The ‘Three Palace Tour’ takes in the Royal Palace in Stockholm (official residence of the Swedish Royal Family), Drottningholm Palace (their permanent residence), just outside Stockholm and Solliden Palace (their summer residence) on the stunningly beautiful island of Öland off the east coast of Sweden.

The tour starts at the imposing Royal Palace (‘Kungliga slottet’) in Stockholm. It was built in the Roman style by architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and is made up of 600 rooms over seven floors. Very much a working palace, this is where the King and Queen carry out their official business and is´t also home to the Royal Court. The palace is open year-round and its highlights include the Royal Apartments, the Treasury and the Tre Kronor Museum. The palace is situated in Gamla Stan (the ‘Old Town’) with its many historical buildings, cobblestone streets and alleyways.

The second palace on the tour is Drottningholm Palace, designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder (father and son got around a bit obviously). Drottningholm is perhaps Europe’s best-preserved 17th-century palace. It is easy to reach by car or bus, but by far the most civil way of getting there is by boat from just outside Stockholm City Hall (‘Stadshuset’). Drottningholm Palace is very deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage Site and after seeing it you’ll understand why. Highlights of a visit to this beautiful palace include the Court Theatre, unchanged since it was built in 1766, the Chinese Pavilion, and the gardens, which are modelled on the gardens at the palace of Versailles.

For the third and final palace on our tour you travel from the capital city to the uniquely beautiful island of Öland off Sweden’s east coast. Solliden Palace is less ‘palace’ than the other two, being more of an Italian-style country house. This is where the Swedish royals come each summer to holiday, and each year it plays host to the birthday celebrations of Crown Princess Victoria on 14 July. Completed in 1906, Solliden features extensive gardens and parkland for you to enjoy and a new pavilion houses an exhibition on the Swedish royals. There is also a gift shop and a crêperie selling food and refreshments.

For fans of the Swedish Royal Family, the ‘Three Palace Tour’ places the family and its ancestors in a historical and modern-day perspective, and provides an insight into how the family lives, works and relaxes. Into the bargain, the palaces could hardly be more beautiful, especially against the beautiful backdrop of Stockholm and the sunny island of Öland.