Seeksreal
Dec 14, 04, 6:40 pm
I got a request for info on gay things to do in Stockholm from a fellow FTer and after sending off the email to him I figured that some of that info may be of interest to others here so I decided to post this thread. I haven't lived there myself for quite a few years so perhaps some locals can fill in additional info of interest.
In terms of the gay scene in Stockholm you will find that most gay clubs are very mixed since there is a very liberal view on sexual orientation there and there isn't a need for gay-only clubs and bars. Dragshows have been mainstream entertainment on primetime TV for 25 years already and gay celebrities are generally out. The most famos dragshow entertainers are a group called After Dark (http://www.afterdark.se/) and they currently have a show running in Stockholm. If you can get tickets for that, it could be worth it. I'm not sure how much of the current show is in English, though, so you may want to ask about that at the box office. The lead drag diva of that show, Christer Lindarw, also has an exhibit of their costumes at the Dance Museum. It is supposed to be a great exhibit (according to my mother!). (http://www.dansmuseet.se/)
If you are more into the leather scene, you should check out SLM (Stockholm Leather Men) on Wollmar Yxkullsgatan (www.slm.a.se (http://www.slm.a.se)), which is located on Södermalm (south island). I believe they are open Fridays and Saturdays. That is the closest to a traditional gay bar that you will find in Stockholm. They do enforce somewhat of a dress code so bring a pair of boots and a leather jacket if you plan on going there. There is another gay bar across the street called Side Track. On Sunday nights, the Stockholm gay crowd tends to gather on a boat called Patricia which operates as a nightclub. They have a few bars and different dance floors. I'm not sure if it is going on during the winter, but at least during the summer, it is the place to be on a Sunday night.
Unfortunately Sweden tends to go into hybernation over the winter and you will find that the streets are pretty empty after dark as people stay inside to keep warm. I don't know what dates you are going, but if you are there before Christmas you should go and have a traditional Swedish Christmas Smorgasbord (Julbord). It's a huge buffet-style dinner where you are expected to go not only for seconds, but thirds, fourths and whatever else you can manage. There is a good gay-owned restaurant called Tre Kungar on Kungsstensgatan, just off Sveavägen (behind Friskis and Svettis gym) featuring art work by the famous gay torso sculptor Leif Jacobsson. You may want to check out http://www.qx.se/ for more tips on gay life in Stockholm. They have a pretty good listing in there. You definitely want to go to one of the gay cafés on Stortorget in Gamla Stan (Old Town) and try the Swedish waffles. Delicious!
General advice for traveling in Sweden: If you want to meet local people, you need to initiate the conversation! The Swedes are generally reserved on the surface, but as soon as you break the ice, you will find that they are very warm, authentic and love foreign visitors!!! You will need to do most of the talking for the first couple of minutes, though.
People in Stockholm are generally fashion-oriented and dress reasonably well at all times. Some American friends have pointed this out to me and wished they had brought a less casual wardrobe, but I don't find it to be a huge difference between Stockholm and other larger European cities.
In terms of the gay scene in Stockholm you will find that most gay clubs are very mixed since there is a very liberal view on sexual orientation there and there isn't a need for gay-only clubs and bars. Dragshows have been mainstream entertainment on primetime TV for 25 years already and gay celebrities are generally out. The most famos dragshow entertainers are a group called After Dark (http://www.afterdark.se/) and they currently have a show running in Stockholm. If you can get tickets for that, it could be worth it. I'm not sure how much of the current show is in English, though, so you may want to ask about that at the box office. The lead drag diva of that show, Christer Lindarw, also has an exhibit of their costumes at the Dance Museum. It is supposed to be a great exhibit (according to my mother!). (http://www.dansmuseet.se/)
If you are more into the leather scene, you should check out SLM (Stockholm Leather Men) on Wollmar Yxkullsgatan (www.slm.a.se (http://www.slm.a.se)), which is located on Södermalm (south island). I believe they are open Fridays and Saturdays. That is the closest to a traditional gay bar that you will find in Stockholm. They do enforce somewhat of a dress code so bring a pair of boots and a leather jacket if you plan on going there. There is another gay bar across the street called Side Track. On Sunday nights, the Stockholm gay crowd tends to gather on a boat called Patricia which operates as a nightclub. They have a few bars and different dance floors. I'm not sure if it is going on during the winter, but at least during the summer, it is the place to be on a Sunday night.
Unfortunately Sweden tends to go into hybernation over the winter and you will find that the streets are pretty empty after dark as people stay inside to keep warm. I don't know what dates you are going, but if you are there before Christmas you should go and have a traditional Swedish Christmas Smorgasbord (Julbord). It's a huge buffet-style dinner where you are expected to go not only for seconds, but thirds, fourths and whatever else you can manage. There is a good gay-owned restaurant called Tre Kungar on Kungsstensgatan, just off Sveavägen (behind Friskis and Svettis gym) featuring art work by the famous gay torso sculptor Leif Jacobsson. You may want to check out http://www.qx.se/ for more tips on gay life in Stockholm. They have a pretty good listing in there. You definitely want to go to one of the gay cafés on Stortorget in Gamla Stan (Old Town) and try the Swedish waffles. Delicious!
General advice for traveling in Sweden: If you want to meet local people, you need to initiate the conversation! The Swedes are generally reserved on the surface, but as soon as you break the ice, you will find that they are very warm, authentic and love foreign visitors!!! You will need to do most of the talking for the first couple of minutes, though.
People in Stockholm are generally fashion-oriented and dress reasonably well at all times. Some American friends have pointed this out to me and wished they had brought a less casual wardrobe, but I don't find it to be a huge difference between Stockholm and other larger European cities.