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Benoit Derrier

Even more than many destinations, Scandinavia blossoms in summer, its warm, lively days stretching into long, luminous evenings. And at the centre of its lovely archipelago, nowhere more so that Sweden's capital. A mix of traditional and modern, stately and avant garde, its streets and squares come alive as Stockholmers enthusiastically grasp with both hands their chance to enjoy the relatively brief Scandinavian summer - and take advantage of the long summer " white nights", when it doesn't start to get dark til around midnight. And the city offers visitors as well the chance to make the most of this blossoming as locals do, beyond the usual museums, landmarks, and other tourist sights.

First of all, let's have a look at those sights, in this elegant, eminently liveable city made up of 14 islands (and gateway to a Baltic sea archipelago of 24,000 more), a masterful mix of the cutting edge and the traditional, and in recent years infused with new energy and a multicultural flavour which have brough some truly world-class features to town.

Leonardo Patrizi

The Lay of the Land

Two of those islands, Gamla Stan (top and above) and Riddarholmen, together make up Europe's largest and best preserved mediaeval quarter, home to narrow streets (including the narrowest of all, Marten Trotzig Gränd, a whopping 90 centimetres/35 inches wide). Knock around its little shops and have a bite in its lovely restaurants, such as the classic Fem Små Hus. Catch the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace, one of the largest on the continent. Nearby is the austere yet impressive red-brick city hall, where all the Nobel Prizes but the peace prize are awarded each December.

Top spots not to miss, including more than 70 museums, with standouts such as the Vasamuseet, built around a restored 17th-century ship; the Nobelmuseet, covering the history of the Nobel Prizes and their recipients; the Modern Art Museum, designed by my own country's Rafael Moneo, with a suitably impressive collection of national works with names including Picasso, Dalí, and Matisse; and Skansen, an absoluteley enchanting example - and the world's oldest - of an open-air ethnographic museum, where houses and shops from centuries past are brought together and brought to life with actors to show you how it was back in the day (here they throw in a zoo with Nordic critters). And of course let's not forget the fun, very interactive ABBA Museum!

To all that, of course, these days you have to add the Stockholm of the late Stieg Larsson, who wrote The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and its sequels, much of it set in the working-class district of Södermalm, including Kvarnen, a pub frequented by the series heroine Lisbeth Salander.The City Museum (also a very worthy visit in and of itself) actually organises tours at this point, so have at it!

Visit Stockholm

Out on the Archipelago

Many of us like to stay at least somewhat active on holiday, as well as enjoy the outdoors and even try new things outside our routine lives. One of my two favourites is one of the archipelago's many islands, Långholmen above), an eleven-minute ferry ride from Gamla Stan, where from May through September you can rent a kayak to paddle around the calm waters off its leafy shores with great views back toward the old town. A swath of those shores is given over the the Långholmsbadet, a sandy beach quite popular with locals this time of year. The charming wooden buildings out here include spots like the 17th-century Stora Henriksvik, with a charming café, and the late-17th-century Mälarvarvet (Mälaren Yard), one of Stockholm’s oldest shipyards. It's a delight to stroll and bike through the bosky woods, but ironically, centuries ago this lush green island was once rocky and barren, and was used until 1974 as a prison - which these days is a popular hostel and includes a prison museum.

Another popular summer playground is Brunnsviksbadet, a half hour train ride north of Gamla Stan, in the university area of Frescati Hage. This urban beach is another very popular cooling-off spot for Stockholmers, located within the sprawling Ekoparken (Royal National City Park) park. A true treat!

Yelizaveta Tomashevska

A Picnic With a View

A 25-minute train ride south of Gamla Stan, on the city's central, highly developed  Södermalm island, Vita Bergen (aka Vitabergsparken, above) is a hilly park built in 1897 as a recreation area for factory workers and today is a beloved picnic spot. In addition, you can wander amidst a number of period buildings; maybe catch a performance at the open-air theatre; and enjoy great views out over the city thanks to the park's relatively elevated terrain. 

F12 Terrassen

At Night and During Festivals, It's Party Time!

After the sun goes down, Södermalm is also known for its lively bar scene and Stureplan for its big clubs showcasing some of Europe's hottest DJs. But in summer locals also take full advantage of the warm weather to flock in the evenings and nights to seasonal terraces and clubs like F12 Terrassen (above).

Another summertime favourite is various festivals. Our top three:Stockholm Pride (marking 25 years this year, and held 31 July-5 August). Attended by hundreds of thousands gay and straight alike, Sweden's (and indeed, Scandinavia's) biggest annual party. There's a big, colourful parade, of course, as well as a slew of late-night club parties, along with its ground zero, Pride Park, which takes over Östermalms IP (a 25-minute train ride north of Gamla Stan) for a rich programme of performances, food and drink, and general merriment.I have a weakness for movies (along with film-location travel - including right here in Stockholm), and it seems many Stockholmers are big film buffs as well, judging from the popularity of this mid-August extravaganza Stockholm Film Festival Summer Cinema, now in its 38th year. The summertime edition, focussing on recent and past classics, is an open-air affair held in beautiful Rålambshovs Park, in the Marieberg neighbourhood of central Stockholm's Kungsholmen island. For more  check out the upcoming events page at VisitStockholm.com.


And speaking of parties, see you here in May '24 when Eurovision returns to Stockholm thanks to singer Loreen's blowout in Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool!