Incidentally, you can also reach Vaxholm have a Ык" Уеп in Stockholm (#670, #671, #672 or #673). Or, if you twelftv, 5 island, where there are cycle trails, beaches and a entury iron mine. NORKTAUE (tourist office open midJune to midAug egion Th. l8pm) is an old spa town and capital of the Roslagen eres a quirky Cartoon Museum here, and the regional Roslagen Museum (summer daily noon4pm; 5kr), housed in an old n factory in the centre of town. Norrtalje is a handy jumping off point for trips to GRISSLEHAMN in the north, a small fishing village where you'll find the pretty studio home of early twentiethcentury writer and artist Albert Engstrom, with paintings and knickknacks displayed inside. Note that there are ferry connections (23 daily; 4060kr) from Grisslehamn to Eckero, on the Finnish Aland Islands a twohour crossing. BIRKA, on the island of Bjorko (Birch Island), is Sweden's oldest city, д Viking trading centre at its height during the tenth century, a few obvious remains lie scattered about including the remnants of houses and a vast cemetery along with some good beaches and swimming. In the outer archipelago, Sandhamn island is a summer sailing centre with a homely little village; and Bullero a nature reserve with trails and an exhibition of the archipelago's plenteous flora and fauna. Mariefred and Gripsholm If you've only got time for one boat trip around Stockholm, make it to МАЮЕРНЕО, a tiny village about an hour west of the city, whose own peaceful attractions are bolstered by one of Sweden's most enjoyable castles. To get there, take the MS Mariefred steamboat, which leaves from Иага Malarstrand near the Stadshuset. It runs daily from midJune to midAugust at 10am (weekends only a month either side) and costs around 140kr return; buy your ticket on board for the threeandahalfhour trip. Outside summer, you'll have to travel by bus; there are three daily Oust one on Sun), leaving from liljeholmen Tbana station. Mariefred itself the Swedish name derived from an old monastery. Pax Mariae, or Mary's Peace is as quiet, and quintessentially Swedish, as such villages come. Surrounded by clear water, a few minutes up from the quayside and you're strolling through narrow streets whose wellkept wooden houses and little squares haven't changed much in decades. The water and enveloping greenery make for a leisurely amble around: if you call in at the central Radhus, a fine eighteenth4:entury timber building, you can pick up a map, with a walking tour marked on it, from the tourist office inside Gune & Aug MonFri 10am7pm, Sat & Sun lOampm; July daily 10am8pm). You could ask here, too, about bike rental, or try Emils Krukor at LSnggatan 20, the road that runs north from near the church. One stop should be at the Railway Museum in the village you'll probably have noticed the narrow gauge tracks running all the way to the quayside.