Yacht Charter Stockholm

General Info
With its 14 islands on the Mälaren Lake that feeds into the Baltic Sea, Stockholm is the tourist magnet of the Nordic region, not to mention the fact that it acts as the capital city for Sweden.

The geography of the region is made up of a complex pattern of islands and islets which form the Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden’s largest after the Goteburg Archipelago on the west coast. Indeed, it can be said that the city is situated more on water than on dry land but that can only mean that Stockholm has an excellent maritime tradition, making it the perfect Yacht Charter destination.

Travel & Arrival
The good news when visiting such a big city is the fact that it’s easily accessible by sea, land or air. The quickest way to get in is by air, and Stockholm has 3 airports that cater to local and foreign Yacht Charter group needs: Arlanda, the main international airport is situated 40 km north of the city (taxis, shuttles, trains and buses are available for transportation to and from the city), Bromma is somewhat smaller and lies 10 km west of the city and Skavsta is actually closer to Nyköping but there are coaches that make the 100 km trip back to Stockholm regularly.

The railway system is very well developed and many tourists prefer to come in by train. The main provider is SJ, Sweden’s national rail company, which has a travel planner and booking service also available online.

Getting to Stockholm by car is also easy, as the town is situated at the junction of the E4, E18 and E20 European roads. However, getting around Stockholm by car might prove a little more problematic, especially around the city center, as there is a congestion tax in effect between 6 AM and 6 PM. The good news is that foreign-registered cars are not charged so there should be no money coming out of the Yacht Charter skipper's pocket.

Water transportation is very accessible, via the extensive ferry system that links the islands with Finland, Estonia and Latvia, with numerous providers operating in the area.

Avant & Apres Sail
As you would expect, there are a lot of things to see and do in Stockholm. Most Yacht Charter sailors head for a visit in the Olt Town (Gamla Stan) the first chance they get, with its narrow streets and numerous museums and landmarks. The best way to see it would be to travel on foot so make sure every man in your Yacht Charter party is equipped with confortable shoes. Other interesting buildings are the Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet), the City Hall (Stadhuset), the Public Library (Stadsbiblioteket) and the Ericsson Globe (Globen).

The other big attraction for incoming visitors has to be the Stockholm Archipelago, surely popular among all boatmen and Yacht Charter enthusiasts. In fact, it is considered to be one of the most spectacular in the world, stretching for 80 kilometers east of the city. Ferries can offer a nice trip but a boat charter is the best way to enjoy this natural masterpiece.

Restaurants and night-life (centered around the Stureplan district) should be suited to everyone’s taste, taking into consideration the fact that Stockholm is praised as a cultural melting pot. Anything from Swedish traditional food to the most exotic meals can be found here with a price for every pocket to boot. But for a good, authentic meal any Yacht Charter guest should be prepared to pay more than they’re used to. Also, a good thing to remember is that most restaurants, pubs and bars have a smoke-ban, which means that you can only smoke if it’s an outdoor venue.

For shopping, some good places are the old town (Gamla Stan) with numerous souvenir shops and local handicrafts, or streets like Drottninggatan which is a pedestrian zone filled with stores, stalls and restaurants.

Events & Actions
For a Yacht Charter addict, Stockholm is like Christmas and Easter falling on the same day. There are the Canals and the bridges within the city that offer some nice views and are available as tour packages and then there are the 24,000 islands of the archipelago that await to be discovered by you. There are even some beaches in the inner city, but these tend to get crowded as soon as the local population gets some time off.

And if you’re in Stockholm in March, you should definitely go check out the International Boat Show where all the major builders and Yacht Charter show up and show off their stuff, not just boats, but also accessories, boats building materials and much more.

So for its high concentration of things to do and see and for its proximity to the natural beauty of the archipelago, Stockholm gets a big thumbs up from sailing enthusiasts everywhere.