1936 On the Continent

the old Stockholm that was founded about the year 1250 by a powerful earl, Birger Jarl. Those narrow streets could tell many a tale of the times when Gustavus I Vasa (contemporary with Henry VIII) liberated Sweden from Danish oppression, of the proud days of the Thirty Years’ War, when King Gustavus Adolphus brought fame and glory to his country, of the sad days when Queen Christina, his daughter, renounced the throne and the Protestant faith, for which her father had fought so splendidly, or of the beginning of the eighteenth century, when Charles XII fought his wars against half Europe, bringing Sweden to the verge of ruin.
Old and New
    I will not attempt to describe Stockholm to you, for you will be sure to join a sightseeing party, and your guide will tell you all about everything. He will take you to the museums and to the Riddarholm Church, the Swedish Pantheon, and to Skansen, an open-air museum on the heights overlooking the city. Skansen, in conjunction with the Nordiska Museum, will give you the cultural history of Sweden in a nutshell, so to speak. Old buildings from every part of Sweden have been re-erected here in a most beautiful setting, and you can watch quaint folk-dancing accompanied by old tunes played by peasant fiddlers. Look out for the Garden Pavilion, once the property of the philosopher Swedenborg, where he was wont to converse with angels and other members of the spiritual world. There is a good restaurant at Skansen, if you want dinner, or you can have waffles or other light refreshments out in the park.
    You must see some of the modern buildings of Stockholm—the Engelbrekt Church, most inspiringly beautiful at the crown of a succession of ascending terraces. A good contrast is afforded by the strictly classical lines of the Concert Hall, the interior of which I ask you to inspect,in order to make you realise that good music deserves a good setting—and is getting it in this country of music-lovers.
    You will take a stroll to the heights of Söder, a most picturesque part of Stockholm, affording a view that no words could adequately describe. Islands connected by stately bridges, little white steamers and ferries running to and fro in an endless succession, the turbulent waters of the Norr Stream which connects Lake Mälaren with the Baltic and, in the distance, the heights of Skansen, already mentioned. At night the view from here is wonderful. The thousands of lights reflected in the waters produce an atmosphere of romance that makes Stockholm an ideal place for honeymoon couples.
Amusements in Stockholm
    On the hilly southern mainland where we now stand there is a nice little restaurant, the Blå Kristallen (Blue Crystal), decorated by the famous scenic painter Grünewald. He is also responsible for the decoration of the Rosenbad restaurant, where you get excellent food, as you do at the Anglais or at the Strand Hotel in another part of the city, places well known to the Swedish gourmets.
    The Royal, a most beautiful winter-garden restaurant, reminiscent of an old Moorish castle, is unfortunately closed in the summer, but there is no need to despair, for you will find several other good places to choose from. There is the Grand Hotel Verandah and the Operakällaren, both overlooking the Norr Stream and the Royal Palace, with beautiful views over the water. There is music in both. Hasselbacken, in the Djurgården, a lovely park bounding the city on one side, has a good restaurant, or you can have a drink or light refreshments in the gardens and listen to the band. A quaint restaurant is the Gyldene Freden in the City between the Bridges. This restaurant dates from the days of Gustavus III, the king who brought lighthearted frivolity from the Court of Louis XIV to the sombre life of Sweden. The Gyldene Freden has a very good cuisine and is a favourite haunt of the artistic set, besides being much frequented by foreign visitors. There are many other quaint restaurants that you will find for yourself when in Stockholm.
    In the early summer months the opera and the theatres are closed, but the opera reopens in the first days of August and the theatres shortly afterwards. However, there are good cinemas (performances are not continuous, but all seats are bookable in advance). There are also one or two good revues. If you want an evening’s outing I suggest that you take a train or a boat to Saltsjöbaden, half-an-hour’s journey from Stockholm. Here you will find a first-class hotel