Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [87]
Pappa Grappa Bar & Trattorian (18 00 14; Gamla Rådstugugatan 26-28; mains Skr120-255; 6pm-late Mon-Sat, pizzeria also open Sun) Gobble up a brilliant wood-fired pizza in the pizzeria, or slip into the vaulted restaurant for scrumptious antipasto and meat and fish mains. Established by an Italian ballroom dancing champion, there’s also an on-site deli for take-home treats.
Favourite post-work drinking spots include cellar pub Stopet (10 07 40; Gamla Torget) and nearby Pub Wasa (18 26 05; Gamla Rådstugugatan). The Bishop’s Arms (36 41 20; Tyska Torget 2), at the Grand Hotel, is a good English-style pub with a great river view.
The blocks between Drottninggatan and Olai Kyrkogata contain shopping centres that are packed with chain stores and supermarkets.
For an alcohol fix, drop into Systembolaget (Drottninggatan 50B).
Getting There & Away
Sweden’s third-largest airport, Stockholm Skavsta (www.skavsta-air.se) is 60km away. To get there take the train to Nyköping, then catch a local bus. Norrköping Airport (www.norrkopingfly|gplats.se) has direct flights from Copenhagen, Munich and Helsinki.
The regional bus station is next to the train station, and long-distance buses leave from a terminal across the road. Swebus Express (0771-21 82 18; www.swebusexpress.com) has very frequent services to Stockholm (Skr170, 2¼ hours) and Jönköping (Skr215, 2½ hours), and several services daily to Göteborg (Skr330, five hours) and Kalmar (Skr265, four hours). Svenska Buss (0771-67 67 67; www.svenskabuss.se, in Swedish) runs similar, though less frequent, routes.
Norrköping is on the main north–south railway line, and SJ trains depart every one to two hours for Stockholm (Skr95 to Skr400, 1½ hours) and Malmö (Skr554 to Skr906, 3¼ hours). Trains run roughly every hour north to Nyköping (Skr60 to Skr72, one hour) and every 20 minutes south to Linköping (Skr80, 25 minutes).
Getting Around
The minimum fare on Norrköping’s urban transport is Skr20. Trams cover the city and are the quickest option for short hops, especially along Drottninggatan from the train station.
For a taxi, ring Norrköpings Taxi (10 01 00).
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LINKÖPING
013 / pop 140,370
Most famous for its mighty medieval cathedral, Linköping fancies itself as Norrköping’s more upmarket rival. Its most infamous claim to fame is the ‘bloodbath of Linköping’. Following the Battle of Stångebro (1598), many of King Sigismund’s defeated Catholic army were executed here, leaving Duke Karl and his Protestant forces in full control of Sweden.
While quite the modern, industrial city today (manufacturer Saab is the major employer), pockets of its past survive in its churches, castle, museums and the picture-perfect streets around Hunnebergsgatan and Storgatan.
Information
There are banks and other services around Stora Torget.
Gaming 9 (Drottninggatan 36; per hr Skr30; 10am-1am Mon-Thu & Sat, 10am-11pm Fri, noon-1am Sun) Internet access.
Library (Stadsbiblioteket; 20 66 03; Östgötagatan 5; 10am-7pm Mon-Thu, 10am-6pm Fri, 11am-3pm Sat May-Aug; 8am-8pm Mon-Thu, 8am-6pm Fri, 11am-4pm Sat & Sun Sep-Apr) A striking building, with free internet access (bring ID) and an excellent cafe.
Tourist office (20 68 35; www.linkoping.se; Östgötagatan 5) In the library. Open during library hours, but staffed only between 10am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Sights
GAMLA LINKÖPING & VALLA FRITIDSOMRÅDE
The town’s best attractions lie just outside the centre. Gamla Linköping (12 11 10; admission free), 2km west of the city, is one of the biggest living-museum villages in Sweden. It’s a gorgeous combo of cobbled streets, picket-fenced gardens and around 90 19th-century houses. There are about a dozen themed museums (all free, with various opening times), artisan shops and a small chocolate factory. Take bus 202 or 214 (Skr20).
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