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World-class music in summer-time Stockholm
During the coming summer Stockholm will once again offer music and artists of international standard, with many of the events taking place outdoors in beautiful surroundings.

Round Europe yacht race final for Stockholm
The last leg of this year's Round Europe yacht race will start from Helsinki on 22 June and head for Sandhamn, at the mouth of the Stockholm archipelago, so the city will be the host for the final stage of the race and the accompanying festivities. Yachts of between 50 ft and 80 ft will sail in convoy from Sandhamn to Stockholm's Royal Palace, with Grand Mistral boats like the Swedish Nicorette among the largest. The public will be able to see the competing boats moored along the quay below the Royal Palace, follow the match racing and visit the "Skipper's Inn". On Thursday 26 June the whole armada will hoist sail again for a further competition in the Round Gotland race.
Staffan Ryd�n, Stockholm Information Service, tel +46-8-789 24 00

Stockholm archipelago nominated as World Park
The Stockholm archipelago has been nominated for inclusion in the United Nations' World Heritage List for the world's leading natural environments. The central and outer archipelagos are regarded as best representing a type of primeval environment which is unique in world terms. The criteria to be accepted as a World Park are very strict, and at present only 102 natural areas have been granted international heritage status. Sweden and the other Nordic countries currently have one region on the UN list � the Lapland World Heritage area with its 9,400 square kilometres of mountainous wilderness which was listed in 1996 along with other regions including the Grand Canyon. There is a lot of international interest in World Parks, and tourism has shown an increase in those regions whose conservation is seen as a matter of concern for the whole of mankind. Sweden is already represented on the World Heritage List of sites of cultural interest with Drottningholm Palace and Birka, but it has always been regarded as much more difficult to be accepted on the UN's list for natural environments. The final decision will be made after UNESCO's touring experts visit not just the Stockholm archipelago but also two other nominated areas in Sweden � the southern part of Öland and the High Coast in the north of the country.

Stockholm for Olympics shortlist
On 7 March it became clear that Stockholm, Rome, Athens, Buenos Aires and Cape Town will be the five cities to go forward to the final round of bids to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2004. Swedish sporting interests, the government, business and, not least, the city of Stockholm, are now joining together to press Stockholm's candidature. An Olympics office is being opened in the City Hall to involve city personnel and voluntary organisations. This summer Stockholm will be dressed in Olympics garb, so visitors will be certain to get the message that the city is making every effort to ensure that it welcomes the world's sportsmen and women in the summer of 2004. Many leading opinion-formers and newspapers are also putting their weight behind the candidature.
More information on www.stockholm2004.se

Museums gear up for 1998
Many of Stockholm's museums are being renovated or rebuilt, or are planning other improvements, before welcoming visitors during the city's year as Cultural Capital of Europe in 1998. The biggest change is at the Museum of Modern Art which is to move to a brand-new 20,000 square metre museum building, designed by the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, on the island of Skeppsholmen in the city centre. On 19 May the museum will close its temporary location in the old tram-car depot and will reopen in the new building in mid-February 1998 with a major exhibition of both international and Swedish contemporary art. This will be followed in mid-May by a Mir� exhibition which will continue till August 1998.
Anna Rappe, Museum of Modern Art (Moderna Museet), tel +46-8-666 42 50

New entrance for Stockholm City Museum
Stockholm's City Museum, housed in a building dating from 1685 at Slussen, stages exhibitions about the history of the city and its inhabitants. During the summer the museum is to be rebuilt. The present staircase will be removed and a new entrance area will be built in glass. It will house a new reception area, bookshop, modern auditorium and a new caf�. The reference room will be moved to make it easier for visitors who want to research Stockholm's history or take advantage of the extensive picture archives. The rebuilding is due for completion by April 1998, but in the meantime the museum's opening hours are not affected.
Stockholm City Museum (Stockholms Stadsmuseum), tel +46-8-700 05 34

Cultural Centre prepares for 1998
Right up to the New Year in 1998, virtually the whole of the Cultural Centre in Stockholm will be closed to visitors while the building is completely renovated. The biggest change is the construction of new escalators from street level up to the fifth floor, where there will be an even larger exhibition area instead of the previous two smaller ones. The Caf� Panorama will be located adjoining the roof terrace with its magnificent view of the city, where refreshments will be served outdoors during the spring and summer. On the first floor there will be a joint entrance area for both the City Theatre and the Cultural Centre. The Cultural Capital of Europe 1998 information and ticket office will also be located here. During 1997 the groundfloor area with its bookshop, the popular design centre with contemporary Swedish handicrafts on sale, and the Internet Caf�, will all be open as usual.
Cultural Centre (Kulturhuset), tel +46-8-700 01 00

Facelift for Liljevalchs
Many well-known artists have been discovered at Liljevalchs' Spring Salon. Liljevalchs Art Gallery concentrates mainly on modern art but also exhibits art and handicrafts from earlier generations. The gallery, built in 1916 and an official cultural landmark building, is closed for repairs during 1997. When it reopens on 1 January 1998 visitors will notice that the exhibition areas are better lit and ventilated. There are more cloakrooms and toilets, and the children's area and reference library have been moved to the basement level. The popular Blå Porten caf�, which rents space in the gallery building, will not be affected by the rebuilding work and will continue to be open year-round.
Folke Lalander, senior curator Liljevalchs Art Gallery (Liljevalchs konsthall), tel + 46-8-662 05 09

World artists at Ulriksdal Palace gala
For the first time His Majesty the King is making Ulriksdal Palace outside Stockholm available for a major musical event during which both the palace itself and the beautiful park and surroundings will be used for concerts. Performers at the Ulriksdal Palace gala will include world-famous artists including Barbara Hendricks, Tommy Körberg and Montserrat Caball�. The event will be spread over four early-summer evenings from 11-14 June.
Nordic Artist, fax +46-8-562 62 060

News in brief

Music at the Royal Palace
The Royal Palace Music Festival, the foremost classical music festival in Sweden, offers concerts with established artists and ensembles as well as rising young stars. The festival starts on 19 June and continues throughout the summer until September. The programmes include classical orchestral and chamber music concerts as well as jazz and pop. Among the artists this summer are the coloratura soprano Dilb�r, Gösta Winbergh, Vladimir Ashkenazy and his son, the clarinettist Dimitri Ashkenazy, the Royal Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the St Petersburg Hermitage Orchestra, Göran Söllscher, the Svend Asmussen Quartet, Arne Domn�rus, Putte Wickman and the Jan Lundgren Trio.
The Royal Palace Music Festival, Karin Hermansson, tel +46-8-10 22 47

World-class ensemble - Stockholm Sinfonietta
The Stockholm Sinfonietta, with its 30-40 carefully-selected musicians, is now regarded as one of the world's leading chamber orchestras, thanks to its artistic skills, exciting repertoire and top-class conductors and soloists. This summer's traditional "Riddarmusik" series of six concerts with the Stockholm Sinfonietta will be inaugurated on 26 May in conjunction with the Stockholm Historical Festival.
Stockholm Sinfonietta, Anders Kimby, tel +46-8-755 55 20

Stockholm more popular than ever
Stockholm and the surrounding area had a highly successful year for tourism in 1996. The total number of guest-nights (overnight stays in hotels, youth hostels etc) increased by 4% to 5.67million, while the number of guest-nights by foreign visitors was up by 8% compared with a decline of 1.9% for Sweden as a whole. Visitors from the UK and Russia accounted for the biggest increases in Stockholm, with the UK accounting for 184,000 guest-nights (up 19%) and Russia up by no less than 82% with 49,000 guest-nights. The number of guest-nights spent by Norwegian visitors in Stockholm was up by 14% compared with only 3.9% for Sweden as a whole, and Danish guest-nights were up by 12% compared with a decline of 10.8% for the whole of Sweden. The two countries accounting for the largest number of visits to Stockholm were the USA and Germany, each with 195,000 guest-nights.
Anders Nordstrand, Stockholm Information Service, tel +46-8-789 24 00

Hotel and green-fee packages for golfers
Visiting golfers can now book special packages including accommodation and green fees in the Stockholm/Arlanda area as a result of new co-operation between hotels and golf courses. Some of the best courses in the northern part of Greater Stockholm are located close to Arlanda, the city's international airport. The courses vary in age and character but all offer excellent sport. They are located close to each other, so it is easy for golfers to try out different courses. Bookings can be made through the participating hotels. Backing the project are Stockholm Information Service and Sigtuna Turism. Detailed information can be found in a brochure "Golfing packages in the Stockholm/Arlanda region".
Brochures are available in English and can be ordered by fax on +46-8-789 24 91

Excursions and activities in and around Stockholm
The popular brochure for visitors to Stockholm � "Excursions and adventures in and around Stockholm" � has now been translated into English and German. Elk safaris are this year's big innovation and participants are virtually assured of seeing elk in the undisturbed woodland near Lake Mälaren. From the centre of Stockholm it is only a half-hour bus journey to see the tracks of what we Swedes call the king of the forest. Other tips include a boat trip from the City Hall to the Viking town of Birka to see how people lived in the eleventh century, or a hot-air balloon trip for an aerial view of Stockholm and its surrounding area. The brochure will be available from overseas offices of the Swedish Travel & Tourism Council from April and it will hopefully attract even more British, German and Dutch visitors to sample what Stockholm has to offer.
Brochures available from Titti Spetz, Stockholm Information Service, fax +46-8-789 24 45

Fjäderholmarna - island of adventure
During the summer, Stockholm's nearest archipelago island, Fjäderholmarna, will be an "island of adventure", offering experiences for the whole family. Between 28 June and 9 August there will be children's theatre weeks and other children's activities, including fairytale time and exciting treasure hunts. Every day there will be stage productions by various theatres and groups, all aimed at children. It takes only 25 minutes by boat from Stockholm to reach Fjäderholmarna with its sun, salt-water swimming, smoked fish and all kinds of adventures for the youngest visitors.
Lotta Crona, Destination Stockholm AB, tel +46-8-21 82 80

City Hall restaurant prepares for 75th anniversary
Every year after the Nobel Prize presentation ceremony a lavish banquet is staged in the Blue Hall in Stockholm's City Hall. Some 1,300 guests enjoy a gourmet menu with the best wines, served on a special Nobel dinner service. A similar Nobel menu can be served for parties of up to 80. There is worldwide interest in the Nobel Prizes, and during April a special Nobel banquet was staged in Japan for the Sapporo company. The City Hall restaurant (Stadshuskällaren) is marking its 75th anniversary celebrations this year by serving its famous Nobel menu, as well as a typical 1922-style menu with the accent on Swedish fare.
Maria Backelin, City Hall restaurant (Stadshuskällaren), tel +46-8-650 57 76

Video highlights Swedish culture
"World-class culture in Sweden" is the title of a new eight-minute video film highlighting Stockholm's National Museum, Royal Opera House, Drottningholm Court Theatre, the Museum of Modern Art and the Vasa Museum � five cultural institutions which have joined together to help sell Sweden abroad. The film will be used as a promotional tool by Swedish business concerns, embassies and tourism organisations in their continuing efforts to create international interest in Sweden and Swedish quality by emphasising the country's rich cultural heritage. As part of this process, the video will be screened on SAS flights to Stockholm during the coming spring and autumn.
Copies of the video available from Gunnel Odhoff (Pripps), tel +46-8-757 75 16, fax +46-8-29 23 72

Unique collection of Dutch and Flemish art
The Hallwylska Palace on Hamngatan in the centre of Stockholm celebrates its centenary this year. To mark the anniversary, the Hallwylska Museum is publishing a book about Countess Wilhelmina von Hallwyl and her art collection. Among the 412 paintings, the most notable are Dutch and Flemish works dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. All the paintings are pictured in the book � "Hallwylska Målerisamlingen" � which will serve as a valuable reference work for art-lovers who want to study the development of Dutch painting.
Katarina af Sill�n, Hallwyl Museum (Hallwylska museet), tel +46-8-666 44 98

Faberg� and the imperial Easter eggs
On 6 june the National Museum inaugurates an exhibition on Carl Faberg�, goldsmith to the Czars. Faberg� was born in St Petersburg in 1846. His father was born in France, but his mother was Swedish. Faberg� was educated in Russia and Western Europe and he started work in his father�s jewellery firm in 1864. The exhibition continues until 19 October and will display both Faberg�s famous imperial Easter eggs and his flower stems made from gold, precious stones and enamel.
Nationalmuseum, Ingrid Lindell, tel+46-8-666-42 90

Rebuilt Katarina Church wins cultural prize The Katarina Church, which was burnt to the ground in a disastrous fire on the night of 17 May 1990, has won an international prize for its reconstruction. The jury for the "Europa Nostra" award, which marks notable contributions to the preservation of Europe's cultural heritage, described the project as a magnificent reconstruction of one of Stockholm's most important baroque buildings.

Irish airline to start new route to Sweden
The Irish airline Ryanair starts a new route from London's Stansted Airport to Skavsta (near Nyköping, about 100 km south of Stockholm) with four flights a day from 12 June. Ryanair has built up a reputation as a low-fare airline on routes within the British Isles, and the new route to Sweden is its first service to Scandinavia. Round-trip fares will start at 99 UK pounds. A connecting bus service from Skavsta to Stockholm will cost 60 kronor one-way and the journey will take about one hour.
Dearbhla O'Brien, Ryanair, tel +353-1-844 4400

Military protection zones in the archipelago
From 1 April foreign citizens are now allowed to stay in military protection zones in the Stockholm archipelago, although the areas could still be closed during periods of "high alert". Within the protection zones there are so-called "protection sites", but they are clearly marked if there is no entry for Swedish or foreign visitors. Singö, Arhoma, Fejan and Landsort are som of the archipelago islands which can now welcome foreign visitors.
Mats Wåhlin, Stockholm Information Service, tel +46 -8-789 24 08

Stockholm underground to stage the world's biggest photographic exhibition
The world's biggest photographic exhibition will take place on the Stockholm underground railway network in September 1998. The exhibition will form part of the photographic festival which will be one of the activities organised for the Cultural Capital of Europe year. Over a 14-day period, all the normal advertising will be removed from 17 of the city's underground stations to be replaced by a gigantic gallery to which 250 of the world's leading photographers are being invited to contribute. About 750 works will be on show and the admission charge will be just the normal price of an underground ticket.
Cultural Capital of Europe 1998, tel +46-8-698 19 98

Gärdesloppet event celebrates 75th anniversary
A slice of 1920s motoring and cultural history will be recaptured on Sunday 1 June, when vintage cars built 50 years ago or earlier will drive in convoy through Stockholm to Biskopsudden, from where they will race on the 2.5 km Gärdesloppet course around Djurgården which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Vintage car enthusiasts can see racing sports cars, motorcycles and other typical vehicles from the 1920s.
Gärdesloppet, tel +46-8-701 204 060

Editor: Charlotta Lorentz