What to see in Stockholm ?

Stockholm sprawls across fourteen islands connected by bridges, a geography that forces you to slow down. The old town of Gamla Stan has preserved its medieval alleyways without turning them into a frozen museum piece, and the Vasa Museum – a 17th-century warship hauled intact from the seabed – tells you a great deal about how Swedes relate to their own history.

May to September is the sweet spot, when the days stretch late into the evening and the city genuinely spills into the streets. Three days is enough to grasp the essentials without rushing. The metro covers the central quarters well, but hiring a bike makes more sense for linking Södermalm to Djurgården. Skip the Strömmen canal on a tour boat: you'll see the same views on foot, without the queues or audio commentary.