Nordic coolness and one of Europe's most beautiful waterfronts
Stockholm is an overlooked holiday destination and a delight for all senses. So far away and yet so close, the Swedish capital reminds us of Copenhagen, Berlin and Paris all at once. Although this is a city all of its own, Gamla Stan, with its quaint, winding streets and old houses, forms the centre of what is known as the Venice of the North. To the south is the quiet and bohemian Södermalm, to the north is the lovely Normalm, Östermalm and Klara. The latter was levelled and coldly rebuilt in the 1970s, but the rest of the city has been able to retain its original elegance.
Gamla stan
No visit to Stockholm is complete without a little jaunt to Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s original centre. On the Stortorget you will find the characteristic medieval houses. Among the brightly coloured houses that look like big LEGO bricks, it’s hard to imagine that this is where the Stockholm Bloodbath, one of the black chapters in Danish history, took place.