Stockholm

Published: 12:00am, 5 Oct 2007

Travel tips

When to go

Thanks to the Atlantic gulf stream the winters in Stockholm are surprisingly mild and the only months when you can be reasonably sure about snow on the ground are January through to March. Temperatures range from 12 degrees Celsius in September to minus three degrees in January, so wrap up warm. The air is crisp and refreshing.

How to get there

Flights are available from Hong Kong to Stockholm. Visit www.cathaypacific.com, www.ba.com and www.finnair.com for more information.

Where to stay

First Hotel Reisen Skeppsbron 12, tel: 46 8 22 32 60; www.firsthotels.se

Grand Hotel Stockholm Sodra Blasieholmshamnen 8, tel: 46 8 679 3500; www.grandhotel.se

Hilton Stockholm Slussen Guldgrand 8, tel: 46 8 51 73 53 00; www.stockholm-slussen.hilton.com

Radisson SAS Royal Viking Hotel, Vasagatan 1, tel: 46 8 50 65 40 00; www.royalviking.stockholm.radissonsas.com

Radisson SAS Strand Hotel Nybrokajen 9, tel: 46 8 50 66 40 00; www.strand.stockholm.radissonsas.com

Where to eat

Beluga Nybrogatan 44, tel: 46 8 661 4424; www.belugarestaurant.se. Stunning decor with Swedish and French cuisine.

Clas Pa Hornet Surbrunnsgatan 20, tel: 46 8 16 51 30. Restaurant dating back to 1736 serving typical Swedish food is served for lunch and dinner.

Berns Berzelii Park, tel: 46 8 56 63 22 22. Terence Conran's stylish Swedish and international restaurant with live jazz music.

Wedholms Fisk Nybrokajen 17, tel: 46 8 611 7874. A fish-lovers' paradise. Separate outdoor oyster-bar during the summer season.

Where to shop

IKEA Kungens Kurva, Modulvagen 1, Skarholmen, tel: 46 8 20 43 90 50; www.ikea.se. The IKEA store with four floors - it's one of the world's largest IKEAs. Easily accessible from the centre of Stockholm.

Gusto Store. Riddargatan 10, tel: 46 8 611 0420; www.gustostore.com. Art, glass, photo art, lifestyle books, perfumes and jewellery.

Anna Holtblad Grev Turegatan 13, tel: 46 8 54 50 22 20; www.annaholtblad.com. Super-chic designer clothes for women in search of real European style.

Nordiska Kompaniet (NK) Department Store Hamngatan 18-20, tel: 46 8 762 8000; www.nk.se.

A Swedish institution.

Where to drink

Spy Bar Birger Jarlsgatan 20, tel: 46 8 611 6500; www.spybar.se. One of Stockholm's trendiest haunts. Watch out for the dress code!

Mosebacke Mosebacketorg 3, tel: 46 8 55 60 98 90; www.mosebacke.se

Berns Salonger Berzelii Park, tel: 46 8 56 63 22 22; www.berns.se

Don't miss

For travellers with more time, there is a canal trip to Gothenburg, taking from two to six days, depending on how slowly you wish to explore the delightful waterways winding from the capital to the equally picturesque second city of Sweden. Visit www.scantours.com for more information.

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