Further afield and into the surrounding modem city, Stockholm trades tradition for a thoroughly upto date feel wide boulevards, shopping malls and conspicuous, showy wealth. Yet the city isn't glitzy: you're never far from water or greenery, a reminder that Stockhohn is one of Europe's saner, more rural capitals. Culturally, the city has few peers in Scandinavia and there are rich pickings for most tastes. Of some fifty different museums and galleries, the extraordinary seventeenth4;entury Vasa warship and Skansen, oldest and best of Europe's openair museums, receive loud, and deserved, acclaim. Orientation, arrival and information ree small islands at the mouth of Lake Malaren constitute the oldest part of «octoolm, on which most of the city's national and historical buildings fight for weatftmg space. Gamla Stan, the original heart of the city, is the web of streets el" Immediately east and next island best' site of the two most central youth hostels, and with the to thrxT Stockholm's proud curving waterfront, from the Royal Palace round № me National Museum. north city is just to the north, split into two main sections: Norrmabn, and east of the train station, contains most of the fancier hotels, shopping streets and Kungstradgirden, the lively central park; while, further east Ostermalm is more residential a mix of grand avenues and smart houses that also boasts a succession of museums. Just to the north is the port for the Silja Line ferries to Finland. Out of the centre proper are Djuiarden, the huge park to the east, and Sodermalm, the striking island a few steps south of Gamla Stan. Gently rolling Djurgarden contains Skansen, the Vasa ship, a host of museums and Grona Lund Tivoli amusement park. And for all рифозез the parkland to the north, though separated by an expanse of water, is also considered part of Djurgirden. Radiating out from beyond Slussen (the sluice separating the fresh waters of МШагеп from the salty Baltic), rocky Sodermalm hides a couple of offbeat museums and some cheap places to sleep and eat. It's from down here, too, that the Viking Line ferries leave for Finland. Connected by bridge to the western end of Sodermalm, Langholmen island, with its good beach, is the target for summer swimming. You can stay at the old prison here, now converted to a youth hostel and hotel. Points of arrival All planes international and domestic arrive at Arlanda airport (information on «08797 60 00), 45km north of Stockholm. Buses (Flygbussarna; 6.10am 11pm; 50kr; tK)8600 10 00) run every ten to fifteen minutes from the airport into the city, arriving at Cityterminalen (see below) in roughly fifty minutes. A taxi from the airport will cost at least 350kr. Buses to the airport run every ten minutes between Sam and 10.15pm; buy tickets from the automatic machines or the kiosk, not on the bus. By train, you'll arrive at and depart from Central Station («02075 75 75), a cavernous structure on Vasagatan in Norrmalm.