Spectator Sports

Soccer and ice hockey are the two most popular spectator sports in Sweden, and Stockholm has world-class teams in both. The major venue for any spectator sport in the capital, the Stockholm Globe Arena (Globen), lies less than 6.5km (4 miles) south of central Stockholm. Built in 1989, it's the biggest round building in the world, with a seating capacity of 16,000. It offers everything from political rallies, motorcycle competitions, and sales conventions to basketball and ice hockey games, tennis matches, and rock concerts. Its ticket office (tel. 077/131-00-00; www.globearena.se) also sells tickets Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 11am to 4pm for most of Stockholm's soccer games, which are played in an open-air stadium nearby. The Globen complex lies in the southern suburb of Johnneshov (T-bana: Globen).

Another popular pastime is watching and betting on horse trotting races. These races usually take place on Wednesday at 6:30pm and on an occasional Saturday at 12:30pm in both summer and winter. (In winter an attempt is made to clear snow and ice from the racecourse; slippery conditions sometimes lead to unpredictable results.) Admission to Solvalla Stadium (tel. 08/635-90-00), which lies about 6.5km (4 miles) north of the city center, is 40SEK ($8/£4). From Stockholm, take the bus marked SOLVALLA.

For schedules and ticket information, inquire at your hotel or the city's tourist office, or buy a copy of the monthly magazine What's On, which is available free at hotels and select shops throughout the city.