The palace in Stockholm is well worth the SEK 120 admission fee - it was one of the highlights of our stay in the city. For a little extra grandeur and spectacle, try to catch the changing of the guard which takes place at 12.10pm (1.10pm on Sundays).

Slottskajen, Gamla Stan

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Just north of Stockholm is Linnaeus' garden. It is also the 300th anniversary of his birth this year so there are exhibitions about him. He was the man who intoduced the notion of species and genus etc.

www.linnaeus.uu.se/LTeng.html

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Södermalm is the place to go in Stockholm for nightlife, bars and restaurants and the place to see some live music.

Columbus Hotell Tjarhovsgatan 11 is in an historic building 5 minutes walk from Medborgaplatsen T-bana has reasonably priced economic single, double and triple rooms in a 3rd floor annexe which used to be part of a youth hostel in the building as well as more expensive rooms on 1st and 2nd floors for a special treat. Traditional Swedish breakfast is included. Friendly staff, informal atmosphere (www.columbus.se/eng/info.htm)

Pelikan is a traditional Swedish ale-house and restaurant serving home-cooked Swedish specialities. A lot of atmosphere in this historic bar - made even nicer since the smoking ban which came into force last year.(www.pelikan.se/)

Check out Sodrafot cabaret (www.sodrafot.se/). They have a special series of cabaret events coming up on Thursdays in September and October (Teaterhuset Skarpnäcksgårdsväg Hus 10) featuring a band called Lill-Britt-Siv (www.lillbrittsiv.com) and other local cabaret artists. Check out their other events.

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This museum houses the Vasa warship which sunk on its maiden voyage in 1628 and lay on the sea bed in Stockholm harbour until it was raised in 1961. It is a wooden ship with the most amazingly preserved carvings. It is displayed in a sort of half-light to preserve it and very ingeniously the museum is built around the ship with viewing platforms and a reconstruction of life on the ship.

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Gamla Stan is the old town of Stockholm, with narrow cobbled little streets. Lots of medieval history and the Royal Castle, Storkyrkan (oldest church in town), and Stortorget (where the bloodbath of Stockholm took place in the 16th century. Check out the red brick building with white stones on one side of the square - the white stones denote how many people got their head chopped off. Nice!).

There are plenty of medieval cafes to head into for lunch or fika (morning or afternoon tea/coffee break) - sitting sipping hot chocolate in a medieval stone cellar complete with arches and stuff is exciting for most people. Chokladkoppen on Stortorget is always good, and so is Kaffegillet on Trångsund.

Västerlånggatan is the main drag, but sadly quite touristy these days. But if you're in the business of getting some reindeer slippers or the like, this is where to go. Österlånggatan is nicer, with little antiques shops and galleries. Next to Gamla Stan is Riddarholmen, which also has lots of history. The Parliament and the beautiful Riddarholmskyrkan church are located here.

Good places for food/drink:
Pontus in the Green House on Österlånggatan (good for lunch) - traditional Swedish cuisine but with an exotic twist.
Pontus by the Sea on Skeppsbrokajen (good for lunch) - see above.
Grill Ruby on Österlånggatan (lunch) - brasserie.
Källaren Movitz on Tyska Brinken – doesn’t look that special, but the restaurant downstairs is good for Swedish food.
Järnet Matsal & Bar on Österlånggatan is cosy and does good food.
Engelen/Kolingen on Kornhamnstorg - a nice old-school type of place where you're pretty much guaranteed to get a good night out.

Walk from Norrmalm along Drottninggatan towards the Houses of Parliament, or northwards from Slussen.

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Aside from the normal try: the Stadsbiblioteket (national library) on Odengaten. Designed by Gunnar Asplund in 1924-8 a stunning series of spaces lovingly used and preserved. The same architect designed the Southern Cemetery (Skogskyrkogården with metro stop of same name): the chapels are in use so access is difficult although the landscaped grounds are beautiful and reflective.

Asplund worked with Sigurd Lewerentz on the cemetery: the latter designed one his two great churches in southern Stockholm: Markuskyrkan at Bjorkhagen (1958-60): one of the great post war buildings.
If you liked the dark brick modernist space of Markuskyrkan then try Celsing's St Tomas kyrka at Vällingby (1951). Both these churches are right by the suburban metro stops.

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