With the summer solstice this week, Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries turn their thoughts to axial tilt and other astronomical matters: Now here’s a thought. Europeans heading north to cross the Arctic Circle, anxious to catch the mid-summer midnight sun, have to make longer journeys than their parents did. For the Arctic Circle is slipping » Read more

Europe’s ferry schedules are famously fluid, and it’s often devilishly hard to keep pace with new route developments. Here is our choice of a quartet of interesting ferry options for spring and summer 2011. 1. St. Peter Line to Russia The news last week that over 60 ships were trapped in thick ice in the » Read more

Eating at restaurants in Stockholm can be hard to do on a budget. Erik did an excellent job of pointing out some great Swedish breakfast joints. After breakfast, it is time for lunch. Restaurants throughout Sweden offer a dagens lunch, the lunch of the day. The idea of a dagens lunch is simple: it’s an inexpensive » Read more

The Viking stereotype is prevalent the world over when discussing Sweden. The Swedes even play it up a bit: Just look at the Swedish fans anytime the country competes in an international soccer game. (If their failed attempts to qualify for this year’s World Cup are any indication, you might have to wait a while…) They » Read more

Going out for breakfast in Sweden is an uncommon event (like it is in most European countries), but that does not mean you can’t enjoy a great breakfast in Stockholm! The traditional Swedish breakfast is delicious, easy to make and relatively inexpensive. Read on to learn how breakfast can be a Cheapo-friendly experience even in » Read more

Swedes love the sun. It’s a horrible generalization and one that I have yet to find untrue. (I’m pretty sure it has to do with the many months of winter darkness.) So when summer rolls around, Swedes celebrate, and it is one of the reasons that the Midsummer celebrations in Sweden are so fun. It’s » Read more

On December 22, 2010 in Stockholm, the sun came up at 8:44 in the morning and went down at 2:49 in the afternoon. That’s not a whole lot of daylight. At all. Today (June 25, 2010) in Stockholm, the sun came up at 3:32 in the morning and will go down at 10:09 p.m. That » Read more

Some cities in Europe are known for the various tourist scams that relieve you of your money or your wallet. Or both. Stockholm, for the most part, is a very safe city, but even the Swedish capital has a scam to watch out for. Wandering through Gamla Stan is a wonderful way to get to » Read more

Traveling from the US to Europe, it’s easy to fall into the same tipping habits you use back home, like handing over 20 percent without even really thinking about it. The tipping culture throughout Europe varies quite a bit, and Sweden is no different. However, knowing how the tipping culture works can save you some money » Read more