Stockholm

The official residence of the Swedish monarch, a huge Baroque palace on the northern edge of Gamla stan with more than six hundred rooms. You can visit the state apartments, the Treasury with the regalia, the Tre Kronor Museum in the vaults of the medieval castle that burned in 1697, and the Royal Armoury. The King's working palace it may be, but much of it is open year round.

TipThe changing of the guard takes place in the outer courtyard at midday, daily in summer and on fewer days in winter; check the schedule and arrive early for a good spot.

Stockholm Cathedral, the city's oldest church, hides a Gothic brick interior behind its Baroque exterior. Its great treasure is the late fifteenth-century sculpture of Saint George and the Dragon, carved in oak and elk antler, a symbol of Sweden's struggle for independence. Royal weddings and coronations have taken place here.

The old town's main square, lined with tall gabled houses painted red, orange and yellow, is the classic image of Stockholm. It was also the scene of the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520. The former Stock Exchange on the north side houses the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Prize Museum, which tells the stories of laureates and their ideas.

TipWander the narrow lanes nearby, including Mårten Trotzigs gränd, the city's narrowest alley at around ninety centimetres wide.

A small island just west of Gamla stan, home to grand aristocratic palaces and the Riddarholmen Church, with its openwork cast-iron spire. Almost every Swedish monarch since the seventeenth century is buried here. The church is usually open only in the warmer months. Walk to the quay on the island's western side for a wide view across Lake Mälaren to City Hall.

Stockholm's red-brick City Hall, finished in 1923, rises straight out of the water on Kungsholmen, its tower topped by three gold crowns. Guided tours take you through the Blue Hall, where the Nobel banquet is held each December, and the Golden Hall, covered in millions of gold mosaic pieces. The tower, about 106 metres high, has one of the best views of the city.

TipTours run at set times and the tower has limited timed entry, open mainly in the warmer months; book ahead and check whether City Hall is closed for official events.

More than ninety of the metro's stations have been decorated by artists, with painted bedrock caves, mosaics and sculptures. T-Centralen's blue line platforms, painted with blue vines on white rock, are the most famous, and Kungsträdgården, Solna Centrum, Stadion and Tekniska högskolan are all worth the ride. A single ticket lets you hop between them.

TipKungsträdgården and Solna Centrum are on the blue line too, so one short trip covers several of the best.

Stockholm's grand food hall, opened in 1888 in a red-brick building on Östermalmstorg, sells fish, cheese, game, bread and pastries, and has stalls where you can sit down for herring, shrimp sandwiches or Swedish classics. It was carefully restored and reopened in 2020.

On the leafy island of Skeppsholmen, Moderna Museet holds one of Europe's leading collections of modern and contemporary art, with works by Picasso, Dalí, Duchamp and Warhol, and Swedish artists such as Hilma af Klint. Niki de Saint Phalle's colourful sculptures stand in the garden. Entry to the collection has been free in recent years, with charges for some exhibitions.

TipThe island's waterfront paths have lovely views of the Royal Palace and the old ships moored along the quays.

The most visited museum in Scandinavia is built around one ship. The warship Vasa sank in Stockholm's harbour on her maiden voyage in 1628, minutes after setting sail, and was raised 333 years later almost intact. Today the towering wooden hull, covered in carved sculptures, fills a dim hall, with exhibitions on the ship's crew, construction and salvage.

TipCome at opening time or in the late afternoon; pre-bought tickets don't skip the queue, and large bags aren't allowed inside.

Sweden's museum of cultural history fills a vast castle-like building beside the Vasa Museum, with displays on everyday life, folk costumes, Sámi culture, table settings and homes through five centuries. The great hall, with a huge statue of King Gustav Vasa, is impressive in itself.

A playful, interactive museum about Sweden's most famous band, with costumes, gold records, the band's recording studio and chances to sing and dance alongside holograms. It's fun even for those who are only casual fans. Admission is by timed ticket and the museum is cashless.

The world's oldest open-air museum, founded in 1891, brings together around 150 farmhouses, manor houses, churches and workshops moved here from across Sweden, with staff in period dress demonstrating crafts. A Nordic zoo has elk, brown bears, wolves, lynx and reindeer. It's at its liveliest at midsummer and during the Christmas market.

TipTake the funicular up from the Hazeliusporten entrance, or walk up through the grounds for views over the city.

The closest archipelago islands to the city, a short boat ride away, with smooth granite rocks for sunbathing, craft workshops, a smokehouse and seafood restaurants. It's an easy way to get a taste of island life if you only have an afternoon.

TipBoats run frequently in summer and less often or not at all in the colder months; check timetables before setting off.

Fotografiska, a centre for contemporary photography in a former customs building on the Södermalm waterfront, hosts changing exhibitions and has a top-floor restaurant and café with superb views. Climb the hill behind it to Fjällgatan, a lane of small wooden houses from the eighteenth century with a lookout over the harbour, Djurgården and Gamla stan.

A short walking path along the northern cliffs of Södermalm, with one of the finest views of Stockholm: Riddarholmen, City Hall and Lake Mälaren laid out below. It's especially beautiful at sunset. Afterwards, explore the streets of SoFo, south of Folkungagatan, with its cafés, vintage shops and design stores.

The permanent home of the King and Queen, on an island in Lake Mälaren west of the city, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the seventeenth century and inspired by Versailles, it has lavish state rooms, formal Baroque gardens, the exotic Chinese Pavilion and an eighteenth-century court theatre still using its original stage machinery. The royal family's rooms are private.

TipIn summer, the most enjoyable way to arrive is by boat from Stadshusbron beside City Hall; out of season, take the metro to Brommaplan and a bus.

A small town in the inner archipelago, about an hour away by boat from Strömkajen, with wooden summer villas, a harbour and Vaxholm Fortress on its own islet, which guarded the sea route to Stockholm for centuries. A ferry crosses to the fortress, and the town is a jumping-off point for other islands.

On the island of Sandön at the outer edge of the archipelago, Sandhamn has been the heart of Swedish sailing for more than a century, with a harbour full of yachts in summer, a village of painted wooden houses, pine forest and sandy beaches. It makes a long day trip or a lovely overnight stay.

TipDirect boats from the city run in summer; at other times, take a bus to Stavsnäs and a boat from there.