The city is built on fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows out into the Baltic Sea and the Stockholm Archipelago – a unique maritime landscape of more than 24,000 islands. In the centre are Gamla Stan (the Old Town) and Riddarholmen, two islands that together make up Northern Europe’s largest and best-preserved medieval city core, with a history dating back to the 13th century. Gamla Stan is home to the imposing Royal Palace (Northern Europe´s largest), several beautiful churches, narrow, picturesque streets and alleys, and an abundance of shops, restaurants, bars and cafés.

The districts of Norrmalm, Södermalm and Kungsholmen abound with buildings from the 18th to the early 20th centuries, and further out are the more modern fringes and suburbs. The annual rings of the city are easy to identify, but throughout Stockholm the new blends with the historical, the original and the sophisticated, creating textures of great character and charm.

Perhaps more than any other city of its size, what is so special about Stockholm is its natural location, its waterways and its parks. To the north, south, east and west are lakes, sea and forest. Even the city centre is criss-crossed by vast open water and wonderful parks, forests and walking areas, filled with historical sights and attractions.