So, you’ve got 24 hours to spend in Stockholm and the good sense to realise that you cannot waste even one minute of it. The capital of Sweden is sublimely beautiful, flawlessly blending its rich history with a dynamically modern take on everything from cuisine to design to style and beyond. It is best to accept your time restraints and focus on the quality of the visit over the quantity of sights to be seen. Start your day surrounded by beauty in the Old Town, and inspiration for the rest of your day will come easily.

1. Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan, founded in 1252, is one of Europe’s best preserved old towns. The pedestrian is king amongst the winding cobblestone streets, which are lined with eclectic attractions ranging from cafes and restaurants to souvenir and crafts shops. The buildings are all painted in varying shades of gold and the overall effect is almost surreal. If you are visiting in the winter, Gamla Stan appears to have come straight from a storybook – there is simply no better place to enjoy an early breakfast while devising your plans for the day.

2. Royal Palace

Beginning your day in Gamla Stan naturally leads to many other must-see attractions. Top of the list should be the Royal Palace. With over 600 rooms, the Palace is the largest in the world and contains many other museums of interest within it. Obviously given its size, the Royal Palace deserves a fair bit of your time – be sure to catch the daily parade of soldiers and the changing of the guard at noon.

3. Venice of the North

Stockholm is uniquely designed around 14 islands, with 57 bridges, both pedestrian and vehicular, and is quite easy to navigate. After a morning of walking around the magnificent Royal Palace, sitting back and enjoying a tour of the city by water is exactly what you will need. Tours offers the opportunity to hop on or off the boat as it winds its way past the city’s top sights.

Stockholm is a wonderful combination of chic sophistication and old-world austerity. When bathed in the warm sunlight of the summer, the city positively glows, and yet when covered in a blanket of snow in the winter months it takes on an almost otherworldly atmosphere. Regardless of when you chose to visit Stockholm, you will instantly fall in love. So spend your 24 hours in the city called ‘beauty on water’, making note of all the other wonderful attractions that you will be sure to visit next time.