It's worth making an effort to find cheap flights to Stockholm and not just because it's one of Europe's more expensive cities. The capital of Sweden is stunning. It lies across 14 islands and has one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in Europe (made up of two islands - Gamla Stan and Riddarholmen). To the west of the city is Lake Malaren and the Baltic Sea is to the east, but despite this proximity to icy waters, and its latitude (same as southern Alaska) the Gulf Stream keeps Stockholm at a decent temperature - 18 degrees in July.
Stockholm has three Unesco World Heritage sites: Royal Palace Drottningholm, Birka and Hovgården Viking-Age trading sites and the Skogskyrkogården (woodland cemetery).
From Gamla Stan, take the ferry to Djurgården, which houses the Skansen, an open-air museum, and ooh and ahh at the rescued-from-the-mud warship Vasa, which sunk just 20 minutes into its maiden voyage in 1628.
Perhaps the best thing about Stockholm however is the light. The skies are big and bright: blue during the day, amber in the afternoon, illuminating the copper and burnt-orange coloured buildings, and purple at dusk. In the streets after sundown, candles illuminate the streets and squares.
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Shielded from the Atlantic Ocean, Stockholm has a surprisingly moderate climate. Winter temperatures range from -9 or so to zero (Celsius). Summer temperatures are usually warm, ranging from 20 to the mid-20s. In the weeks before and after midsummer, Stockholm has almost 24 hours of daylight throughout June. Snow falls from January to March, and the June and July have the most rain.
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Peak Season:
Mid-May through mid-September is the peak tourist season in Sweden. Visitors from around the world step off Stockholm flights to enjoy the warm weather, long sunny days, and, especially the Midsummer Day celebrations. Besides the museums and historic sights, the season is filled with events including the Stockholm Marathon, Pride Festival, Volvo Baltic Race, and jazz and folk music festivals. Accommodation rates are at their highest, but many of the attractions take advantage of the extended daylight and stay open later.
Off Season:
The winters are dark (one hour of sunlight in January and three in February) and cold, but thoroughly enjoyed by snow and winter-sport enthusiasts. You can also find lower lodging rates during this season.
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The Arlanda Express trains to Stockholm Central station run every 15 minutes between 5.35am and 11.35pm daily. Buses run to the city every ten minutes between 6.40am and 11.05pm each day, taking 40 minutes to make the journey. Taxis are available at a fixed rate for the trip to the city centre.
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Stockholm’s centre is compact and easily explored on foot. Get a good map as the streets can also be confusing. Bicycling is another great way to get around the city, and there is frequent ferry service from Skeppsbron to Djurgården.
The subway (T-bana) and bus routes cover the city. Fares are determined by zones, and tickets for the subway and buses are interchangeable within the same zone. The bus system is particularly good, and the subway stations are galleries exhibiting the works of some of the country’s leading artists.
Several types of discount tickets are available. One- and three-day cards provide unlimited transport. The Stockholm Card provides unlimited travel on public transport and free entry to many museums and some sightseeing trips.
Taxis are plentiful, easily hailed, and have possibly the most expensive fares anywhere. The drivers usually speak a little English, but you may want to have your destination written in Swedish.
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- There are two national parks in Stockholm. Angso is on an island in the Stockholm archipelago, which is reachable by boat, and Tyresta, a park and national reserve on about 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres), is about an hour away from the city centre.
- Skansen is one of the oldest ethnographical museums in the world, and is situated on Djurgarden. More than 100 buildings from different parts of Sweden span several centuries. There is also a zoo and aquarium-terrarium and the Vasa Museum, Scandinavia's most visited museum. The jewel is the warship Vasa “the only remaining, intact 17th century ship in the world”. It sank in 1628 and was salvaged in 1961.
- The Gamla Stan or Old Town dates back to the 13th century and is charming with narrow houses, alleys and lanes. It is referred to as the "town between the bridges". Gamla is home to the Stockholm Cathedral, the Nobel Museum and the Riddarholm church as well as the baroque Royal Palace. There is also a statue of St. George and the Dragon.
- The island of Skeppsholmen is home to the Modern Art Museum, which houses works by Klee, Kandinsky, Picasso and Matisse. The Architectural Museum is in the same building.
- Junibacken is where children can meet the characters created by Astrid Lindgren including Pippi Longstocking, Karlsson-on-the-roof and Madicken.
- Pick up some choice morsels at Ostermalms saluhall, a traditional food hall which dates from 1888. Closed on Sundays.
- I want to be alone… Greta Garbo is buried at Skogskyrkogarden Cemetery and a bronze statue of the actress is on the street where she was born - Blekingegatan.
- The ABBA corner at the Music Museum is part of the permanent exhibition "Ensembler i Sverige" (Ensembles in Sweden). It was opened in February 1996.
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