Stockholm County

Stockholm is built on 14 islands, and around the capital the coastline frays into an archipelago of roughly 30,000 islands, islets, and rocks. On a vacation in Stockholm County, you can stroll through the alleyways of Gamla stan in the morning and take a ferry in the afternoon to an island where red wooden houses stand among the pines. Stockholms län, as the county is officially called, is the most populous region in Sweden.

Between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea

The county lies where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea via locks and canals. In the west, the lake with its bays and islands, farmland, and old manor houses dominates; in the east are the skerries, which stretch as far as 50 miles (80 kilometers) out to sea. To the north, the county reaches Norrtälje and the island of Väddö; to the south, Nynäshamn. In between lie suburbs such as Sollentuna, Järfälla, Täby, and Huddinge, along with lakes, forests, and nature reserves like Tyresta with its primeval forest. Allemansrätten, the "right of public access," lets you hike, swim, and camp almost anywhere. The archipelago can be roughly divided into three zones: the inner islands with deciduous forest and summer villas, the middle ones with pines and fishing villages, and the outer, bare rocky islands where only lichen grows and seabirds nest.

Stockholm: Old Town, Islands, and Museums

Gamla stan, the medieval Old Town, with its narrow alleys, Stortorget square, and the Royal Palace, is the classic starting point. On Riddarholmen stands the church where the Swedish kings are buried. Djurgården, the green museum island, is home to the Vasa Museum with the warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628, the open-air museum Skansen, the ABBA Museum, and the Nordic Museum. City Hall, with its tower and the Blue Hall where the Nobel banquet takes place, shapes the shoreline of Lake Mälaren. Södermalm is the district of cafés, secondhand shops, and viewpoints like Monteliusvägen; Östermalm is known for its market hall and boulevards. Below ground, the subway is worth a ride, as its stations were designed by artists. Somewhat off the tourist track is Fotografiska, a photography museum in the old customs house on the shore of Södermalm, and on Skeppsholmen the Moderna Museet shows works from Picasso to Niki de Saint Phalle. In winter, you can ice-skate in Kungsträdgården.

Sights in Stockholm County

West of the city, on Lovön, lies Drottningholm Palace, the residence of the royal family and a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a Baroque theater whose stage machinery still works. On the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren stood the Viking town of Birka, also a World Heritage Site. Sigtuna, founded around 970, is considered the oldest town in Sweden, with church ruins and runestones. In the archipelago, Vaxholm with its fortress, Sandhamn as a sailors' meeting place, and Grinda and Utö with swimming coves and traces of old mines are popular Stockholm destinations. Södertälje to the south is an industrial center, but also the gateway to the Södertälje Canal and to swimming spots on Lake Mälaren. The suburbs have their own excursion spots too: in Järfälla you'll find Görväln Palace on Lake Mälaren, in Huddinge the Flottsbro nature reserve with a swimming spot and a small ski slope, and Täby and Sollentuna draw visitors with lakes and hiking trails. Nynäshamn in the south is the ferry port for Gotland and Gdańsk.

Food and Drink

A day in Stockholm isn't complete without fika, the coffee break with a cinnamon bun or cardamom pastry. Classics of home cooking are köttbullar (meatballs) with lingonberries and mashed potatoes, strömming (fried Baltic herring), and toast Skagen with shrimp. At Östermalms Saluhall and the Hötorget market, you'll find smoked fish, cheese, and pastries. In summer, Swedes celebrate Midsummer with pickled herring, new potatoes, and schnapps, and in August with crayfish parties. The city also has a remarkable gourmet scene with several Michelin-starred restaurants.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Arlanda Airport lies about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of the city and is connected to the Central Station by the Arlanda Express in about 20 minutes; ferries arrive from Finland and the Baltics. From Germany, you can reach Stockholm by train via Copenhagen and Malmö. In the archipelago, Waxholmsbolaget boats run between the islands. The best time to visit is summer, when the days seem endless and swimming spots, ferries, and outdoor cafés are open. In December, Christmas markets and the Lucia festival create a festive mood, even though there are only a few hours of daylight.