Helsinki
Home to the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Sibelius Academy, the glass- and copper-fronted Helsinki Music Centre,…
Must-see entertainment in Scandinavia
Copenhagen
Saxing things up since the late 1950s, this is one of Scandinavia's great jazz venues, with past performers including Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster and Kenny…
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
This totally cool cinema, decked out in movie posters and vintage officeware, screens specially curated Icelandic films with English subtitles and…
Aalborg
One of the new additions to the revitalised Aalborg waterfront is Musikkens Hus, a shiny, futuristic-looking concert hall that opened in 2014. Its…
Trondheim
In an artistically converted former pumping station (look through the glass beneath your feet at the old engines), the Dock House is at once auditorium …
Tampere
Comics and musicians regularly take to the stage at this much-loved venue, which attracts arty, hip and fun-loving locals of every age. Drinkers and…
Reykjavík
Dark and raw, this large bar opens up its back room to create a much-loved concert venue, with a wide range of live music or DJs most nights. It's one of…
Akureyri
Tucked down a lane beside Blaá Kannan, this intimate venue is the best place in town to see live music – and one of the best in the country. If you get…
Lake Siljan
Held at the magnificent Dalhalla amphitheatre, the Dalhalla Opera's summer season always plays to packed crowds.
Malmö
Opened in 2015, Malmö Live is a world-class concert hall and home to the Malmö Symphony Orchestra.
Oslo
Blå is all things to everyone, with DJs (it happens to be the city's best spot for hip-hop), live gigs and jazz. On Sundays there is a live big band that…
Lake Siljan
Dalhalla, an old limestone quarry 9km north of Rättvik, is used as an open-air theatre and concert venue in summer; the acoustics are incredible and the…
Oslo
A friendly, intimate and rather stylish live venue that also has excellent craft beers and natural wines to drink. There's a summer courtyard for hanging…
Malmö
This former slaughterhouse is a multipurpose venue that hosts anything from concerts to DJs, plays and conferences. Check the website to see what's on…
Aarhus
Art-house cinema in the northern reaches of the Latin Quarter. Shows films in their original language, with Danish subtitles.
Södermalm
Accessible from Mosebacketorg and adjoining Mosebacke Etablissement, up the winding streets of old Södermalm, Södra Teatern is the original…
Copenhagen
Copenhagen's harbourside playhouse is home to the Royal Danish Theatre and a world-class repertoire of homegrown and foreign plays. Productions range from…
Helsinki
Designed by Alvar Aalto, this 1971 concert hall in angular white marble is one of Helsinki's landmark buildings. It received its congress wing in 1975 and…
Copenhagen
Designed by the late Henning Larsen, Copenhagen's state-of-the-art opera house has two stages: the Main Stage and the smaller, more experimental…
Copenhagen
These days, the main focus of the opulent Gamle Scene (Old Stage) is world-class opera and ballet, including productions from the Royal Danish Ballet. The…
Copenhagen
Cosy and intimate, Copenhagen's jazz-club veteran is a great spot to catch emerging homegrown musicians and the occasional big name. The club even has an…
Gamla Stan
Stampen is one of Stockholm’s music-club stalwarts, swinging to live jazz and blues six nights a week. The free blues jam (currently on Sundays) pulls…
Södermalm
Watching a bandy match is great fun. A precursor to ice hockey but with more players (11 to a side) and less fighting, the sport has grown massively…
Södermalm
Eclectic theatre and club nights aside, this historic culture palace hosts a mixed line-up of live music. Tunes span anything from home-grown pop to…
Finland's West Coast
Going strong for 50-plus years, this unique summer theater is special for two reasons. First, performances take place on a revolving stage, which…
Bornholm
This summertime institution offers live music six nights a week in peak summer; see the program and buy tickets online, or tickets are generally also…
Stockholm
The Royal Theatre stages a range of plays in a sublime art-nouveau environment. You can also take a guided tour in English at 4pm most days (adult/child…
Södermalm
Folkoperan gives opera a thoroughly modern overhaul with its intimate, cutting-edge and sometimes controversial productions. The under-26s enjoy half…
Helsinki
Opened in 1927, this gorgeous art-deco cinema with chequerboard tiles has 216 plush red seats. It shows classics from the Finnish Film Archive through to…
Stockholm
The Royal Opera is the place to go for thunderous tenors, sparkling sopranos and classical ballet. It has some bargain tickets in seats with poor views,…
Stockholm
Music club Fasching is the pick of Stockholm’s jazz clubs, with live music most nights. DJs often take over with Afrobeat, Latin, neo-soul or R&B on…
Oslo
Designed in lavish fashion by Oslo's Henrik Bull, Norway's showcase theatre was constructed specifically as a venue to honour plays by Norwegian…
Oslo
Oslo's beloved medium-sized venue, right on the lovely main square. Come to see international acts such as Shabazz Palaces or locals like Lindstrom and…
Finland's West Coast
Run as a nonprofit organisation, this lively club serves up jazz, funk and soul in suitably darkened surroundings. Occasional jam sessions mix things up.
Oslo
One of the city's best concert halls, Rockefeller Music Hall, once a bathhouse, hosts a wide range of artists and events.
Finland's West Coast
This delightful independent cinema hosts its own mini film festival (www.blueseafilmfestival.net) in August.
Copenhagen
Cinephiles flock to the Danish Film Institute's cinema centre, which screens around 70 films per month, including twice-monthly classic Danish hits (with…
Copenhagen
Just off Strøget, this historic theatre from 1923 screens a range of films from European art-house productions to mainstream dramas. You won't find…
Copenhagen
Huset KBH is a local institution, churning out almost 1500 annual events spanning live music, theatre and art-house film, to poetry slams, cabaret and…
