The Nobel Prize Tour

Stockholm offers a captivating journey into the world of Alfred Nobel, blending history, culture, and the prestige of the Nobel Prize. From Nobel’s restored home and the iconic banquet halls to immersive museums and elegant Swedish dining, this compact itinerary reveals the traditions, stories, and brilliance behind the world’s most honored awards—making it a uniquely enriching long-weekend escape.

The Nobel Prize Banquet & Beginning the Journey The legendary Nobel Prize banquet takes place on December 10th (the “deathaversary” of Alfred Nobel). It’s held in Stockholm Town Hall’s prestigious Blue Room with a lot of pomp and circumstance--including a grand entrance on a long marble staircase by formally dressed award recipients, professors, gifted students and even royalty. I recently took the rather novel Nobel Prize tour of Stockholm and it’s quite easy for you to plan one for yourself as all sites are close together with the exception of Alfred Nobel’s house up in Karlskoga, Varmland. (Being a bit of a snowbird, Nobel spent the cold half of year in San Remo where he died and the warm half in Karlskoga). This unique tour is perfect for a three or four day trip and it will have you saying, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”

Visiting Björkborn Manor: Nobel’s Home
You can take a 3.5 hour bus trip to Nobel’s house called Björkborn Manor straight from Arlanda Airport’s bus station in Terminal 4 (and it will be super easy to get from Karlskoga to central Stockholm by train later). At Björkborn Manor, there is an actor portraying Nobel who talks to guests, telling them how he accidentally invented dynamite (his most famous patent and biggest moneymaker that made him arguably the richest man in the world). Despite the fact that the house has been used as offices in recent years, it has been restored back to pretty much how it looked when Nobel lived there, and you can see his home office complete with original desk, brass bed, bookcases and more. There are all sorts of bric a brac on display from the home as well as old letters and legal documents.

Staying in Karlskoga
While in Karlskoga, you will find reasonably priced lodgings that are actually quite posh. I suggest Hotell Grönfeltsgården which is beautifully situated by Lake Möckeln. The hotel consists of two historic wooden buildings from the 1880s and offers a total of 16 recently renovated rooms with views of the water or the park. While in Karlskoga, be sure to go to the posh Bofors Hotel to enjoy and elegant and authentically Swedish dinner dinner. The relaxing country club vibe has made this a place where the elite mix with the locals (the Shah Of Iran and Swedish royalty have stayed at Bofors).

Traveling to Stockholm
When you are ready to board the train to Stockholm, you will notice that there are assigned cushy seats and that the cars are clean, well run and safe. Maybe the Metro North execs could take a few pointers from a train ride in Sweden, LOL! You can easily get around by bus or subway in Stockholm and the cavern like Central Station is full of art and artifacts including columns from regal old buildings.

Grand Hotel: A Hub for Laureates
Near to Central Station is the Grand Hotel where the majority of out of town Nobel Prize winners and their guests stay. The awards banquet was held for many years in the hotel’s most famous room called Spegelsalen, the Hall of Mirrors. It boosts highly detailed ceiling paintings that look like they were done yesterday, not in 1899. If you look closely, there is a nod to New York City via a section of ceiling art depicting the still unknown model for the Statue Of Liberty sitting down on a couch, torch in hand, with Lady Liberty as we know her shown in the distance.

Alternative Lodging & Breakfast Traditions
The Grand Hotel has the best people watching in town and paparazzi “stockades” are often seen outside. (This is the Rolling Stones’ go-to hotel when performing in Stockholm.) It can be tough to get a room here especially around the time of the Nobel Awards banquet so as an option, try the elegant nearby family run Hotel Kungstradgarden (“the king’s garden”) which was originally built for Countess Eva Bielk back in 1764. All Stockholm hotels both grand and quaint include a buffet style breakfast that includes local favorites like kanelbullar—large cinnamon and cardamom rolls. 

The Nobel Foundation
While in town it is a must to visit the Nobel Foundation has ultimate responsibility for fulfilling the intentions in Alfred Nobel’s will. It is full of fascinating Nobel Prize artifacts and correspondence but the really amazing opportunity is getting to see the albums that have notes handwritten by every Nobel Prize winner, even Bob Dylan and Barack Obama.

Where to Dine in Stockholm
Take a lunch or dinner break at the reasonable and delicious The Fishery & The Farm Family, offering seafood in large portions caught in local waters. Another option that is a bit pricier is Lux Dag för Dag (Day by Day). Henrik Norström, creative leader and his team take the term “farm to table” very seriously. Scandinavian flavors and local produce are the main focus. The cozy atmosphere and secluded location with Lake Mälaren nearby make it a super romantic spot.

City Hall & The Nobel Banquet Halls
Be sure to take a guided tour of Stockholm City Hall with its famous spire featuring three golden crowns (this is one of the most famous silhouettes in the Stockholm cityscape). City Hall is one of the country’s leading examples of national romanticism in architecture. As previously mentioned the annual Nobel Prize banquet is in the building’s Blue Hall and afterwards; Nobel Prize laureates, royalties, and guests go upstairs to dance in Gyllene Salen, the Golden Hall, with its 18 million gold mosaic tiles.

Dine Like a Laureate at Stadshuskällaren
On the tail end of City Hall is the popular restaurant Stadshuskällaren, which opened its doors in 1922, carrying a strong tradition of gastronomy and dining culture. It is the only place in the world where you can enjoy any Nobel menu from history, served on the official Nobel porcelain. Just go to nobelprize.org, look at the banquet menus listed from over the years, and choose one. Make a res and give the resto your choice of year. Dinner will be served to you in a private room that usually houses the overflow guests from the Nobel Prize banquet; you will have to buy a table for ten whether you have ten guests or not.

Café Winterviken: Nobel’s Workshop Turned Eatery
It’s a must to have lunch at Café Winterviken located in Nobel’s old workshop and dynamite factory built in 1891. Since 2008, Winterviken is run by Erika Michael and Markus Aujalay who were in charge of the menu at the Nobel Prize banquet in 2008. Have one of the staff take you outside to the secret tunnels were dynamite was detonated as part of quality control.

Fika at Magnus Johansson Bageri & Konditori
For a “Fika” (the Swedish term for coffee break), visit Magnus Johansson’s famous bakery. The affable pastry chef has made dessert for the Nobel banquet a total of 11 times, which makes him the current record holder! At his café and bakery in Hammarby Sjöstad called Magnus Johansson Bageri & Konditori, you’ll get a taste of his pastries, cakes, cookies, bread and the aforementioned buns. A few weeks before Christmas each year, Johansson makes a special saffron bun that is unforgettable but you can enjoy the classic cinnamon and cardamom ones year round.

Create Your Own Nobel-Inspired
Floral Arrangements
Finally, if your Nobel Prize mania accelerates to the point where you want to live out every part of the Nobel banquet for yourself, you can actually make your own floral arrangements with the people who created the centerpieces for the 2024 banquet. The florist Per Benjamin is in charge and works with many other florists; one of them is Linda Corell. You can visit her studio at Astha (a multifunctional creative gallery and vintage clothing shop) and she will lead you in making arrangements similar to those on the Nobel Prize banquet tables.

Planning Your Trip
For more info on planning a trip to Stockholm, go to visitstockholm.com and do a search of Nobel Prize.
At least six or seven Alfred Nobel related attractions will pop up.