Stockholm

From a medieval island city founded where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea, Stockholm has grown into the largest – and easily the most beautiful – capital city in Scandinavia. Perched on 14 islands, the city offers up spectacular views of pristine waterways, historic, pastel-coloured buildings and the green oasis of Djurgården. Besides scenery, there are 100 art galleries and 70 museums to satisfy culture pangs. At Stockholm’s heart is Gamla Stan (Old Town), an island of narrow, cobbled streets with little shops and cafés. The impressive 18th-century Kungliga Slottet (Royal Palace, +46 8 402 60 00, www.royalcourt.se) dominates the north-east hillside, with Storkyrkan (the Great Church) next door, site of royal weddings and coronations. At pretty Stortorget Square, bordered by the Nobelmuseet (Stortorget, +46 8 53 48 18 00, www.nobel.se/nobelmuseum), the Danes massacred 90 noblemen in 1520 in what is known as the ‘Stockholm Bloodbath’. To the west, the small island of Riddarholmen offers spectacular views of Riddarfjärden Sound and the Stadshuset (City Hall, Hantverkargatan 1, +46 8 50 82 90 59, www.stockholm.se/stadshuset). To the east is maritime Skeppsholmen, home to the Moderna Museet (Skeppsholmen, +46 8 51 95 52 00, www.modernamuseet.se), featuring 20th-century art by Kandinsky, Dalí, Magritte and Picasso. The island of Djurgården, a lovely spot for picnics and walks, has the Vasamuseet (Galärvarvsvägen 14, +46 8 51 95 48 00, www.vasamuseet.se), dedicated to the ornate 17th-century warship Vasa raised from the seabed in 1961 and reconstructed in this fascinating museum. Further south lies the expansive open-air museum of Skansen (Djurgårdsslätten 49-51, +46 8 442 80 00, www.skansen.se), which illustrates Sweden’s social history through 150 old buildings along with animals native to Sweden. The business and shopping district of Norrmalm (or the ‘City’) boasts landmarks such as the Royal Opera and the National Museum (Södra Blasieholmshamnen, +46 8 51 95 43 00, www.nationalmuseum.se).

Local history

Founded in 1252 as a fortress city. In the 17th century and 18th century, nationalism, industrialisation and Catholicism were on the rise. In the 19th century, academia, immigration to the US and cultural revivalism were a priority. Sweden remained neutral during World War II and its monarchy lost power in 1974.

Local politics

Sweden’s reputation as a beacon of equality is well earned, and it continues to lead the world in areas such as paternity leave to which all fathers have been entitled for the past 30 years. This right has been increased recently and now fathers are obliged to stay alone with their child for two of their first 16 months in order for their remaining leave to be transferred to the mother.