3 Best Sights in Side Trips from Stockholm, Sweden

Sandhamn

One of the most popular excursions is to Sandhamn, the main town on the island of Sandön, which is home to about 100 permanent residents. The journey takes about three hours by steamship, but there are faster boats available. The Royal Swedish Yacht Club was founded here at the turn of the 20th century, and sailing continues to be a popular sport. Its fine-sand beaches also make it an ideal spot for swimming. Another option is to try scuba diving—introductory lessons are available. Explore the village of Sandhamn and its narrow alleys and wooden houses, or stroll out to the graveyard outside the village, where tombstones bear the names of sailors from around the world.

Trosa

At the far southern tip of Stockholm's archipelago lies Trosa, a town full of wooden houses that's right on the Baltic Sea. The tiny river that runs through the middle of the town is flanked by beautiful villas painted white, red, yellow, and mint green—a reflection of Trosa's heritage as a seaside retreat for stressed but wealthy Stockholmers. Around the small, cobbled town square are arts-and-crafts shops and market stalls selling fish, fruit, and vegetables.

Visby

Gotland's capital, Visby, is a delightful hilly town of about 24,000 people. Medieval houses, ruined fortifications, churches, and cottage-lined cobbled lanes make Visby look like something out of a fairy tale. Thanks to a very gentle climate, the roses that grow along many of the town's facades bloom even in November. In its heyday Visby was protected by a wall, of which 3 km (2 mi) survive today, along with 44 towers and numerous gateways. It is considered one of the best-preserved medieval city walls in Europe. Take a stroll to the north gate for an unsurpassed view of the wall.

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