Discovering the Magic of a Mid-Winter Trip to Sweden

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Join my mid-winter trip to Sweden for stunning sights, Swedish meatballs, and the breathtaking Northern Lights in Stockholm.

Sweden is famous for the Nobel Prize, the Ice Hotel, Swedish Meatballs, and Stockholm. On this, my first trip there, I got to sample all these highlights. The trip was mainly to visit the far north so my wife could see the Northern Lights. Alaska and Iceland were places we considered to view the Northern Lights, but Sweden won out due to the allure of Stockholm.

Off to Kiruna

Our first night in Sweden cued us up for the morning flight to Kiruna, a vital mining town some 140 kilometers (87 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. We spent a pleasant night at the BW Plus Airport Park Hotel near Stockholm. The breakfast buffet and airport shuttle made this a wise choice, and it was quiet. The Stockholm airport was clean, easily accessible from point A to B, and well decorated. Our flight to Kiruna was uneventful, and we arrived on a foggy day. Our taxi ride to the Hotel Arctic Eden was so foggy we couldn’t see more than 150 yards.

Taxi drivers are a wealth of information, and on our ride to the hotel, our driver told us, “The mining company (LKAB) is relocating the part of the old city on the mine side of the road and building a new city center that we just passed.” Over the next three days in Kiruna, we would grasp how huge this relocation was. Several homeowners were bought out at 125% of market value and could relocate to the new area, and the rest of the buildings would be razed to create a park.

The cause for this radical town realignment is that the mine has expanded towards the old city, sinking the land in places that inconveniently have houses and buildings on top of the mine.

With the afternoon free, we took a taxi back into town to explore this new city. We saw new mid-rise buildings that were recently completed or under construction. On diving deeper into the new city, we found an indoor shopping area split between two large multi-use buildings. We popped inside and spied a liquor store. Prices at the liquor store were reasonable, considering how far the goods had to travel.

An Impressive Hotel

As we walked the new downtown area, the fog had lifted, and we could see a bit further. In the distance, we saw the iron ore mine and a pair of smokestacks, possibly for electric generation. A plaza was next to the boot-shaped Scandic Hotel, and we found a few snow and ice sculptures.

After admiring the sculptures, we entered the Scandic Hotel to see this near-new building. They had a bar and restaurant on the main floor, and since it was near dinner time, we asked a waitress how much the buffet would cost us. She said she was new and didn’t know. Then we went to the front desk to ask, and they didn’t know…odd.

We decided to have a drink at the bar and wait a few minutes for the restaurant to officially open. Finally, we found a waitress who told us the price of the all-you-can-eat buffet was 518 SEK for the two of us. That price came to $50, a bargain. The roast pork in gravy was excellent, as were the roasted potatoes and baked cauliflower. A small salad bar completed the full-meal deal, and we walked away impressed. We later learned from our Northern Lights tour guide that over 70% of the employees had recently quit due to their dislike of management. Our guide had worked in the kitchen for a while before quitting.

Ice Cold Lodging

On our second day, we figured out how to take the bus to the Ice Hotel. I had seen information about the Ice Hotel in travel magazines and online and was curious. We dressed extra warm for the day trip, considering we’d be outside or in the chilly hotel for much of the day. Day pass tickets vary according to the season. We paid 375 SEK for the privilege of wandering the premium rooms, the bar, a small museum, and the art exhibition.

It turned out to be money well spent. The orientation film is worth seeing and tells the story of the owner starting the business from scratch in 1989. What began as a canoeing attraction morphed into the famous Ice Hotel. You’ve got to see the fantastic ice carvings in the guest rooms, ice bar, and other locations on the property. My favorite carvings were in the superior guest rooms. A cat and mouse sculpture occupied one guest room; in another, a giant lizard stared at humans entering its space.

While we could have eaten at the Ice Hotel’s restaurant, we opted for a 15-minute walk to the Sami museum and café for lunch. I had the white fish on mashed potatoes, and my wife had the reindeer with pasta. Both dishes were delicious and reasonably priced.

After lunch, we enjoyed feeding the reindeer and wandering the museum, grounds, and shop.

The Lights

Finally, the night of our great Northern Lights tour began. Kiruna Private Guides takes tourists on a night tour of the area in their Mercedes van. The tour starts with dinner at Stejk Street Food, where we had a fantastic Philly Cheesesteak-like sandwich. I chose the half-reindeer and half-moose version and loved it. The meal was served in a teepee-like tent with a space heater and fire to keep us toasty warm.

Six of us took off to see the lights on a partly cloudy night with temperatures around five below zero Fahrenheit. We saw a minor display of the lights just 10 minutes out of town, but that was all we got to see. Our guide did his best and drove over 150 kilometers (more than 93 miles) searching for the illusive lights in a place where gas costs over $8 per gallon.

Buyers beware: Northern Lights are fickle, and it’s usually brutally cold in places you get to see them. One of the customers was wearing tennis shoes, and I bet she had frozen her feet by the end of the tour. I had Arctic-rated boots on, and my feet were cold due to several stops when we ventured outside the van to stare upwards in vain for the Northern Lights.

A Grand Visit to Stockholm

Before taking this trip, I knew little about Stockholm. Our first lesson was about carefully picking your taxi. After landing at the Stockholm airport, we took an airport bus to the Stockholm Central Station and found the taxi stand. A driver approached us and offered to take us to our hotel. What should have cost about 200 SEK ($25) ended at 470 SEK! If I had called the hotel and asked which taxi company to use, they would have said Stockholm Taxi. Oh well, chalk it up to a traveler’s mistake.

The Grand Hotel will go down as one of the best hotels we’ve ever stayed at. It is truly grand and has been around for 150 years.

I suspect other American travelers are attracted to Europe’s famous cities. Cities like Paris, Rome, Brussels, and London give travelers a deep sense of royalty that America lacks. Stockholm is no different and is home to the King of Sweden. By booking a room in the Grand Hôtel Stockholm, we were within walking distance of the Royal Palace and many other fascinating attractions, restaurants, and shops.

Our room was quiet, comfortable, well-equipped, and within walking distance of many cafés, museums, and attractions. The concierge staff were some of the best I’ve ever seen, and they helped us on numerous occasions. Dinner at the Grand Hotel’s restaurant, Veranda, with a traditional smorgasbord (700 SEK each), was excellent. I enjoyed the wild meats that included bear, moose, and reindeer. Several fish and vegetable dishes were also available. The service, ambiance, view, and wine were exceptional.

To the King’s Island

The first day’s weather was mostly rain-free, so we walked to Riddarholmen, a small island with the royal palace, shops, hotels, museums, a bakery, and plenty of restaurants. Shortly after arriving on the island, we saw three horse-drawn carriages emerging from the palace and watched them pass right in front of us. Too cool!

We found the island to be a delightful area to walk around, and after looking over several restaurants, we chose Agaton, an Italian eatery, for lunch. About a dozen customers were clamoring to get in when we arrived, and I was worried they’d be full.

Shortly after entering, I asked a waiter if there was room for us. He nodded yes and led us to a window table looking out on the pedestrian street. The menu was extensive, but we perused the Monday to Friday special menu and, with some translation help from our waiter, chose the fish and the chicken. Agaton has a delicious salad bar that’s part of the 150 SEK lunch specials.

They also have freshly made bread at the bar, where customers grab the bread knife and slice off what they want. Imagine giving customers in the US a bread knife to cut their own bread—not likely! Our lunch at Agaton was exceptional, and I found the manager/owner, Ronny, to tell him about our meal. He told me, “I have seven other restaurants in the city.” I shared with him how much we loved the meal and were impressed with his staff, who handled the busy lunch rush very well.

Our next stop was the Nobel Museum, but there wasn’t much to see due to preparations for a new exhibit. Back at the hotel, we got help from the concierge on how to get to the Vasa Museum. We hopped water taxi #80 to an area with an amusement park, the Viking Museum, the Sprit Museum, and the Vasa Museum. I had read about the warship Vassa being recovered after its sinking in 1628, 20 minutes after its maiden voyage, and I had to see this historic vessel.

A Storied History

After being submerged for 331 years, the Vasa was re-floated, and restoration began. After possibly the most expensive and extensive restoration of a warship, the Vasa has a spectacular new home in a building custom-built for the public’s viewing pleasure. When we walked into the museum and first beheld the ship, it was a jaw-dropping experience. Amongst the fantastic aspects of the old warship is that 98% of the original boat survived.

A guided tour is offered as part of the visitor’s experience and was well worth the 20 minutes. The Vasa Museum is the number one rated attraction and should be a part of your trip to Stockholm. It’s well worth the 190 SEK for adults to spend an hour or two learning about this warship. While in the area, I also recommend the Viking Museum, a five-minute walk from the Vasa Museum. The Museums of Stockholm guidebook lists 91 places to visit. That would take several days; I recommend getting the guidebook upon arrival, as it’s packed with transportation info, hours, addresses, etc.

A Michelin Dinner

Since this was my wife’s birthday trip, I made reservations at Adam and Albin, a Michelin-starred restaurant. This 13-course wine pairing and dining experience was what you’d expect from a Michelin one-star restaurant. Our waiter, Tom, had worked at the Ice Hotel and was a wealth of information on Kiruna and Stockholm. The wine pairings came from Austria, California, Japan, Slovenia, Portugal, France, and Germany.

My favorite courses were the squid and lardo “Kushiyaki,” the langoustine, and the beef with truffles. The service was good, but maybe a tad slow, as the meal took four hours. It didn’t help that we had an early 6:40 AM flight home the next day, requiring a 4 AM wakeup. Still, it was a special meal, and I highly recommend Adam and Albin if you can justify spending $600+ for two.

Checking Out

Sweden impressed us, and we talked about returning for a second trip. The locals were friendly, and many spoke English well. We found excellent cuisine, some of it affordably priced, and a rich cultural heritage, making Sweden a new favorite. We invite you to explore Wander With Wonder for more when visiting Sweden.