Stockholm – The green city on the water

The city is beautiful to behold from where the Baltic Sea stretches into its centre, but is particularly exciting to explore on foot or by bike.

One has the impression of being in a tranquil, serene and relaxing environment. Certainly, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of what we have come to associate with city life, namely pollution, car congestion and lack of organisation. Stockholm is the very antithesis of all the hustle and bustle of city life. 

Its quietness and a feeling of calm are its unique attractions. The city is built around the sea, and its shoreline includes prosperous buildings showing the very wealth of the city. It boasts having been at peace for two hundred years following years of war with its arch enemies: Russia, Poland and Denmark.

One is immediately and pleasantly shocked at the contrast between one’s perceptions of the city as a small rustic capital of a cold country to the far north, with the reality of a city with a rich cultural heritage surrounded by clear and clean water and unspoilt countryside.

There cannot be another city divided in three parts by water, greenery and land. Its 810-year-old history has not only produced beautiful buildings but also an environment, which is standard setting, and state of the art.

Imagine just for one moment if our own country had been equally well-planned, with a balance between sea, land and buildings, where no building is more than three hundred meters away from an open space. What a more tranquil and calm atmosphere would reign! No wonder Stockholm is often referred to as the ‘Venice of the north’, built on 14 islands surrounded by the clear waters of lake Malaren and Saltsjon.

The green city on the water offers a remarkable experience, and thanks to its quaysides and waterways, it offers a number of nature activities not normally associated with city life. This is only made possible owing to its pollution-free environment. In this regard, it’s the little things that leave a lasting impression, amongst which the lack of paper or dirt in the streets, the cyclist lanes with their own traffic light organisation, the organisation of public transport, all help to make one’s visit a memorable one. Its affluence is reflective in 80% of Swedes, owning a second home and an average wage of €3,000 per month.

What to see in Stockholm?

A quick look at places of interest include the Vasa museum, one of 70 museums where the impressive 17th century Royal warships are worth a visit. An informative video that highlights the restoration of the Vasa to its original appearance is worth a watch. It is fascinating to discover how the low salt content of the water saved the ship’s timber – which came from more than one thousand oak trees – from attacks from shipworms.

Fitting the 13,500 loose pieces was like doing a jigsaw puzzle without a picture, as there were no detail designs to follow. The final salvage operation produced more than 700 sculptured figures and carved ornaments.

The Royal palace, together with the royal apartments, is worth a visit. The king and the queen have their offices at the palace, where they hold audiences with visiting dignitaries as well as official ceremonies. The changing of the guard is the most popular tourist event at midday in the outer courtyard.

Exploring the Royal palace involves walking through grand rooms of lavish furnishings and priceless works of art and craftsmanship. The Bernadette apartment, the hall of state the royal chapel, the museum of antiques and the treasury all make visiting the Royal palace an uplifting experience.

The town hall is probably the country’s biggest architectural project of the 20th century. Today, it has become the symbol of the city, and it displays northern gothic and northern Italian schools of architecture. The magnificent council chamber is where 101 councillors meet. The annual Noble Prize festivities take place in the Blue Hall and the Golden Hall.

The top ten sights

If visiting for just a few days be sure not to miss the Stadshuset, the Nordiska museum, the Historiska museum, the Nationl museum, the Royal palace and its guard, the Vasa museum,the Stockholm archipelago, the Drottningholm and Skansen. If you make it a point of visiting during the months of June, July or August and you will not be disappointed.

Its nightlife, bars cafes, restaurants are fun, classy and exceptionally elegant.

Social welfare and political correctness

The social welfare system in Sweden, catering for its citizens from the cradle to the grave, is financed by a high taxation system of 25% VAT and 50% taxation for households enjoying income of over €40,000 annually.

It is very far reaching, with nine-month maternal and paternal leave, a generous baby allowance to encourage births which has led to Sweden, having the highest birth rate in Europe. Sweden, renowned for its political correctness, is the first country to introduce neutral royal succession law.

Sweden is a country where 47% of members of parliament are women, a very secular country, a Protestant Lutheran country with a clear separation between church and state. Its democratic credentials ensure that the king has absolutely no say in political matters where all the powers vest in government and parliament.

The country is very safety conscious, with bus drivers checking their own alcohol levels prior to igniting their buses. Sweden has the highest number of single persons and also boasts the most multicultural diversity, since many South Americans reached Sweden after fleeing from dictatorships in the seventies.

How to get to Stockholm?

There are connecting flights between Malta and Stockholm on Scandinavian airlines SAS every Sunday and Thursday to Arlanda airport.

Commenting on the SAS flights, Anders Lindstrom, PR Director Scandinavian airlines,  stated that “the route has proved successful.”

He acknowledged that the route is primarily aimed at Swedes and Scandinavians wanting to visit Malta on holiday, but he was very encouraged by the numbers of Maltese using this route who are finding Stockholm a very popular destination, especially during the summer months. He explained that this route is scheduled as a summer destination but “if there is sufficient demand for winter traffic, we will of course extend the time table to the winter months.”