Stockholm County is a world built on water where the pulse of a global city fades into a maze of thirty thousand islands. You stand at the gateway to an archipelago that stretches from the historic cobblestones of **Sigtuna** to the wind-swept rocks of the outer Baltic reefs. Coastal roads wind past hidden sandy coves and vibrant harbor towns where red wooden boat houses line the shore. History is everywhere here. You find ancient rune stones standing in quiet forest clearings and grand royal estates like **Drottningholm** looking out over **Lake Mälaren**. The region was a Viking powerhouse long before the first stone was laid in the capital city. Every turn reveals a new piece of the story from Bronze Age mounds to the maritime glory of the 17th century. Traveling here feels like an endless discovery of land and sea. One moment you are exploring **the fortress walls on Vaxholm** and the next you are walking through the peaceful oak groves of a noble estate. The landscape is a perfect mix of wild nature and refined culture. It provides a unique freedom to hop between islands or get lost on scenic backroads that follow the curve of the coast.

Stockholm (County) highlights

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The Scenic Route

The Heritage Drive

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History of Stockholm (County)

The story of Stockholm County began in the Viking trade hub of Birka on the island of Björkö. In the 700s, this was the most important merchant port in the North, where silver from the East was swapped for iron and furs. By the 1100s, the focus shifted to Sigtuna, **Sweden’s first true city,** which still holds the ruins of seven stone churches and hundreds of rune stones. These ancient sites mark the transition from the old Norse gods to the arrival of Christianity. In 1523, a massive turning point occurred when **Gustav Vasa entered Stockholm as King**, ending the bloody Kalmar Union and making the county the permanent heart of a sovereign Sweden. During the 1600s, the region transformed into a global maritime powerhouse. To protect the capital, the Crown built the massive **Vaxholm Fortress** in the archipelago to stop Danish and Russian fleets. This era also saw the construction of **Drottningholm Palace** in 1662, modeled after Versailles to showcase Sweden’s status as a Great Power. A road trip here follows the old "King's Road" that connected the royal estates. You find the 17th-century **ironworks at Wira Bruk**, which held the exclusive royal monopoly on forging swords for the Swedish army for nearly two hundred years. From the Viking hill forts on the coast to the grand Baroque manors by Lake Mälaren, Stockholm County is a map of Sweden's rise from a sea-faring tribe to a modern empire.

Stockholm (County)