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A magical city...
Stockholm is one of the great European capital cities. Blessed
with history, culture, and beautiful countryside as well as around
24,000 archipelago islands within easy reach, it is a watery, magical
city.
Situated between Lake Mälaren and the
Baltic, the cosmopolitan city of Stockholm has a population of about
1.8 million and has been the Swedish capital since 1634. Stockholm
is best explored on foot or viewed from the sea. Start your walk at
the Centralstationen and enter the Gamla Stan (Old Town), the medieval
heart of Stockholm. Take a break from walking the winding, narrow
alleys and have a meal or a snack in one of the many cellars. If
shopping is what you are after, head to Klarabergsgatan, home to
many top designers as well as department stores and some smaller
shops. Walk into the Kungsträdgården, a delightful 17th century
park and pass by the Sophia Albertina Palace, now home to the Foreign
Ministry. While in Gamla Stan visit the Kunliga Slottet,
the “new” Royal Palace. This is the largest royal palace
in the world that is still used for its original purpose. You can
visit the state apartments, Gustav II’s Museum of Antiquities
or watch the Changing of the Guard. Visit the nearby Storkyrkan
Cathedral, the oldest building in Stockholm. It dates back to the
13th century, but the exterior is mainly baroque.
The cosmopolitan, medieval heart of Sweden...
Don’t miss the Djurgården, a royal
park that is home to many museums and an aquarium. Check out the
Skansen, the world’s first ever open-air museum founded in 1891
and see for yourself how the Swedes lived in previous times. The
aquarium features many fish, including some deadly piranha. The Vasa
museum is an incredible marine museum that features sculptures and
other artefacts from the Vasa flagship that sank in the 17th century
and was raised in 1961. If you have children with you or feel like
something less demanding, visit Junibacken, an exciting fairytale house
based on the children’s stories of Astrid Lindgren. The museum is
highly unusual and great fun. Or, try out the Gröna Lund Tivoli fun park
and experience the infamous and terrifying “Free Fall”. In the
evening, head to one of the city’s many restaurants. There’s
something for everyone and the menus on offer range from the inexpensive
to the gourmet. After dinner, you could always take in a concert by the
Royal Philharmonic or Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra or go to the ballet
or opera. There is no shortage of bars and nightclubs in Stockholm, some
of which stay open till dawn.
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