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City of Stockholm - Beauty on water

Stockholm - the Royal capital of Sweden - is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is built on fourteen islands and surrounded by waters so clean that you can fish and swim right in the middle of the city.

Stockholm became the capital of Sweden 750 years ago. In the winding alleyways of the city's medieval Old Town, the air is redolent with history. And yet, only a few minutes walking distance away lies the throbbing pulse of a modern city.

Since 1901 Stockholm is the venue of the Nobel Prize Ceremony - the most prestigious of all events - and indeed the city makes a fitting venue, with a high standard of facilities and services as well as an excellent infrastructure. The public transport system is very efficient and convenient, with a choice of buses, trains and underground railway system.

It used to be very expensive to travel and stay in Stockholm and Sweden, but that is not the case any longer. Expect prices to be at the same level as any large city in Europe or the US.

Climate
During the summer months Stockholm has a very attractive climate with an average day and night temperature of around 20° Celsius (68 Fahrenheit). End of August is a little cooler, especially during evenings and nights. Expect day temperatures in the range 15-25° Celsius and be prepared for the occasional rain.

The summer nights are very bright in Stockholm, but in late August the night has become dark again. The sunrise is at about 5:30am and the sunset is at about 8pm. The twilight is long and adds about 45 minutes of light in the morning and evening.

Travel
Stockholm is the communication hub and the economic and cultural center of the Nordic area. It is easy to reach - Arlanda Airport handles some 225 international flights daily to and from thirty countries and four continents. There are direct flights to Arlanda from New York and Chicago in the USA, and from most larger cities in Europe.

The "Arlanda Express" train runs between the airport terminals and a specially built platform at Stockholm's Central Station. The journey takes just 20 minutes and costs SEK 120 for a one-way ticket. The train has been designed with extra space for luggage and is comfortable and convenient.
There is also a direct bus connection form Arlanda Airport to the City Terminal in Stockholm, the journey takes about 40 minutes and costs SEK 60 (March 2000). The bus leaves every 10 minutes from Arlanda Airport.
If you choose to take a taxi, we recommend that you request a fixed price from the airport to the city (SEK 350 in March 2000).

Time Zone
Sweden is in the same time zone as Berlin, Geneva and Rome, which is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) during the summer.

Currency
The currency in Sweden is called "kronor" and is abbreviated "kr". One krona is divided into 100 öre. The international currency symbol is "SEK". The exchange rate as of May, 2000 is:

1 USD = 9.1 SEK     100 SEK = 11 USD
1 EUR = 8.3 SEK     100 SEK = 12 EUR

More information
For more information about the city of Stockholm, may we suggest the following pages: