Stockholm
The capital of Sweden
Stockholm is one of those cities that takes a moment to fully register. Built across 14 islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea, and connected by 57 bridges, it is a place where water is never far away, and neither is green space. A third of the city is parkland. The air is clean, the light changes constantly with the seasons, and the whole thing manages to feel both grand and liveable at the same time.
The city was founded in 1252 by Swedish statesman Birger Jarl, who chose this particular cluster of islands for strategic reasons. More than 750 years later, Stockholm is still Sweden's political, cultural and economic centre, and carries that history visibly. Gamla Stan, the Old Town, sits on the original island where everything began. Its medieval and baroque lanes, coloured facades and narrow alleys reward an unhurried afternoon, with the Royal Palace and Storkyrkan Cathedral anchoring the experience at its heart.
Beyond the Old Town, the Royal National City Park stretches in a wide arc through the city. Established in 1994 as the world's first national urban park, it connects royal palaces, ancient oak forests, open meadows and calm waterways across 27 square kilometres, and lies within easy walking distance of the city centre. It is a reminder that Stockholm has always taken the relationship between city and nature seriously.
The archipelago extends that logic further. Roughly 30,000 islands, islets and skerries reach 80 kilometres eastward into the Baltic Sea, and a boat journey out among them is one of the more quietly memorable things you can do here. Picturesque fishing villages, forested islands and open water in every direction, all accessible within an hour or two of the city centre.
Stockholm's museums are among the finest in Scandinavia. The Vasa Museum houses a remarkably preserved 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised from the harbour floor in 1961. Nearby on Djurgården, the ABBA Museum is considerably more interactive than its name might suggest. Across the city, the metro system itself is worth noting, with nearly 100 stations decorated with original art, mosaics and sculpture.
Most of the central sights are walkable, the public transport network is efficient and reliable, and the city is easy to navigate. If you want to go beyond the standard routes, guided walks cover everything from the Stieg Larsson Millennium locations to Viking history, ghost trails and the best spots for photography.
Looking for more inspiration? Read our articles on Sweden.
