Page 33 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Stockholm

ST OCKHOLM THROUGH THE Y EAR  31

Average monthly temperature Temperature Chart
Stockholm has a mari time
°C °F climate and is much milder
30 86 than one might expect. The
summers are usually fairly
20 68
cool, but sometimes there
10 50 is hot sunshine for several
weeks running. Winter
0 32 temperatures often fall
below freezing, but it is rarely
-10 14
severely cold. The average
-20 -4 maxi mum and minimum
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec temperatures are shown.
laureates. In the
Winter evening the royal
Winter can vary from family attends a
temperatures a few banquet at
degrees above freezing with Stadshuset (City Hall).
slush on the streets to sparkling Lucia Celebrations
sunny days with the city under a (13 Dec). Sweden’s
dazzling white blanket of snow, white-clad Lucia, the
ice-covered water and tempe- “Queen of Light”, with
ratures well below zero. her girl attendants
Stockholmers get out their skis, and “star boys”, serves
skates, or toboggans, or go for the Nobel laureates
long walks. There are also several early morning coffee
cultural and sporting events. with saffron buns
and performs
December traditional songs. In
Sometimes the eagerly awaited the evening a Lucia Fireworks display over Stockholm on New Year’s Eve
Christmas season seems a long procession winds
way off, but there is no shortage through the city to celebrations city ring their bells, and there is
of activities in early December, and fire works at Skan sen. Many a specta cular fireworks display.
when some of the year’s most Swedish homes, schools and
important events are staged. workplaces have their own Lucia. January
Christmas Walking Tours (Dec). Christmas Markets (from early Stockholm Fashion Week
A great way to enjoy the city’s Dec). An array of Christmas (end of Jan). As well as fashion,
Christmas decorations and lights. goods on sale at traditional events focus on interior design.
Christmas at Skansen (Dec). markets at Skansen, Rosendals
This open-air museum (see Slott, Kungsträd gården, February
pp100–1) beautifully demonstrates Stortorget in Gamla Stan and Antiques Fair (mid-Feb).
how Christmas was celebrated Drottningholms Slott. Stockholm International Fairs,
in pre-industrial society. Christmas (24–26 Dec). Filled Älvsjö, hosts antiques lovers.
Nobel Day (10 Dec). A ceremony with traditions, Christ mas is Globen Gala (mid-Feb).
at Konserthuset (Concert Hall) the most important Swedish International athletics stars
honours the year’s Nobel Prize holiday. The main event is converge on the Globen arena
Christmas Eve, when an for one of the world’s best
abundant smörgåsbord is indoor competitions.
followed by gifts, often
delivered by a family member Public Holidays
disguised as Father Christmas.
Christmas Sales (first weekday New Year (1 Jan)
after Christmas). Shops start Epiphany (6 Jan)
their sales. Good Friday
New Year (31 Dec–1 Jan). A Easter Monday
major festival, when many Ascension Day (6th Thu
Stockholmers go out on the after Easter)
town. Traditional celebrations Labour Day (1 May)
Whit Monday (May/Jun)
at Skansen include a reading Midsummer Eve (end Jun)
of Tennyson’s poem “Ring Out, Christmas Day (25 Dec)
Lucia, the “Queen of Light”, with her Wild Bells” on the stroke of Boxing Day (26 Dec)
attendants at Skansen midnight. Churches across the

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