Business is booming in Sweden, and its capital is one of Europe’s busier conference venues, with no shortage of places vying for your krona. In terms of population and geography, Sweden—although bigger than its Nordic neighbors Denmark, Norway, and Finland—is still one of the smaller European countries. Yet what it lacks in size it makes up for in inventiveness. Sweden has given us H&M, Absolut, Ericsson, and IKEA (not to mention dynamite, the zipper, and the safety match). But while it’s one of the world leaders in mobile phone connectivity and Internet penetration (a Skype founder is a Swede), it’s also a hotbed of illegal file-sharing. As you might expect in a place so devoted to communication and quality of life, everyone in Stockholm speaks English fluently, and the city itself is easy to navigate and enjoy.

 
Where to Sleep
The first choice for heads of state, Nobel laureates, and expense-account visitors is the Grand Hotel, but it’s only worth the steep rate if you reserve a room with a water view. Alternatively, the minimalist chic Nordic Light has comfortable, compact, all-white rooms with colored lighting. Because it’s located by the rail link to the airport, you can go from hotel checkout to airport check-in within about half an hour. Over on Södermalm, the southern part of town, the Rival (owned by Benny Andersson, a member of Abba and a canny businessman) is a trendy modern hotel with a perfectly preserved 1930s cinema. The namesake café and bakery next door are both excellent, and lend the adjacent square a Parisian air. Surprisingly stylish for a member of a mid-range chain, the Clarion is the biggest business hotel in town, although next year it will be superseded by its new sibling, the Clarion Sign. This mammoth property, under construction near the Central Station, will be full of Scandinavian furnishings and will feature a branch of Aquavit, Swedish chef Marcus Samuelsson’s New York restaurant. Slated to open this fall is the Hotel Stureplan, close to the heart of Stockholm nightlife. If you prefer something a little quieter, the Diplomat is a waterfront hotel on Strandvägen, one of the poshest streets in town; splurge on a room with a view.

Where to Eat
Stockholmers all lunch precisely at noon. To avoid the crush, turn up slightly earlier or after 1 P.M. The Opera House has four dining options: Bakfickan, a good choice for a casual midday meal of traditional Swedish food (several preparations of salmon in summer, reindeer or elk in winter); Operabaren, serving the city’s best meatballs in an elegant Art Nouveau room; the super-fashionable Café Opera, which morphs into a nightclub after dinner; and Operakällaren, known for exquisite (and expensive) French cuisine. For more affordable French food, squeeze into Bistro Berns, in a charming little glass building just outside the Berns Hotel. And there’s always Sturehof, a huge, bustling place that’s been serving traditional Swedish fare for more than a century. What’s doubly unusual for Stockholm is that it’s open every day of the year and the kitchen normally closes at 1 A.M.

Where to See and Be Seen
The phrase an after-work has entered the Swedish lexicon to describe a post-work drink, and every afternoon scores of office workers flock to T/Bar, at the Diplomat hotel, lured by the trendy scene (and by the reduced-price champagne before 7 P.M.). Riche, on Birger Jarlsgatan, the main designer-shopping street, is always packed with affluent actors, advertising execs, and other creative types. Following a thorough renovation, the Cadier Grand, at the Grand Hotel, has reemerged as the coolest place in town. The drinks flow, the pianist plays, the crystal lights gleam, and patrons of many different nationalities vie for window seats with a view of the Royal Palace. The restaurant Kungsholmen, on the island of the same name, is big, trendy, and always busy, and it has one of the city’s best cocktail menus, with drinks arranged geographically based on the origin of the key ingredient. In summer, there’s a bar on the floating jetty in front of the restaurant.

Where to Close a Deal
The Grand Hotel is home to one of the city’s best new restaurants, Mathias Dahlgren, which opened in early 2007. Depending on the nature of the deal, opt for the more casual Food Bar or the exquisite and formal Dining Room. Pontus! is a hot new restaurant with funky decor, a sushi bar, and excellent cocktails (don’t miss the Thai mojito with chili and ginger). For something calmer and more typically Scandinavian, take a cab to the small island of Lilla Essingen and Lux, a Michelin-starred restaurant in a converted Electrolux canteen. The restaurant and bar Gondolen is always filled with business execs. It hangs beneath an 11-story-high pedestrian walkway and viewing platform, affording some of the city’s best views. If you’re in a large group, book one of the two private rooms.

Local Codes
Swedes are always punctual, always polite, and always speak perfect English. They also tend to be reserved and to hate confrontation of any sort. Service in stores and restaurants can seem glacially slow by American standards—don’t get cross, it’s not personal. Most stores are open from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. weekdays, and many (including Systembolaget, the state liquor monopoly) close early on Saturdays and don’t open at all on Sundays. Taxis are expensive but efficient: Ring for a cab and it’s often there by the time you have your coat on. Stick to the two main companies, Taxi Stockholm and Taxi Kurir, which are scrupulously honest. In July, Swedes take their annual vacation; while room rates at business hotels plummet, many businesses close and the city can seem too quiet.

Airport Intelligence
Coming in to land at Arlanda, you feel as though you’re setting down in the middle of a remote pine forest—until you board the high-speed Arlanda Express rail link, which takes just 20 minutes to deposit you in the heart of Stockholm. The airport looks wonderfully Scandinavian, with a stylish black-and-white control tower. Terminal Five, which handles most flights from the United States, is quiet and spacious, with glass walls and hardwood floors. Despite its charming name, the Sky City shopping area isn’t worth a visit, and there’s absolutely nowhere in the airport to get a decent meal. Be warned: Getting your luggage from baggage claim can take almost as long as a short European flight, so stick to carry-on.

The Three-Hour Tour
For a combination of shopping, strolling, and sightseeing, start at the NK department store (look for its revolving neon sign). Stock up on souvenirs (the lower level has everything from moose-shaped fridge magnets to fine Swedish crystal), or people-watch while munching on a mazarin (a traditional Swedish cupcake) at Café Entré, near the main entrance. Then meander down tree-lined Kungsträdgården, past the Opera House, and over the bridge to Gamla Stan, the Old Town. The daily changing of the guard takes places at noon at the Royal Palace, but dodge the crowds and head for the fascinating Livrustkammaren, the Royal Armory, situated underneath the palace; its most extraordinary exhibit is the costume King Gustav III wore when he was assassinated at a masked ball. From Gamla Stan, cross to Riddarholmen, the small island just to the west, for amazing views of Stadshuset, the city’s town hall, where the Nobel banquet is held every December, before heading past the parliament buildings and back to your starting point.

–Stephen Whitlock