Tracing the steps of the notorious 100-year-old man who climbed out the window and disappeared, discovering sublime Swedish cuisine (the best kept culinary secret in the world), soaking up idyllic countryside in Sormland, jumping aboard a boat and zooming across the tranquil Baltic Sea to hike in a lush island forest, staying the night in an historic castle, visiting grand palaces, viewing the world’s largest collection of sparkling vintage cars and antique juke boxes, delving into the intriguing history of the Swedish monarchy (Britain is not the only country with a colourful royal lineage!) and to cap it off visiting the famous Cake Castle (yes we died and ascended to heaven!) added up to a magical mystery tour, a feast for the senses, I will be raving about for years to anyone who’ll listen!
To let you into a little secret, I didn’t know much about
Sweden before this illuminating foray into the Nordic paradise, but now I’m
hopelessly hooked and yearning for more!
What made this four-day sojourn so extraordinary? We were a
group of seven wide-eyed gals on a press trip writing for various publications
and privileged to have an eloquent and knowledgeable tour guide, Elisabeth
Daude, who brought to life Swedish culture and history with captivating charm!
So you want to know more, right? Of course you do. So here
goes…
I am still awe-struck by the fact I can happily sit and read
on a plane and in just two hours I am transported to another country! This is
not the Magic Faraway Tree fantasies of my childhood but the reality of our 21st
century lifestyle. So with childlike wonder, courtesy of the sleek Arlander
Express, we find ourselves wandering the cobblestone streets of bustling
Stockholm, set right on the glistening harbour. Right away I learn that Sweden
is an archipelago of thousands of islands on the Baltic Sea (Who knew?)
The Old Town is peacefully free of traffic so tourists and
locals can stroll through charming
As we scurry across the bridge to the elegant Hotel Reisen,
swarms of tall, slim, good-looking Swedes on bicycles cheerfully glide past on
their evening commute. We discover many hundreds more locals, towering
blue-eyed blondes with perfect posture, enjoying a late summer Thursday night
out in the lively, immensely popular Taverna
Brillo restaurant where we are delighted to find ourselves that evening
dining on the tasty creations of award-winning chef, Magnus Nilsson.
From this gourmet initiation, the irresistible Swedish
desserts become my downfall, as I plummet spectacularly off my Diet perch into
the hedonistic pleasure of rich chocolate mousse with homemade salted caramel
ice cream! Bliss!
On Friday morning, after a Scandinavian breakfast banquet,
we gather in the lobby to meet Elisabeth, our guide with Sormland Tourism, and
our kindly driver Sven-Gunnar who loads our luggage into the neat little
22-seater bus for the drive to the impressive Sparreholms Castle on beautiful
Lake Baven.
Another form of
bliss, as we cruise through the genteel countryside, a pastel patchwork of
meadows, forest and lakes dotted with cheerful yellow timber cottages and rust
coloured farm houses, I am absorbed in the amusing adventures of Allan
Karlsson, the mild-mannered centenarian who escaped out the window of the Old
People’s home in Malmkoping, wearing his pee-soaked slippers. It turns out that
Allan throughout his long life of accidental travel around the globe managed to
change the course of history!
What double pleasure to be reading this quirky novel in the
very same region where the decrepit hero and his gang of cohorts drove their
yellow get-away bus crammed with Sonya, the circus elephant!
At Sparreholms Slott we are warmly welcomed by the manager
and shown around the opulent castle brimming with exquisite furnishings and
unique pretty hand-painted ceramic stoves. The massive dining room, superb
conference room and beautiful guest rooms treat visitors from all over the
world to an experience of pure luxury with the added bonus of some surprising
museums.
We stroll through the oak groves on the tranquil lake to a
huge showroom that houses a rare collection of vintage and classic cars and
carriages lovingly collected by proud owner, Helge Karinen over four decades. The gleaming
vehicles, in impeccable condition, are a sheer delight. Car enthusiasts would
be in Seventh Heaven spending hours purring over these beauties!
And there’s more! We explore the fascinating juke box collection, which
takes us on a journey through the musical eras of the Antique Age, Silver Age and Golden Age
through the development of music boxes, phonographs and gramophones to the
jukeboxes of the 50s. These polished machines are, like the cars, in immaculate
condition and working order and a treat for any music lover.
And for
horsey people this grand estate even offers a celebrated equestrian centre with
world-class training and competitions.
Over a
tasty lunch our group enthuses about how this unique attraction would appeal to
British tourists of all ages and special interest clubs; car enthusiasts, music
lovers and horse riders would have the time of their lives!
The lovely
Asa Malmqvist from Swedish Tourism has joined our group. It is Asa who designed
our tour and full marks for the fascinating variety and interesting attractions
she has managed to draw together.
Well-sated
we pile in the mini-bus and head for Malmkoping, a close knit community of 1700
residents put on the map by author Jonas Jonasson who chose this quaint little
village for the setting of his wildly popular novel, The Hundred-Year-Old Man
Who Climbed Out Of The Window and Disappeared. The captivating book has sold
eight million copies in 45 languages and been made into a $50 million
movie!
We meet
dedicated local, An-Louise Olsson who works
as a volunteer showing visitors around her beloved village. She leads us to the
Old People’s Home where the rebellious birthday boy stepped feebly out the
window and shuffled his way to the Bus Stop where the misadventure began!
We travel
to the Byringe train station in the forest, today the home of a delightful
couple who cheerful pose for snaps. There’s something about this endearing
novel that brings a smile to your face! You just can’t help but get caught up
in Allan’s escapades!
On the way
to our next destination we make a lakeside stop-off for ‘fika’, the Swedish
tradition of afternoon coffee or tea and delicious cake!
What comes
next is so unexpected! We are staying overnight at a castle no less! The Hedenlunda Slott in Flen is a
magnificent stately mansion offering luxurious accommodation just a stone’s
throw from what has to be the finest restaurant I’ve ever experienced!
Discovering a Food and Wine Paradise
Kung Blacke restaurant sits on a shimmering lake surrounded by bountiful farmlands, which
provide fresh daily produce for the table while the idyllic Blaxsta vineyards and superb winery produce
award-winning wines and guests can stay at the exclusive Blaxsta hotel!
This
impressive estate is every chef’s dream. It is, in fact, the dream come true
and creation of master chef and wine-maker extraordinaire, Goran Amnegard who
has transformed the historic buildings over many years into Sweden’s first
winery and vineyard.
We are
delighted to have Goran, dressed in his fancy wine print pants and chef’s coat,
as our flamboyant and charismatic host. He has us enthralled enthusing
eloquently about his unique method of wine-growing in Sweden.
Huddled in
the vineyard at sunset, Goran explains that Swedish wine rivals French wine due
to the combination of long hours of daylight over summer and mineral-rich soil.
Blaxstra winery produces ‘icewine’ from grapes harvested in December when the
temperature is minus seven degrees.
He also
sheds light on why some ‘industrial wines’ result in thumping headaches and
harrowing hangovers. Many cheap wines are concocted in a matter of minutes and
loaded with sulphur and other additives. In contrast, Goran allows the pure
grapes to ferment naturally over many months in
oak, chestnut or cherry barriques in his 16th century barn to
produce complex layers of exquisite flavours.
We were
treated to Goran’s award-winning Vidal sweet dessert wine along with silk-smooth
Merlot and sensational Chardonnay to accompany the tantalising four-course meal
of fresh, unique delights I have never eaten before!
For
starters, our palates were teased with creamy truffle mousse made from the
delicacies sourced from nearby forests followed by an exquisite array of
scrumptious seasonal vegetables, just some of the 700 varieties that grow in
the surrounding lavish vegetable gardens.
The meat
eaters dine on succulent venison while the vegetarians savour
moose milk
pie! I didn’t know it was possible to milk a moose however Goran explains that
a lady farmer from north of the region runs a herd of the mighty beasts and
supplies him fresh creamy moose milk and cheese!
Chef Goran
joins us to regale us with fascinating tales of his international career from
Italy to Canada to the heartland of Sweden and if I was a talent spotter I
would say this entertaining character with his twinkling blue eyes and charming
wit could be the next famous Celebrity Chef! Move over Jamie, Gordon and Gino!
I heartily
recommend that chefs, gourmets and wine connoisseurs from every corner of the
globe make a trip to Sweden to see this splendid culinary heaven and experience
the Goran magic!
The trip
could have ended there and I would have floated home euphoric however after a
snuggly night in the castle and another royal breakfast, we hit the road for
something completely different.
Our lovely
Asa had organised a boat ride to the island of Savo for a hike through the
picturesque Somerlandsleden
Trail. The hike was invigorating but not overly strenuous taking in the
pristine forest and views across the steely bay. We capped off our exertions
with a lunch of creamy carrot soup and freshly baked focaccia prepared by the
charming couple whom manage the immaculate cottages on the island where Swedish
families and international visitors spend their tranquil summer holidays.
Our
handsome boatman zooms us giggling girls across the vast expanse of the Baltic
Sea to stay at relaxing Trosa
Stadshotell and Spa at the picture postcard harbour town of Trosa. Our
guide Elisabeth is excited to lead us to Marsipangarden,
her favourite café bursting with lavish cakes and chocolates for a spot of
Swedish Fika. I choose the chocolate nougat slice while coveting the blackberry
cheesecake! After such indulgence, it seems only right to try out the sauna and
warm pools in the soothing spa. The sumptuous turn on a gourmet meal of
seasonal delicacies and fine wine before a heavenly night’s sleep.
Sunday, the
final day of our magical tour, we reluctantly depart the pretty, tranquil town
but there are more delights in store! Sven-Gunnar guides our little bus into
the banks of Lake Malaren in Mariefred for an awe-inspiring visit to the Gripsholm Castle, built in 1537, to view the stunning
rooms and thousands of intriguing portraits of the Swedish royal characters
going back centuries. Elisabeth cleverly brings to life every portrait with
stories about the eccentric personalities and politics. British history buffs
would relish a tour of this fascinating castle brimming with priceless
artworks.
There is just one culinary challenge left. A tough assignment but
someone had to do it! So we all bravely volunteer to visit the Cake Castle! I
kid you not. Such a fairytale place really does exist. In fact 250,000 visitors
from around the world every year flock to experience the sweet delights of
Taxinge Slott. After a filling
lunch we are faced with the agonising dilemma of choosing from a lavish array
of luscious cakes and slices from Northern Europe’s largest cake buffet!
Our
charming hostess shows us around the beautiful castle, which is open for
weddings and conferences and lazy Sunday afternoons where, just an hour south
of Stockholm, visitors can taste the best cakes in the world!
Our
beguiling adventure in Sweden was full of warm hospitality, luxurious
accommodation, culinary pleasures, colourful history, beautiful countryside and
almost all the unexpected twists and turns of our 100-year-old hero who climbed
out the window. When will you escape to Sweden and be pleasantly surprised?
Sörmland factbox
For more
information, visit www.visitsormland.com, www.visitsweden.com or www.visitstockholm.com
(Visit
Sörmland website is currently only in Swedish but the UK version is launching
in November)
Getting
there
British
Airways, SAS and Norwegian all operate flights from London to Stockholm
Arlanda. SAS also operates flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and
Edinburgh to Arlanda.
In
addition, Ryanair flies from London Stansted to Stockholm Skavsta in the heart
of Sörmland.
Hotels
Hotel Reisen
A double
room with breakfast costs from SEK 1,276 per night
Hedenlunda
Slott
A double
room with breakfast costs from SEK 1,990 per night
www.hedenlundaslott.se
/ +46 157 754 00 .
Trosa Stadshotell & SPA
A double
room with breakfast costs from SEK 1,990 per night
Spa entry
costs SEK 275 per person
www.trosastadshotell.se / +46 156 170 70
Meals
Taverna Brillo
Mains start from SEK 175
http://tavernabrillo.se/en/ / +46 8 51977800
Blaxsta
Vineyard
A four course tasting menu with
wines costs SEK 1090
www.blaxstawine.se/en/ / +46 70 483 46 90
Marsipangården (Trosa)
http://kutterkonfekt.se/marsipangarden-marsipan-choklad-marsipankonfekt-handgjorda-marsipanfigurer-praliner-cafe-butik-trosa.shtml / +46 156139
08
Taxinge slott – the “Cake castle”
www.taxingeslott.se/english/ / +46-159-701 14
Attractions
Sparreholms Slott
The
museums cost SEK 80 per person for a guided tour of one museum, SEK 150 per
person for two museums and SEK 230 per person for three museums.
Double
room with breakfast starts from SEK 1,745 per night.
Tours cost from SEK 200 per person and
are offered as required by the tourist office in Malmköping. To book a tour,
call + 46 157 43 09 96 or visit www.flen.se for more information.
Sörmlandsleden trail
For more information on the walking trail, see www.sormlandsleden.se
This is the Sävö island section:
Trosa Shipping Company
Boat tour around the Trosa archipelago starts from SEK 250 per person
Gripsholm
Castle
Adult
entrance to the castle costs SEK 120, children aged 17 and under are free. See here for information on opening times and guided tours.
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