Stockholm

This impressive building has UNESCO World Heritage Site status, and is the most important and best preserved royal palace in Sweden, dating back to the 16th century. The building has influences the architectural style of the French Baroque typical of the period and was commissioned by Queen Hedvig Eleonora.

The Palace was designed and built by the remarkable Swedish architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder. What makes this palace special and worth a visit is the Chinese Pavilion, the impressive gardens and the majestic palatial theater.

Gamla Stan or the Old Town, is one of the largest and best preserved medieval city centers in Europe. The city was founded on this site in 1252.

The whole area, including the adjacent island of Riddarholmen are pedestrian-friendly, full of sights, attractions, restaurants, cafés, bars, and places to shop. It's also popular with lovers of handicrafts, curiosities and souvenirs. Narrow winding cobblestone streets, large buildings painted in many shades of gold and other bright colours, give Gamla Stan its unique character.

One of the most popular attractions in the area is the Royal Palace, one of the largest palaces in the world with over 600 rooms. There are several interesting museums with the palace building, including the Royal Armory, which has a collection of royal costumes and armor. The parade of soldiers and the daily changing of the guard is definitely worth watching.

Just a few minutes away from Stockholm. you can explore the beautiful archipelago. With some 30,000 islands, islets and rocks in the Stockholm archipelago, there is much to discover and explore. It covers 80 km eastwards from the city to the Baltic Sea. The rugged natural beauty blends impeccably with wooded islands, rocky cliffs and sandy beaches.

Explore a wide variety of uninhabited islands and islets, some with old settlements and new flourishing communities. Enjoy tranquil sheltered coves or the exciting swells on the open sea. One of the best ways to see the archipelago is through an organized excursion by boat or kayak during the summer. In Stockholm you can hire many of the boat trips around the archipelago that leave from the city center.

For modern art lovers, the Moderna Museet (museum) is an essential visit on its tour of Stockholm. Here you will find one of the main art collections of Europe of the 20th century from its first decades to the present. He exhibits works by Picasso, Dalí, Derkert and Matisse.

The Moderna Museet is located on the island of Skeppsholmen, in a quiet natural enclave in the heart of Stockholm and the buildings were designed by the prominent Spanish architect Rafael Moneo.

This museum houses the Vasa, the only 17th-century galleon preserved in the world. More than 95% of the ship is original, including the intricate carved wooden sculptures of the ship's exterior panels. This immense warship, almost 70 meters long, sank in the middle of Stockholm on its maiden voyage in 1628. It was removed from the seabed about 333 years later, in 1961.

The meticulous restoration has lasted almost 50 years but the ship is now almost complete, a tremendous feat. The main exhibition tells the story of the ship's beginnings and how life would have been on board, an essential visit for every sailing lover.

Stockholm has earned the reputation of being a centre of culinary excellence. In the numerous bars, restaurants and bistros you'll find menus made from high quality ingredients. The variations of traditional dishes of fresh, pickled and smoked fish such as herring, crab and salmon stand out.

If you like game meat, you can try elk and reindeer. In recent years, with the multicultural influence of the city, a fascinating new style of fusion cuisine has emerged that has conquered the city. Traditional Swedish dishes with foreign influences have been reinvented, something that must be tested.