ON THE WATERFRONT: Stockholm is built on 14 islands and dates back to medieval times
KNOWN as the Venice of the north, Stockholm deserves its reputation as one of the world's most beautiful cities. Built on 14 islands around one of Europe's largest medieval city centres, the fashionable Nordic capital is renowned for its style and culture and provides visitors with an abundance of things to see and do.
BEFORE YOU GO The official online visitor guide at www.stockholm town.com is packed with information on where to stay, what to eat and what events are going on in the city during your stay. Take a copy of the Time Out Guide to Stockholm with you as well, to make sure you pack as much as possible into your Scandinavian voyage.
PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES Swedish carrier SAS (
www.flysas.com) flies to Stockholm direct from Edinburgh from £57 one way (£39 if you book today). The fastest way from the airport to the city centre is by train. The journey takes 20 minutes and trains leave the airport six times an hour.
GETTING AROUND The centre of Stockholm is small and easily negotiable on foot. However, anything further afield can be accessed using the excellent, modern public transport network. Tunnelbana (underground) stations are dotted around the capital and the bus network is very efficient.
It's a good idea to purchase a Stockholm Card (around £25), which will give you unlimited travel on public transport as well as access to more than 75 of the city's museums and, most importantly, sightseeing tours of the islands by boat.
Swedes adore their bikes and these are available for hire all over the city at very reasonable prices.
TOURIST TRAIL Your first stop should be Stockholm's 750-year-old Gamla Stan (Old Town). Take in the narrow streets and sample the laid-back café culture. Follow the medieval walking tour for a selection of vast churches and ancient squares.
If you're feeling adventurous, take a hot-air balloon ride over the city centre. Stockholm is one of the few capitals to allow balloons to float through its airspace. At about £150 per person, it's not cheap but it's well worth it (see
www.farochflyg.se for details).
Much of Stockholm's appeal comes from the fact that it is a city of geographical contrasts: one-third water, one-third green belt and one-third urban centre. The island of Djurgården, the world's first National City Park, is only a short walk from the centre of the city, and Stockholmers and tourists come here to relax in the peaceful, leafy surroundings.
The grand palace of Dtottningholm, only 10km from the city centre, is an essential excursion which attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year. A Unesco World Heritage Site, the glorious 17th-century architecture and sprawling grounds are sure to take your breath away.
GO NATIVE Art and design are particularly important parts of Swedish culture, so be sure to spend an afternoon soaking up the museums and galleries on offer. A boat trip around the countless surrounding islands is also a wonderful way to spend a day. Many of the islands have restaurants with delicious local dishes, including excellent seafood. Ferries leave throughout the day, giving access to the 150 or so islands that are inhabited as well as a few that aren't.
Swedes are keen to keep up their traditions and, from the maypole dancing and the colours of Midsummer's Eve to the sprawling Christmas markets at which you can buy a whole host of traditional crafts and produce, there is bound to be some festival going on in the city no matter what time of year you visit.
NIGHTLIFE Stockholm is renowned for its fabulous nightspots, the most popular of which are centred around Stureplan. But be warned that prices can be outlandish and doormen can be difficult on 'regulars only' nights.
For a more down-to-earth evening out, try the bars around the Södermalm district.
WHERE TO STAY Freys Hotel (
www.freyshotel.se), on Bryggargatan, is only a short walk from the Old Town and is a pleasant place to stay. Prices start from about £100 per night per room and facilities include a sauna and a continental bar boasting the country's largest selection of Belgian beer.
WHERE TO EAT Fish is on most menus in Stockholm, and you will find herring served in a multitude of ways. And look out for a smörgåsbord, which will have something to suit every taste.
No trip to Sweden could be complete without a plate of meatballs, eaten with pickled cucumber, cream sauce and lingonberries. For a really authentic local experience, try Bakfickan restaurant ('the Hip Pocket') on Jakobs Torg for quality, traditional fare – they even serve reindeer and elk, when they're in season – in a relaxed setting.
WHAT TO BUY Stockholm is famous for its fashion. As well as being home to the ubiquitous H&M, you can trawl the boutiques of the Old Town in search of the perfect designer gear to make your friends envious. Gamla Stan, though, is a notorious tourist trap and will almost certainly leave you out of pocket holding a novelty T-shirt you'll never wear.
The full article contains 883 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
