Discover the beauty of Stockholm with Virtual Tours and Maps
Considered one of the most beautiful cities all around the world, Stockholm has a real lot to offer. Creative and yet historical, artistical and trendy, Stockholm is always on the move, in perpetual evolution.The beauty it has to offer can be seen everywhere, from nature to museums; from art to design; from day to nightlife. So, as the hospitable people there would say "Välkommen till Stockholm"...
Capital of Sweden, Stockholm has been the political as well as the economic center of the country since the 17th century, when it was transformed in capital of the kingdom of Sweden meanwhile gaining monopoly over trades. Even if there were some moments of stagnation, due either to Black Death or to the Great Northern War, in the half of the 19th century the city had an important economic role and, in the 20th century, it transformed in a technologically-advanced and modern capital that keeps growing and was elected - in 1998 - the Capital of Culture in Europe.
Lying on 14 islands, Stockholm is located on the Strömmen Strait, between the Baltic Sea and the Lake Mälaren. Its waters are so clean and crystaline that - during summer - many citizens and tourists go to Långholmen - city center - in order to take a bath. The center is divided into four quarters: Gamla Stan (old Town), City, Blasieholmen and Skeppsholmen and Djurgården. In the outskirts Malmarna, Kungsholmen and other neighbordhoods.
Gamla Stan is the part of the city in which it could well seem that time has stopped by, with its small alleys (search for Mårten Trotzigs Gränd!) , ancient buildings, government ones, churches, small bookshops, medieval cantinas (transformed in restaurant or cafés) and castle. Formed by three islands connected by bridges, Gamla Stan has a lot to offer. In "its" Slottsbacken hill in fact, there is the Royal Palace, Kungliga Slottet, with its Küngsträdgårten. It's exactly there that you can watch the changing of the guard or the royal parades. The palace can be visited: today it's used only as an office by the King and Queen, but it's still where official ceremonies take place. Nearby, the Kungliga Myntkabinettet with a massive collection of the historical coins (among which the coin of Queen Christina: a coin of 19.7 kg); the Obelisque by Desprez, the Axel Oxenstiernas Palats (with its unusual architecture for the city), and the Storkyrkan. Built in the XIII century, the church has a great national importance: it's there that Olaus Petri spread his message, it's here that regal ceremonies take place. The Riddarhuset is among the most beautiful buildings in Stockholm. Built in 1641 - 1647, it's a magnificent example of baroque architecture, and was used by the nobles for their mundane meetings. Either outside or inside, several treasures can be found. Stortorget is the heart of Gamla Stan, where people used to meet in the past either to watch those condemned to the pillory, or to market. It's here that the Bloodbath of Stockholm took place in 1520 and it is here that people meet today to unwind, in front of the building of the Stock Exchange and Swedish academy (where - every year - the ceremony of the Nobel prizes is held. So said, do not forget to visit the Nobel Museum). Before leaving the Gamla Stan, pay a visit to the Birger Jarls Torn, to which a legend of the birth of the city is connected; to the Birger Jarls Torg, where the Riddarholmskyrkan is, and to the Riksgatan where the Riksbank and the Riksdagshuset (Parliament) are. The buildings were inaugurated in the XX century but the building that currently hosts the Parliament is another.
A huge lists of things to do awaits you in the City, as soon as you cross the bridges. The area is the one that was built directly after Gamla Stan, in the XVIII century, for the bourgeoisie and the nobility. As a commercial and economical place, it offers the best boutiques of Stockholm and - at the same time - a lot of must see such as museums, churches and public buildings. Kungsträdgården, with its lime trees is the place where festivals, musical's and street's performances are organized...but - if it happens that you're visiting Stockholm in winter - you will see ice-rings. Nearby, the Kungliga Operan, inaugurated in 1782 and restored during the years (do not miss the chance to watch a theatre piece there). Not far away, the Sergels Torg is an impressive idea born in the 50s with an obelisque at the center of the plaza that in the night is illuminated. The Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern dates back to the beginning of the last century: the money to built it was collected using lotteries and the sum exceeded any expectation: no wonder that the decorations either inside or outside are jaw-dropping. The Hallwylska Palatset, on the other hand, is an impressive collection of objets d'art collected by the von Hallwyl and herited by the State: tapestries, pianos, paintings. Before leaving the city, by the way, do not forget to visit some "shopping highlights" such as the Sturegallerian - a commercial center - or the Östermalmshallen, a gastronomical temple, inaugurated in 1888.
Blasieholmen and Skeppsholmen are lively with their nightlife, art galleries, hotels. Connected by suggestive bridged, as the Skeppsholmbron, the zone offers the Arkitekturmuseet, where the most important landmarks models can be found; the Moderna Museet, with an impressive collection of masterpieces by De Chirico, Nils Dardet and Picasso; and the Nationalmuseet, which hosts works by Watteau, Sergel, Rembrandt and Roslin. On Västra Brobänken the boat you will see - Af Chapman - is today a renown youth hostel.
Djurgården was - in the past- the hunt reserve of the king. Today almost nothing has changed, since it remains mainly a green zone, where you will have the chance to spend the day either in the nature, or visiting some other museums, such as the Vasamuseet, the Nordiska Museet or Waldemarsudde. Vasamuseet is a museum born by the recovery of the war vessel Vasa, built in the 17th century and lost to the sea after only 0.7 NM of navigation. You will have the chance to fully appreciate the incredible works that have been performed to have the vessel as it originally was, without missing the prow, where a sculptured lion, chiseled after the nickname of the king, is waiting to be admired. Nordiska Museet offers another kind of "tour". If in the Vasamuseet you could image life onboard a vessel, here you will have the chance to discover Swedish everyday's life from the XVI century onwards: From the art of laying the table, to the dresses; from the toys to a collection of paintings by August Strindberg.
Waldemarsudde offers a collection of art either created or collected by Prince Eugen at the turn-of-the-19th-century. The park of the villa contains sculptures by Rodin, Bourdelle and Carl Milles. As we said, Djurgården doesn't mean museums only, but nature too and it's with Skansen that there is a marriage between the two. Conceived in 1891, the "garden museum" shows several examples of how the population lived before the Industrial Revolution. Inside, the Seglora Church, built in 1729, shows several interesting decorations and is, still today, where a number of marriages are celebrated. Do not miss to visit the Skansen's bears, the rose garden, the Alvrosgården and the Bredablick tower.
Even out of the city center several interesting things can be visited. To start with, the Etnografiska Museet, a massive exhibition of objects from any part of the world, brought to Sweden since the XVIII century. Masks, totems, chinese costumes, statues of Buddha. And - to unwind - a tea room, where the tea ceremony takes place. Kungsholmen will impress you with the Stadshuset. The building was completed in 1923 and designed by Östberg. Inside, 250 offices for the Administration and some interesting ones, as the Golden Room or the Blue Room. When tired of buildings, take a rest in the Hagaparken and appreciate the hundreds of butterflies and exotic birds flying around the Fjärils and Fågelhuset; drink a coffee at the Koppartälten (a reproduction of the Roman military tents), or alternatively, visit either the Ekotemplet (used as a dining room by the King, and built in 1790), or the Haga Slott (where the young king lived and where today official receptions take place) and the pavillon of Gustav III or, finally, the Vasaslätten.
Södermalm has a certain allure in itself, since by its hills the panoramas on the city are impressive. There, the Slussen is a quite complex traffic system, ideated at the turn of the last century, in order to defeat traffic. So, as you walk in the direction of the Stockholm Stadsmuseum, do not forget to give a glance to the floodgates by Ericsson. Katarina Kyrka is just five minutes away by foot. Built on the project of Jean de la Vallée, with the altar at the center, the church has been destroyed several times by fire, and the restorations in the 90s were perfomed using the craftmanship of the past. Fjällgatan is considered among the most beautiful streets of Stockholm. Walk along the cobblestoned street, in order to reach the panoramic point from which you will have a breathtaking panorama of the city and its waters. And...do not forget to look for the Montelius Vägen, since from there the panorama is unbeatable. South of Stockholm, there is the Globen, built in 1989. With an annual program of at least 125 events, it's the biggest building built as a sphere in the world. Many concerts have been held here, with Sinatra, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and, last but not least, several manifestations such as the Hockey World Cup of 1989.
Do not fear to leave Stockholm for excursions too. The natural landscape, the castles and the several villages (among which some from the Prehistoric Age) will for sure allure you: so...get a steam boat and get the best out of your trip. Drottningholm surely deserves a visit. Part of the Unesco, the palace was built at the end of XVII century on the sketches of Tessin the Old and completed by Tessin the Young. Even if parts of it are nowadays used by the Royal family, some others can be visited. So, do not miss the Baroque Garden, with the statue of Hercules, the Chinese Pavillon (built in 1753 as a present for the Queen Louisa Ulrika by the king Adolf Frederick) and - similarly - do not miss Queen Louisa Ulrika's library and Queen Hedvige Eleonora's bedroom.
For sure, Stockholm will win over any expectations you had had...
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