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The Draw
• Waterways, not highways, providing routes to hopping the 24,000 islands of the Stockholm archipelago
• The playground to Sweden's royal, rich and beautiful, with places like Café Opera offering eye candy and sweet treats to eat
• A modern city that is all about style and status, plus a quiet old town, Gamla Stan, one of the best preserved medieval centers in Europe
The Scene
The capital city borrows little from the casual nature of Sweden's countryside, instead presenting the poise of the gentry who call it home. Sweden may be egalitarian, but here its position as one of the world's wealthiest countries is more visible than its social views. Image is everything to locals, so visitors not looking the part will not be invited into their social circle. Still, Stockholm does offer the nation's top museums, couture shopping, gourmet Scandinavian cuisine and the country's only semblance of nightlife. And its elegant historic shorelines make for stunning scenery during a midsummer sunset.
To Be Seen
• Gamla Stan. The oldest part of Stockholm leads off with the Great Church and the Royal Palace, but its delights lie in the meandering cobblestone streets lined with quaint shops and cozy restaurants.
• Sodermalm. Swedish fashion design is hotter than you may think, and the trendiest is in SoFo, topped by a spectacular view of the rest of the city. This area has rapidly transformed from bohemian to truly chic.
• Djurgarden. The name means "animal park," but its attractions -- Vasa, a 17th-century capsized ship salvaged from the harbor, and the open-air museum Skansen -- are entirely un-zoolike on this lazy island of tall trees and open greens.
• Ostermalm. At the exclusive end of town, it is only high-end shopping and the most regal of strolling locals, especially at the Saluhall, a covered market of culinary delicacies, enviable worldwide.
• Stureplan. This nightlife hot spot is the surest place to meet a Swedish princess out on the town (royalty are less uptight up north). Be sure your concierge gets you on the VIP lists so you can saunter past the velvet ropes.
For The VIP
• Escorts at Arlanda airport lead you from the gate to the VIP lounge, where you can sip a drink and enjoy Swedish cuisine while they take care of passport, customs and baggage details. You exit to a private car waiting just outside the lounge. And at the end of your stay, they do the same, and even shop for your duty-free needs.
• Rent out the Turkish baths at Sturebadet, the oldest and most revered spa in Stockholm. Enjoy the authentic Nordic sauna experience in solitary tranquillity, and complete the cultural experience with an exclusive classic Swedish massage, or any other wrap, scrub or pampering you desire.
• If the luxury of the Grand Hotel is not original enough, you can always rent an island of your own in the Stockholm archipelago. And forget about a mere private yacht tour up the waterways -- try a seaplane or speedboat to transport you to your abode.
Overrated
Norrmalm shopping. The crowded main artery of Stockholm shopping offers little more than shops and department stores that could be found elsewhere.
Underrated
Stockholm in the snow. The winter may be dark and long, but a bright white blanket of snow covers the city like a fairy tale and lights up the days and nights. Ice skate across the waterways, cross-country ski or try icy outdoor swimming -- and then warm up with a holiday favorite, glog, warm mulled wine.
Don't Miss
Absolut ICEBAR. Everything, yes, everything, is made of ice, even the glasses and plates. Enjoy a three-course meal of Swedish delicacies, an ice-sculpting lesson with a professional ice artist or a vodka on (what else) the rocks. Parkas provided at the door.
When To Go
June through September. In the summer, the sun seems never to set, and Stockholmers (those not at their Bergman-esque country cabins, at least) never go to bed.
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