Best of Stockholm, Sweden - Top 10 Attractions

To find out Scandinavia at its best, go straight to Stockholm, Sweden, for Stockholm is not only the loveliest Scandinavian city, but is regarded among the most breathtaking and cleanest capitals on the planet. Situated between Lake Malaren as well as the Baltic Sea and built on 14 islands, it really is, in equal parts, another each, water, parks and green spaces, and urban city. To include in that, the urban area of the city is much more than 750 years of age, full of well-preserved historic buildings in equally delightful neighborhoods.

 

So, what should one see when one visits Stockholm, you may ask. Well, listed here are the city's 'Top 10' attractions.

 

1. Gamla Stan

 

Gamla Stan, or Old Town, should be on top of your list. This can be a host to Old World charm, with brightly painted buildings and medieval streets, which within the mid-13th century constituted the whole town of Stockholm. And also, since Gamla Stan is about atmosphere, running around is the simplest way to soak it. The primary street of great interest the following is Vasterlanggatan, liberally punctuated with shops and restaurants. Besides which, several 'must-see' attractions from the city can also be available here, such as the Royal Palace, the Parliament building, and Stortorget, the primary square within the old town center, where those picturesque, colorful houses can be found.

 

2. Kungliga Slottet (Royal Palace)

 

Kungliga Slottet, among Stockholm's two royal palaces, is located in the northeastern end of Gamla Stan, the existing Town. The greater-or-less square palace, integrated 1754, boasts no less than 608 rooms! Yet, this is simply not in which the Swedish royalty resides: this is actually the palace put aside for your king and queen's offices and used primarily for royal meetings. But nonetheless, since it's available to the general public, include this on your own itinerary, particularly if you're partial to lavish interiors.

 

3. Riksdag (Parliament)

 

The Sveriges Riksdag, Sweden's parliament, where its 349-member legislative body deliberates, can also be worth seeing. Found on Helgeandsholmen island, between Gamla Stan and Norrmalm, the Riksdag complex is made up of number of architecturally interesting buildings, one of them Rosebad - in which the government is housed - Mercurius, Neptunus, Cephalus, the Members' Building, as well as the East and West wings from the Riksdag. The oldest of those, Neptunus and Cephalus, have portions dating from your 17th century; as well as in the primary legislative chamber, the regal Grand Stairway holds particular interest. There exists a 500-seat public viewing gallery in the Riksdag, and scheduled, guided tours are available year-round. There is absolutely no admission charge.

 

4. Storkyrkan (Cathedral)

 

Storkyrkan, or even the cathedral, or great church, is situated close to Kungliga Slottet, the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan. This is when monarchs were crowned. Within the interior of the 14th-century building, you are able to view a Gothic sculpture of St. George slaying the mythical dragon. The cathedral is open daily, and is also a freebee on top of that.

 

5. Marten Trotzigs Grand

 

Here is among the city's more unusual attractions. To obtain there, take some of the streets going to the southern end of Stadsholmen, like Prastgatan, which runs parallel towards the shopping street Vasterlanggatan, and search for Marten Trotzigs Grand on your own right. This is actually the narrowest street within the city, in certain places a maximum of 90 cm (3 feet) wide! The alley emerges on Jarntorget, or Iron Square, which took its name throughout the Middle Ages, when iron trading was the dominant business in Stockholm.

 

6. Sergels Torg

 

Sergels Torg, or Sergels Square, lies in the very heart of contemporary Stockholm, on Sodermalm island. This is actually the new city center, a rectangular black-and-white plaza covered with the glass cultural center, Kulturhuset, where lots of works of art draw the public's attention from behind a see-through facade. The prominent fountain at the middle of the plaza, a 37-meter-high glass obelisk, is definitely the 'Kristall', finished in 1974.

 

7. Stadshuset (City Hall)

 

Stadshuset, Stockholm's City Hall, is definitely an architectural delight having a stately bell tower, 106 meters (300 feet) high, situated around the eastern reason for Kungsholmen, the area towards the west from the city center. It really is perhaps Stockholm's most prominent landmark, with among the best views from the city. Additionally it is, equally famously, the house of the Nobel Prize where, within the impressive Bia Hallen, the awards ceremonies are held each year in December. Guided tours are available year-round, two daily during winter, and hourly during summer.

 

8. Vasa Museum

 

The Vasa Museum is constructed around a 17th-century warship, the Vasa, which sank off of the southern tip of Djurgarden on its maiden voyage in 1628. The ship broke surface 333 years later, in 1961, remarkably well preserved. The Vasa is 69 meters long and 11.7 meters wide, having a 19-meter mast and 64 guns aboard. Two other ships in the museum would be the icebreaker Sankt Erik along with a lightship Finngrundet, dating from 1915 and 1903, respectively. The museum is available to the general public daily.

 

9. Ostermalm

 

For any taste of upper-crust Stockholm, wander to Ostermalm, the district towards the east of Norrmalm and northeast of Sodermalm, in which the streets are lined with expensive apartments, shops and restaurants. The 'crustiest' or most costly of these each one is on Strandvagen, singularly Stockholm's most costly residential neighborhood, in the southern end of Ostermalm.

 

10. Drottningholm (Royal Palace)

 

Drottningholm is definitely the other Royal Palace, the specific residence from the royal family. It really is found on Lovon island, some 10 km outside of the city, reached either by land - car or tour bus - or by ferry, which leaves from your bridge by Stadshuset every hour. Integrated french Baroque style, around the same time frame as France's Versailles, and frequently known as the 'Nordic Versailles', the palace displays a 17th-century opulence that you're unlikely to discover elsewhere in Northern Europe. Guided and self-guided tours from the palace along with its grounds consume Queen Hedwig Eleonora's decadent bedroom which took fifteen years to finish, as well as the 18th-century Slottsteater, or court theater, that is thought to be the world's oldest theater in the original state.

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