Copenhagen

[PsB]

A boat trip through the archipelago in the Baltic sea. If you go to 'Mariehamn' you can buy tax free. It takes one day.

https://www.sales.vikingline.com/find-trip/

if you take the trouble to go to Åland, you might as well go the whole hog and sail to Turku in Finland (which has a nice old cathedral and a spectacular castle, both medieval). The archipelago in-between is stunningly beautiful, and on the big ferries you have a bird's eye view over the skerries and islands. But Easter is not the right time of year IMHO. Some parts of the sea can still be frozen in April.

 

[CarrotMan]

There are a few places in Scandinavia I fancy but don’t know when the best weather/lack of tourist balance would be.

Probably May/June-ish (at least in Copenhagen where I am based). Weather can be a bit hit and miss obviously, but the days are getting longer at that time so if the weather plays along it's very nice. School holidays are from late June so from then on there's typically a lot of tourists after that period.

The only thing to keep in mind is that all the Scandinavian countries have some local holidays in this period, so check a local calendar/guidebook before booking. Best case you end up in the middle of a big party (e.g. 17th of May in Norway, Midsummer in Sweden etc.) and worst case you just show up for a few days where everything's shut

 

[RJohan]

Probably May/June-ish (at least in Copenhagen where I am based). Weather can be a bit hit and miss obviously, but the days are getting longer at that time so if the weather plays along it's very nice. School holidays are from late June so from then on there's typically a lot of tourists after that period.

The only thing to keep in mind is that all the Scandinavian countries have some local holidays in this period, so check a local calendar/guidebook before booking. Best case you end up in the middle of a big party (e.g. 17th of May in Norway, Midsummer in Sweden etc.) and worst case you just show up for a few days where everything's shut

Yes, midsommar/mid summer in Sweden (June 21 - 23 this year) means everything is closed from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, every Swede is hidden away somewhere in the countryside. It has it's merit's, though, if you plan to travel by car through Sweden. After 16:00 Friday afternoon you will be alone on the roads (but, on the other hand, warning warning, before 16:00 roads are totally congested). So, seeing Stockholm nearly by yourself might be a different experience...

 

[droodzilla]

We've switched to Stockholm. Feel like I've betrayed the Danes.

What's good in Stockholm?

Everything really, but here are a few of the highlights I can recall...

A hot air balloon trip over the city - the archipelagic (is that a word?) landscape is made for it. The son of the US ambassador to Sweden was in the balloon with me (his birthday treat) with proper men in black suits and shades security detail waiting at both ends of the trip.

The woodland cemetery: https://www.visitstockholm.com/o/woodland-cemetery/. Beautiful and peaceful - great if you like chilling out in cemeteries.

The ethnographic museum - striking design and interesting exhibitions. It's also a very pleasant walk from the city centre along one of the watery bits. After visiting the museum, I carried on walking and came to a small modern art gallery showing an exhibition by former-chanteuse, Stina Nordenstam, but I can't find that on the map now.

Skansen, the Swedish themed history park, with bonus animals - bit touristy, but interesting and fun.

Pottering around the old city (I stayed in a very pleasant Admiral Nelson-themed hotel there).

Arsing around taking short ferry trips between bits of the city, rather than walking the long way round.

It's just a very good city to walk around - lots of green space and water, traffic is relatively calm. I went in late August or early September - the weather was fine and I had a great time.

 

[Seanm]

Everything really, but here are a few of the highlights I can recall...

A hot air balloon trip over the city - the archipelagic (is that a word?) landscape is made for it. The son of the US ambassador to Sweden was in the balloon with me (his birthday treat) with proper men in black suits and shades security detail waiting at both ends of the trip.

The woodland cemetery: https://www.visitstockholm.com/o/woodland-cemetery/. Beautiful and peaceful - great if you like chilling out in cemeteries.

The ethnographic museum - striking design and interesting exhibitions. It's also a very pleasant walk from the city centre along one of the watery bits. After visiting the museum, I carried and walking and came to a small modern art gallery showing an exhibition by former-chanteuse, Stina Nordenstam, but I can't

Skansen, the Swedish themed history park, with bonus animals - bit touristy, but interesting and fun.

Pottering around the old city (I stayed in a very pleasant Admiral Nelson-themed hotel there).

Arsing around taking short ferry trips between bits of the city, rather than walking the long way round.

It's just a very good city to walk around - lots of green space and water, traffic is relatively calm. I went in late August or early September - the weather was fine and I had a great time.

Great, thanks Drood.

Got this going around in my head:

 

[RJohan]

There is the ABBA museum for those so inclined.

 

[Snufkin]

Great, thanks Drood.

Got this going around in my head:

And I had this: