Stockholm

Stockholm is Sweden’s, and arguably all of Scandinavia’s, capital city. It can be described as a large metropolitan city that sits upon 14 islands creating a dichotomy of nature and historic urban cityscapes that has to be witnessed first-hand. This 13th century city along the Baltic Sea can entertain almost any of your passions. Fancy yourself a history buff? Why not go see the 17th century Viking warship Vasa on display at the Vasa Museum or take a walk through medieval streets of Gamla Stan, known as Old Town. Stockholm even has buildings still standing from the 13th Century, most notably, Riddarholm Church. Once there, don’t miss out on seeing the Royal Castle, the king’s official residence and located in the heart of Stockholm. The palace is a daily workplace for the king and queen as well as the offices that make up the royal court. This unique palace being a cultural monument also holds many sites. Besides the castle’s parade floors, there are the three museums with royal history; The Treasury with the regalia, the Tre Kronor Museum that portrays the palaces medieval history, and Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities with sculptures from ancient times.

If shopping is more up your alley, there is no shortage of unique Swedish design boutiques lining the cobble stoned streets. You can find anything from cutting edge interior design products to fashion brands made by Swedish designers. After you spent the day wandering the streets of Stockholm unwind at one of the many Swedish restaurants where you can indulge in traditional Swedish food such as gravlax (dry-cured salmon), meatballs, herring, moose steak or creamy reindeer casserole.

After a day steeped in history, culture, shopping and food, you might want to relax your mind at a trendy lounge in Södermalm with a delicious cocktail.  Södermalm is the main hub of Stockholm’s nightlife scene and is known throughout Europe. If you would like to experience a higher class of nightlife then you should head to Stureplan and Norrmalm for fancy lounges and clubs.

If you want to escape the city then the nearby Stockholm archipelago is a wonderful daytrip. Take a ferry to Djurgården the forested and lightly populated island where you can explore museums and attractions on foot or two wheels.