Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [221]
Järnvägshotellet (12 09 90; s with/without bathroom Skr720/435, d Skr875/675; ) Just across a public square from the train station, this small family-run hotel in a historic building has 18 individually decorated rooms; breakfast is included. For longer stays, two furnished apartments are available (Skr3500 per week). The reception isn’t open all day, so call to make reservations and get the building code. Next door is a handy Asian grocery and cafe.
Scandic-CH (495 84 00; Nygatan 45; s/d from Skr1300/1380, discounted to Skr920/1220; ) Near the train station is this business-friendly hotel, which overcomes chaininess with cheery staff and small perks like bicycles for guests to borrow. Rooms are typical of Scandic: Ikea-style furniture and bedding, flat-screen TVs, ecoconscious wall art and clever rubbish bins that help you sort your recycling.
Eating & Drinking
Södra Kungsgatan is a good foraging street. Drinking options include a nameless summer-only pub in the centre of the park in front of Rådhuset, a couple of Irish pubs, and some at-your-own-risk theme bars.
Söders Deli (Södra Kungsgatan 11; lunches Skr50-75) If you’re not paying attention, you might walk right past this tiny shopfront, but you’d miss out on really good coffee, salads, pastas and salami sandwiches made on Italian ciabatta.
Lam’s Terrass (60 07 30; Slottstorget 3; mains from Skr75; lunch & dinner) A Thai joint with a primo location, Lam’s serves good food either inside at stylish restaurant booths or on its namesake terrace, with a view over what must be Gävle’s ultimate cruising street; all the cool cars and bikes roll past this riverside spot to show off.
Wärdshuset Söderhjelmska Gården (61 33 93; Södra Kungsgatan 2B; set lunches Skr85-125) Set back a bit from the busy road, this garden cafe manages to be an oasis of calm. The wooden house dates from 1773, but the outdoor seating is where you want to be. The set lunch is usually a typical Swedish dish and a lighter option; à la carte meals ranging from snacks to traditional Swedish dishes are also available.
Church Street Saloon (12 62 11; Kyrkogatan 11; mains from Skr100; from 5pm Mon-Fri, noon-2am Sat, closed Sun) Fun and popular despite being silly, this Wild West–theme saloon is encrusted with cowboy kitsch: antique saddles, Confederate flags and barrels of hooch. Locals stampede the place, which means there’s often a long wait to be seated, and another before food arrives. The menu is heavy on the Tex-Mex.
Helt Enkelt Bar & Kök (12 06 04; Norra Kungsgatan 3; starters Skr45-75, mains Skr98-175, children’s menu Skr50; 4pm-midnight Mon-Thu, 4pm-1am Fri, noon-1pm Sat, 5-10pm Sun) At the edge of the main square, Helt Enkelt hasn’t lost its hold over locals despite upping prices and feeling a bit samey over the years. Its decor is Scandinavian chic, elegant and unfussy, and the menu matches: fish, meat and potatoes in creamy sauces dominate.
Self-caterers should visit the daily produce market (Stortorget). The 9:an shopping centre houses a Systembolaget.
Getting There & Away
Numerous long-distance bus services leave from behind the train station (connected by underpass). Ybuss (0200-33 44 44) runs daily to Sundsvall (Skr240, 3½ hours, five daily), Umeå (Skr375, seven hours, three daily) and Östersund (Skr300, 5½ hours, once daily); for all three, you have to take a ‘Busstaxi’ (Skr50, paid when you book your ticket) from the train station to connect in Gävlebro. SGS Bussen (13 30 30) has three to five daily services to Stockholm (Skr130, about two hours). Swebus Express (0200-21 82 18; www.swebusexpress.se) runs to both Uppsala (Skr90, 1½ hours) and Stockholm (Skr104, 2½ hours) once or twice daily.
SJ (0771-75 75 75) offers X2000 train service several times daily between Stockholm and Gavle (Skr390, one hour 25 minutes).
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GYSINGE
0291 / pop 36,850
Gysinge, 55km south of Gävle and on the border with Uppland, is known for the fine Gysinge