Stockholm - Sport and social games

The 6700 km of coastline provide opportunities for every type of water sport; including fishing. Foreign visitors need a permit to fish off the Swedish coast which is obtainable from the local police station or at Sweden House in Kungsträdgården across the street from NK. There are approximately 900 lakes around this area and many of them are included in the fishing license. Anyone can fish within the city boundaries. A few regulations; you may not fish with a casting rod on the bridges. Throw back salmon smaller than 50 cm. You are not allowed to fish outside Operakällaren between March and November as the birds are fed here.

• Ice skating  
  Ice skating needs special attention because in Stockholm you can skate on rinks but also around Stockholm on the lakes and in the archipelago. In fact a very popular sport is long distance skating. The blades of the skates are longer and you have a trekking shoe that you attach the blade to. It is much faster than with regular skates. Before you buy skates you may want to try it. You can rent skates and all the necessary equipment at Naturkompaniet on Hantverkargatan 38-40 on Kungsholmen.
  There is a small ice rink in Kungsträdgården adjoining Sweden House. Next to the Stadium at the comer of Valhallaviigen/Lidingovägen there is a 1 km ice track, and there is a similar circuit on Gärdet nearby. Nacka, south-east of Stockholm, has a 3 km track and at Norrviken, north of  Stockholm, there is a 14 km skating route beginning at Häggviksskola.
  

• Skiing
  There are cross-country ski trails through most of the wooded areas in and around Stockholm and most of these are illuminated at night. There are also a number of slopes with lifts. Four of the eight downhill slopes in the Stockholm area are:
  Ekholmsnasbacken
  Lidingo
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 7663 460
  Ullnabacken
  Taby.
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 7565253
  Velambsund
  Saltsjo-Boo
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 7479980
  Vinterstadion
  Nacka.
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 71710 58.
  For further information, enquire at
  Skid- and Friluftsfrämjandet
  Wallingatan 24
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 23 43 50

For information regarding any sports organizations, call Stockholms
Fritidsforvaltning
Tel. + 46 (0)8 141 800

Fitness centres  

• Friskis & Vettis
  You find modern gyms in many parts of Stockholm and the suburbs. If you pay the membership fee in one of them you can choose any of the others, too. Look under Gym in the yellow pages for more information on the various locations.

Swimming  
Most of the public indoor pools offer swimming courses during the winter season and the outdoor pools have similar courses during the summer season. Details of both indoor and outdoor pools can be obtained from
Fritidsförvaltningen
Tel. + 46 (0)8 141 800

• Swimming pools
  Sturebadet
  Sturegallerian 36
  Stockholm -
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 545 015 00
  At the beautifully restored art nouveau bath house in central Stockholm, Sturebadet, you can do laps in the grotto-like pool, use exercise machines, join an aerobics or water gymnastics class, steam in the Turkish bath or bake in a sauna. You can work out with a private instructor or in a group and you have access to a fully equipped gym with Cybex machines and free weights, cardio vascular equipment and a full range of aerobics.
• Centralbadet
  Stockholm Brunnsbad,
  Drottninggatan 88,
  111 36
  Stockholm
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 545 213 15

• Tennisklubben TSK Malmen
  Fiskartorpsvägen 20
  114 33
  Stockholm
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 613 30 85
• Kungl. Tennishallen (Squash/Tennis)
  Lidingövägen 75
  115 94
  Stockholm
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 459 15 00  

• Equestian sports
  Solvalla is a trotting venue open for competition on Wednesdays. Buses leave from City Terminalen on evenings with races. Tel. +4686359000. Täby Galopp is open for racing once a week. Take Roslagsbanan to Täby and you will see the track from the station.
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 7560230
• Riding schools
  Djurgårdens Ridskola
  Hunduddsvägen 24-26
  115 25
  Stockholm
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 662 21 47

Golf  

• Tantogårdens Bangolfklubb
  Skarpskyttegatan
  117 34
  Stockholm
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 669 82 95
  website: www.tantogarden.com

• Svea Bowlinghall
  Sveavägen 118
  113 50
  Stockholm
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 441 85 50 

• Instrumentvägen 14
  126 53 Hägersten
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 447 44 40
  fax:  + 46 (0)8 447 44 44
• Natural environments
  "Everyman's right" (Allemansrätten) is a series of rules and regulations that you need to be aware of when living in Sweden. It allows visitors to walk, camp, canoe and ski where they like, provided they act responsibly. The bottom line is: "Don't disturb and don't destroy". You may fish along Mälarens and Saltsjöns shores; you can put up a tent on someone else's property for one night as long as it isn't part of their garden or cultivated land. If you have a dog you also must remember that dogs must be on leash between March 1 through August 20 to protect other animals.
• Nature activities for children include the Swedish Scout Association, the "Forest School"  (Skogsmulleskolan) and the forest Wanderers (Skogströvarna). Sweden has around 20 national parks with native forest and a network of footpaths.

• Hunting 
  Hunting is a popular sport in Sweden. The Swedish Hunters Association,
  (Svenska Jägarförbundet)
  Tel. + 46 (0)8 795 3300
  can answer your questions about importation of weaponry and other hunting related issues. Also see under Directory of Services Hunting/Fishing. 

SOCIAL GAMES

Bingo is the favorite here together with card games. The knowledge of Swedish is fundamental if you wish to join any of these local social games associations.

If you do not know Swedish you can still join in social activities through the international clubs. The International Women's Club, for example, has social activities organized for all the members and in this case the language used is English. If among those activities organized by the club there is not the one you are an expert on, you will have the opportunity to start it yourself by leading a new group.