#1. Stockholm
Stockholmers call their city 'beauty on water'. But despite the well-preserved historic core, Stockholm is no museum piece: it's modern, dynamic and ever-changing.
Stockholm's old town, Gamla Stan, is a saffron-and-spice vision from the storybooks: one of Europe’s most arresting historic hubs, with an imposing palace, looming cathedrals and razor-thin cobblestone streets. The name Stockholm was first recorded in a letter in 1252, written by Birger Jarl, one of the original founders (and whose name you'll see everywhere). Wandering the area today, it's easy to appreciate the old city's origins as a strategically placed fort designed to control the waterway between Lake Mälaren and the sea: Gamla Stan is surrounded by water and is ideally situated to encourage further explorations.
Stockholm’s beauty and fashion sense are legendary. Good design is simply a given – even the humblest coffee shop invests in attractive furniture, strategically placed greenery, sophisticated lighting and richly textured wall coverings. Hardcore fans of industrial design can choose from several museums that cover the subject, but it can be equally rewarding to hit the shops: whether you're looking for fashion trends, interior design or clever packaging, you're in luck, be it at the supermarket or the mall. Keep an eye out for no-fuss functionality, minimalism, natural-looking fabrics and big, bold prints.