Downtown Stockholm

Stockholm is the heart, the center, the nexus of Sweden. If you want to do business in Sweden, this is the place. If you want modern Swedish culture, you will find it in the shops, cafes, theaters, reading rooms, and people of the city.

Stockholm

Then there are the islands of "Old Town" or Gamla Stan, which was the midieval city center. First there is Stock Holmen or Stadsholmen, which is rendered as "The City Island", and is the orgin of the city's name. Unique to this island are old gabled houses and narrow old streets harking back several centuries.

Then there is Riddarholmen, or "Knight Island", where Swedish kings and queens are traditionally buried, and Helgeandsholmen, "The Island of the Holy Spirit" where the Swedish Parliment meets. Together they are Staden Mellan Broarna, which means the "city between the bridges".

Stockholm Old Town

Norrmalm is north of Old Town, and is the business and theater district. Northeast is the bedroom community of Ostermalm. Sodermalm is south across a bridge and holds much of the city's manufacturing district. Northwest lies Kungsholmen, Stockholm's city government center and location of Stockholm's Town Hall, logo of the city.

Two items of interest for any visitor to Stockholm are the design of the subway system, and the design of the phone booths. Please notice that the bottom half of the phone booths are open to the elements in a country that has one of the deepest winters on the globe. I'm not sure why. Perhaps you can develop a theory. The subway design is equally fascinating, but it is easy to understand why they chose an "artic cavern" theme... although I'm not sure about the vine-and-leaf decorations on the ceiling. Actually, Stockholm's subway system is quite large and efficient, offering more than 50 miles of lines with richly decorated stations, especially along the fabled Blue Line.

Stockholm Subway

The Royal Palace in downtown Stockholm is the city's most visited attraction.
However, the Royal Family no longer lives there. They are now at Drottningholm Palace, a half hour away from downtown, on the island of Drottninghoms Slott.

To me, the more interesting attraction is Skansen on Djurgarden, which claims to be the world's first outdoor museum. It also is a Nordic zoological park. You can get there by ferry from Slussen, or by bus number 44 or 47. On many weekends a special tram Museum Tram Line No. 7 runs from Norrmalmstorg, a major square in the city. Skansen Stockholm

More than 150 historic buildings have been moved to Skansen from all parts of Sweden over the last century. Most of them are now 200 to 300 years old. This was the idea of Arthur Hazelius, who wanted to show everyone how people had actually lived in Sweden's past.

Today, docents in clothing of the period demonstrate weaving, spinning,
and other wholesome activities as visitors watch and interact. Many of America's East Coast historical towns got their idea of entertaining visitors with period crafts and costumed hosts and hotesses many years after Skansen opened in 1891.

In the various shops you can buy hand-thrown earthenware and stoneware and glassware. Next to the Bear Enclosure you can get just about anything in a bear theme, including bear candy. There are several excellent restaurants in Skansen, some in the most picturesque historic buildings. Enjoy a real Swedish smorgasbord, or choose to picnic on the grass on sunny summer days.

Skansen's schedule says it is open every day except Christmas Eve. But there are better and less-better times to visit. June through August is high season not only in terms of park opening hours (10am to 10pm, according to the schedule), but in terms of the hours that the historical houses are open (11am to 5pm, with a few open until 7pm). In winter, the houses are open only four hours during midday. However, the Museum Shop and at least some of the cafes are supposed to stay open a couple of hours longer to present you with authentic Swedish food and Skansen souvenirs even in the coldest months. Skansen

When you are done at Skansen, you could take a romantic dinner cruise through the scenic wonders of the Stockholm archipelago. Or on a different day, you could embark on one of the Waxholm tour boats for a day trip to Sandon island.
You should be able to get a rather heavy lunch on board, then after you land on Sandon, you could walk it off with a hike to the village of Sandhamn.
You could also take a stroll south to Point Trouville.
Just be sure to get back to the boat on time.

That's all of Sweden for the moment... but there are other interesting European countries to explore. Choose use one of the buttons at top left, and be transported to Italy, France, Ireland... you name it.

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