A QUICK guide to stockholm's neighbourhoods

One-third water, one-third green spaces and one-third urban land, Stockholm is a dream city to live in, spread out across 14 major islands and countless tiny ones across the archipelago. As well as being beautiful, Stockholm has distinctive neighbourhoods, each with their own unique character. This is a quick overview of the main areas of Stockholm.

Gamla Stan

Once upon a time (the 13th century to be exact), Gamla Stan was Stockholm. Now its name, meaning 'the old town', denotes the place to go for historical architecture, cobbled streets, great pubs and restaurants - and hundred of tourists, checking out the kitschy souvenir shops! Comprising the islands Stadsholmen & Riddarholmen, Gamla Stan can be walked through in 10 minutes, but you can spend hours with visitors in Europe’s oldest preserved medieval cities- admiring the views across the harbour, checking out the Nobel museum and drinking hot chocolate at Stockholm's oldest operating cafe, Sundbergs Konditori. Afterwards, you can decide to head north to Norrmalm, the heart of modern Stockholm; or head south to hipster Södermalm.

Norrmalm

Norrmalm is not quaint, like Gamla Stan, but lively and buzzing. This is where most of Stockholm's activity takes place, from the political at the national Parliament; retail in the many, many shops and department stores; and the cultural with the Opera house, Kulturhuset and many museums of interest. Another kind of activity also characterises the area: traffic! From the bustling crowds in Drottninggatan, to the trains and trams starting their journeys from Central Station and the cars, cycles and scooters racing down the streets, you'll never feel alone in Norrmalm.

Södermalm

Söder, home to Stockholm's great breweries, has undergone a transformation from working-class 'hood to hipster hotspot, with edgier design, funkier clubs and more bohemian cafes than the centre. The main streets of Götgatan and Hornsgatan cut through the island from east to west and north to south, with many diverse restaurants and boutique shops along the way. SoFo (South of Folkungagatan) is a micro-neighbourhood, said to be the trendiest part of the city, with Nytorget at its heart and the place to take visitors for that most Swedish of meals, köttbullar, at 'Meatballs for the People'. Södermalm makes the most of the waters surrounding it: the sandy beach (Tantolunden) is a great hangout, with bustling food trucks supplying Stockholmers throughout the summer, while the iconic Münchenbryggeriet, has a restaurant and conference halls perched on a cliff with breathtaking views over Lake Mälaren.

Östermalm

Home to many SIS families who meet up after school at Humlegården, this is the most elegant and exclusive part of town, as well as the most expensive. Characterised by high-end shops (both mainstream and boutique), impressive buildings and great food - Östermalmshallen, the food market, is a gourmet Stockholmer's dream. Nearby Strandvägen, a boulevard lined with 19th-century architecture, is a great place to people-watch (and yacht-watch!) in one of the waterfront bars. From Strandvägen, it's a hop, skip and a splash to catch a boat from either Nybroplan or Strömkajen and tour into the archipelago and beyond.

Kungsholmen

From residential Hornsberg to Rålambshovsparken (Rålis) beach, there's a lot for families to love in Kungsholmen, while the 10km loop around the island is popular with runners and hikers. It's sometimes hard to imagine you're in the city centre as it is so calm, but the consistently lovely views - to Gamla Stan, to Söder, Vasastan show you otherwise - and it is constantly evolving with new developments. Kungsholmen is also home to the iconic Stadshuset, Stockholm's City Hall, where the Nobel Prize Banquet is held - is a fascinating place to bring visitors to, before enjoying one of the many fun restaurants. British people take note - this island is home to Taylor & Jones, where you can get 'real' sausages!

Djurgården

The island to walk round, picnic and soak up the natural beauty of Stockholm, along with it many museums. In summer, Djurgården 'the animal garden' has great outdoor places for the whole family, including amusement park Gröna Lund and the open-air museum of Skansen. When it's cold, or the usual Stockholm weather, you can jump indoors and enjoy the Abba, Viking and historical Vasa ship museums. After a fun day on Djurgården, check out Rosendals Trädgård, a biodynamic farm and restaurant: gorgeous food in a gorgeous location.

Vasastaden

Vasastaden translates as 'the stone city', evident in the unique, mainly Neo-Renaissance, architecture. Rörstrandsgatan at Sankt Eriksplan is a great place to appreciate this style, as well as enjoy great independent restaurants. Primarily residential, Vasastan combines a homey and neighborhood feeling with high-quality shops and cafés. There are also fantastic parks including Vasaparken, Observatorielunden, Vanadislunden, and Tegnerlunden.