Stockholm

Stockholm is one of  Europe’s most entrancing cities.  Using Stockholm as a base, you can capture the flavor of Sweden’s rural beauty by taking wonderful day trips into the countryside. Stockholm is built on a series of islands.  Allow plenty of time to do justice to the many sights of Stockholm before sampling the countryside.  There are many historical places to visit and fascinating boat trips to take.

Stockholm is spread across 14 islands in the Baltic Sea. The oldest part of the town, called GAMLA STAN or Old Town, is located on one of the smallest of the islands. This is certainly one of the most charming parts of Stockholm. Here you find the ROYAL PALACE (open to the public on guided tours) and the 700-year-old STOCKHOLM CATHEDRAL (in the center of the Old Town atop a hill). It is great fun to wander the narrow little streets, browse through boutiques, stop for a cup of tea in a quaint cafe or discover a fabulous tiny restaurant.

A short walk across a bridge takes you from the Old Town to the "New". The majestic GRAND HOTEL faces the harbor where the dock in front of the hotel is lined with boats, each with a sign in front explaining which sightseeing tour they operate. Probably no other city has such a fascinating selection of boat tours available: UNDER THE BRIDGES Of STOCKHOLM criss-crosses back and forth under Stockholm’s many bridges, ARCHIPELAGO CRUISE takes you through the archipelago, DROTTNINGHOLM goes to the 17th-century Drottningholm Palace, residence of the Royal Family, and also to see the 18^th century theater nearby, VAXHOLM takes you by boat to Vaxholm, a nearby yachting center, with time for lunch and shopping before returning to Stockholm.

A daytrip to UPPSALA can be taken on a bus tour, but this stunning old city can also be reached independently. To do it on your own, take the M/S SKOKLOSTER from the harbor at 9:45 am (ask at the tourist office for the correct pier), arriving in SIGTUNA at 12: 15 pm. Sigtuna, dating back to the 11th century, is one of Sweden’s most charming villages. You may want to end your boat ride here, have lunch and return-on the 3:30 pm boat to Stockholm. However, the M/S Skokloster continues on to ROSERSBERG PALACE, a royal palace since 1757. Here you can sightsee and transfer to the 4:00 pm boat arriving in Uppsala at 5:30 pm.  Uppsala is a 700-year-old university town of beautiful medieval buildings set on twisting streets by a river.  Explore the town, have dinner, then take one of trains that frequently run to Stockholm.

If you are traveling with children, or if the child in you loves quaint boats and trains, take a day’s excursion to MARIEFRED. (Ask at the central tourist office in Stockholm to verify times and reservation procedures.) The journey is like a Disneyland adventure. First you travel by a quaint little steamboat to the idyllic hamlet of Mariefred, one of Sweden’s most attractive little villages. As you chug up to the dock, you will see the GRIPSHOLMS VARDSHUS adjacent to the harbor. This is an excellent place to eat lunch. After a snack, follow the path around the lake to GRIPSHOLM CASTLE. This fabulous castle, on its own little island, exhibits Europe’s largest collection of portraits. After visiting the castle, retrace your steps to the harbor and board the quaint little vintage "toy" train for the short ride to LAGGESTA where you connect with the modern train which whisks you back to Stockholm.

An overnight boat excursion (leaving at 9:30 am) is available which winds through the inner islands of Stockholm and then enters the Stromma Canal to SANDHAMN, a summer resort famous as the home of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club. This 17th-century village with its closely huddled houses and narrow lanes has a simple hotel, the SANDHAMN, where you overnight before returning to Stockholm the next day on the 6:00 pm boat.