Sweden’s exciting capital city Stockholm is undoubtedly one of the highlights of a cruise of the Baltic. The city is surrounded by water and has a fantastic position within a beautiful archipelago. Stockholm’s archipelago is vastly expansive and has more than 30,000 islands and islets.
The islands are all different shapes and sizes. Many have homes built on them of which the majority are holiday homes for the people of Stockholm to escape to in the warm summer months. Some of the islands are large and have miniature communities living on them, almost like little villages.
Quite Cool to Take A Bus!
Others are small and have only one house on them. Do you think you’d want to live in a house on an isolated island? I think it would be quite cool to have to take a boat everywhere although perhaps I might think differently during the long winter months that Stockholm has where temperatures are low and much of the archipelago freezes.
There are many different companies that offer small boat trips around the archipelago and it’s actually a really great way to get around. Most companies offer hop-on hop-off services which allow you to stop and explore different islands and areas of the city. You can even get to Gröna Lund Amusement Park, which is on one of the islands, by boat. Perfect if you’re travelling with children!
Another great place you can get to by boat or otherwise in Stockholm is the Vasa Museum which displays the only almost completely intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged. It’s said to be the most visited museum in Scandanavia and for good reason. It’s pretty fascinating to learn about the Vasa ship, the people who sailed on it and their life on board.
The Royal Palace
My favourite part of Stockholm is the Gamla Stan, the most well preserved medieval city centres in the world. In this area you’ll find The Royal Palace, where you can watch the parade of the soldier as part of the daily changing of the guards. Get there early though as it’s quite popular and gets crowded.
There’s lots to do in Stockholm for people of all ages and of all interests. It’s a great city for people interested in museums and culture, for those interested in shopping (and window shopping!), and for those who simply want to explore as much as they can on foot.
One of the best parts of visiting Stockholm on a cruise holiday is sailing into or away from port through the beautiful, natural archipelago. It’s a really enjoyable sail with some wonderful scenery that you’ll love.
Thanks Emma