Music city Listen up, fans of kitsch - ABBA The Museum is open for business. Mega fan Brian Finnegan is Björn again on a trip to Stockholm, the band's native city. Photographs by Joanne Murphy. culture break | Stockholm

alking through in the late 1970s and 1980s, and Above, Södermalm the “hall of fame” this year, with the opening of ABBA where the vintage at arrivals in The Museum (abbathemuseum.com), shops and cool W cafés offer plenty Stockholm’s Arlanda thousands more visitors are flocking of distraction. Airport, I slowly every day to immerse themselves Right, our super became aware that a portrait of in all things Agnetha, Björn, trouper, Brian Sweden’s most famous exports is Benny and Anni-Frid. According Finnegan. Left, Changing of the missing.I passed Alfred Nobel and to Stockholm native Carl Magnus Guards at the Björn Borg, Lasse Hallström and Palm, author of Bright Lights Dark Royal Palace in Stieg Larsson, Alexander Skarsgård Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA, the old town, their native capital, so I aimed to and Max von Sydow, Roxette and the band have identified the city Gamla Stan. immerse myself in a very particular Robyn – but ABBA are conspicuous much in the same way The Beatles experience of the city. However, by their absence. cast their shadow over the cultural I could see very little evidence of my For many who travel to identity of Liverpool. “ABBA’s music quarry anywhere. Stockholm gets Stockholm, ABBA have been a key is much-loved all over the world and on with its business in a particularly draw since the height of their fame is somehow a part of what represents ABBA-free way. As with any major Sweden to many people,” he says. city, there are plenty of tacky tourist “For potential visitors, their music shops in the heavily visited areas, and their image are a part of the but they’re packed with Pippi cultural context of Stockholm Longstocking paraphernalia and and Sweden.” plastic Viking hats, and there’s not My visit to the Swedish city an Agnetha wig to be seen, or an was as research for my new ABBA Gold CD on any shelf. novel, in which ABBA fictitiously Stockholm is built on 14 reunite for one concert only in interconnected islands on the Baltic

are drawn to Right guaRd More than one mi llion visitors a year ly at 12.15pm, the Changing of the Guard at the Royal Palace (dai music from the Military Sundays at 1pm). It’s accompanied by stirring Dancing Queen. Band – who sometimes break into a chorus or two of

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Sleep at ... buDGet This family-run, Södermalm’s area, and looking out on a tiny park, berns hotel hornsgatan (Hornsgatan 66B, 11821, hotel (Näckströmsgatan 8, 11147, +46 8 5663 +46 8 658 2901; hotelhornsgatan.se) has 2200; berns.se) is a boutique hotel that aces rooms from SEK355 per night, but doesn’t ergonomics. With rooms from SEK1,912, see compromise on style, space, cleanliness or the Scandinavian knack for storage space breakfast. Be wawarnernedd,, ththouough – yoyouu mighmightt up close, and marvel at how it’s also so have to shasharree a bathrbathroom.oom. comfortable. If you’re into nightlife, it’s the mImIDD--PPrrIIccee As the official hotel partner place for you but, with a club attached, it can of ththee ABBA MuMuseumseum, yoyouu’’dd be foforrggiviven get noisy at the weekend if you have a room for thithinnkiking thathat ththee clarion Sign (Östra near the front. Järnvägsgatan 3535,, 1010112266,, +4+466 8 676766 98980000;; SPlurGe Owned by Benny Andersson clarionsign.com) might be awash with lamé of ABBA fame, hotel rival (Mariatorget 3, and gliglitterballs. NoNott so.so. FrFroomm ititss glaglassss Södermalm, +46 8 5457 8900; rival.se) sits on and grgraanniittee GeGerrtt WiWinnggårdhårdh-designed a quiet little square in bohemian Södermalm, architecture, to fufurnirnittuurree by AArrnene JaJacobcobsseenn,, ten minutes’ walk from the old town, Gamla Bruno MaMatthssonhsson andand AlAlvvarar AalAalto, itit’’ss a shshrinerine Stan. The rooms, from SEK2,395, range in to NoNorrddiicc ddeesigsignn.. CClleeaann lliinneess aarree as sstylistylish sizes, but an economy room is spacious as t thhee hheeaatteedd rrooooffttoopp ppooool is wewelclcome, enough, and all decorated in quirky, and SSttoockhockholm CCeentrntraall SSttaattiioonn is justjust a ffewew individual style. The service is next to none, minutes’ wawallkk awawaayy.. Rooms frfroomm SESEKK11,,11880.0. and the great breakfast will set you up for a Located righrightt in t thhee hheareartt of tthhee sshoppinhoppingg day’s sightseeing.

Sea. This might seem confusing you can’t see water reflected by blue Top, interiors at home of Gamla Stan, or the “Old when reading a guidebook in skies in the summer, and it gives the Hotel Hornsgatan Town”. A maze of cobbled streets advance of a visit, but in truth the city a uniquely open, airy feeling. and Hotel Rival lined with galleries, curio shops respectively. city couldn’t be easier to navigate. It’s a place where the teeming Below, Stortorget, and typical Swedish cafés, that What’s more, its compact size allows natural world sits very comfortably Stockholm's oldest all converge on the terrace-lined you to get a real sense of its different with the imposing urban landscape. square, in Gamla Stortorget, or “the big square”; by areas and atmospheres very quickly. The island everyone converges Stan, as little midday it’s packed to bursting with Viking Oscar There’s almost nowhere from which on to begin with is Stadsholmen, looks on. tourists.A good tip is to wander its highways and byways early in the morning, coming across Baroque palaces on corners, romantic little squares and Renaissance cathedrals at your leisure. You can sit in the leafy square outside Benny and Frida’s first apartment together on a street called Baggensgatan and

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imagine their Eurovision-winning “Waterloo” being written there. Like many cities, Stockholm has a north/south divide and, depending on what you’re looking for, you’ll probably find yourself hanging out in either. Östermalm in the north is an upmarket borough, its tree- lined boulevards populated with couture and Scandinavian design According to Palm, the 1978 ABBA Author of Bright a city that didn’t have much of a shops, Michelin star restaurants hit “Summer Night City” might Light Dark night-life at the time.” These days and the city’s top end nightspots. have been written about places like Shadows: The Real you’re more likely to bump into Story of ABBA, At its heart is Stureplan, with its this, even though in the 1970s the Carl Magnus ABBA’s grandchildren boogying landmark meeting place, nicknamed clubs of Östermalm didn’t exist. Palm, left, and to “Summer Night City” in “Svampen”, or “the mushroom”, “I’ve always imagined ABBA out a winning vista Östermalm’s buzzing clubs. by the locals. In the evenings the and about in Stockholm in the late of Östermalm. Djurgården, the city’s rambling beautiful people (in Stockholm, 1970s when I hear that song,” he Below, sensational royal gardens with its abundance of seafood at nearly everyone is beautiful) gather says. “It’s not a song about being Sturehof. museums and the legendary Gröna here before a night out on the tiles at, for example, Studio 54 in New Lund (gronalund.com) amusement in clubs, such as Riche (riche.se) York City; it’s about romanticising park, are part of the area, and or Laroy (stureplansgruppen.se), big city night-life from the a favourite haunt with most of that cater to the city’s celeb set. perspective of someone living in Stockholmian society for weekend

Eat at ... buDGet There are mID-PrIce bakfickan, SPlurGe Sturehof Thai restaurants all over aka The Hip Pocket (Stureplan 2, Östermalm, Stockholm, but koh Phanagan (Kungliga Operan, Karl XIIs +46 8 440 5730; sturehof.com) is (Skånegatan 57, Södermalm, Torg, +46 8 676 5800; a must for traditional Swedish +46 8 642 5040; kohphangan. operakallaren.se) shares a seafood. The atmosphere is se), with its seaside kitchen with the fine-dining buzzing and the locals love it. atmosphere, complete with restaurant, Operakällaren at In summer, book a table on beach canopies and twinkling The Opera House, but it has a the terrace and people-watch lights, is special. Sit in a tuk-tuk very café-like atmosphere. The as you start with three or five or the “jungle area” and enjoy fare is unpretentious Swedish sorts of herring, and follow up a delicious Pad Thai for about comfort food and the meatballs with a main of mouthwatering SEK165 (€20), which is cheap are some of the best in the butter-fried pike perch. Bottles for Stockholm. They don’t take city. Be warned, the interior of wine cost an arm and a leg reservations, so expect to only seats 26 people, so you’re here – it’s cheaper if you drink queue on Saturday nights. advised to book ahead. by the glass.

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You simply must ... Visit the absolut ice bar. animated versions of Agnetha, Björn, 1Sample fruit-flavoured Absolut Benny and Frida and bring home your vodka in this legendary bar at video for posterity – or even Tweet the Nordic sea hotel (Vasaplan it in situ. 4, +46 8 505 6352; nordicseahotel. go to market. Östermalm’s se) made out of ice. On hot summer 4saluhall is a gastronomic days, it’s a cool refuge; in winter, staff treasure trove, where stall after members provide you with mittens stall sells Sweden’s finest produce. and coats! The drinks are pricey The place is permeated with the though. Come prepared. competing scents of coffee and cruise the archipelago. spices, and, along with the stalls, 2No trip to Stockholm would be there are plenty of places to sit down complete without a steamboat and enjoy the best in Swedish cuisine. tour of the archipelago, a wonderland Fridays and Saturdays at lunchtime of leafy islands complete with cute are the best time to go. summer cottages on the beautiful haVe your cake aNd Baltic. ABBA owned an island 5eat it. The Swedish tradition together on the archipelago as of “fika”– the enjoyment of a married couples, and many of their mid-afternoon coffee and cake – is best songs were written there. something you must adopt while siNg with abba. A state- visiting Stockholm, which has a 3of-the-art experience awaits traditional bakery on every corner. you at abba the museum Don’t leave without experiencing the (Djurgärdsvägen 68, +46 8 1213 2860; mazarin, a sweet pastry filled with abbathemuseum.com), a high- almond paste, at riddarbageriet This page, tell their story as you travel through tech tribute to the Swedish 1970s (Riddargatan 15, Östermalm). It’s snapshots of the exhibits. According to the CEO superstars. You can even sing with cake heaven. ABBA The of the museum, Mattias Hanson: Museum, its CEO Mattias Hanson “All four members of the group pictured below opened up their closets to supply walks or cycles, and meet-ups in enjoy glögg (mulled wine) and ginger left. Opposite, memorabilia, instruments, clothes its abundant restaurants. However, snaps at the spectacular Christmas Veronica Lofdahl and more.” after September some of the cafés Market at Skansen (skansen.se) in the doorway The museum is a state-of-the- of her Gamla and restaurants close for the cold open-air museum. Stan shop, Iris art interactive experience – and a Scandinavian autumn and winter. Djurgården is also the home of Hantverk, which teenage dream come true for me. Never mind, post-summer there ABBA The Museum, which opened sells traditional, You can record your own version are several good reasons to visit in the Swedish Music Hall of Fame handmade of an ABBA hit, singing along with Djurgården, not least the Beer and (smhof.se) to much fanfare in May, handicrafts. a backing track in a replica of the Whiskey Festival (the last weekend after a long gestation. The museum original Polar Studios in Stockholm, in September, and first in October), is unique in that it gives you an one of the world’s biggest and best interactive experience in which booze fests. Or in winter, why not ABBA have virtually reunited to

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Swedes are very proud of ABBA”. Although it’s only a quick bus or Tunnelbana ride away, bohemian Södermalm in the south couldn’t be further from Östermalm and Djurgården. I had booked into the Hotel Rival (rival.se) there, which is owned by ABBA’s Benny. Södermalm is a charmingly unique spot, where trendy boutiques, great vintage shops, alternative galleries, and quirky bars and cafés rub shoulders with family-run restaurants and ancient “local” hostelries. Although the Rival is five-star, it typifies Södermalm with its ground floor café full of guys in polo necks and black-framed glasses and girls in dreadlocks and rainbow clothes, sipping coffee as they look out on a small, bicycle-lined square. EE Benny's development of the

MAcAR Rival, on the site of an Art Deco A cinema (the world premiere of the chSI

FU Mamma Mia! movie was screened

By there), is part of his civic interest in ON

TI the area, and it’s here I unearthed RA

ST the mystery of why ABBA aren’t LU

IL pictured on the airport hall of fame. A friendly local told me Benny requested it be removed. He was where the band recorded part of a group who objected to the Right, a sun- kissed shortcut in the majority of their songs. city’s plans to re-develop Slussen, a Södermalm. Below, You can remix ABBA songs confusing feat of road engineering Emma Frisk outside using digital copies of the from the 1930s that connects Gamla cute café Blooms original, 24-track tapes, Stan to Södermalm. So opposed, he Bageri. though you will probably once said he’d consider an ABBA find it hard to outdo the reunion if it helped stop the plans. classic versions by producer However, the city council voted in Michael B Tretow. You the redevelopment’s favour – which can dance on a stage with had Benny insisting he didn’t want life-size animations of to be an advertisement for a city that the group, sharing your can’t see reason. experiences via social However, it’s hard to see media as you go along. Stockholm as an unreasonable city. According to Hanson, Everything about it seems built with the museum attracts its users in mind. It only took me mainly foreign visitors a weekend to fall in love with this rather than natives; many from easygoing mini-metropolis that has Britain, Australia, Germany, the a little something for everyone – and Netherlands and Norway, where now, with its brand new museum, ABBA found their first international even us ABBA lovers are getting a audiences, and they’re coming in look in. their droves. “If it continues this way we will soon have had more Brian Finnegan is the author of Knowing ‘live audience’ than ABBA played Me Knowing You (hachette Books, £7.99). for during their touring years,” says Hanson. As for my perceived ambivalence of the natives towards aer lINGuS FLIES FROM DUBLIN TO the band, he argues, “the majority of Stockholm ON MON, WED, FRI AND SUN.

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