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Spread
across 24,000 islets and laced with numerous waterways on the southeastern
coast of Sweden, Stockholm enjoys one of the most stunning locales of any
capital city in the world. Over 30% of the city area is made up of waterways
and another 30% is made up of parks and green spaces, giving Stockholm perhaps
the freshest air and widest lungs of any European capital. This natural oasis
is complemented by the stunning Old Town, which has been very well preserved
over the centuries. This Old Town (or Gamla Stan) is the epicentre of the city,
with countless hotels, bars, restaurants and shops all prospering – as people
in these historical streets have done for centuries.
Away
from the charms of the Old Town, the modern city showcases the neat and
innovative design standards for which Sweden has become globally renowned. Much
of Stockholm's present-day wealth comes from the new light industries, such as
information technology and computing, with world leading companies often
occupying prime real estate in the city centre or filling up the new business
parks on the city fringes. All this is a far cry from the city's humble
beginnings, which stretch back to the 13th century and Birger Jarl – generally
accepted as the founder of the city, although various settlements previously
existed on the site. The city grew up around the Old Town, as Stockholm emerged
as a key trading centre with influence all over the Baltic Sea region and
further afield. Today, Stockholm is a thriving modern European city that exudes
confidence in its strengths and abilities at all levels, be they financial,
cultural, social or gastronomic.
During
the seemingly endless days and bright sunshine of the summer months, the city's
chic boutiques and stylish pavement cafés overflow with affluent,
fashion-conscious people who enjoy the culture and lifestyle that has earned
the Swedish capital rave reviews from Europe's style magazines. Stockholm's
ethnic make-up is, perhaps surprisingly, very eclectic, with over 15%
first-generation immigrants and over 100 languages spoken in the city. This
increasing diversity has infused the city with a renewed vigour and energy, as
the various incoming cultures interact with the indigenous one.
A
quintessential Stockholm summer night is spent bathed in warm sunshine, sitting
at a restaurant by the water's edge, savouring fresh seafood plucked straight
from the waters around Stockholm, before taking advantage of the midnight light
and heading out for a night around the Stureplan, in some of Europe's trendiest
bars. When the long winter does come, it is not all Nordic gloom – the locals
head for the sanctuary of the cosy pubs that line the city. Stockholm has
almost as many restaurants per capita as Paris does, as well as 150 or so
museums and galleries, so there is always plenty to do when the winter chill
sets in. Then there are the severe winters when many of the waterways around
the city freeze up, making ice skating around one of the world's most stunning
capital cities a unique experience.
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