Friday 15 June 2012

Moving to Sweden - In the Spotlight: Stockholm

Moving Partnership Limited (MPL) specialise in providing domestic and commercial removals services, including European removals to Sweden and international removals to Sweden.  If you are looking for removals to Sweden, regardless of whether you are moving from the UK or any of country in Europe, or from an international destination such as the USA or Tokyo, we can tailor our services to meet your requirements.

Years of experience in providing removals to Sweden mean that we can provide a wide range of services at competitive rates.  Working with predominantly FAIM and BAR accredited companies, we can compare a range of quotations on your behalf and provide you with an efficient and reliable service for your removals to Sweden.

We offer three main services for removals to Sweden. Our lowest cost service allows you to group your items with other removals shipments to the same destination.  We also offer a service for specialist items where you can specify the date of arrival, or full 20-40ft container loads for large domestic or commercial moves.
Removals to Sweden - click here for full information on our removals to Sweden service or contact us now for a free online moving quote.

Moving to Sweden: About Stockholm

Stockholm is Scandinavia’s largest city and considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  Stockholm is located on Sweden’s south central east coast where its biggest lake, Lake Malaren, meets the Baltic Sea. Occupying a unique location on 14 islands, Stockholm is made up of equal parts water and land which are surrounded by forest, parkland and beaches - it is not difficult to see why it is considered such a naturally beautiful city.

Despite being spread across a number of islands, Stockholm is compact with most of the city’s attractions within easy walking distance.  Cycling is also popular in Stockholm and a great way to gain a completely different perspective on the city.  During the summer months between April and October, bikes can be hired from many locations around the city on either a season or 3-day pass.  Stockholm is also renowned for providing an extremely efficient bus, rail and underground system providing connections between the main shopping centres and the city’s districts.

With a population of around 1,250,000, Stockholm is the most populated urban area of Scandinavia and accounts for almost 25% of Sweden’s total population.  Stockholm is split into three main parts: Stockholm City Centre, Southern Stockholm (otherwise known as Sodervort) and Vasterort or Western Stockholm.  Each of these three areas is subdivided into smaller districts where a district council is responsible for the schooling, social, leisure and cultural activities of its respective area.

As you would expect from its northerly location, the hours of daylight in Stockholm vary dramatically between the seasons.  In midsummer you can expect an impressive 18 hours of daylight with only 6 hours by contrast in late December.  Winters in Stockholm are cold and sometimes snowy with average temperatures of between -5 to 1 degrees, but summers are warm and pleasant reaching average highs of around 20-22.

Moving to Sweden: Living in Stockholm
As with any major city, the cost of living in Stockholm is fairly high, however you will be rewarded with a good salary and a high quality of living to match.  Whilst the most expensive items in Stockholm are clothing, eating out and groceries, the cost of education including nursery and pre-school fees in particular, are considerably lower than most other cities in the world.

The housing market in Stockholm is made up of properties to rent and buy.  Those properties in and close to the city centre tend to be apartments, whilst suburbs further out from the centre of Stockholm offer a mixture of houses and apartments.  Rental properties, particularly those in the central suburbs of Kungsholmen, Norrmalm, Södermalm and Östermalm, can be difficult to come by so if you are looking at relocating to Stockholm on a longer term basis, purchasing a property is a much better option. 

If you want to be located just out from the city centre, Nacka is only 10 minutes commute and offers a mixture of apartments and houses in an area of outstanding natural beauty, near to lakes which are perfect for bathing in the summer months. The Island of Lidingo is also an excellent choice: only 20 minutes from the city it provides access to nice beaches, an outdoor pool in the summer and a small ski slope in the winter.

Moving to Sweden: Working in Stockholm
The most prevalent industry in Stockholm is the service industry which accounts for almost 85% of jobs in the city.  Stockholm is also the home of Sweden’s financial centre and, along with the Stock Exchange, many of the country’s leading banks and insurance companies are headquarted here, as are those of 45% of Sweden’s largest employers, including famous fashion retailer H&M. 

Over the last decade, Stockholm has seen a major growth in high tech industry, with large employers such as IBM, Ericsson and Electrolux based here.  Kista in Nothern Stockholm is also considered a major centre for IT.

Moving to Sweden: Leisure in Stockholm
Stockholm is a city which is well catered for regardless of age, interests or budget.  It is certainly a family friendly city providing lots to do for children with many of its attractions free of charge or available at a small cost.  The abundance of open space and parklands such as those at Hagaparken and Djugarden, provide the perfect place to enjoy the summer months in Stockholm, as do the crystal clear lakes and beaches which offer fabulous bathing opportunities.

If you are young, free and single, you won’t fail to be disappointed by Stockholm’s club and music scene.  Stockholm is a city which never sleeps, providing seven days a week entertainment with a club scene which is unrivalled in any European city north of London.

As for food and drink, Stockholm can’t fail to disappoint.  With over a thousand restaurants and no shortage of Michelin stars including well established F12, Esperanto and Lux in up-and-coming Essinge Island, Stockholm is widely acclaimed as one of Europe’s most dynamic and exciting gastronomic experiences.  As a city which has always been a popular choice for migration, you will get to sample almost any culinary delight or theme which takes your fancy.  You will eat well whatever your taste; in Stockholm culinary flair, atmosphere and environment are equally important in the entire dining experience.  Local restaurants serving an array of different dishes offer popular meeting places and often have adjoining bars.

Aside from Stockholm’s famous Christmas markets, which are truly something to behold, Stockholm provides an exciting shopping scene providing a haven for shopaholics.  Ostermalm is the most affluent district in Stockholm and the equivalent of London’s, Knightsbridge.  Global brands such as Gucci, Prada, Boss and Armani, to name a few, line the streets, so if you are looking for luxury items and boutiques then Ostermalm is the place for you.

Sodermalm offers an entirely different shopping experience providing an eclectic mix of fashion, design and both new and second hand clothes.  Eco and organic is order of the day in Sodermalm and is reflected in its calm and relaxed atmosphere. In South of Folkkungagatan or ‘SoFo’ as it is known locally, you’ll not only find the height of Swedish fashion but an abundance of cafes, restaurants, bars and quality second hand clothing at Beyond Retro, Brunogallerian and Gotgatan.

Finally the city itself is home to many department stores including Sweden’s most upmarket store, Nordiska Kompaniet or NK as it is more often referred to.  Selling a huge variety of clothing, Swedish, international design and household items, NK is where the upper classes shop.  For large everyday fashion retail chains such as H&M and Zara, visit the shopping arcades of Gallerian and Sturegallerian and for small specialist shops and just about every type of retailer, Drottminggatan is a must.

Removals to Sweden - click here for full information on our removals to Sweden service or contact us now for a free online moving quote.

Thursday 14 June 2012

Moving to Sweden: In the Spotlight Malmo

Moving Partnership Limited (MPL) provides a wide range of removals services including European and International removals to Sweden.  We can provide both domestic removals to Sweden and commercial removals to Sweden, taking care of everything on your behalf from start to finish, including comparing hundreds of quotes with our FAIM and BAR partners to ensure you get the best price possible.

For domestic removals to Sweden we provide a service tailored to your requirements, undertaking as much or as little of the removals process as you like.  This means that we can take care of your packing and unpacking, the shipment of your possessions in a sole 20 or 40ft container or grouped with other shipments for removals to Sweden. We can even take care of the shipment of specialist items, cars, pets, help with any visas or documentation required for your move or provide you with removals insurance.

For commercial removals to Sweden we can provide packing and unpacking, temporary and long terms storage, IT relocations, PAT testing of installations, dismantling and rebuilding of system furniture and much more besides.  Our experienced project management team will work closely with you to discuss your requirements and ensure that we meet your deadlines, budgets and qualitative expectations for your removals to Sweden.

The benefits of using MPL for commercial removals to Sweden include:
  • Paying close attention to detail during all stages of planning and move management
  • Removing the burden from what can be a particularly daunting time for any business
  • Having many years of experience in providing successful commercial removals
  • Partnering with either FAIM or BAR accredited companies to ensure your move is carried out professionally, efficiently and securely
  • Having access to specialist equipment such as lifting equipment
  • Possessing local area knowledge and expertise in providing removals to Sweden
  • Providing you with the best possible price for your removals by comparing quotes on your behalf
  • Being able to provide client testimonials for our commercial removals services to give you peace of mind
Removals to Sweden - click here for full information on our removals to Sweden service or contact us now for a free online moving quote.

Moving to Sweden: About Malmo
Malmo is Sweden’s third largest city after Gothenburg and Stockholm. Located in the far South of Sweden, Malmo has a large multicultural population; 30% of its residents are of foreign origin, with half having at least one parent born outside of Sweden.  Malmo is now considered to be home to some 164 nationalities speaking 100 different languages.  This, together with the fact that Malmo is considered one of Europe’s richest farming regions producing quality ingredients including prime Baltic and North Atlantic fresh fish and seafood, make Malmo an exciting place to eat due to the diverse range of cuisines available.

Prior to the erection of the 8km Oresund Bridge in 2000, which connects Malmo with Copenhagen in Denmark, the city experienced a period of economic depression.  Many of Malmo’s traditional industries, including ship building closed down resulting in Sweden’s highest unemployment rate in 1995.  Since this period Malmo has undergone a substantial revival predominantly due to the Oresund Bridge and Malmo University College founded in 1998 both of which have integrated Malmo into the European Union.  The major transformation of Malmo has seen considerable architectural development which has in turn enticed new Biotech and IT companies to the city.  The University now employs 1500 people and attracts over 24,000 students.  Although prices in Malmo have gone up since the bridge, it still remains a relatively low cost of living compared to neighbouring cities. 10% of the population of Malmo now choose to work in Copenhagen which, thanks to the Oresund Bridge, is now only 20 minutes away.

Malmo is a city which clearly cares about its environment and sustainable living; the newly developed Western Harbour is now a 100% renewable energy district.  Evidence of other environmental initiatives includes biogas powered buses, locally produced organic food in schools and the Oresund Bridge which encourages the use of trains over cars.  Education, healthcare and basic standard of living are accessible to all.  Malmo is also a city which takes sexual equality seriously; a much higher percentage of women occupy professional and managerial positions in Malmo than in most other countries.  This equality is positively encouraged with a working culture which embraces family life with the provision of subsidised childcare and generous maternity benefits including 16 months paid leave.

Despite its expansion the city of Malmo remains small and friendly with a real sense of community.  The city is now under good leadership and this is apparent in the continued development of Malmo and involvement by the wider community which is actively encouraged.  As with many other Swedish cities, Malmo provides over 400km of bicycle paths and is therefore the vehicle of choice for around 40% of commuters.

Malmo is now a cosmopolitan city with an atmosphere to match.  With its reclaimed seafront and its many beautiful beaches and parks it is not difficult to understand why Malmo is now widely acclaimed as a summer city.  The most southerly of locations in Sweden mean that Malmo’s climate is closer to that of Milan in Italy rather than some of the more northerly Swedish towns.  Summers are warm and pleasant with temperatures of around 20-21 degrees - the occasional heatwave is not uncommon either.  Despite Scandinavia’s reputation for snowfall, in Malmo some winters are virtually snow free, although still cold with temperatures ranging between -3 and +4 degrees.

The ancient city centre of Malmo is reasonably small with a cosy and intimate feel due to being ordered around a number of city squares - Stora Torget (big square), Lilla Torget (small square), Gustav Adolf and David Hall squares.  Lilla Torg is the place to be when the sun goes down; people gather here to enjoy its many restaurants, bars and clubs which are open until 3am.  Many of the quaint streets are pedestrianized making them perfect for exploring Malmo’s large number of historical and picturesque landmarks from various periods including wooden houses which date back to the 1500’s. 

Malmo could quite easily be referred to as a garden city due to its abundance of wide open spaces and parkland.  Folkets Park, Slottparken, Pildammparken and Kungsparken provide a natural corridor between Ribersborg beach and the Stadion area of town in the north east.  Each park seems to have something different to offer.

Folkets Park dates back to the early 19th century making it one of Malmo’s oldest parks.  The original theatre and bandstand built for the entertainment of the working class still remain and the park has a particular appeal to children due to its amusement park and petting zoo which also offers pony rides.

Kungparken or Kings Park was opened by Swedish King, Oscar II in 1872.  Today it is filled with beautiful flowers, rare trees and avenues offering welcome shade in the summer months.  The park’s original restaurant is now home to Malmo’s casino, Cosmopol.

Lawns bordered by large wooded areas, ponds and sculptures can all be found at Slottsparken (Castle Park).  The most famous of the sculptures located in the park is ‘Man and Pegasus’ by Carl Milles.  If for nothing else the park is worth a visit for the architectural wonder of the city library or the ‘Calendar of Light’ as it is referred to due to its unique glass and sandstone structure.

Malmo’s largest park, Pildammsparken’s appeal is its avenue of flowers, ponds, lawns and beautiful groves. The ‘Queen Silvia Rose Garden’ is the parks most recent feature and is simply stunning.  In the summer the park also hosts open-air concerts and theatrical performances.

Malmo is one of the few cities where you can enjoy beautiful sandy beaches without having to leave the city.  Ribersborg is the 2.5km man-made beach located in Western Harbour and is acclaimed as the ‘Rivera of the North’ or the ‘Swedish Riviera’.  There is also a sea water bathing facility located just off the pier here, but be warned that nude bathing is permitted here so you might get more than you bargained for.  Other popular beaches include Sibbarp, Klagshamn and Scaniabadet.

The long broadwalk at Western Harbour which, prior to the city’s redevelopment, was a run-down harbour area is practically bursting with life with the buzz of its many restaurants, bars, cafes and nightclubs.   ‘The turning torso’ is a famous landmark located here and towers some 200ft above the city skyline. You can also get a fabulous view of the Oresund Bridge and on a clear day you might even catch a glimpse of the Copenhagen coast.

Removals to Sweden - click here for full information on our removals to Sweden service or contact us now for a free online moving quote.