Stockholm, sometimes called the “Capital of Scandinavia,” was established on the island of Gamla Stan and has served as Sweden’s capital for the better part of seven centuries. The city’s location on an archipelago, with its chain consisting of over 30,000 individual islands, is what truly sets it apart. You may easily find the atmosphere you’re after on any one of the big islands because each one has its own distinct personality and design.
It’s always a good idea to begin at the beginning, so begin your exploration of Stockholm at the Old Town, also known as Gamla Stan, the original site of the city’s settlement in the 13th century. Gamla Stan is one of the best preserved medieval town centers in the world, and a stroll through it will truly transport you back in time. But it also has some of the best restaurants and cafes in modern-day Stockholm, where people like to do fika, a traditional Swedish activity.
There is no literal English translation for “fika,” however, in Stockholm, it is taken quite seriously and typically consists of coffee and a snack of some kind. A large number of hip coffeehouses can be found all around town, but the bohemian Sofo neighborhood (the term given to the area south of Folkungagatan) is where locals and visitors alike like to hang out on a regular basis.
Skansen, located on the island of the same name, is another must-see attraction in Stockholm. Skansen is a zoo and open-air museum showcasing many examples of traditional Swedish craft production. With close to one hundred museums, Stockholm easily qualifies as one of the world’s top museum cities. This includes the Vasa Museum, which showcases the world’s only surviving 17th-century ship, and the Fotografiska gallery, which is situated on the waterfront and regularly displays collections of works by the world’s finest photographers.
