A Castle, a Special Inn and a Picture-Perfect Town in Sweden

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December 10, 2013

A Castle, a Special Inn and a Picture-Perfect Town in Sweden

The endearing lakeside village Marienfred in Svealand, with its main attraction, the impregnable redbrick Gripsholm castle, is Stockholm’s perfect day trip.

Throw in an excellent lunch at the acclaimed country manor Gipsholm Värdshus & Hotel, Sweden’s oldest inn, and this is anybody’s idea of a perfect day. It’s about the journey as much as the destination when you arrive by a nostalgic little coal-fired steamboat, the Marienfred, then return by narrow-gauge steam train. The day in Marienfred revolves around the 16^th-century onion-towered castle, attentively watching over the town from its position on lake Mälaren.

The castle was occupied until 1864 and is still considered one of the five royal palaces of Sweden. But it’s principally known as the national portrait gallery, with one of the finest collections in the world (and with 1,200 of its 4,000 portraits on display, Europe’s largest).

Reserve a table for a wonderful lunch on the lakeside glassed-in veranda of the Gipsholmen Värdhus & Hotel. It first welcomed guests in 1609 when it was just a hospice built on the site of an earlier monastery (ceiling beams date back to 1507 and the wine cellar, where tastings can be arranged, was used by the monks as early as 1493).

The staff here is a delight, so are the romantic guest rooms and lakeview suites beautifully decorated in country style. It all makes for a wonderful and easy getaway and day-trippers often regret their haste: bring your toothbrush and check in.

A wonderful daytrip where you can enjkoy a castle, a special inn and a picture-perfect town in Sweden.

Written by Tor Kjolberg

Copenhagen Street Eats

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December 10, 2013

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Copenhagen excels at many things – it’s one of the greenest cities out there, arguably the most bike-friendly, and it has impeccable taste in art and design. It’s also made quite a name for itself as a gastronomic capital, not least because of its enviable seaside locale and plentitude of fresh, innovative talent.

Perhaps most known is the multi-starred Nobu, which has been recognized as the world’s best restaurant for several years running. Be warned, a seven-course dinner of Nordic cuisine there can mean a months-long waiting list and a price tag of roughly $300.

Happily, there is also a wonderful tradition of street eats in Copenhagen, meaning foodie travelers don’t need to completely empty their pockets in order to eat like a local with some Danish flair. Given that sight-seeing all day can build up a fierce appetite, here are four recommendations for snacks that will help keep you fueled while on the go in the Danish capital.

Smørrebrød Sandwich

By far the most popular snack or light lunch, or even breakfast, the smørrebrød open-face sandwiches are much loved by locals and visitors alike. Available at delis, cafes and many bars and restaurants, there is almost an infinite number of possibilities of what a smørrebrød can contain. The easiest to find are ones with smoked salmon, dill and capers on top, or perhaps prawns with lemon and a light mayo; but there are also ones with egg, ham and cheese, roast beef, salami, herring and variations of salads, to name but a few. Most are served on dense rye bread, which makes it easy to pick up.

Ristet Hot Dogs

Hot dog stands, called pølsevogne, are all over the city center of Copenhagen. Make sure to order one with all the works, or the Ristet hot dog, which can be found at pretty much any stand. The Ristet comes with crispy, fried onions, thinly sliced pickles, mustard and ketchup, and the local remoulade, which is a sweet relish. This one also has the advantage of being served in a bun – most other sausage options are served with a roll on the side.

Ice Cream From Vaffelbageriet

The Tivoli Gardens ice-cream stand has been serving up scoops for more than 100 years, and was recently voted by National Geographic as one of the Top 10 best ice creams worldwide. Be sure to try the specialty, the Amerikaner, which consists of four scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone with syrup, whipped cream and chocolate-covered meringue; or opt for a blob of raspberry jam on top, which goes wonderfully well with whipped cream.

Torvehallerne Food Market

The Torvehallerne Food Market, located just a block from the Nørreport metro station, contains two large halls and surrounding patios which are nearly always brimming with families and groups of friends. One hall has stalls and stands selling items like fresh seafood, olives, cured meats, organic vegetables, myriad coffee beans and exotic spices. The other hall is full of restaurant stands serving tapas, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, salads and seafood dishes. You will also find some very fine smørrebrød as well as delightful fish tacos served with pickled red cabbage.

Mikkeller Bar

While not exactly a foodstuff, the varied beers of Denmark’s much-respected and popular Mikkeller brewery are a must-try, and no place is better to sample them than at the namesake Mikkeller Bar in Vesterbro. This bar has consistently been ranked the best pub in the city. About 10 types of Mikkeller are usually on tap, and the menu lists more than 100 bottled varieties from around the world. It’s a dangerously comfortable spot to while away the afternoon.

Written by and photographed by Guest Contributor

Fjord Norway – You Have To Be Here To Believe It

Norway

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December 8, 2013

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UNESCO World Heritage fjords Geriangerfjord and Nærøyfjord with Geiranger & Norway in a nutshell®

This round trip takes you to Norway’s two most beautiful fjords, the Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord; both included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. You will experience the Raumabanen Railway with the Kylling bridge and the Trollveggen cliff, the Art Nouveau city of Ålesund, a journey on the Hurtigruten coastal express to the magical Geirangerfjord and the popular Norway in a nutshell® trip from Bergen to Oslo. This is Fjord Norway.

The tour can be started in Oslo, Bergen or Ålesund from 15 April – 31 August. You can customize your own tour by adding hotels and activities. Everything is handled in one booking operation, starting below.

The price examples below include all needed tickets for the transportation as well as inside cabin and breakfast on board the Hurtigruten from Ålesund to Bergen. For more information, see facts and prices.

Geirangerfjord & Norway in nutshell® Round journey from Oslo, Bergen or Ålesund
15 April – 31 May
Price: From NOK 5910, duration min. 4 days

Geirangerfjord & Norway in nutshell® Round trip from Oslo, Bergen or Ålesund
1 June – 20 June
Price: From NOK 6630, duration min. 4 days

Geirangerfjord & Norway in nutshell® Round trip from Oslo, Bergen or Ålesund
21 June – 31 August
Price: From NOK 6810, duration min. 4 days

Book trip.

Two Scandinavian Winners of European Hotel Interior Design of the Year

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December 6, 2013

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Two Scandinavian Winners of European Hotel Interior Design of the Year

Cucko’s Nest at the Radisson Blu Riverside Hotel in Gothenburg and The penthouse suite at The Thief in Oslo.

Cucko’s Nest was the winner in category Bar and has been designed by the Swedish architects Stylt Trampoli AB.
Radisson Blu Riverside Hotel is situated in what used to be one of Gothenburg’s old shipyard districts, Lindholmen. Today the area is host to a new and different kind of arena.

The Lindholmen Science Park has developed into one of the leading forums for innovation, research and education within science, new technologies and communication.

With this in mind, the mission has been to establish an interior concept for the restaurant and bar of the hotel, neighbouring the science park, an example of the best in European hotel interior design.

As the line between genius and madness is subtle, creators named the restaurant and bar Cuckoo’s Nest. This is a meeting place for visionaries and dreamers, creators and contrary thinkers, innovators and possibility-people.

Having drawn on inspiration from the local surroundings, the Cuckoo’s Nest incorporates features that give a heightened sense of scientific thinking. An example is the bar, which illustrates notes and calculations from Albert Einstein, illuminating them as if they are on an actual chalkboard. The bar has been incorporated together with the restaurant to create a milieu that is welcoming to both the traveler, but also for the local visionary and possibility-people alike.

Design elements have been developed to enhance the warm and welcoming feeling for either groups of people or for the lone visitor. By opening the door for the possibilities of scientific sharing, the new bar next to the restaurant becomes a natural meeting ground, worthy of everyone who knows that there never was a genius without a tincture of madness.

The Oslo Suite at The Thief, Oslo has been designed by the architect Annemone Wille Väge and was the winner in the category Suite.
The penthouse suite at The Thief takes its theme from Sir Peter Blake’s unique art project; The Oslo Suite. Three original collages by the distinguished pop artist adorn the suite, all inspired by Norwegian landmarks.

The Oslo Suite’s private roof terrace has exclusive furniture designed by Patricia Urquiola and Antonio Citterio, as well as views in all directions. Inside the suite also gives the impression of being on the roof of the city – almost out on the fjord – with spectacular views from the windows that stretch the length of the facade. 160m2 of tailored hotel design offers many options, and the suite has an individual fireplace, bar, dining room, separate bedroom and walk-in closet.

Top Norwegian and international designers such as Massimo Castagna, Antonio Citterio and Anne Haavind have provided the furniture and decor. Ross Lovegrove the lighting, and a modern four-poster bed from quality producer B&B Italia. The spacious bathroom in Vittorio and Polaris marble has a wonderful spa-like feeling. Curved alcove with rainforest shower, large bathtub and touches of luxury. The Oslo Suite offers a different, personal hotel experience

Judge’s Comment:

The Oslo Suite at The Thief has incredible views out, over the neighbouring Tjuvholmen district. Inside, its Pop Art styling, inspired by artist Peter Blake, is a refreshing approach to a luxury suite combining world-class comfort with stunning waterfront vistas.

Northern Europe’s Largest Repository of Art: New Carlsberg Glyptotek

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December 5, 2013

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Northern Europe’s Largest Repository of Art: New Carlsberg Glyptotek

When the Danes some years ago toasted the impressive renovation and new extension of their most important museum, we could only hope they did so with beer, since the New Carlsberg Glyptotek was founded by the world-famous Carlsberg Brewery.

Bequeathed to the country a century ago by beer baron Carl Jacobsen (who also gave Copenhagen the statue of the Little Mermaid), the Glyptotek has grown to become northern Europe’s largest and most important repository of ancient statuary, and artifacts. It also owns an unrivaled collection of forty-nine works by Paul Gauguin (briefly married to a Dane), which now are on display in a dedicated room. The Glyptotek received the painting “Sailing Ship in the Moonlight”, an early painting by Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), as a gift from the New Carlsberg Foundation last summer.

Other areas display French and Danish masterworks by artists such as Manet, Monet, and Cézanne.

Monet: Lemon Grove in Bodighera — Monet: Lemon Grove in Bodigher

Adam by Rodin

Paul Cezanne: Self Portrait with Bowler Hat

The museum also houses the largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside of Paris, and one of only three complete sets of Degas bronzes. The airy 1996 wing, designed by the esteemed Danish architect Henning Larsen, was unveiled during Copenhagen’s successful stint as Cultural Capital of Europe.

Contemporary and cool, it holds its own against the museum’s two original late-19^th-century and early-20^th century buildings with their great skylit galleries, decorative moldings, painted panels, and richly tiled floors.

In the city’s highly civilized and perfectly stylized manner, the buildings are linked by a lovely glass-domed winter garden and attractive café for the weary of foot.

You find the New Carlsberg Glyptotek just across the street from the Tivoli Gardens. Entrance at Dantes Plads 7.

http://www.glyptoteket.com/

Written and photographed by Tor Kjølberg

Liseberg, Gothenburg, Sweden

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December 4, 2013

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Liseberg – the swedish theme park

The Swedish theme park has announced plans for Europe’s longest launch coaster and work is already underway, but you’ll have to wait until 2014 to give it a go. For 2013, Liseberg is celebrating its 90th anniversary season by transforming the old children’s area into Rabbit Land. With it comes new and redeveloped attractions, including another family coaster.

Liseberg is a pretty busy place. As well as the fun in the amusement park, there are gardens, a sculpture park, hotels, bars, and restaurants. And in winter Liseberg has its very own Icebar made of ice from Swedish Lapland. Actually, there’s not a lot you can’t do at Liseberg.

Rides
Being one of Europe’s leading amusement parks, Liseberg really does offer a lot of rides. Try everything from flying teacups, bumper cars, the Ferris wheel, circular rollercoaster, and just about everything in between. The newest and most physical ride is AtmosFear – the tallest free fall attraction in Europe that subjects you to a g-force of 4 when you plummet 116m in 3 seconds at 110kp/h. Leave dinner until afterwards.

Entertainment
Choose from three entertainment options in Liseberg: The Liseberg Theatre (Lisebergsteatern), the classic Rondo show venue, or the concert stage Stora Scenen which offers free rock, pop, jazz and classical concerts as part of park entry fee. And check out Polketten, a gazebo pavilion of sorts holding both old-time and contemporary dancing. This is also the spot for big band evenings, jive and salsa lessons.

Tip
At Christmas-time Liseberg becomes one huge Christmas market. Meet Father Christmas from mid-November and try Christmas smörgåsbord, called Julbord, at one of the restaurants. Very atmospheric what with Liseberg’s 5 million famous Christmas fairy lights.

When?
End-April until mid-September, weekends September-October and Christmas-time mid-November until December 23.

Source: Visit Sweden

Low-Cost Carrier Norwegian Air Begins Florida to Scandinavia Flights

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December 2, 2013

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Low-Cost Carrier Norwegian Air Begins Florida to Scandinavia Flights

South Floridians with ties to Scandinavia are gearing up to welcome new flights launching this weekend between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and the Nordic region.

Scandinavian low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle on Friday will launch service between Fort Lauderdale and Copenhagen, Denmark. On Saturday and Sunday respectively, the carrier will also begin service between Fort Lauderdale and Oslo, Norway and Stockholm, Sweden.

The three new routes, which will operate twice-weekly, are the first regular scheduled service between Scandinavia and Fort Lauderdale, airport officials have said.

For travel companies specializing in the Scandinavian market, Norwegian’s move to connect the destinations is good news.

“We’re ecstatic that Norwegian has taken this decision to add direct service between Fort Lauderdale and Scandinavia. It’s needed,” said Pia Dahlquist of Yellow Brick Roads, a full-service tour operator that helps Scandinavians plan trips to South Florida and other parts of the country. “Fort Lauderdale has been a Scandinavian stronghold for many years, but there’d only been charter flights before,” she added.

The new routes certainly bode well for tourism, many say.

“The six weekly flights [overall] will increase visits dramatically and will give [Scandinavian] people living here more options for connecting back to the old country,” said Per-Olof Loof, honorary consul of Sweden, based in Fort Lauderdale. “It’s also a great thing for people who want to come to Florida.”

Peter Hult, president of The Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce of Fort Lauderdale & Palm Beach said Scandinavian tourists tend to stay on average 15-16 days in the United States, compared with Europeans (Germans, French, Spanish) who stay 8-11 days.

Scandinavians also spend on average almost 25 percent more per day in the U.S. than tourists from these parts of Europe, he added.

In 2012, roughly 242,000 Scandinavian visitors (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland) spent $39.7 million on shopping, $44.8 million on rooms and $53.1 million on food in Broward County, according to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Norwegian’s new routes will also help foster and cement commerce between the destinations as interest in setting up businesses in the U.S. is already high in Scandinavia, particularly among Swedes, Hult said. “[The chamber’s] purpose is to make our region a very viable option for Swedes wanting to set up businesses in the U.S.”

The regular flights will enable entrepreneurs to commute weekly (which wasn’t possible before) and the ease of direct service, will entice more people from Scandinavia with “great disposal income” to start traveling to Fort Lauderdale, Hult said.

Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services

Voted best hotels in Scandinavia

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December 2, 2013

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Sweden and Norway earn their first Top 20 list of hotels this year, according to a poll from the readers of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine.

Luxury creates discriminating critics. Nearly 80,000 readers took part in this year’s Readers’ Choice survey, casting 1,3 million votes. No destination was too remote. None was too small. And no hotel was too new. As always the readers praised quality where it thrives and found it where it emerges.

The two hotels on the Readers’ Choice survey Top 20 for North Europe were Grand Hotel, Stockholm, Sweden (13) above and Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Bergen, Norway (18) below, and thus rank as the best hotels in Scandinavia.

Methodology
The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Survey begun in 1988 and is available through a secure Web site at concdenasttraveler.com/vote. This year’s tabulations of 79,268 responses were done by Equation Research.

Organization
The questionnaire contains lists of candidates in various categories (Cities, Hotels, etc.) Candidates must receive a required minimum number of responses to be eligible for a Readers Choice Award.

Evaluation
Individual candidates are judged on a set of criteria relevant to their category based on a standard five point scale: excellent, very good, good, fair and poor. The percentage of excellent and very good ratings determines the final score published in the magazine.

Written by Tor Kjolberg

World’s largest treehouse hotel room in Sweden

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November 29, 2013

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World’s largest treehouse hotel room in Sweden

Tarzan would never leave the jungle if he were staying in a breathtaking, uniquely crafted room offered by the Treehotel, which opened in 2010 and is hidden in the tall pine forest of Harads in northern Sweden (approximately an hour by car from Luleå airport, near Kallax).

A variety of leading Scandinavian architects designed the six rooms, each about 160 to 325 square feet, with views of the Lule River. Whether emulating a UFO, Lego blocks, a bird’s nest, a red brick house or (the most coveted) a cube of mirrors, reflecting the forest from any angle, rooms are situated in pine trees and are suspended from the ground between 13 and 20 feet.

Accessibility can be challenging as a ramp, bridge or electric stairs might be your only option for entry. Specifically created to have a minimal impact on nature, rooms are environmentally friendly, with combustion toilets and water-efficient sinks. Consider fishing and kayaking in summer, or, in the colder months, snowshoeing or viewing the northern lights by dogsled. Edeforsväg 2 A, 960 24 Harads, Sweden.

The ‘Five Leaf Clover’ room at Treehotel, near the remote northern Swedish town of Harads, 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle, opened in December last year. Weighing 20 tons and sleeping up to six people, it is attached to half-a-dozen pine trees and suspended above the forest floor. This is the largest treehouse hotel room in Sweden.

It offers spectacular views of the Lule River pine forests and even the Northern Lights

Many of us spent hours of our childhood playing in a treehouse – but how often did your parents allow you to sleep in it? Well, now you can make up for it, thanks to a unique hotel in Sweden.

The Treehotel, located near Harads, a town in the north of the country about 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle, is about to open its largest tree room yet. In fact, it will be the biggest in the world.
The Five Leaf Clover, designed by Finnish architect Sami Rintala, is 53 square metres and weighs 20 tons. It is attached to half-a-dozen pine trees six metres above the ground.

Inside, it can house up to six people in three bedrooms, and even comes with conference facilities for 12 people. Guests reach the room via a two-story high staircase.
The Five Leaf Clover, due to open on December 20, is just the latest tree room at the hotel, which boasts beautiful views of the tall pine forests around the Lule River.

The Treehotel is far enough north to offer spectacular glimpses of the Northern Lights at certain times of the year.

Other quirky rooms at the hotel include ‘The Bird’s Nest’ – a cabin completely camouflaged by thatch and branches only accessible by a retractable staircase.

Another one is ‘The UFO’, a space-age metal capsule on two floors which sleeps four people.

The Treehotel also has Pension serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in a 1930s-1950s setting, as well as offering internet, television, restaurant and bar.

Hidden in the forest is an eight-person ‘Tree Sauna’ complete with a hot tub and relaxation area.

Speaking about the new room, Treehotel CEO and co-founder Kent Lindvall said: ‘Treehotel always strive to push limits with our environmental work, architecture and engineering.

The Five Leaf Clover’ is clear evidence of this as nothing remotely similar has ever been done before.’

World’s Largest treehouse hotel room in Sweden, written by Tor Kjolberg

Watch Madcon’s postcard from Norway

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November 27, 2013

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The Norwegian pop duo Madcon team up with the Norwegian tourism board, Visitnorway, when launching their new music video “All I Do” last week.

Shot in its entirety in Bremanger in Norway, Madcon’s latest music video got its world premiere on Visitnorway.com.

The Norwegian duo Madcon rank among Norway’s most well-known musicians and have gained fame for several major hit songs, as well as the song behind the Eurovision 2010 flashmob dance, “Glow”.

Now “All I Do”, the duo’s latest music video, is getting its world premiere on Visitnorway. Filmed in Bremanger in Fjord Norway, the video shows off some of the breathtaking views and attractions the region has to offer. Visitnorway now hopes crystal blue seas, beautiful fjords, steep mountains mixed with good beats and a Norwegian fairytale will make more people look to Norway for their next holiday experience.

-Bremanger and Fjord Norway looks smashing in the new music video, says director of tourism at Innovation Norway, Per-Arne Tuftin. He hopes the new video will help raise awareness of Norway as a tourism destination. -This is Madcon’s post card from Norway, says Madcon’s Tshawe and Yosef about the video greeting from Norway.

This is Madcon’s postcard from Norway.

– This is a unique opportunity for us to promote Norway as a tourist destination, says Per-Arne Tuftin. – Madcon is well known around the world, and we hope that in providing the inspiration for the backdrop to this music video, Norway will appeal to music fans and Norway enthusiast across the world.

Bremanger

Bremanger is a small municipality in Fjord Norway with around 4000 inhabitants, situated between the open sea to the west and the fjords of Norway to the east and south.

The Bremanger area is where mountains meet the sea, often in a dramatic way. None more so than Hornelen, Europe’s highest sea cliff. In the music video, you can see a wingsuit-jump from Hornelen’s summit. Hiking to this 860-metre high point will take you around four hours each way. If that seems a bit too strenuous, there are many other options; Hiking trails abound in the entire region.

The Vingen rock carvings were discovered in 1912 and forms Norway’s second largest field of rock carvings with some 2000 individual petroglyphs. Up to 7000 years old, they show deer, other animals, abstract geometric patterns and even some human figures.

The music video

The music video “All I Do” by Madcon is produced by Svein Arild Vatsø and directed by Bjørn Myreze. It was financed by contributions from the Bremanger municipality and local businesses.

Now launching our Travel Partner

Liseberg – the swedish theme park

Bremanger

The music video