Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Stockholm
“It is not a city at all. It is ridiculous to think of itself as a city. It is simply a rather large village, set in the middle of
some forest and some lakes. You wonder what it thinks it is doing there, looking so important.”
Ingmar Bergman
Without a shadow of a doubt, Stockholm is one of the most beautiful cities
in Europe. Built on no fewer than fourteen islands, where the fresh water of
Lake Mälaren meets the brackish Baltic Sea, clean air and open space are in
plentiful supply here. One-third of the area within the city limits is made up
of water, while another third comprises parks and woodlands. As a result,
the capital is one of Europe's saner cities and a delightful place in which to
spend time.
Broad boulevards lined with elegant buildings are reflected in the deep blue water, and
rows of painted wooden houseboats bob gently alongside the cobbled waterfront. Yet
Stockholm is also a hi-tech metropolis, with futuristic skyscrapers and a bustling
commercial heart.
For most visitors, the first stop is the Old Town,
Gamla Stan
, a medieval jumble of
cobbled streets and narrow alleyways huddled together on a triangular-shaped
island. Today the area is an atmospheric mixture of buildings surrounded on all
sides by a latticework of medieval lanes and alleyways. Close by is the tiny island of
Skeppsholmen
; conveniently, the island is also the site of the two most central
youth hostels (see p.67). To the north of the Old Town, the district of
Norrmalm
swaps tradition for a thoroughly contemporary feel: this is downtown Stockholm
where you'll find shopping malls, huge department stores and conspicuous, showy
wealth. Central Station and the lively
central park
, Kungsträdgården, are located
here too. Most of Stockholm's
museums and galleries
are spread across this area and
two others: to the east, the more residential
Östermalm
, with its mix of grand
avenues and smart houses; and to the southeast, the green park island of
Djurgården
. Here the extraordinary seventeenth-century warship,
Vasa
, rescued
and preserved after sinking in Stockholm harbour, and
Skansen
, the oldest and best
of Europe's open-air museums, both receive loud and deserved acclaim. The island
of
Södermalm
was traditionally the working-class area of Stockholm, whose grids of
streets lined with lofty stone buildings create an altogether more homely ambience
than the grand and formal buildings of the city centre. It's here, in a fashionable
area known as
SoFo
(south of Folkungagatan) that you'll find some of the city's most
enjoyable bars and restaurants. Crossing the narrow neighbouring island of
Långholmen, known for its popular beaches, you'll reach
Kungsholmen,
an island
that's fast becoming a rival to its southern neighbour for trendy restaurants and
drinking establishments.
Brief history
Swedish stateman
Birger Jarl
founded Stockholm in 1255 in an attempt to secure
the burgeoning city of Sigtuna from maritime attack. However, it was vibrant trade
The Estonia ferry disaster
p.48
Greta Garbo in Stockholm
p.54
The assassinations of Olof Palme and
Anna Lindh
p.55
Sweden's Fab Four: ABBA
p.61
The Stockholm Card
p.64
Canoeing in Stockholm
p.65
Swimming in Stockholm
p.74
