Social Events

Wednesday, September 3, 2003
Inaguration Ceremony, 17:00
All participants and accompanying persons are invited to the Inaguration Ceremony at the Stockholm International Fairs.

Civic Reception at the City Hall, 19:00
The City and County Council of Stockholm invite all participants and accompanying persons to the Civic Reception, which will be held in the City Hall. This beautiful building is situated on the waterfront of Riddarfjärden in the centre of the town, built between 1911-1923 to the design of architect Ragnar Östberg. It is one of Sweden´s fore most buildings in the national Romantic style. Behind the imposing facades, built with 8 million bricks are found offices, meeting rooms and banqueting halls. Inspired by the palaces of the Renaissance, Ragnar Östberg had the City Hall built around two squares or “piazzas”, Borgargården and the Blue Hall. In the Blue Hall which is the building´s largets hall, the Nobel Prize Banquet takes place on the 10th of December every year. Here you will also find one of Northern Europe´s largest organs with 10 000 pipes and 138 stops.

Friday, September 5, 2003, 19:00
Get-together buffet at the Vasa Museum
The evening will begin with a guided tour of one of the most remarkable and awe-inspiring historical sights in the world - the Warship Vasa. The Vasa was to have been Sweden's largest and most prestigious warship - the pride of the naval fleet and the Swedish nation. Her glory was short-lived. Shortly after having set sail on her maiden voyage in 1628 she sank within Stockholm harbour. She spent the next 333 years lying on the bottom of the sea until she was finally located and raised from the water. The ship was found to be incredibly well-preserved and a painstaking operation to protect her from further damage has resulted in her taking pride of place in her own museum. After the tour a buffet will be served.

Optional Social Programme

Hotel accommodation and Tour bookings should be made, either on-line, or by using the hardcopy form and returning it to:
Stockholm Convention Bureau (StoCon)
Box 6911
SE- 102 39 Stockholm
Sweden
 
E-mail: confirmation@stocon.se
phone: +46 8 5465 1500
fax: +46 8 5465 1599

All tours are guided in English.

City Tour
Wednesday, September 3, 2003, 14:30 - 16:30
Tour length: 2 hours
Minimum: 25 persons
Price: 295 SEK
The tour starts and ends at Stockholm International Fairs.

Departure by bus for a guided highlight tour of Stockholm. You will discover that Stockholm is built on islands connected by numerous bridges, all of which have their own specific characteristics. The tour will take you to the most interesting parts of the city including the City Center, The Old Town Gamla Stan, where Stockholm in 2002 celebrated its 750 year jubilee, a stop will be made on Fjällgatan overlooking the Baltic and situated on the largest of the 14 islands. We will pass by the City Hall of Stockholm, known for its beautiful banquet halls. The Nobel Festivities are held here yearly. On the bus tour you will not only learn about Stockholm’s history and culture but you will also get information about shopping, restaurants and current events etc.

Old Town Walk and visit to the Nobel Museum
Thursday, September 4, 2003, 15:00 – 18:00
Tour length: 3 hours
Minimum: 25 persons
Price: 320 SEK
The tour starts and ends at the Obelisk, Slottsbacken, in the Old Town.

The island Gamla Stan (the Old Town) is the original heart of the ancient city of Stockholm and is subsequently the city’s oldest and most historical area. Amazingly, the island has escaped the winds of change and thus most of its medieval layout and character remain intact. A wander through the narrow, cobbled streets, breathing in the historical atmosphere and spirit of this particularly fascinating Stockholm island, will give you a clear notion of what life must have been like there centuries ago. Throughout the walk, your guide will also relate old stories and legends of Gamla Stan whilst showing you the charming coffee shops, built cleverly into the old cellar-vaults, plus the antique shops and art galleries of today.

The Nobel Foundation commemorates the centenary of the Nobel Prize with a Centennial Exhibition. The Exhibition is on view at the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Stortorget in Gamla Stan.
"What is creativity and how can creative activity best be encouraged? Which is more important to the creative process: the individual or the environment?" The Centennial Exhibition examines these questions by presenting selected Laureates and milieus from the 100-year history of the Nobel Prize.

Royal Stockholm – Swedish culture and art
Friday, September 5, 2003, 14:00 – 17:00
Tour length: 3 hours
Minimum: 25 persons
Price: 295 SEK
The tour starts and ends at Scandic Hotel Continental.

We will start with a visit to the Royal Palace. Boasting some 600 rooms, it is said to be the largest palace still being used by a Head of State today. The history of the Royal Palace goes back many centuries. Extensive excavations of the surrounding area between 1978 and 1980 revealed traces of very ancient timber structures, dateable to the end of the 10th century.
It was probably in the reign of King Magnus Eriksson, in the mid-14th century, that the castle came to be known as Three Crowns. King Magnus at the time held sway over three kingdoms - Sweden, Norway and Skåne - and this is what the Three Crowns device is taken to stand for.
A disastrous fire on May 7, 1697 destroyed practically the entire old Palace, but the newly altered north wing was left more or less unscathed. Three weeks after the fire, the Palace architect Nicodemus Tessin submitted drawings for the new Palace to the Swedish government. The plan was for the new Palace to be built in about five years. In the event, the royal family was not able to move back in until 1754, nearly sixty years after the fire.

After this visit we will depart for Waldemarsudde, the former home of Prince Eugen, known as the “Painter Prince”. Waldemarsudde was bequeathed to the nation on the Prince’s death in 1947. Here you can see a fine art colleciton, with the majority of works from the 19th century, including over a hundred paintings by Prince Eugen himself! Not surprisingly, Waldemarsudde lies in a breathtaking spot fit for a Prince.

Post Congress Tour

Gotland – the medieval island in the Baltic Sea
Sunday, September 7 – Tuesday, September 9, 2003
Departure: 7 September at 15:30
Return in Stockholm: 9 September at 21:30
Price per person: 5900 SEK in double room, including all meals.
Extra for single room: 920 SEK
Minimum participants: 25 persons

Gotland has a unique culture, rich, long and amazing. The island is part of Sweden, yet it is distinctly different.The times have left easy to find marks everywhere. The time of Silur is found as fossils on almost every beach. The Stone age has left many axes. The Bronze age has left stone ships and a lot of burial fields. The times of the vikings have left so many treasures in the ground that Gotland is the richest place in the world of buried treasures - including many findings of silver coins. And the medieval times have left a city, Visby, fully entact just as it was 1000 years ago.

We travel with the fast ferry – a journey of approximately 3 hours. Our destination is Visby, on the west coast of Gotland. Visby is a remarkable combination of an idyllic, hundred-year-old small town and a big medieval town. It is a typical Hanseatic town with a ring-wall, a well-preserved street grid, and buildings from the Middle Ages onwards. Medieval church ruins and warehouses blend with the low houses of wood and stone from later periods. Visby has earned an inscription on UNESCO’s world heritage list.

During our stay we will experience old medieval sports and activities, typical food such as saffron pan cake and whole grilled lamb. We will of course take a tour out in the fantastic countryside which is extremely varied, with everything from desolate heaths to lush meadows, spectacular cliffs and sandy beaches that are perfect for bathing.

This tour will be a fascinating experience of this unique and special island in Sweden.

Saturday, September 7, 2003
15:30 Departure with bus from the Central Station of Stockholm
16:40 Arrival at the harbour of Nynäshamn
17:55 Departure. A light meal will be served on board.
20:45 Arrival in Visby – the “capital” of Gotland. Transfer to the hotel in the central part of Visby.
Late dinner upon arrival to the hotel

Sunday, September 8, 2003
Breakfast
10:00 – 15:00 A roundtrip in the countryside, including visits to a medieval countryside church, a meadow and a ship stone setting. Lunch at the Manor House of Suderby.
15:00 – 18:00 Free time
18:00 Pick up at the hotel for the event “Summer night in Gotland” which takes place on “Högklint” – a high cliff south of Visby from where you will have a spectacular view over the sea and Visby. We will be served pretzels and “snaps” while watching old medieval sports and games – anyone who would like to give it a try could join in! Indoors they serve whole grilled lamb with potato - and green salad, pain riche, cheese, wine or beer and coffee with saffron pancake. The evening will be rounded off with music and singing.

Monday, September 9, 2003
Breakfast
10:00 – 12:00 Guided walk in the old parts of Visby.
12:00 Lunch at the medieval restaurant St. Clematis.
Free time.
16:00 Transfer to the harbour.
16:40 Departure for the mainland. A plain dinner is served on board
19:55 Arrival in Nynäshamn and transfer to Stockholm.
20:40 approximately – arrival at the Central Station of Stockholm

The tour includes:
- All meals
- All bus transfers
- Return tour by boat Stockholm ( Nynäshamn ) – Visby
- English speaking guides and tour leader
- Evening program
- All entrance fees

Cancellation policy
Day tours - cancellations can be made until 1 week prior the tour. Cancellations within this time limit will be fully refunded. Later cancellations will not be refunded.

Post congress tour - cancellations can be made until 45 days prior to departure. Cancellations within this time limit will be fully refunded. Later cancellations will not be refunded