Stockholm

Why go

Go to experience a sparklingly clean city with world-class attractions and a neat line in Swedish design. Don’t miss the warship Vasa and the long summer nights.

When to go

Between May and September most attractions have extended opening hours. The Midsummer weekend (nearest 24 June) is the big summer holiday weekend, when much of the city is closed. July is the main holiday month for locals, and many restaurants, bars and shops close for some or all of the month. Winter (November-March) brings short days and cold temperatures.

Best for

Sightseeing , Restaurants , Art , Nightlife , Shopping

How to get there

Four airports serve Stockholm: Arlanda, Bromma, Skavsta and Västerås. To Arlanda (main airport, 30 miles north of the city) flights leave from Heathrow with main airlines. Ryanair from Stansted use Skavsta, 55 miles south; and from Luton to Västerås, 68 km north-west.

Shopping

Glass, handicrafts and interior design are specialities; head to 10 Swedish Designers (Götgatan 25, +46 8 643 25 04, www.tiogruppen.com) or Designtorget (branch at Kulturhuset, Sergels Torg, +46 8 21 91 50, www.designtorget.se). The main shopping area of Norrmalm has high-street shops and NK (Hamngatan 18-20, +46 8 762 80 00, www.nk.se), a huge department store with an impressive food hall.

Alternative Perspectives

While Swedish furniture, glassware and industrial design are known for quality and elegance, Swedish fashion, apart from H and M, is unknown. However, this is changing with a buzz around new designers paving the catwalks to Europe and the US.

Must see

Take in the splendid city views from the Cliffs of Söder. Visit the striking Royal Palace in the heart of the Old Town, Modern Art Museum and open-air cultural and historical Skansen. Climb Stadshuset, Stockholm’s iconic tower, then take a guided boat tour before visiting Vasamuseet, a world-class museum featuring a perfectly preserved 300-year-old warship.

Family activities

The best place for children is the island of Djurgården. As well as acres of grass, it contains most of the city’s best kids’ attractions; it’s also mainly traffic-free. Junibacken, imaginary home of Pippi Longstocking and other characters, is on the island.

Sports activities

Golf

Local customs

Queuing. Swedes have a highly developed queuing culture. People just love standing in line, and queue-jumpers will be met with angry glares.

Smoking. Smoking is banned in all public places where food or drink is served; you’ll be frowned upon if you throw your cigarette butt on to the pavement.

Tipping. There are no fixed rules about tipping because the service charge is almost always included. In restaurants, most people leave 5-15 per cent.