A Vacation Destination With Many Choices
by Philip D. Hoffman, Journal America

If you have been thinking about a trip to Scandinavia, Sweden is offering a wide range of vacation options this summer and some great travel bargains.

Whether you choose the great outdoors or a city adventure, Sweden is an easy six hour flight on SAS from Newark.

We decided to visit both coasts of the country which took us first to Gothenburg on the west and Stockholm on the east. Both of these destinations offer a variety of activities to fit just about every taste. Upon arriving in Gothenburg we purchased the Gothenburg pass.  The pass costs $30 for 24 hours or $52 for 48 hours and entitles the user to free admissions to all major attractions including the Liseberg Amusement Park, the Universeum science and discovery Center and all museums.  It also covers free sightseeing by bus and boat, free transportation in the city by tram, bus and ferries, free parking and shopping discounts. It can be purchased on-line at www.gothenburg.com

We first used the card on the tram that took us to the Liseberg Amusement Park. Liseberg welcomes 3.2 million visitors a years and is the most visited destination in Sweden. In addition to its 35 different rides and attractions, there is entertainment and activities for all ages.  The Polketten is a pavilion where visitors enjoy everything from salsa to old time ballroom dancing.

We had an excellent fish dinner at Hamnkrogen, one of the seven restaurants on the property and recommend you do that after, not before, you have tried some of the more daring rides.

For art lovers, the Gothenburg Art Museum is considered to have one of the world’s finest collections of Nordic Art.  Its top floor gallery with natural skylight also contains masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet, Gauguin, Rousseau and Pissaro.

For outdoor art we visited the Gothenburg Botanical Gardens, the largest garden botanical garden in Sweden with 13,000 species on 432 acres. In addition to greenhouses, the outdoor gardens include the Waterfall and Rock Garden, the Palm, Rhododendron and Demonstration Gardens.  The latter is a Mecca for perennial enthusiasts.      Gothenburg has the biggest harbor in the Nordic region and to enjoy this you will want to take one of the sightseeing boats along the canal and into the harbor.

For shoppers, there are a variety of choices.  You can visit Sweden’s leading shopping center, Nordsstan with 150 shops under one roof or the many small specialty shops in the old town area.

After our visit to Gothenburg, we took the high-speed train to Stockholm. The three-hour ride can be made at the cost of approximately $70per person.  It is one of the most modern trains I have ridden and is very comfortable. Upon arrival in Stockholm we checked into the Clarion Hotel.

As in Gothenberg, we purchased the Stockholm Card which entitled us to free entrance to 70 museums and other attractions, free transportation within the city and free sightseeing by boat on selected tours. The card costs $35 for 24 hours or $52 for 48 hours.

Since we had been to Stockholm before, we used the card to visit museums we missed on our first trip. Except for special exhibits such s the Concept Design Exhibit, which is being held through October, the museum offers free admission.  The Fine Arts Gallery on the third floor is filled with masterpieces from Sweden and Europe in the 18th Century, Holland from the 17th Century, France, Italy and Spain from the 17th Century and Sweden from the 19th Century. The gallery collection contains works by El Greco, Rubens, Rembrandt and Van Dyck.

Our next stop was the Historical Museum, which also offers free admission. The big attraction here is the Gold Room featuring gold and silver from pre-historic times through the 16th Century.

One of the greatest shopping areas in Stockholm is Vasterlanggatan Street in the Old Town section. Quaint jewelry, glassware, clothing and antique stores are located throughout this three or four block area.

For a change of pace from the city, we decided to spend several days on the Island of Grinda, located on the Stockholm Archipelago, an hour and a half ferry ride from Stockholm. The Grinda Inn is a former summer house that has been converted to a cozy inn and restaurant.  Four new hotel buildings offer 28 double rooms and two suites that have a rustic atmosphere but contain modern bathrooms and comfortable beds. Wood floors and wainscoting add to its charm.  Many visitors come just for the day to enjoy the sandy beaches and secluded cliffs or hike the many nature trails. There is also a camping site for tents.

After a restful visit to Grinda, we returned to Stockholm for our last evening on the town which included a visit to the Absolut Icebar.  Located in the Nordic Sea Hotel, this is the world’s first permanent icebar that is open year ‘round.  Before we entered the bar with a temperature of -5 degrees C we donned silver colored insulating capes and warm gloves.  If you never had a drink in an ice glass in an ice bar, you should try it.  It is well worth the approximately $20 which includes entrance and your choice of an Absolut vodka in a variety of flavors.

For a free brochure about Sweden, call 212-885-9700.