Author: John Parks
Source: ezinearticles.com
As the capital city of Sweden and also its largest, Stockholm is full of life and character. It is situated on fourteen islands on Sweden’s East Coast at the meeting point of the Baltic Sea and Lake Malaren, and the abundance of scenic waterways has led to the city being dubbed “The Venice of the North”. The city is composed of about one-third water and one-third park, giving it a very balanced mix of beauty and utility.
Due to Stockholm’s location in the far north, the city experiences differing amounts of daylight, from only six hours of daylight in the winter to about eighteen during the summer months. However, Stockholm is not as cold as one might imagine given its northerly location. In fact, the summer temperatures are surprisingly warm at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the winter average is close to 30 degrees. Although it rains frequently, there is not very much snow in this part of Sweden in the winter.
Stockholm is a very modern city and technological center. The Swedish government and monarchy are based here. As the country’s financial center, a number of companies and Swedish banks are headquartered in the city such as Ericsson and Swedbank, as well as the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Stockholm enjoys extremely clean air for a city of its size due to the lack of factories.
There is plenty for the many tourists who are attracted to Stockholm each year to do. In fact, one could fill up an entire trip here with visits to museums alone- the city boasts around one hundred museums. Among these is the world’s first open-air museum, the Skansen, which is a collection of various buildings and scenes which display Sweden’s rich history and culture. A visit to the Drottningholm Palace is reminiscent of a fairy tale palace, with tremendous luxury and architecture surrounded by lush gardens. Stockholm also has a well-rounded theater community as well as the famous Grona Lund amusement park.
The public transportation system in Stockholm is very well-connected and easy to use. Options include urban and suburban rail, bus lines, metro, light rail, and boat lines. One can also travel directly from Stockholm to locations in Finland, Estonia, and Latvia via ferry.
There are a number of annual events that take place in Stockholm. The Stockholm Marathon, held in June, is considered one of the best marathons in the world. There is also the Stockholm Jazz Festival held every July. In December, the city is host to the Nobel Banquet and ceremony where the prestigious Nobel prizes are announced.
Stockholm is a very exciting city that is full of surprises. It is active and bustling yet clean and peaceful. It is modern and on the cutting edge, yet full of culture and history. The weather is relatively mild and there is always something interesting happening throughout the year. And with its stunning layout across the islands in the water, it is equally breathtaking during the day as well as when it is lit up at night and truly earns its nickname as “The Venice of the North.”
For more information on Stockholm, Sweden visit http://stockholmmicroblog.com and http://swedenmicroblog.com