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Stockholm (Swedish: [ˈstɔ̂kː (h)ɔlm] ⓘ) [10] is the capital and most populous city of the Kingdom of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately 1 million people live in the municipality, [11] with 1.6 million in the urban area, [12] and 2.4 million in the metropolitan area. [11]
Oct 15, 2024 · Stockholm, capital and largest city of Sweden. Stockholm is located at the junction of Lake Malar and Salt Bay, an arm of the Baltic Sea, opposite the Gulf of Finland. It is built upon numerous islands as well as the mainland of Uppland and Sodermanland.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Stockholm is Sweden 's capital and largest city, with nearly a million inhabitants in the city, and 2.4 million within Stockholm County. The inner city is made up of 14 islands across Lake Mälaren and three streams into the brackish Baltic Sea, with the Stockholm archipelago with some 24,000 islands, islets and skerries.
- Overview
- An evolving city
- Insider tips
The Swedish capital’s character has been shaped by water over the centuries — and life on this scattering of islands continues to be dominated by it.
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
The history of Stockholm is one of ebbs and flows, freezes and thaws, sunken ships and shifting locks. History, though, isn’t exactly at the forefront of my mind 20 minutes into a morning kayak tour, when I’m frantically paddling against the frothy, destabilising wake dispatched by a passing city ferry.
“Always look both ways before crossing the lake!” shouts our guide, Leon, as we breathlessly reach one edge of the freshwater expanse and pivot our kayaks to face the skyline. It’s an epic scene: the gilded crowns topping City Hall; the mint-hued spire of the German Church; the imposing brick structure of former brewery Münchenbryggeriet. All of it, in every direction, underlined by blue.
People talk about Venice and Amsterdam as being defined by their canals, but the DNA of Stockholm is every bit as watery. A patchwork of islands set on the edge of 75-mile-long freshwater Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea, its landscape was shaped by the last Ice Age, when glaciers compressed soils to below water levels. Over time, the terrain began to re-emerge from the depths, forming the 14 islands that now make up the city.
Leon, a guide for local tour operator Stockholm Adventures, leads paddling tours between some of them. Over two hours, we cruise the leafy, sun-dappled channel between Långholmen and Södermalm, past rows of polished wooden pleasure crafts, and skirt along the swan-dotted waterways between Kungsholmen and Norrmalm.
Stockholm hums with summer-evening energy. Making the most of the warmth, I spend an hour walking west along the waterfront, passing the columned Nationalmuseum, along manicured Kungsträdgården, over to City Hall. At the water’s edge, there are historic barges converted into floating hostels for travellers and sightseeing boats pushing off from the docks for sunset tours. Eventually, I hit a lakeside park, where runners trot along and trees cast shadows across pathways.
It’s dinner time, so I head to popular waterside bar Mälarpaviljongen nearby. I pass through its bloom-fragranced gardens to a floating glass-encased drinking area, filled with off-duty Swedes loosening their proverbial ties over frosty beers. With the lake waters as a backdrop, I settle in with a räksmörgås (an open-faced sandwich topped with hardboiled egg, mayo, lettuce and a heap of tiny prawns).
Left: Räksmörgås (an open-faced sandwich topped with hardboiled egg, mayo, lettuce and a heap of tiny prawns) is one of Malarpaviljongen's best-known dishes.
Right: Like its namesake, Under Kastanjen cafe offers an outside dining experience 'under the Chestnut tree' in Gamla Stan.
Photographs by Simon Bajada
My walk has shown Stockholm’s waterfront is a landscape in flux. In any city, change is part of the equation — but it’s particularly true for those built on water. Even now, Stockholm’s topography is still bouncing back from the Ice Age’s glacial compression, making adaptation a constant feature of life here. Its islands are rising out of the water at a rate of up to nine millimetres a year — so around once a century, the city locks, which manage the flow of water from the lake into the harbour, are updated to keep pace. The current project at Slussen, the lock area connecting Gamla Stan with fashionable, restaurant-filled Södermalm island, is due to be completed in 2025.
Swedes love caffeine and are famous for their fika (social coffee breaks). Decaf coffee and herbal teas can be hard to come by in some cafes, so consider packing your own if you have a strong preference.
In winter, some waterways take on a whole new character as they become natural skating rinks. If you’re interested in getting involved, check with the locals where it’s safe to go. Stockholm Adventures rents out ice skating equipment and also runs guided tours.
Ferry schedules can vary depending on the time of year, with the most frequent services typically in the peak summer period of July and early August. Check routes with your hotel to ensure you can get where you want, when you want.
Like elsewhere in Scandinavia, salted liquorice is a local obsession. Visit Lakritsroten to stock up on edible souvenirs; its salted liquorice and raspberry ice cream is unmissable.
(How to spend a day in Stockholm.)
This story was created with the support of Visit Stockholm and Visit Sweden.
Stockholm is built upon 14 islands, and you can go by boat between the islands with a public transport ticket. Stockholm is known as one of the most inclusive and welcoming cities in the world. Its contemporary, urban appeal is balanced with closeness to nature.
Article History. Stockholm, län (county) of east-central Sweden. It lies along the Baltic Sea and surrounds Stockholm, the national capital and seat of the län ’s governor, yet is administratively separate from that city. The län includes parts of the traditional landskap (provinces) of Södermanland (south) and Uppland (north).
Mar 29, 2023 · Sweden country profile. 29 March 2023. Sweden's position as one of the world's most highly developed post-industrial societies looks fundamentally secure. Unemployment is low and the economy...
