Wandering through Gamla Stan is a wonderful way to get to know the medieval history of Stockholm. The Old Town is one of the best preserved in all of Europe and has a beautiful array of churches, historic buildings, and museums. It is also a great place to pick up overpriced knickknacks and souvenirs. Despite my feelings towards those overpriced souvenirs, what goes on inside the stores is not any kind of scam. It is what goes on just outside of the stores that you need to watch out for.

On Västerlånggatan, the main tourist street in Gamla Stan, the street where you’ll find enough Swedish souvenirs to send you over the luggage limit, you’ll also find a classic street scam.

What to look for (and avoid)

A group of people gathers around a man kneeling on the ground. In front of him is a simple game. Find the ball. It seems easy enough, just watch which box the man hides the ball under and follow along as he scrambles the boxes.

Yep, it’s the old shell game. We’ve all played the game at some point in our life. Of course, usually it only costs a dollar and will result in a stuffed animal being won at the county fair. Here you are “shelling out” 500 SEK notes (about $70). The problem is, you’re not really playing. At least not by any standard of fair play.

The scam is just as simple as the game itself. Instead of actually putting the ball under one of the moving boxes, the man keeps it hidden in his hand. You can’t win. It doesn’t matter which box you choose, there will be no ball and there will be no payout.

Walk on by…

Don’t stop to play the game. Don’t even stop to watch the game. Often times, the scam works with a team. The scammer with the quick hands, maybe even a scammer who plays and, lo and behold, wins, and of course a few cohorts wandering around the crowd, rooting through pockets, purses, and backpacks.

Recently, the Stockholm police force has been cracking down on this, but the scams continue. Warning signs are posted in shop windows throughout Gamla Stan, but tourists and scammers alike pay no heed as the games often take place in plain view of the warning signs.

The best thing you can do is simply keep walking. Don’t slow down to gawk, instead walk past, and enjoy the beautiful sights and history that Gamla Stan has to offer.

Tell us about your experiences

Have you seen this “game” in action? Have you been scammed yourself? Tell us about it in the comments section.

The post Stockholm: Avoid this popular tourist scam in Gamla Stan appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Between the different islands, Gamla Stan is home to several historical buildings including the Royal Castle and the Swedish Parliament. The islands are also home to three beautiful churches. Storkyrkan, or “The Great Church” and Tyska kyrkan, the “German Church,” are both located on the main island of Stadsholmen. Riddarholmskyrkan (Riddarholmens Church) is located, on, well, Riddarholmen, which means the “Knights’ Islet.”

The three churches give a glimpse of the religious and royal history of Stockholm and Gamla Stan. And you won’t pay more than 60 SEK (about $8 US) for the entire experience.

Storkyrkan
Stortorget 1
Visiting hours: 9 AM-6 PM Monday-Saturday; 9 AM-4 PM Sunday

Storkyrkan is the site of the last royal wedding of Sweden. It will also be the site of the next royal wedding of Sweden, as the Crown Princess and her fiancé are to be married there in June 2010.

Of course, it is not royal weddings that make the church so impressive. Instead it is the red brick, Gothic architecture inside. Highlights include the large statue of St. George slaying the dragon to the left of the altar and the beautiful paintings, some of which depict a Stockholm from hundreds of years ago. Plus, visiting the church is cheap. Between May and September you’ll have to pay 30 SEK, the rest of the year entrance is free.

Note: The Storkyrkan is closed for upkeep from January 11, 2010 to May 2, 2010.

Tyska kyrkan
Svartmangatan 16
Visiting hours: Tuesday and Fri: 9:30-11:30 AM and 1-4 PM, Wednesday: 9 AM-12 PM

Visiting Tyska kyrkan is free. Always. Built in the 1500’s, the church was the first German parish located outside of Germany. Mass in German is still held here every Sunday. Like so many centuries-old churches, Tyska kyrkan has seen several additions and renovations, the most notable after a large fire in 1878. This gave rise to the current church spire, which rises 96 meters into the Stockholm sky.

Riddarholmskyrkan
Riddarholmen
Visiting hours: 10 AM-4 PM in September and May; 10 AM-5 PM June-August (closed from mid-September to mid-May)

Riddarholmskyrkan is actually not a church anymore. By 1807, there were so few people living on the island that the city decommissioned Riddarholmskyrkan as a church and began charging admission. (Today, the island is said to have only one permanent resident, a man well into his 90’s).

Some people might argue that the beautiful black spire and the church’s wonderful architecture are reason enough to charge admission. However, it is actually what lies inside that attracts the crowds. Riddarholmskyrkan is the burial site of the Swedish royalty. For a stretch of over 300 years (1634-1950), all but one member of the Swedish royal family (Queen Christina who abdicated the throne) was buried in the church. Entrance to wander amongst old Swedish royalty is just 30 SEK, or 10 SEK if you’re a student.

The post Stockholm Cheap Sights: 3 churches in Gamla Stan you must visit appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

And the season starts nice and early in November. The lights and candles start emerging, trying to ward off the oncoming darkness. Christmas decorations go on sale in shops throughout the country. People start discussing their holiday plans.

It is also when many Christmas markets start opening.

Stockholm Christmas markets

It’s not hard to find a Christmas market in Stockholm at the end of November or beginning of December, but there are three that really stand out.

1. Gamla Stan Christmas Market

First off is the market in Gamla Stan. Set in Stortorget, a small square in the shadow of both the Royal Castle and the church, Storkyrkan, the Gamla Stan Christmas market is beautiful. The small stands offer homemade Christmas gifts and traditional Swedish Christmas foods from sausages to delicious baked goods.

The market opens November 23, and because it is in the middle of a square in Old Town, there is no entrance fee, although I would suggest that you pay for glögg and pepparkakor. Glögg is a traditional spiced wine served during the Christmas season and pepparkakor can best be described as ginger cookies. You can’t leave the market without trying both of these!

2. Kungsträdgården Christmas Market

Next is the market in Kungsträdgården. This market is quite a bit bigger than the one in Gamla Stan and is located in the large park in the middle of the city. This market also offers a lot of homemade gift ideas, but is a bit more open and kid-friendly than the one in Gamla Stan. This has a lot to do with the ice skating rink set up around the statue of King Karl XIII.

The Christmas market at Kungsträdgården opens in November and entrance is also free, but again, I suggest spending a few kronor on a little snack. “Brända mandlar” are roasted, candied almonds. You’ll be able to smell them from wherever you are in the market, and they do taste as good as they smell. Speaking from experience, be careful before you pop them in your mouth. They are hot when you first buy them. Wearing gloves, you don’t realize just how hot they are. You’ve been warned.

3. Skansen Christmas Market

Finally, there is the Christmas market at Skansen. This is one of the few that will cost you to get in. Technically, you’re actually just paying to get into Skansen, which is an open-air museum and park that gives you a look at the history and culture of Sweden. It even has a zoo with Nordic animals. During the Christmas season, Skansen sets up a wonderful Christmas market in the middle of the park.

This is one of the larger markets, and of course, homemade gifts and delicious Swedish foods are available here as well. The difference is that most of the people behind the counters are dressed in traditional regional folk costumes. The Christmas market at Skansen opens November 30 and runs until December 20.

The post 3 Christmas markets in Stockholm appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Old fashioned

Nomads from northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula created clothing to stay warm and to communicate who they were. The Sami people have long been known for donning brightly designed clothes for all occasions.  Today, you can buy many variations of their original fashions, in the form of shawls, sweaters, and boots.

Fashion forward

Perhaps the easiest go-to accessory to pack and bring home from Stockholm is a pair of “lovika” mittens, made of the wool of the same name. The yarn is ideal for both wet and cold conditions.

Check out the narrow streets of Gamla Stan for handicrafts and popular souvenirs. Specifically, the main strip in Stockholm’s Old Town, Vasterlanggatan, boasts plenty of shopping and vendors. But, we suggest hitting side streets which pay lower rents and will offer, therefore, cheaper accoutrements. Prices start at $15 USD at popular discount shops like H&M and can go up to $80 USD for more high quality handmade mittens, sold at boutiques in the area.

While you’re at it…

Catch a school of Swedish fish candy! They provide a sweet treat for the hungry sharks back home. Malaco, the originator of the gummy candy, manufactures their own breed sold only in Sweden; less sweet and more fruit flavored than the fish sold elsewhere.

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