Language
The mother tongue is Swedish, a Germanic language belonging to the Nordic branch that is spoken throughout Sweden and in parts of Finland. Since English and Swedish share common roots and the Old Norse language left sprinklings of words in Anglo-Saxon, you’ll find many similarities between the two – albeit with different pronunciations. In any event, most Swedes speak English well, particularly the younger generation, who have learned it as a second language at school and have been exposed to Hollywood films and American TV series in English.
Currency And Tipping
The Swedes use the krona (plural kronor) as currency. One krona is divided into 100 oere. Service charges and tips are usually included in restaurant bills and taxi fares. A common practice, however, is to round up a restaurant bill to the nearest 10 Skr. There’s certainly no problem if you want to reward good service with an extra tip or round up the taxi fare, particularly if there’s luggage.
Safety
Sweden is, by and large, an incredibly safe country and travelling should present no unusual dangers, even in the capital city. There are, however, places to avoid, such as Sergelstorg and the adjacent T-bana station, as all the junkies, drunks and dealers reportedly hang out there. Pickpockets can be a threat, so tourists should always be careful with their belongings, particularly in busy places such as the central station and at popular sites. One recent visitor said: “Coming from LA it's really hard to find anything unsafe about Stockholm but just use big city awareness and don't be careless because things can happen anywhere at any time.” You’ll also need to become accustomed to the busy cycle lanes between the pavement (sidewalk) and the vehicle lanes as it’s easy to veer into them accidentally. Keep your eyes out for fast-moving cyclists at all times!
Weather
Despite its northern location in Europe, Sweden isn’t as cold as you might expect. The climate in Stockholm is extremely varied and every season has its particular charm. In recent years, winter in Stockholm has brought heavy snowfalls, even downtown. In January and February, there can be snowstorms, cold weather and bright sunshine, as well as rain and sleet in milder temperatures. The latter are most noticeable in March. At the beginning of April, spring begins to make a long-awaited entrance and a month later, both the birches and the city´s many outdoor cafés begin to blossom. Summer comes some time in June, and by Midsummer´s Eve, it should definitely have arrived. During the summer months, July and August, the water in Stockholm stays at an invitingly warm temperature, making it perfect for bathing. Autumn (fall) is also a pleasant time to visit.
On the longest day of the year, June 21, the sun comes up at 0331 and sets at 2208. It is never completely dark between the middle of June and the middle of July. On the shortest day of the year, December 22, the sun doesn’t rise until 0844 and disappears from the horizon at 1449.
Getting Around
Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (www.sl.se) runs all tunnelbana (metro trains also known as the T-bana or T), as well as local trains and buses within the entire county of Stockholm. The most useful form of transport is the T-bana. Its lines converge on T-Centralen, which is connected by an underground walkway to Centralstationen. There’s an SL information office in the basement of Centralstationen. As far as taxis are concerned, there’s usually no problem finding one, but they’re expensive so check that there’s a meter or arrange the fare first.
Travel tip # 1: The Stockholm Card covers all travel on SL trains and buses in greater Stockholm as well as entrance to some 75 attractions. It’s valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours. Details at www.stockholmtown.com/templates/Stoc...
