäshamn located just south of Stockholm. Some other cruise ships may dock there if it is especially busy at the other Stockholm ports that day. It is about a 50 minute taxi ride to the hotel, otherwise there is also a commuter train and the cruise ships often have their own buses. This is also where the Destination Gotland ferries to the island of Gotland depart from.
• Skeppsbron or Strömmen- The smaller, and often fancier, cruise ships (like Silver Seas & Seabourn) can dock right at the Old Town, either at the Skeppsbron dock or moored at a buoy in Strömmen. This is about as central as you can get... just a 15 minute walk or 5 minute taxi ride to the Rival Hotel.

If you don't know which dock your cruise ship will be using, you can check the Ports of Stockholm's website, or just click here for the complete list or here for Nynäshamn. For more cruise port information, check Visit Stockholm's cruise page.
EDIT: The Stockholm Cruise Blog has recently made a similar list which can be seen by clicking here.

Photo: Stockholm Business Region, Stockholm Visitors Board

Special "cruise" tip: when arriving or departing Stockholm by ship... make sure you are near a window! It is a breathtaking sight as the ship glides by thousands of islands in the Stockholm archipelago. Not to be missed!