Travel to Norway

Day 11 Karlstad - Stockholm (400 Km.)

(in 400 Km.) Stockholm: The capital of Sweden is built on 14 islands where Lake Mälaren empties into the Baltic Sea. A green oasis where water covers one third of the surface area of the city, the rest is covered with quaint buildings and skyscrapers of glass, interspersed with steel structures. Bridges, docks and locks linking the different parts of this Viking village, decorated also with the most beautiful parks and nature reserves. The city is divided into several areas: Gamla Stan, Norrmalm, Södermalm, Östermalm, Vasastan, Kungsholmen y Djurgården.

OLD TOWN (GAMLA STAN)

Among the highlights is mandatory to visit Gamla Stan, the Old town, located on a group of islands, with narrow streets, restaurants, typical shops and art galleries. The architecture of this part of the town mixes harmoniously medieval monasteries with magnificent facades of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, while it looks modern and vibrant city. Here you can find a lot of places of interest.

The center of the city is Stortorget, embryo of a rich trading port due to the export of tar. It is a small square but highly active. Around it there are numerous commercial houses. Just here is the Stockholms Fondbörs, where annually meets the Swedish Academy to award the Nobel Prize for Literature. At his side is the Gothic Cathedral of Stockholm, Storkyrkan, dating from the fifteenth century. Formerly in this place Swedish kings were crowned. Also in this place lies the famous wooden sculpture of St. George and the Dragon (1489), whose work belongs to Bernt Notker of Lübeck. You can also see the Parhelio of 1520, the oldest representation of the city.

The royal palace, Kungliga Slottet, is a granite building of clearly Baroque inspiration that dates from the eighteenth century. Has over 600 rooms and several interesting museums including the Museum of Antiquities, the royal apartments, with furniture and Gobelin tapestries, the Royal Armory and the Treasury of the Crown Jewels. From here you get a nice view of the Baltic. After visiting the palace can cross to Helgeandsholmen for visit the Parliament, Riksdahshuset, a stone structure of the nineteenth century.

Another prominent building is the House of Knights, Riddarhuset, built in the seventeenth century in German Baroque style. From here you have to cross a bridge to get to the The Knights´ Islet, Riddarholmen, where you can admire one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm, the Riddarholmskyrkan, a franciscan monastery from the thirteenth century where resting many Sweden monarchs. Not far away is the Supreme Court, Svea Hovrätt.

The views that can be seen from the pier of the bay are magnificent. Before leaving the old town should be given a tour on the Svartmangatan street, surrounded by old buildings to reach the German Church, Tyska Kyrkan.

MODERN CITY (NORRMALM)

The new Stockholm comes alive in Norrmalm, the New Town. Here the city changes its appearance to dress in with the most modern and functional buildings. The center is Sergels Torg, where are located many points of interest such as The House of Culture, Kulturhuset, a theater, a library, an exhibition hall and a restaurant. A few meters makes its appearance on the Haymarket, Hötorget, a major center of commerce. But without doubt, one of the most pleasant places is the Park Kungsträdgården, a beautiful green area in the city surrounded by gardens, restaurants and coffees. When the weather is nice hosts open-air concerts and events.

Taking a walk you can access to Nybroplan, for visit the Royal Dramatic Theater, where Ingmar Bermang exposed his works.

Taking the way that leads to the pier of Blasieholmshamnen is reaching to the National Museum, which houses an important collection of painters like Rembrandt, for example.

A pedestrian bridge connects with the island of Skeppsholmen, where you can visit the East-Asian museum and the Museum of Modern Art which is the work of many contemporary artists such as Picasso, Modigliani and Dali. From this island you can access to another smaller island, Kastellholmen, a nice place to stroll and to admire the view afforded by the wide horizon.