World City Guide

Sport

The famously healthy Swedes love sport of all kinds. Stockholm’s unique location makes it a focus for climbing, sailing, rowing, kayaking and even fishing.

Many of Sweden’s main sporting events are held outside the capital. However, events that are held within the city include the annual Stockholm Marathon, in June, the world’s largest women-only cycling contest, Tjejtrampet, in May, and Tjej-Milen, an annual running race for women, in August. The Sandhamn Open, an annual sailing contest held at the island of Sandhamn in the Stockholm Archipelago, takes place in June. The Sandhamn Regatta sets off in July, while Sailboat Day is held in September. The Stockholm Open tennis tournament takes place in late October.

Like many European countries, the Swedes love football. AIK Stockholm (website: www.aik.se) is in the first division and continues to be a good soccer team, emerging over the last few years from the shadow of IFK Gothenburg and FC Malmo elsewhere in Sweden. The team has there own stadium, Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solnavägen 51, Solna (tel: (08) 735 0935).

Visitors who wish to purchase tickets to sporting events should refer to the AIK Stockholm website (see above), which provides information and tickets for other football and ice hockey games.

Fitness centres: Urban fitness fanatics can benefit from fitness centres like Metropolis Gym, Birger Jarlsgatan 36 (tel: (08) 611 3505; website: www.metropolisgym.nu), or one of the SATS Sportsclub (website: www.satssportsclub.com) locations at Sveavägen 20 (tel: (08) 5452 1380), Birger Jarlsgatan 6c (tel: (08) 5450 1460), or Regeringsgatan 47 (tel: (08) 791 2230). Both centres offer a guest pass for SKr200.

Golf: The Rosenkalla Golfklubb, Rosenkälla, in Åkersberga (tel: (08) 5102 6260; website: www.golf.se), has a good 18-hole course, with access to guests paying the green fee of SKr180 during the week and SKr220 at weekends. The 18-hole Drottningholm Golfklubb, Drottningholm (tel: (08) 759 0085; website: www.drgk.nu), has a lovely setting close to the palace of the same name. Non members are welcome Monday to Friday 0800–1700 and weekends after 1300, for a green fee of SKr450 for 18 holes. Men must have a handicap of 28 and women 30.

Sailing: The Royal Swedish Yacht Club (tel: (08) 717 0856; website: www.ksss.se) can provide information on the waters in and around Stockholm.

Swimming: Visitors not wishing to jump into one of the city-centre canals for a bracing dip can go to Eriksdalsbadet, Hammarby Slussväg 20 (tel: (08) 5084 0250; website: www.eriksdalsbadet.com), or Centralbadet, Drottninggatan 88 (tel: (08) 5452 1300; website: www.centralbadet.com). Bathing in Lake Mälaren or the Baltic is surprisingly popular, given the latitude.

Tennis: Tennisstadion, Fiskartorpsvägen 20 (tel: (08) 215 454; website: www.tennisstadion.se), is a fine old hall in the upmarket Östermalm, where Olof Palme used to play. An hour of play costs SKr180–215. The club, TSK Malmen, Siskargortsv 20 (tel: (08) 613 3085; website: www.fly.to/tskmalmen), leases some of its courts and is quiet and cheap at SKr125–160 per hour (concessions available).