Stunning Stockholm

If you ask someone who has visited Stockholm the first word they would probably use to describe it is “beautiful”, and that it is. Sweden's capital is one of the most beautiful major cities in the world, a mirage of saffron and terracotta coloured buildings shimmering between blue water and bluer skies all summer, or covered with snow and dotted with lights in winter. Perhaps more than any other city of its size. What is so special about Stockholm is its natural location, its waterways and its parks. To the north, south, east and west are lakes, sea and forest. Even the city centre is crisscrossed by vast open water and wonderful parks, forests and walking areas, filled with historical sights and attractions. It's also a vibrant, modern city, famous for producing sleek designs, edgy fashion and world-class nightclubs. Stockholm offers great shopping, quality eateries in abundance, fabulous standard hotels, an internationally renowned club and music scene and a vibrant cultural life. Where Stockholm comes into its own, however, is its sheer natural beauty. Stockholm, as a city, is over 700 years old and spreads across 14 islands as it faces proudly out to the Baltic Sea. You can get to just about all of Stockholm’s many wondrous sites on foot, which is the perfect way to see the city. You can also take a boat trip that will give you a different facet of Scandinavia’s largest and probably most beautiful city. Around 16% of greater Stockholm's 1.2 million people are immigrants, which creates a much more multicultural and diverse cityscape than many travellers might expect. Stockholmers themselves are almost uniformly polite and friendly, making travel both easy and rewarding. Swedes are helpful and speak adequate English in general. Most swedes won't approach a tourist if they think that they are lost, in respect that they might not need help. But if you ask for directions or recommendations you will most likely get it. A popular destination in the summer months, the Stockholm Archipelago begins just a few miles east of the capital, covering about 140 kilometres (90 miles) from north to south. Only 150 of the islands are inhabited but many Stockholmers have summerhouses there. The landscape varies tremendously, from the more populated, thickly wooded inner archipelago to the bare, flat rocks of the central and other islands.