Stockholm

Wander the cobbled lanes of one of Europe's best-preserved medieval centres to Stortorget, the tiny main square ringed by the famous row of narrow, candy-coloured houses. Touristy but genuinely gorgeous — go early or late to have the alleys to yourself.

An entire 17th-century warship, almost wholly intact — it sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised 333 years later, now towering in its own museum, all carved and blackened oak. Stockholm's must-see, and one of the most extraordinary things in any museum anywhere.

One of the largest palaces in Europe still in use by a monarch, filling the north end of the old-town island — state rooms, the treasury and crown jewels, and a daily changing of the guard. Grand and central; time your visit for the noon ceremony.

The red-brick landmark on the Kungsholmen waterfront where the Nobel Prize banquet is held each December — the golden Byzantine hall, the great Blue Hall, and a tower you climb for a sweeping view over the water and the old town. Guided tour only, and worth it.

The world's oldest open-air museum, on Djurgården — a whole old Sweden of farms, workshops and townhouses staffed in period dress, plus a zoo of Nordic animals from bears to elk. Part living-history, part park; a lovely, easy half-day, especially with kids.

The northern edge of Söder rises in a cliff above the water, and the walk along Monteliusvägen and Fjällgatan gives the classic postcard view — the old town, the palace and the spires across the glittering bay. The city's best free panorama; go at sunset.

A superb contemporary photography museum in an old customs house on the Söder waterfront — big-name shows, a buzzing top-floor café-bar with a knockout view, and late opening hours. As much a night out as a gallery; one of Stockholm's coolest spots.

A joyful, interactive shrine to Sweden's greatest export on Djurgården — the costumes, the gold discs, a recording booth and a stage where you perform with holograms of the band. Unashamed fun, and irresistible whether you're a superfan or just curious.

A small, sharp museum on the old-town square telling the story of the prize and its laureates — the ideas, the lives, and the odd artefact — in the city where the awards are decided and given. A thoughtful hour, and the Bistro's laureate-signed chairs are a delight.

A magnificent 1888 brick food hall in Östermalm — stalls of Baltic herring, reindeer, cheese and shellfish under a soaring roof, with counters to sit and eat the very best of it. The tastiest, most beautiful place to graze in Stockholm; come hungry.

The city's beloved central park square — cherry blossom in spring, open-air concerts and cafés in summer, an ice rink in winter, always something on. The green living room of downtown Stockholm; a good place to sit, people-watch and take the city's pulse.

The national plate done right — köttbullar with lingonberry, cream sauce and mash — followed by the sacred Swedish fika: a coffee and a cardamom or cinnamon bun. Do both properly at an old-school café; cheap, cosy comfort in an expensive city.

The narrowest street in Stockholm — a stepped alley just 90 centimetres wide, squeezed between two old-town houses. A quick, fun detour and a favourite photo, and a good excuse to lose yourself in the quietest lanes of Gamla Stan.

Downtown's long pedestrian shopping spine, running north from the old town past department stores, buskers and cafés. Not the prettiest street in town, but the everyday pulse of shopping Stockholm, and a handy walk that links the centre to the islands.

The tangle of streets south of Folkungagatan on Söder — 'SoFo' — is where Stockholm drinks and eats out: craft-beer bars, natural wine, small-plate restaurants and a laid-back, local crowd. The city's best night out, far from the tourist trail.

The green royal island holding half the city's best museums plus woods, cafés and a rose garden — a whole day's wander, on foot or by rental bike.

24,000 islands begin at the quay — hop a ferry to a rocky isle for a swim, a seafood lunch and a nap. The Stockholm summer, distilled.

The royal family's lakeside home, a UNESCO baroque palace with a Chinese pavilion and an original 18th-century theatre. A pretty boat ride from the centre.

Ride 'the world's longest art gallery' — cave-like stations painted in rainbows, blue vines and Roman ruins. A day pass and an afternoon underground is pure joy.

A clifftop walkway on Södermalm with the definitive postcard of Gamla Stan and the City Hall across the water. Best at sunset, with a coffee.