I can thank the Port Lecturer, Leanne, for saving me some more money here! Once I noted that there were 2 frequent bus routes from near the Cruise Terminal into the city, I decided to do my own thing here. Again, the transport system is easy, just tap your card and go. I was here 10 years ago, and used the Hop On Hop Off Bus and Ferry to get around. Feeling slightly less energetic today, I decided to just walk around the Old Town, called Gamla Stan.

The ‘sail-in’ to Stockholm is a magical experience, as Sweden is a patchwork of 267,000 islands, rocks and skerries that dissolve out into Baltic Sea; about 1000 of these are actually inhabited – many have summer houses on them for a peaceful getaway. The ship weaves its way under the guidance of the local pilot, passing ferries and other cruise ships; it’s not a short one either, the pilot got on board at 3am, for an 8am arrival! Some passengers were up, as with the ‘Midnight Sun’, it was already full daylight. Given that there were only 24 hours in a day, I decided my time would be better spent sleeping, and watching the ‘sail-out’ from the balcony with a cocktail – much more civilised!

A Little bit about Stockholm and Sweden:

The first settlers in this area arrived from the north and the east; they were largely nomadic people, hunting and herding reindeer. During the Bronze Age, they traded furs and amber for copper and tin. Vikings dominated the area for the next few centuries, and this was a base from where they explored and conquered further territories. The Vikings used rune stones to tell of news, stories and family events. In more recent times, Sweden declared herself ‘neutral’ during both World Wars partly through a certain amount of sympathy with Germany with whom she shared longstanding language, trade and cultural links. Following World War 2, Sweden refused to join NATO, again citing neutrality, but possibly because of her proximity to Russia.

Today, Sweden is a parliamentary democracy and monarchy. The current king is its 74th Monarch, King Carl 18th Gustaf, who ascended to the throne in 1973 and is the country’s longest reigning monarch.

Alfred Nobel, born in Stockholm in 1833, is one of the country’s most famous inventors and businessmen. His greatest invention was ‘dynamite’, but he is also known as the founder of the Nobel Prizes, given annually for outstanding contributions to 4 categories; Physics, Chemistry, Medicine and Peace. There is a museum in Stockholm about the Nobel Prizes, located in Bloodbath Square in the former Stock Exchange.

Stockholm is built on 14 islands of the archipelago and connected by 57 bridges.

Gamla Stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen, and 3 islets having a population of approximately 3,000. It has played a prominent role in the history of Swedish architecture, with many of Sweden's most renowned architects shaping the area; these include figures such as Nicodemus Tessin and Carl Hårleman, who worked on the Stockholm Palace, still located in the area. Other notable buildings in the old town include Tessin Palace, the Stockholm Stock Exchange Building, Bonde Palace (seat of the Swedish Supreme Court) and the House of Nobility; the last of these buildings hosted the parliament for many years.

The scenic walk through Gamla Stan incorporated many Medieval streets with souvenir shops and cafes. On average, the medieval streets are found some three meters below the present streets. Archaeological excavations have shown the oldest streets were covered with wood, the oldest being the three layers of wooden pavings found under the northern end of Västerlånggatan from around 1250–1300.

Concluding my walk, I took the bus back to the ocean terminal at Frihamnen, looking forward to a restful day at sea before the next port of Copenhagen, which is a new port for me.