Despite the droves of tourists, the Old Town is an absolute must-see. Not just because of the obvious sights like the castle, the Storkyrkan („large church“) and the Tyska Kyrkan („German church), which are all sufficiently well known. Be sure to keep your eyes open and discover the other Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s morbid past. For example, look at the canon ball which is stuck in the corner house in between Skomakargatan and Stortorget. Not even the locals know why it is there. Another wall of madness is to be seen at house Stortorget number 20. Here, in 1520, Kristian, the king of Denmark, had 80 of his enemies executed. The bloodbath left its mark as today the facade of the building is painted red and limestone slabs remember the people that were beheaded.

Also take note of the winding alleyways which seem to have been built for models only, with the smallest one measuring a mere 90cm in width. We recommend you bring a tape-measure to check your waist-size and walk through sideways!

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