Карлстад - город Солнца Karlstad - City of the Sun

Karlstad is located on the northern shore of Lake Vä nern at the mouth of Sweden's longest river, the Klarolven. The city was founded in 1584 and named after King Charles IX of Sweden. The symbol of Karlstad is the Sun, it is the sunniest city in Sweden. The city is relatively small with 84 thousand inhabitants (2009) - 18th in Sweden, but is one of the cultural, scientific and sports centers of the country. The city is home to one of the most modern universities in Sweden, theater/opera, Vä rmlands Museum, Conference Center, Lila Arena, where one of the best hockey teams in Sweden, Ferjestad BK, eight-time champion of Sweden (the last time in 2009) and where music festivals are held and many famous performers and groups, including foreign ones, perform. The city has many parks, shops and shopping centers, restaurants and hotels, in one of which Scandic Karlstad City we stayed during the Scandinavian Fairy Tale tour. The hotel is located in the very center of the city, so we immediately after the settlement (arrived in the evening) went to see the sights of the city - the cathedral, the nearby main square Stora Torget and the surrounding streets to the famous longest stone bridge in Sweden. The city was not crowded and, as in all Scandinavian cities, dim lighting. We liked the city - beautiful, cozy, clean. The hotel is modern, the breakfast is excellent, the service is at a high level. The city is interesting, there are many picturesque places around it, only Lake Vä nern and the Klarolven River are worth something. But I got the impression that Karlstad is a transit city for tourist groups on tours around Scandinavia, at that time only in our hotel there were several tour groups that arrive in the evening and leave in the morning.