Sweden's capital can seem a touch unapproachable to the casual holidaymaker. Maybe it's the bleak winter weather, the double-take-inducing menu prices, or the sense that, at any time on any given city block, a Sartorialist street style shoot might be about to break out around you.
PA
Beyond the stylishly composed surface, however, there's a hugely appealing city - with beautiful buildings, walkable streets and a prosperous, progressive population basking in an all-world picturesque setting. With the help of a local fixer - musician/DJ/journalist Erik Bredhe - MyDaily set about finding the funky, friendly and (shock, horror!) affordable heart beating beneath Stockholm's icy cool exterior.
Our first tip for the savvy sightseer is to pick up a Stockholm Card (check out www.visitstockholm.com for facts on the card and more tips for the city), the must-have Oyster-cum-museum-pass that the city's tourist board helpfully hawks. While the single-day version (450 SEK, around £40) might seem a little a steep, this neat innovation really comes into its own if you're planning a extended break in the city. At 950 SEK for five days, you only need to visit a couple of attractions a day from the eighty-odd on offer (including all the major draws) to start making your money back, and that's not even considering the fact you'll be enjoying free reign on Stockholm's fabulous network of underground trains, commuter rail, buses and boats as you go.
With that practicality taken care of, it's time to don your minimalist finery and start pounding the pavement of Stockholm's diverse islands and districts: including youthful Södermalm, medieval Gamla Stan, chic Östermalm and pastoral Djurgården.