Stockholm Entertainment

  1. Absolut Icebar

    Okay, it's touristy. But you're intrigued, admit it: a bar built entirely out of ice, where you drink from glasses carved of ice at tables made of ice. The admission price gets you warm booties, mittens, a parka and one drink.

    Read more about Absolut Icebar

  2. Akkurat

    This down-to-earth drinking hole boasts 400 whiskeys, a huge selection of Belgian ales and a good range of Swedish-made microbrews, notably the semi-divine Jämtlands Bryggeri trio Heaven, Hell and Fallen Angel. It has mussels on the menu and free live R&B and rock on Sunday nights.

    Read more about Akkurat

  3. Bara Vi

    Decked out in shag-a-licious floral wallpaper and plush red sofas, 'Just Us' is a popular hangout for trendy 30-somethings who like their drinks list long and smooth. Every second Wednesday from , Bara Unplugged (around Sk30 ) sees local indie acts hit the stage. Scan www.baraunplugged.se (in Swedish) for the line-up.

    Read more about Bara Vi

  4. Berns Salonger

    While the drop-dead gorgeous ballroom here hosts some brilliant live-music gigs, Berns' hottest drawcard is the intimate basement bar/club, Berns 2.35:1. It's packed with hip creative types, top-notch DJs and art projections. Entry is via the Berns Hotel around the corner (Näckströmsgatan 8). Get in early or contact Berns to be put on the guest list.

    Read more about Berns Salonger

  5. Berwaldhallen

    Named after Swedish composer Franz Berwald, this late-1970s concert hall is at the top of its game, despite being mostly underground. Home to the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and world-renowned Radiokören (Swedish Radio Choir), it also hosts the annual August Baltic Sea Festival, a classical-music extravaganza featuring orchestras, choirs and soloists from several Baltic countries, including Russia.

    Read more about Berwaldhallen

  7. Biografen Sture

    It mightn't have the vintage charm of the Zita down the road, but at least you'll find a flick in English. The leaning is art house, and the Baby-bio screenings mean bubs can waaaaah to their hearts' content.

    Read more about Biografen Sture

  8. Brasserie Godot

    Pop in to see the giant murals by graphic artist Erik Eriksson, then work your way through one of Stockholm's finest cocktail menus. Unsurprisingly popular is the John Holmes, a long drink with plenty of kink. Thursday nights are best with a vibrant vibe and room to move.

    Read more about Brasserie Godot

  9. Café Opera

    Wannabe playboys and their glitzy girlfriends need a suitably excessive place to schmooze, one with bulbous chandeliers, haughty ceiling frescoes and a spangly party vibe. This is it, darlings. In sharp contrast, the adjoining Veranden bar is a crisp white creation by architect trio Claesson Koivisto Rune and a choice hangout for bartenders, meaning a mediocre martini is strictly out of the question.

    Read more about Café Opera

  10. Chokladkoppen & Kaffekoppen

    If you haven't hung out at one of these cosy cafés, you haven't 'done' Stockholm. The summer months see tables spill out onto the square at these cafés set in a pair of fairytale 17th-century buildings on cobbled Stortorget. Bag a table, slip on some shades and eye-up the passing talent.

    Read more about Chokladkoppen & Kaffekoppen

  11. Cocktail Club @ Grodan Grev Ture

    Hiding somewhat incongruously below a mock-baroque dining salon is one of Stockholm's best party spots, Cocktail Club. Expect A-list DJ talent from Stockholm to London and Berlin (including Ben Watt, Alan Braxe and Eric Prydz), all working the wax and pumping out house and electro for Stockholm's sweat-soaked club kids.

    Read more about Cocktail Club @ Grodan Grev Ture

  12. Advertisement

  13. Dansens Hus

    Stomping ground of Mats Ek's Cullberg Ballet, this place is a must for contemporary dance fans. The packed programme showcases anything from the Royal Swedish Ballet's spin-off troupe Stockholm 59°N to international big guns like Les Ballets C de la B and hot new UK choreographer Hofesh Shechter.

    Read more about Dansens Hus

  14. Debaser

    Edgy, raw and tucked away under an overpass, this legendary rock club hosts live independent and bigger-name acts most nights. It also has a dance floor and wild club nights, including the ever-popular Club Killers, dedicated to ska and held on the last Wednesday of every month. Sister club Debaser Medis rocks on at Medborgarplatsen.

    Read more about Debaser

  15. El Cubanito

    Looking every bit the bodega with its pressed-tin bar and decorative ceramic tiles, this cosy slice of old Havana pours a mean rum drink, from a classic mojito cocktail crammed with fragrant mint leaves to a fabulous 'Fidel'. Add a menu of tropical Cuban nosh and you'll soon forget that it's snowing outside.

    Read more about El Cubanito

  16. El Mundo

    Backgammon boards, Mexicana film posters and a bar made from pressed olive oil tins give this intimate hangout a sultry Latin vibe. There's art in the closet-sized backroom, a friendly 30-something crowd in the front room and an indie pop club night every other Wednesday. On the last Saturday of the month is IDYLL; a pop-electro gay night.

    Read more about El Mundo

  17. Eriks Gondolen

    Perched atop Katarinahissen, this place serves mean martinis and offers rooftop views. Slip into a leather armchair and play 'spot the landmark'. Respected chef Erik Lallerstedt runs the restaurant, matching the views with top-notch Swedish-Mediterranean food.

    Read more about Eriks Gondolen

  19. Folkoperan

    Immensely popular and internationally renowned, Folkoperan gives opera a thoroughly modern overhaul with its intimate, cutting-edge and sometimes controversial productions of both classic and contemporary works. Book weeks ahead, as seats sell out quickly. Check the website for booking details.

    Read more about Folkoperan

  20. Fria Teatren

    Although its main base is in the suburbs, this independent theatre company also treads the boards here at Lilla Scenen, its affiliated stage. Born in the heady days of 1968, modest Fria has built up a mighty reputation for top-notch work with an often biting political edge.

    Read more about Fria Teatren

  21. Göken

    From the handbag house to the handbag lamp on the bar, friendly laid-back Göken is campier than a jamboree. The bleach-blond barman looks straight out of La Cage aux Folles and the friendly gay/straight crowd perfectly complements the ab fab cocktail list. Take the barman's advice and try a Boeing.

    Read more about Göken

  22. Grill

    If you like to stay in and drink at home, then head out to Grill. This iconic resto-bar, owned by the equally iconic chef Melker Andersson, is set in a furniture showroom, so you can choose a setting and play house with your pals (as long as you don't mind the odd pink flamingo and gold lame drape á la Versace).

    Read more about Grill

  23. Hotellet

    Named for the hotel it never became, this split-level hotspot is home to blonde bombshells, impish brunettes and trendy studs with photo-shoot hair. There's even a trés-chic garden by architect outfit NOD. Not surprisingly, the place has had its fair share of style mag coverage, which seems perfectly justified when sipping apple martinis next to the yummy Nordic eye Scandi.

    Read more about Hotellet

  24. Advertisement

  25. Jazzclub Fasching

    Fasching turns Swedish sobriety on its head with kick-ass jazz, swing and tango jams from local and international cool cats. Late Friday nights, it all makes way for DJ-spun reggae at club night Club Studio One ( Sk100 ; from midnight to ), while Saturday club night Soul ( Sk100 ; from midnight to ) is a funkalicious mix of retro R&B, soul jazz, disco and funk.

    Read more about Jazzclub Fasching

  26. Kgb

    Skip the hit-and-miss menu at this ode to Red Russia (think Lenin statue, Communist banners and a Stalin-wannabe cloakroom attendant) and head straight down to the gritty bunker-style bar. Here, laid-back indie types get happy on vodka, DJ tunes and fortnightly Friday bands.

    Read more about Kgb

  27. Konserthuset

    Designed by Ivar Tengbom in 1926 and decked-out in Carl Milles sculptures, Stockholm's Concert Hall is home to the brilliant Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Pick up a schedule at the office inside Konserthuset (entrance on Kungsgatan) or check the website.

    Read more about Konserthuset

  28. Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern

    The Royal Dramatic Theatre (Dramaten) is the grand dame of the Swedish stage, with productions ranging from Shakespeare to Strindberg in a lavish Art Nouveau setting. This is chez Bergman, where the famous director has been a driving force since the 1960s. Dramaten's experimental stage, Elverket (Linnégatan 69; same contact details), pushes the boundaries with an edgier programme performed in a converted power station.

    Read more about Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern

  29. Kvarnen

    A cheerful mix of Hammarby football fans and Left Party former communists regularly packs Kvarnen, one of the best bars in Söder. The vast beer hall dates from 1907 and seeps tradition; beyond the scruffy old beerhounds and college boys, though, there are two slick bars/nightclubs - one red, one blue - both pumping. Queues are fairly constant but utterly justifiable.

    Read more about Kvarnen