Stockholm summer 2011
Stockholm picture gallery
Stockholm
Stockholm, the charming capital of Sweden, was founded in the 13th century. It is located on 14 islands and often referred to as “Venice of the North”. Stockholm is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has a rich cultural life and many attractions for people of all ages.
Staff from Visitor´s Guide spent a few days in late June in Stockholm. We experienced the atmosphere there to be relaxed, the people were friendly and the size of the city was convenient with regards to travelling around. It was easy to explore the city on foot or by bike but the public transportation system was also good. The weather was quite comfortable, the temperature was on average around 20°C, and it was sunny or partly sunny most of the time with some rain showers in between.
The City Centre
The main shopping area in Stockholm is Drottninggatan and the surrounding streets. It is nice to walk down Drottninggatan and further down to Vasterlånggatan in Gamla Stan (The Old Town), to enjoy watching and listening to street artists perform and even sit down in one of many restaurants and cafés in the pedestrian area. Gamla Stan (The Old Town), the oldest part of Stockholm, is mainly located on the island Stadsholmen. It is a fascinating historic neighborhood with old buildings and narrow cobbled streets. The Royal Palace which was built in the 18th century is situated in Gamla Stan. We recommend visiting The Royal Palace and spending some time exploring Gamla Stan. It is also fun to enjoy the panoramic view by the sea by taking a walk by the shore in the southern part of Gamla Stan, continue further east along the shores in Skeppsholmen and Kastellholmen and finally take Strandvagen to Djurgården.
Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset) is a building in the city centre that is also worth visiting. The beautiful building was constructed in early 19th century and is located by the shore on the east part of Kungsholmen island. The building is the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet. After visiting Stockholm City Hall, it is nice to walk further west by the shore to a small beach on the western part of Kungsholmen island.
Exploring Stockholm and Vicinity on Sea
There is a boat rental by the Bridge to Djurgården (Djurgårdsbron) for people who like to explore the city by boats. We rented a pedal boat there and headed east in the direction of Kaknastornet which is the highest point in Stockholm and ideal place to enjoy the view of the city. However, we just saw the tower from the outside, but thought the boat trip was one of our best experiences in Stockholm.
We also highly recommend exploring Stockholm and vicinity on sea by taking a day trip by boat to Vaxholm, the capital of the archipelago. A round trip to Vaxholm costs 150 SEK and takes 1,5 hours each way. The boat departs from the harbour close to the National Museum in Blasieholmen. Vaxholm is a friendly town by the harbour with wooden houses, cafés and restaurants. In Vaxholm is also an old fortress that was finished in the 18th century. It is ideal to use the opportunity while in Vaxholm to swim or sunbath at one of Vaxholm´s beaches.
Another excursion by boat that we recommend is taking a trip to Drottningholm. The boat to Drottningholm departs from the harbour close to the City Hall in Kungsholmen and the trip takes 1 hour each way. Drottningholm is on UNESCO´s world heritage list and there you can enjoy seeing Drottningham Palace, The Chinese Pavilion and the surrounding gardens. Drottningham Palace was built in the 1600s and has been the official home of the Swedish royal family since 1981. We recommend taking guided tours through the buildings which are included in the entrance fees.
Museums and other Attractions
There are many options in Stockholm for people who love museums and other attractions. We highly recommend visiting the Vasa Museum, Skansen and Gröne Lund which are all located on the island of Djurgården. Vasa Museum (Vasamuseet) is one of the most popular museums to visit in Stockholm. Vasa was a beautiful ship, decorated with carved sculptures, that sank in 1628. The museum displays the reconstructed ship (95% original) from the salvaged wreck of Vasa. Skansen is a 75 acre open-air museum with old traditional Swedish buildings and a zoo with wild Scandinavian animals. During the summer months there are many events and concerts in Skansen which makes it even more fun for families to visit. Just across the street from Skansen is Gröne Lund, Sweden´s oldest amusement park. It is small and cozy place centrally located by the sea. During the summer months there is a wide selection of concerts and other entertainment in the park. Other museums worth visiting are for example National Museum (Nationalmuseet), Nordic Museum (Nordiska museet), Modern Museum (Moderna Museet), Aquaria Water Museum and Junibacken to name a few.
Haga Park
We also recommend visiting Haga Park in Stockholm. It is a beautiful recreational area and a good example of an English Park. In the park you can enjoy nature, the historical buildings in the park or even take a sunbath or play tennis. We saw a hot-air balloon land in the park while we were there which is an interesting transportation option for people who want to explore the city from above.
Places that we highly recommend visiting in Stockholm and vicinity:
1. Gamla Stan
2. Skansen
3. Vaxholm
4. Drottningholm
5. Gröne Lund
6. Vasa Museum
7. Haga Park
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