Photo: Ryan Garrison
A town since 1898, Borlange is located by Dalalven river in the region of Dalarna and has a strong industrial background with its iron and paper mills. Home to the province’s magnificent Tuna Church, Jussi Björling Museum with works from the legendary Swedish tenor, Romme Alpin for downhill skiing, Sweden’s supposedly coolest water park Aqua Nova, Kupolen – the largest shopping center in Dalarna, 80 or so shops in the town center, and a variety of international cuisines represented, Borlange has its share of attractions.
In the last decade Borlange has also drawn visitors thanks to its music festival Peace & Love, which was first organized in a smaller scale in 1999. Ten years later, more than 40,000 tickets were sold making it Sweden’s largest festival ever with both national and international artists. This year’s festival themed “A New World” took place throughout five days at the end of July with the leading acts Rihanna and Mumford & Sons.
Photo: Malin Sydne
With workshops, seminars, debates, dance and new circus, Peace & Love is more than a music festival and the message of Solidarity, Diversity and Understanding, along with peace and love for a better world, is spread long after each festival has ended and a new one begins. In other words, all the time – through Peace & Love Foundation, Peace & Love Artists (agency, recording company, publisher and management), Peace & Lovestrings’ classic music performances, Peace & Love Havana, a two-year-old festival on Cuba, Peace & Love Film Festival, and, not least, Café Peace & Love.
Photo: Malin Sydne
Since the summer of 2009, Café Peace & Love is Borlänge’s coziest and coolest café with organic fair-trade food and home-baked sweets, poetry nights, important seminars, and interesting music evenings.
Where to Stay
Quality Hotel Galaxen
For those who prefer quality and aren’t visiting Borlange just for the festival, Quality Hotel Galaxen has 128 rooms in a central location within walking distance from the bus and railway station, only 500 meter from Kupolen shopping center. As a large conference and entertainment center, the hotel has a mix of conference guests and other guests. In the same building is also Framtidsmuseet, The Musuem of the Future, a place for popular science experiments.
My standard room on a higher floor had a soothing interior in natural colors, bathroom with shower, desk, armchair, TV and free Wi-Fi. All the comforts one needs.
Sportsbar Galaxen on the ground floor has dinner from 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays. Vegetarian choices included Forest mushroom soup with bread, Nachos with salsa and crème fraiche, and Herb-fried quorn filet with Parmesan sauce, marinated red onion and roasted potato. Guests can watch sports on nine high-resolution plasma screens, and there are regular Soul Nights and other activities.
The highlight at Quality Hotel Galaxen is the 8th-floor relax area with bubble pool, sauna, and work-out equipment.
Each morning, a hearty breakfast is served in the dining room of Mathörnan on the ground floor.
With a goal of proving quality moments, Quality Hotel Galaxen succeeds at every point.