Few regions have as much to offer cruise passengers as Nice, Villefranche and Monaco. Ships call at all three destinations (though typically not on the same itinerary), and all are close enough to one another that they can be enjoyed in a single (but rushed) day or, better, two days before or after your cruise.

Those embarking or disembarking cruises will likely fly to or from Nice, fewer than 15 miles from Monaco, where many ships typically embark and disembark passengers.

Some ships do embark and disembark in Nice, but those are typically the smaller, boutique vessels.

Two Perfect Days, Three Perfect Ports

The following guide was designed primarily for those spending time before or after their cruises in the region, although you can use the advice that follows to map out what to do in each destination if you’re only there for a day.

Visitors can count on the weather participating with an average 300 days of sunshine and a climate blessed by refreshing Mediterranean breezes and bathed in the fragrance of bougainvillea, hibiscus and other tropical flowers.

Magnificent Monaco

Part of the principality of Monaco, Monte-Carlo is named for the mountain on which the town stands, where the Maritime Alps meet the Mediterranean Sea. Monte Carlo is a small town with a permament population of 3,000 but with a global reputation for jet-setting fun. Modern glamour mingles between French medieval villages in this romantic kingdom where a prince once married a Hollywood star.

I began my sightseeing at the Jardin Exotique. The garden park is not only home to some surprisingly colorful species of cacti and agave from around the world but also perched on a cliff that offers a stunning views of Monaco. Jardin Exotique is a great place to begin a tour while getting an overview of the city below.

To get to Jardin Exotique from the city center, I hopped on bus # 2 and handed over 1 euro.

From my vantage point, I could see nearly all of Monaco, which occupies only a single square mile and is the second smallest country in the world after Vatican City. In fact, Monaco is only three times the size of The Mall in Washington, D.C. or about as large as New York’s Central Park. Yet, within Monaco’s compact boundaries is as much glamour and culture as in New York or Washington.

I spent 90 minutes admiring the views and touring Jardin Exotique, then decided to walk back to the city center. Along the way, I met an elegant man with a jacket draped over his shoulders, as if the jacket were a cape and he were royalty. For all I knew, he could have been. That’s the thing about Monaco. You never know if you’re meeting a prince or a pauper. Assume your own air of elegance and trod on.

Certainly, you can do your best James Bond at the Casino de Monte Carlo, or if you prefer more refined pursuits, consider one of the world-class performances at the grand and historic Monaco Opera, situated inside the casino. Designed in 1878 by Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opera, the casino is a must-see — even for those who do not gamble. With its rococo turrets, green copper cupolas and gold chandeliers, this elaborate structure is wonderfully nostalgic.

Outside and nearby is the Café de Paris. And though it boasts a good food and wine selection, Café de Paris is the place to sit outside and enjoy the crowd, to see and be seen.

Across the harbor and up the hill is the Rock of Monaco. It’s easy and perhaps preferable to walk as much as possible, and there are even elevators and escalators that operate daily year-round to ease access to differing elevations. Put your peds in motion and walk along the harbor and up the hill.

Once on top, watch the signs directing you to the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium, which exhibits Monaco’s rich maritime history, and its ties to the sea, as well as some of the rarest fish in the seven seas. The museum was once headed by Jacques Costeau.

Exit the museum and head through the Princess Grace Rose Garden, which boasts 4,000 rose bushes planted among the palm and olive groves.

A bit farther along is the magnificent Monaco Cathedral, the final resting place of Monaco’s beloved princess, Grace Kelly, who was killed in an auto crash in 1982 at the age of 51.

Also nearby is the Prince’s Palace, an ornate Italianate structure with a Moorish tower that is the seat of the Grimaldi princes of Monaco (their reign stretches back to 1297, the year that Francois Grimaldi disguised himself as a monk and seized the castle).

In addition to the Gallery of Mirrors is the Throne Room, where state receptions are held, and the Louis XV Salon with 18th century artifacts. In the Main Courtyard — with its horseshoe-shaped, Carrara marble staircase — 3 million stones create dazzling geometric patterns. And the Museum of Napoleonic Souvenirs in the South Wing displays a collection of First Empire memorabilia. Try to time your visit to coincide with the Changing of the Guard, daily just before noon.

It’s Nice To Visit Nice

Nice was part of the kingdom of Savoy until 1860, when it joined France. Still, the city retains its own Nicoise dialect as well as cuisine (think Nicoise salad) and traditions.

The old town (Vieux Nice) is worthy of full day visit, although it’s also a pleasant destination for evening. When choosing hotels for a pre- or post-cruise stayover, I recommend choosing a hotel in Nice to enjoy the evening atmosphere of the Old Town.

One of the oldest human settlements in the world with archeological sites dating to the Lower Paleolithic period, Nice offers an appealing blend of the historic and modern. Originally named by the ancient Greeks after Nike, the goddess of victory, Nice has been treasured and fought over ever since. It’s easy to understand why. The climate is sublime, the views are inspiring, and the harbor provides easy access. As a result, a diverse mix of people have called Nice home over the centuries, and it seems that each group left its fingerprints on the culture and development of the city and the surrounding countryside.

For visitors, Nice is a treasure trove of activities and sites worthy of exploration and savoring. To start, take some unstructured time to wander at random through the narrow streets of the pedestrian-only Vieux Nice (Old Nice) and then stroll along the famous seaside Promenade des Anglais, the world’s best-known seafront boulevard. The “Prom” sweeps around the Bay of Angels and is flanked by beautiful belle epoque buildings, including the renowned Hotel Negresco. Take a gander inside if the doorman permits.

While in the Old Nice, pay attention to the Baroque architecture. Built in 1885 as an imitation of the Palais Garnier in Paris, Opera de Nice is one of the most beautiful French theatres, due to its façade, its ceremonial staircase and painted ceiling.

Also, across the street, the Eglise St. François de Paule, is an 18th century church that straddles the transition between Baroque and neoclassicism with its austere façade. A delightful square and site of the daily fish and herb market, Place St. François is overlooked by an 18th-century clock tower. Also be sure to visit the world-famous flower market every morning except Monday at Cours Saleya.

From Old Nice, you will want to find your way to La Colline du Chateau, “Castle Hill.” There are various possibilities for reaching the top of the hill: by foot through the streets of the old town or by taking the lift at Place du 8 Mai 1945 at the end of Rue des Ponchettes.

The hill is covered by a shady park full of Mediterranean trees, with an ornamental waterfall, and it offers an exceptional panorama over Nice and its surroundings. Little remains of the old fortress destroyed in 1706 except the relics of the Cathédrale Santa Maria de l’Assompta.

Nice is home to dozens of a museums and galleries, more than 30 classified historical monuments and hundreds of acres of parks and gardens, woodland and green areas in addition to 150 ornamental lakes and fountains.

Since the second century AD, the light of the city has attracted many famous French painters such as Chagall, Matisse and Niki de Saint Phalle. With leading lights such as these, it’s not surprising that Nice is home to museums of all kinds. Your personal preferences should dictate which of these museums you visit, but I present four for your consideration:

• The Matisse Museum is a completely renovated 17th-century Genoan-style villa in the heart of the olive grove in the Gardens of Cimiez. The museum houses the personal collection of the great Fauvist painter who lived in Nice from 1917 until his death in 1954. On display are works from all periods of he artist’s life. 164 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez.
• Post-impressionist Marc Chagall helped design the Museum Marc Chagall where many of his large paintings, sculptures, mosaics and stained glass windows are on display. The museum was built to house Chagall’s 17 works of the “Biblical Message.” Avenue du Dr Ménard, corner of Boulevard de Cimiez.
• In a splendid Belle Epoque setting, facing the Mediterrranean between the hotels Negresco and West End, the Villa Massena features contrasting landscapes both in intensity and character. This modern museum presents thousands of pieces in a chronological and thematic approach, covering the fertile period from Bonaparte and the Napoleonic Empire until the 1930s.
• The Museum of Contemporary and Modern Art is an appropriately modern building — four grey marble towers linked by transparent walkways — with major permanent collections tracing the history of the European and American avant-garde since the early sixties. Promenade des Arts.

The traditional cuisine of Nice, a delicate and healthy regimen, relies on the produce of the local countryside but also employs resources from more remote regions brought to town by trading ships from Northern Europe, for instance. Thus, one finds specialties such as those using stockfish made from dried haddock.
  

Nice is the origin of the culinary proverb that says fish are born in the sea and die in oil. Literally hundreds of restaurants, hotels and cafes offer wonderful menus, and I encourage you to discover the beauty of Nice cuisine. One of my favorites is Da Acchiardo in the old town. Come with cash. Credit cards are not accepted.

Villefranche

Villefranche is a simply stunning small harbor town between Monte Carlo and Nice. It’s a pleasant destination for a bike ride or a vigorous walk among the homes of the rich and famous who have chosen to settle here.

A small town with beautiful scenery and buildings that are rich in Mediterranean colors, Villefranche is a charming place to spend a day soaking in the sights and flavors of the Côte d’Azur. Highlights include the Citadel, an exploration of the harbor and several free galleries and exhibits.

Summer or winter, Villefranche is a stunning place. Its superb harbor is known to be one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. Overlooking the hills and luxurious residences, Villefranche is one of the most exclusive spots on the French Riviera, dating back to 130 BC.

With its colourful fishing boats and nets, the port is both a base for fishermen and tourists, attracting numerous cruise ships in the summer. You can wander along the fishing wharves, bordered by restaurants and their terraces. If you continue until the end you will arrive at the lengthy Villefranche beach, which is pleasant from the very first days of summer.

You certainly will want to explore the Old Town, an intricate labyrinth of steep paved streets and lanes with limited automotive traffic access. The Promenade des Marinieres stretches along the waterfront lining the north side of the bay. A massive walled citadel built in 1557 lays on the water’s edge. Today, the ancient fortress houses the Town Hall, a convention center, three museums and an open air theatre.

In the heart of old town, Église Saint-Michel was built in the 1750s in the baroque Italian style, and the church houses various works of art, notably a large Saint Michael painting above the marble main altar, an 18th century life-sized Christ sculpture and a polychrome wooden statue of San Rocco. The organ built by the Grinda Brothers in 1790 is one of the oldest in the area that still works.

Still in the Old Town, stop in at Chappelle St. Pierre, the 14th century chapel decorated during a 1957 restoration by celebrated artist Jean Cocteau. The first thing to remember in the chapel is that’s not paint on the walls. It’s chalk — mysteriously well-preserved chalk frescoes. This tiny chapel was Cocteau’s heartfelt tribute to his friends in Villefranche, connecting images of Jesus to the fisherman and other villagers.

One particularly touching mural provides insights into a way of life that no longer exists, when the village’s unique dress and dialect were still intact.

Villefranche offers numerous art collections, including the Art and History museum, the Goetz-Boumeester collection with works by Picasso and Picabia, and the Fondation-Musée Volti featuring contemporary sculptures.

Numerous cafes can be found in the Old Town when you need to take a break, and the restaurants along the fishing wharves specialize in mouthwatering Mediterranean cuisine.

Excursion To Eze

By bus, taxi or train, find your way to Eze, a charming hilltop village overlooking the Cote d’Azur. The medieval village features winding cobblestone streets and an exotic garden at the top of the village offering to-die-for views of the Mediterranean.

Day two of Two Perfect Days in Copenhagen takes you from Langelinie, where some of the smaller cruise ships dock, to Nyhavn, the colorful “new” harbor, and across Kongens Nytorv (the King’s New Square) to the time-honored Hotel D’Angleterre.

You can do this tour in either direction, and for those on a pre- or post-cruise stay at D’Angleterre, this tour meshes nicely with Day One of Two Perfect Days in Copenhagen. That route takes you from D’Angleterre to Tivoli and beyond.

Setting out from either D’Angleterre or Langelinie, you could walk this entire route in 30 minutes, but there’s lots to see along the way, so you’re setting out instead for a long sightseeing stroll. You’ll see many of Copenhagen’s best attractions along the way. This is certainly one of the Danish capital’s most enjoyable strolls, a popular route for walking or bicycling.

Moreover, the route I suggest is particularly convenient for those on ships only calling on (not terminating in or beginning cruises from) Copenhagen. Free of your luggage, you could combine Day One and Day Two to walk all the way from Langelinie to Tivoli, taking local transport back to the ship, and seeing the best of Copenhagen in one day.

Alongside Langelinie are shops, cafes and a tourist information center where you can pick up a map and ask directions. You’ll hardly need directions, however. Just follow the the water. You’ll need to skirt around a few small harbors as you’re going, but just keep following the walkway and making your way back to the water. You’ll find your way with no problem.

Your first stop is the Little Mermaid. Don’t make the same mistake as one uninformed tourist. He asked to book a table at the Little Mermaid. She’s not a restaurant.

This is not her either. This is a restaurant in Langelinie. The enterprising owner decided to erect the new, and more voluptuous, New Mermaid.

The Little Mermaid is much smaller, and in fact, many tourists pass her by without realizing that, yes, she is the small statue sitting on the rock in the harbor. At least for the moment she sits there.

Copenhagen’s beloved Little Mermaid, known from the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, will leave the city soon for a brief tour. A fixture that has never left the spot where she was erected in 1913, the Little Mermaid will travel around the world to be part of World Expo in Shanghai from April 2010 to November 2010. While in Shanghai, her place in Copenhagen will be temporarily taken by a sculpture created by a Chinese artist.

From the Little Mermaid, continue walking along the water until you reach Gefion Fountain. The fountain represents the mythical story of a legendary Norse goddess who turned her sons into oxen to plow the earth to create the island of Zeeland, where Copenhagen is situated.

Adjacent to the fountain is the beautiful Saint Alban’s Church. Known locally as “The English Church,” the small Saint Alban’s is Denmark’s only Anglican church.

If you’re so inclined, you could make a small diversion to walk across the moat into Kastellet, a former military facility that is now a public park. Otherwise, from The English Church, head away from the water (for now) through Churchillparken to the Museum of the Danish Resistance. Along the way, you’ll pass a charming restaurant, Lumskebugten.

Stop inside for coffee or lunch or just to admire the cozy setting. Serving traditional Danish food, the restaurant’s name translates to “sneaky bay.”

Continue on to the museum.

The museum tells the story of Danish resistance during Nazi occupation from 1940 until 1945. It’s filled with many interesting exhibits and interactive media, many about rescuing Danish Jews and sabotaging Nazi efforts to control Denmark.

From the museum, make your way along Bredgade to Frederik’s Church, popularly known as The Marble Church. Construction began in 1749, but the church was not opened until 1894. Boasting Scandinavia’s largest dome, the church is worth a brief visit inside.

Directly across Bredgade from the Marble Church is Amalienborg Palace, where the Royal family resides. Behind it, in the photo above, is Copenhagen’s new Opera House, which is situated across the water.

If you’ve timed your walk properly, you’re just in time for the changing of the guard at noon. You may just see the guards marching down the street toward Amalienborg. Denmark, by the way, is home to the world’s oldest monarchy and boasts the world’s oldest flag (you can see the birthplace of the Danish flag in Tallinn, Estonia, which the Danes once ruled.)

After watching the ceremonies in the palace courtyard, make your way back to the water and continue your walk.

You’ll pass the Royal Playhouse before reaching the canal that leads into Nyhavn. Walk alongside the canal, and when you get to the bridge, look to your right for a restaurant called Told & Snaps. It’s time for lunch and the famed Danish smorrebrød. To be assured a table in this popular restaurant, however, you may want to make reservations.

Be sure to try the homemade aquavit and a beer with your open-faced sandwich.

Afterward, stroll along the canal and admire the colorful buildings along Nyhavn. It’s a short stroll, but take your time.

Before crossing the street to Kongens Nytorv, hop on a 50-minute guided canal tour, departing from near the statue of the big anchor at one end of Nyhavn.

After returning, head across Kongens Nytorv to Hotel D’Angleterre. If you’re staying here, consider yourself lucky. If not, take some time to admire the hotel before heading back to your ship. Bus #26 travels between the city center and Langelinie, or you can return by waterbus. Ask for directions in D’Angleterre.

Throw back the sheets, slide into your bathrobe and slippers, and pull back the curtains. From your suite, you see that the sun is shining on Kongens Nytorv and colorful Nyhavn. You can’t wait to get outside.

Now go back to bed: It’s 4 a.m.

What were you thinking? How could you have known? During the summer, it gets bright early here in Copenhagen, which is situated at the same latitude as Anchorage, Alaska.

At 7 a.m., you give up the struggle to sleep. Outside, summer is full on. Head downstairs for a hearty breakfast at D’Angelterre’s Restaurant. Be sure to ask for a table by the window, so that you can admire bustling Kongens Nytorv across the street.

Looking out the large windows from D’Angleterre, you’re surprised to see so many people on bicycles. Copenhagen is like Amsterdam in that regard. You’ll see people pedaling to work, not in Spandex, but in their everyday attire.

Each day, one third of the locals commute by bike on the city’s more than 200 miles of dedicated bike lanes and roads. There are even miniature traffic lights for the bicycles. If you’re able to bike, you won’t find a better way to see the Danish capital, but for now, you’re going to rely on your peds.

After breakfast, exit D’Angleterre and head to your right, at, oh, about 2 o’clock, where your first stop is the historic Royal Theatre. Just take a quick gander, or if you have time and the inclination, book a tour or tickets for an evening ballet or show.

After visiting the Royal Theatre, get your bearings by facing the Magasin department store (one block left of D’Angleterre) and head toward it. Right in front, you’ll see the stairs leading down to the Metro, which will take you between the city center and the airport for DK30 (about US$5) in less than 15 minutes. Make note of that for your return to Kastrup, as the airport is known.

Head into Magasin, and downstairs to the grocery store. You need not spend long here, but take a few minutes to browse some of the Danish foods. Rather than pay mini-bar prices by at D’Angleterre, consider stocking up here.

From Magasin, head back in the direction of D’Angleterre to Strøget. Stretching about one mile from Kongens Nytorv square to Town Hall Square, the route you’re taking on Strøget offers lots to see along the way. Strøget, in fact, is Europe’s longest pedestrian street and Scandinavia’s largest shopping district.

Kids enjoy the Guinness Book of World Records, which you’ll see on your right shortly after putting your peds in motion, but if you’re with kids, they’ve got a much bigger treat coming. Dangle the carrot of Tivoli in front of them to keep them moving and you’ll get to stroll all of Strøget at a good pace.

Feel free to wander the side streets. One popular detour is to slip down the small alley, Pistolstraede, past small boutiques, interesting architecture and good restaurants, then along Ny Østergade and to the pastry shop, Kransekagehuset Summerbird, and Cafe Victor, both worthy of a few minutes inside.

Kransekagehuset serves up some of Denmark’s most popular pastries and chocolates, including the traditional Danish kransekage, the “almond ring cake,” a tradition during weddings and other celebrations.

Kransekagehuset also specializes in an exclusive selection of home-made chocolates.

Cafe Victor, on the other hand, is one of Copenhagen’s trendy cafes, originally opened in 1981 and still going strong with both locals and tourists alike.

You’re making your way to the heart of Strøget and Amagertorv (“torv” means “square”), where you’ll find the Crane Fountain. Facing the square from the direction you came, head left if you want to see the ornate facade of Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish government.

Along the way, when passing Højbro Plads, take a gander at the monument to Bishop Absalon, Copenhagen’s founder, riding high on his horse.

Behind the palace is the National Museum. Admission is free to this museum covering 10,000 years of history. Spend an hour learning about the early Danes and the well-preserved “bog people,” which lay buried since the Bronze and Iron ages in Danish bogs. Finish off by visiting a fully furnished Victorian-era Copenhagen apartment.

If you’d rather spend your time shopping, stick around Amagertorv. Here, you’ve reached the heart of Danish design, a row of shops including Illums Bolighus design department store, Royal Copenhagen china, and Georg Jensen silverware.

Step into the Royal Café, but resist the urge to try Smushi – a combination of the traditional Smorgas (open-faced sandwich) and Sushi. You’re saving room for the hot dog, remember?

Farther along Strøget, you’ll visit Konditorie La Glace, which has been tempting patrons with its sensational cakes since 1870.

Continue your stroll on Strøget to City Hall Square (where Strøget ends), then cross the square to Tivoli. Facing Tivoli’s main entrance, do a complete turnaround and look up at the building on your left, at about 10 o’clock. That’s the Radisson SAS Royal, an Arne Jacobsen design hotel.

Walk across the street and step inside to admire the egg chairs and the hotel’s interior. This is another excellent choice for accommodations during your stay in Copenhagen, particularly if you book a corner room, overlooking Tivoli (room 1011 show below, for example).

Also, if you can coax the desk clerk, ask to see room 606, which remains the true to Jacobsen’s original design.

You may want to consider returning here for a romantic dinner on the 20th floor at the gourmet restaurant Alberto K, with beautiful views over Copenhagen.

Head out of lobby and return to entrance of Tivoli. Purchase a ticket and head inside (or, if you’ve purchased a Copenhagen Card from the Visitor’s Center across the street, you’ll get free admittance to Tivoli and many other attractions as well as free transportation in the city).

Enjoy the amusements and the entertainment (Dee Dee Bridgewater was at Tivoli during my visit yesterday).

And now the big moment. Turn on your heels and head over to the Asia section of Tivoli. Look for the hot dog signs like the ones in the photo below and order the Stor (which means large) Fransk Hotdog for DK35. Take it with mustard, mayonnaise or ketchup, and, of course, a Carlsberg beer if you want to have an authentic Danish experience.

When the dog is done, head out the nearby gate and into Glyptotek. The Beaux-Arts-style museum was stocked with ancient and classical treasures by the 19th-century industrialist Carl Jacobsen, who funded the collection with proceeds from his Carlsberg beer empire. Aren’t you glad you had that beer with your hot dog?

Exit Glyptotek and head back to City Call for a city sightseeing tour, which departs from directly in front of the Scandic Palace Hotel. Among the attractions you’ll see: Christiansborg Palace; Thorvaldsen’s Museum; The National Museum; The Royal Theatre; The Royal Winter residence, Amalienborg; and The Little Mermaid.

End the day at the Icebar at Hotel TwentySeven, just around the corner from the Scandic Palace. After donning a cape and mittens for a drink in the below-freezing ice bar, find your way back to Strøget (ask Hotel TwentySeven for directions) and D’Angleterre.

Just a few minutes walk from D’Angleterre, have dinner at Madklubben (reservations recommended), then take a leisurely a stroll along Nyhavn, before ending the night with a performance at the Royal Theatre.

The so-called pedestrian street known as Strøget is your destination on the first of your two perfect days in Copenhagen. Remember, your quest is to find that perfect hot dog that I wrote about earlier. Of course, if you’re in the Danish capital for a day, you’ll need to modify the plan a bit.

On the first of your two days in Copenhagen, you’ll walk along Strøget all the way to Tivoli, Europe’s oldest amusement park.

A word about Tivoli: Don’t expect Disney or Six Flags. Tivoli doesn’t occupy hundreds of acres; rather, it occupies only one city block.

Disappointed? Don’t be. After all, it’s a big city block. Even so, Tivoli is nothing like the big amusement parks you may be accustomed to visiting in the United States.

In Denmark, you need to shift your thinking. Think charming. Think small. Think fairy tales and storybooks.

Most things in Denmark, in fact, are on a smaller scale than in other places. For starters, Denmark is the smallest country in Scandinavia, only twice the size of Massachusetts and with only 5.5 million people. With adequate wealth, a strong social welfare system and the good life for all who live there, Denmark is more of a country club than a country. I only wish I could join.

Basically, what you have is the makings of a fairy-tale nation. Bah humbug, a Dane would respond (or they would utter something unintelligible in Danish.) Challenge a Dane, however, to deny that he or she does in fact live in a fairy-tale place.

Consider:

• One of Copenhagen’s main streets is called Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard, named for the Danish fairy-tale writer, the father, in fact, of fairy tales.
• Citizens of the world’s oldest constitutional monarchy, the Danes still have a Royal family and a daily changing of the guard at the Royal Palace and the requisite parades and fairy-tale-like ceremonies.
• The country is officially known as the Kingdom of Denmark, with castles and royalty.
• There there’s Tivoli, the world’s oldest amusement park. Heck, Copenhagen doesn’t need Tivoli; the whole city is like an amusement park.
• Of course, as in fairy tales, everyone in Denmark lives happily ever after. Denmark is home to the world’s happiest people, according to two university studies.

Okay, I know there’s a Dane reading these words with disdain (hah!), still in denial that he or she lives in a fairy-tale nation. So, Mr. and Mrs. Dane, I ask, “What is your national symbol?” Sure, the Dane will think of plenty of symbols: the national flag, the national song, the Royal family, to name a few. But Denmark’s true national symbol, and the whole nation of Denmark knows this, is, drumroll please, the Little Mermaid.

See, a fairy-tale nation.

Remember I told you that everything in Denmark is on a much smaller scale than in other nations? The Little Mermaid is appropriately named. She is tiny. “She’s just a little girl sitting on a rock,” one Dane told me. “You’d walk right past her if she were in the city center.”

Still, hundreds of thousands of tourists, make the pilgrimage to see her. Or to try to see her. Most actually walk past her, looking for something larger and more substantial.

Speaking of substantial, we need to steer ourselves back on course. I can smell a hot dog. Can’t you?

Second in a series of Two Perfect Days Copenhagen articles.

Here’s something else you should know about the Danes.

Arguably, one of the reasons for the Danes being named by two university studies as the world’s happiest nation can be attributed to a concept known as Janteloven, or Jante Law.

Basically, the concept asserts that no one is better than anyone else and that you should never brag too much. The local beer brewer even makes the claim that Carlsberg is “probably” the world’s best beer. Click to learn more about Janteloven.

Before setting you loose to explore Copenhagen on your own, I need to let you in on a secret: A lot of the people you’ll be meeting today aren’t Danes. They’re Swedes.

Each day, they come across the Oresund Bridge, which opened in 2000, from Malmo, Sweden’s third’s largest city. Such is the number of Swedes who commute back and forth between the two that some people joke that Malmo is West Copenhagen. I once met a Swede who worked at the airport but had never bothered to make the 10-minute trip into Copenhagen’s city center. Swedes come to Copenhagen because they earn higher wages (and pay less in taxes) than in Sweden.

Here’s a hint to help you tell the Danes from the Swedes. If you hear Copenhagen referred to as something that sounds vaguely like “Shopping Ham,” you’ve met a Swede. The “K” in København, which is how “Merchant’s Harbor” is spelled in Danish, is pronounced as an “sh” in Swedish and is spelled in Swedish as “Köpenhamn.”

The Danes swallow consonants. Nyhavn, which you and I would pronounce phonetically as “Knee haven” is pronounced in Danish as “New Hound,” swallowing the D at the end.

Strøget, the walking street that you’re eventually headed to, is pronounced “Stro Et.” And even that is not phonetically correct. Those of us outside of Scandinavia can’t pronounce any Danish words with phonetic accuracy. Our tongues are not genetically engineered to handle the complexity of the vowel/consonant combinations.

The point of all this is to keep you from making a fool of yourself. But if you really want to avoid doing that, here’s a tip: Don’t even pretend you can speak the language. Not to worry: The Danes can speak English with perfection.

If you truly want to experience Copenhagen, skip the Danish and go for the hot dog.

After all, every Dane loves a good dog, so not only will you be doing something quintessentially Danish, but on your quest for the perfect hot dog, you also will visit the key attractions in the Danish capital.

Following my advice, you’re going to get a taste of Copenhagen — and a hot dog — that you’re not likely to soon forget.

Your quest begins at the time-honored D’Angleterre, one of the world’s oldest hotels, situated in the heart of Copenhagen. You can’t beat the location, on Kongens Nytorv (the King’s New Square). For a full review of D’Angleterre, visit The Avid Cruiser’s Copenhagen Hotel Guide.

D’Angleterre is the choice hotel for heads of state and celebrities. On the plagues adjacent to the hotel reception area, peruse the impressive roster of those who have stayed at Copenhagen’s grande dame. There’s the late Michael Jackson. The pop king reportedly was insulted when his offer to buy the King Arthur statue that adorns one of the stairways was refused. Jackson was said to quip, “Well, can I just buy the whole hotel then?”

You’re not buying the whole hotel, of course, but you are ponying up a pretty penny for one of the suites. The Royal Suite is a little too rich, so you settled on one of two other suites.

You considered the Victor Borge Suite, at one end on the first floor (111) because the thought of Borge, “The Great Dane,” makes you smile. The Danish musical prodigy was as quick with a joke as he was talented at tickling the ivory.

You decide instead to pitch camp in the Karen Blixen Suite, room number 201. Pitching camp is an appropriate phrase, because this suite makes you feel as though you were with Blixen on the plains of Africa.

Blixen, whose real name was Isak Dinesen, was the Danish writer who spent a good part of her life in Africa and her later years in her family home 30 minutes north of Copenhagen. If you get the chance, the Karen Blixen Museum, situated in Rungsted, where Blixen was born and where she died, is a worthwhile half-day excursion from the city center.

D’Angleterre’s Karen Blixen Suite features an African motif, with photos of Blixen throughout. In one photo, Blixen kneels triumphantly over a lion that she shot on the plains of Africa.

The high ceilings in this room, the period furniture, and leopard skin lampshades and rugs, all give an air of the Dark Continent. The furniture too is fitting for a suite named for a woman whose claim to fame was the novel “Out of Africa.”

Many of the rooms at D’Angleterre are remarkable in that they face Kongens Nytorv, or the King’s New Square. Winters, kids and adults ice skate in the square. Summers, the square is filled with pedestrians making their way from beautiful Nyhavn, the lovely harbor lined with colorful buildings that you can see from your suite, to the pedestrian shopping street, Strøget.

Enough digression. It’s time to get moving. There’s a hot dog waiting.

First in a series of Two Perfect Days Copenhagen articles.

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For a Flickr slideshow of gourmet hot dogs and more, click on The Nimb.

For a Flickr slideshow of D’Angleterre, click on Hotel D’Angleterre.

But the world has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades, and Russia, or at least the city of St. Petersburg, is both welcoming and increasingly hospitable. Sure, the city could use infrastructure improvements (such as new highways to alleviate city center traffic), but even with its imperfections, 303-year-old St. Petersburg leaves visitors smitten.

On the coast of the Gulf of Finland, in the estuary of the Neva River and on the islands of the Neva Delta, St. Petersburg was well positioned to embrace the rest of Europe while maintaining the grandeur of the Russian Imperial Court. The city’s opening to the sea made it Russia’s cultural oasis while its architecture evoked Russia’s former Imperial power. From 1712 to 1918, St. Petersburg was the capital of the Russian Empire. Having survived 11 emperors, revolutions, economic reform, floods, a 900-day siege during World War II and more, St. Petersburg emerged as a destination that astonishes even the most experienced traveler.

As a cruise ship passenger, you’ll need to be astonished quickly. That’s because you’re allowed no more than 72 hours in St. Petersburg on a transit visa. The norm, however, is two days, meaning that if you plan to sleep, you’ll have less than 48 hours to see this grand city.

How do you make the most of it? Resolve that no matter how quickly you speed through all of St. Petersburg’s attractions, you’re only going to get a taste of Peter the Great’s city. After all, this city of 5 million spans a large area, covering more than 200 square miles. Add to that the choke of traffic, and 48 hours gets consumed fairly fast. There are ways to get a more satisfying first taste, however.

Assuming your ship overnights in St. Petersburg, spend one day in the city itself, and the other day visiting a couple of palaces outside the city. In the city, you’ll likely want to visit The Hermitage, the world’s second largest art museum (Paris’s Louvre is the largest), a cathedral or two and Nevsky Prospect, Russia’s most famous street.

The Hermitage alone boasts some 400 rooms containing more than 3 million exhibits (Catherine the Great began the collection in 1764 with only 225 pieces). “If you spent one second looking at each exhibit, you would spend nine years seeing it all,” guides are fond of telling visitors. [Editor's note: As there are 31.5 million seconds in a year, you could spend 10 seconds on each piece and see everything in the Hermitage in 365 days] You, unfortunately, don’t have nine years. You have 90 minutes. For a taste, visit the “masterpieces of the masterpieces,” such as the original works of art by da Vinci, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.

The Hermitage houses the second biggest Rembrandt collection outside Amsterdam as well as the largest collection of French art outside France, including original works by Degas, Renoir, Monet, Cezanne, Gauguin and Matisse. You’ll be glad you booked a private tour to visit the Hermitage, as you breeze through the museum past the large tour groups.

Plan to visit St. Isaac’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg’s largest, and/or the ornate neo-Byzantine Cathedral of the Resurrection, also called Church on Spilled Blood, constructed on the very spot where tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881.

When visiting any of these attractions, you’re either on or near Nevsky Prospect. The famed street is to St. Petersburg what the Champs Elysses is to Paris, or Broadway to New York. Ask your guide to take you to a cafe for a coffee, Russian beer or Soviet champagne (technically, sparkling wine). “Walk along Nevsky Prospect, have a cup of coffee, watch people pass by, and you understand all of Russia,” says Timophey Beliaev, of the Corinthia Nevaskij Palace Hotel, situated on Nevsky Prospect.

At the end of the day, take in ballet or opera. St. Petersburg is chock full of theaters, notably The Mariinsky Theater, one of Russia’s largest and oldest music theaters, famous the world over for opera and ballet.

Late-night canal cruises also are offered. Located on 44 islands formed by the Neva River and 90 more rivers and canals, St. Petersburg is known as the Venice of the North.

In a tiny cafe at one end of Gamla Stan’s Stortorget square, a frothy cappuccino serves as the centerpiece for a scene that is quintessentially Stockholm.

In the center of the oversized cup, coffee has been deliberately dripped onto the foamy realms to form a heart, an unintended icon that takes the same shape as Stockholm’s Old Town when seen from the lofty heights of City Hall Tower.

The Old Town, or Gamla Stan as it is known, has been a meeting place since 1252. Today, more than 800 years later, it continues to pulsate as the heart of Stockholm.

As on most days here at the uber-cozy, candlelit and tiny Chokladkoppen, espresso machines hiss as patrons poke their heads through the front door in hopes of finding a vacant table. Those sitting at the tables and those wanting to occupy them are all drawn here by the same primordial urge: the need to fika.

What’s fika? You’ll read about that in a moment. For now, stay with me. You’re about to learn how to spend two days that you’ll never forget in one of the world’s most beautiful — and fascinating — cities.

At Chokladkoppen, there are no available tables, but here, as in most of Europe, it’s socially permissible to ask if you can share a table using the unoccupied chairs. Doing just that, one couple joins another with polite acknowledgment. The space comes without obligation for small talk.

Conversation is seldom initiated in Sweden anyway as the Swedes are characteristically shy with strangers. And while some visitors mistake the shyness for coldness, the Swedes are anything but cold. In fact, it is warmth that they seek in this nation of prolonged winter darkness (Swedes are rewarded, however, with glorious summers.)

Along with the pleasant mid-afternoon chatter in Chokladkoppen, candles flicker on tabletops. Even in summer, you’ll find candles in almost any restaurant you might walk in to. Soft blankets lay across chairs to break the chill of spring and autumn.

The Swedes cherish light and warmth, and a visitor doesn’t have to be in Sweden long before hearing the Swedes talking about a “cozy” this or that. The word in Swedish is “mysig,” defining the Swede’s seemingly genetic predisposition to seek out or create coziness. The Swedish soul craves coziness so warm and embracing that it envelops you and wraps itself around you.

Welcome to the capital of the world’s coziest nation.

Day One, Finding Fika
On your first of two perfect days in Stockholm, you’re going to set out on a quest to find your own fika. Don’t worry: Fika has no strict rules. If you can drink, eat and talk, you’re qualified to fika.

Your quest begins at the Radisson SAS Strand. Relax. You didn’t oversleep. The sun rose at 3:30 a.m., and at 8 a.m., it looks like noon. The sky will only dim tonight, as the sun’s glow remains long after it sets at 10 p.m. On the longest day in June, you’ll have 18 hours, 38 minutes and 26 seconds between sunrise and sunset to explore Stockholm.

From your corner room, you’re looking out on Nybroviken, the beautiful harbor dotted with colorful passenger boats. You’ll have ample opportunity to board one later, for sightseeing or a dinner cruise. The choice is yours.

Take a close look at the city below to get your bearings before heading down to the lobby level for a sumptuous breakfast. Oh, and take a look in the mirror. See that label titled “tourist” on your forehead? It’s time to scrub that off with some soap and warm water. You’re going to see Stockholm like a local.

Walking The Walk
After fortifying yourself with a hearty Swedish breakfast (go ahead, along with your eggs and bacon, sample the herring in dill sauce), head out the front door and look across the water to your right. That’s your destination, Djurgarden, the former royal hunting grounds that became the world’s first city national park.

You’ll get there by walking along Strandvagen, one of Stockholm’s most exclusive streets (Bjorn Bjorg, among other Swedish celebrities, has a home here). Standing at the entrance of the Radisson SAS Strand, you’re looking directly across at Strandvagen. Now, face left and begin walking toward the Nybroplan, the square just ahead of you.

Make your way around the harbor to circle back along Strandvagen. Resist the temptation to hop on the tram that will take you to Djurgarden (or busses 44 and 47). You can always take the tram back to Nybroplan and your hotel.

For now, put some glide in your stride and walk with the many others who are out on Strandvagen headed to their city park. Make note of the large boat named Stockholm tied up across from the Hotel Diplomat, as you may want to return here for a three-hour dinner cruise to the archipelago (brunch cruises also are offered). If that sounds like too much, opt for a canal cruise or a city sight-seeing cruise.

Walking along Strandvagen, you can see some of Stockholm’s best-known museums, situated just across the water on Djurgarden. You’ll be visiting one of those, the Vasa Museum, in about 15 minutes from now.

At the moment, however, you’re a local. Continue your walk, crossing the first bridge you come to and making your way past the small food kiosk, Djurgardenbrons Sjocafe, to the Vasa Museum.

Stockholm has more than 70 museums, but the crown jewel is the Vasa. It is almost impossible to prepare yourself for what you will see inside the museum: a warship — yes, the actual ship, not a reproduction or model — that capsized after being launched on its maiden journey in 1628.

The Vasa was brought up from its watery grave in 1961. Many artifacts were found in the deep freeze of the harbor, including butter whose expiration date had long passed.

Do not leave Stockholm without seeing the Vasa, or you’ll experience a sinking feeling when you return home, kicking yourself for having missed the city’s most popular museum. That said, make it snappy. You could spend half a day marveling at the Vasa, but we’re on a quest. One hour is all you have.

Head back to the main street Djurgardsvagen and, without crossing, follow the sidewalk until you reach the Bla Porte Cafe, where you’ll step inside for your first Swedish fika.

To the casual observer (not meaning the newly informed you), a fika appears to be nothing more than a snack, but to the Swedes, a fika is when you take time from your “oh so busy” life to catch up with friends over coffee and cake. It’s what we used to call catching up with friends before the pace of life became so hectic.

To understand fika is to begin to comprehend, at least in part, the complex Sweden soul. Fika is an important social institution. “A fika could be that you take either a coffee or tea, a sandwich or something sweet, and you sit down and you talk for hours,” says Karen, a Stockholm tour guide. “It’s a social coffee break that takes longer than five minutes. You need the right environment as well.”

You have the right environment here at Bla Porte. Load your tray with goodies, and be sure to try the Swedish favorite, kanelbulle, a cinnamon bun served in a relatively healthy proportion unlike the sugar-slathered cousin you get back home. Order a coffee, pay with your credit card (or Swedish kroner) and take a seat at the outdoor courtyard. Oh, you are so local.

Following fika, head across Djurgardsvagen to spend a couple of hours walking through several centuries of Swedish history at Skansen. The world’s first outdoor museum serves up “Old Sweden” or “Sweden in Miniature,” with farms and villages reconstructed from more than 150, 18th, 19th and 20th century buildings that have been brought here from throughout Sweden.

Costumed guides and performers add to Skansen’s authenticity. You’ll also enjoy the zoo, featuring primarily Nordic animals such as bear, lynxes, wolves and wolverines. The walking requires energy, of course, which rationalizes your urge to find the 19th-century bakery in the Old Town Quarter. You’ll find it hard to resist the freshly baked breads and buns.

After assuring yourself that “no carb was left uneaten,” exit Skansen’s side entrance and head back toward the bridge to rent a bike at Djurgardenbrons Sjocafe.

Ask for a map, but don’t worry about getting lost. Good signage points the way back. As you pedal through this vast park, you’ll find it easy to forget that you’re in a city of more than 1.65 million.

Your route takes you along country roads, forest paths, past small horse pastures and gardens. There is no hint of city — anywhere. Follow the shoreside and canals around Djurgarden and, after an hour or so of leisurely riding and stopping, find your way to Rosendals Tradgard, where you’ll visit the gardens and greenhouses that belonged to the 19th-century Rosendal Palace.

For a light lunch, do as the locals do and pick up a glass of wine and a sandwich from the cafe situated in one of greenhouses. Then find a shady spot in the apple orchard to picnic. Most of the food is produced locally or comes from the gardens.

Should you want something more extravagant, find your way to Villa Kallhagen, one of Stockholm’s finest restaurants. Though only five minutes from Stockholm’s city center, Villa Kallhagen is off the map for tourists outside of Sweden. You’ll find few of your fellow countrymen dining in this exquisite restaurant in a park setting.

After lunch, return the bike, and head to the ferry landing at the Vasa Museum to cross the water to Nybroplan. You’ll only need a few coins for the crossing, or just show the Stockholm Card you purchased after landing at Arlanda Visitors Center (situated in Terminal 5). The card costs SEK330 for 24 hours and includes most public transport as well as admission to more than 75 museums and attractions.

You’re not quite done yet. Two more stops before heading back to your hotel. See the beautiful building across from the ferry landing? That’s Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern.

For the foreign tongue, that’s too much of a mouthful (Swedish is a difficult language; most foreigners have no trouble saying the number six, which is pronounced “sex,” but try saying seven; it sounds like nothing more than the exhaling of air, but impossible for the non-native Swede to pronounce properly).

The building is the Royal Dramatic Theater. Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman got their start in acting here, and Ingmar Bergman staged productions here. But you’re only appreciating the theater in passing, as you walk alongside it up Nybrogatan, on the left side facing the theater, to Saluhallen, which opened as a market in 1888.

The market goes by several names, including Saluhallen and Ostermalmshallen. But to sound like a local, just call it “hallen.” You’ll blend.

Step inside this “Seattle’s Pike Place Market meets Your Upscale Grocery Store and Food Court” for culinary treats that are a feast of the eyes and the tummy. Admire the Swedish golden-hued mushrooms known as chanterrelles, and the colorful berries, including the Swedish favorite, Jordgubbar, which is the summer icon of Sweden, known simply as the strawberry. If you want to appear as a local, bite into a juicy strawberry (you may want to pay for it first, however).

Exiting the market, walk across the square, Ostermalmstorg, turn right on Sibyllegatan and make your way back to Strandvagen. Turn left.

You’re going shopping at one of Stockholm’s most exclusive stores. Just a few steps away, at Strandvagen 5, you’ll find Svenskt Tenn, a classic design shop featuring printed fabrics and furniture designed by Josef Frank as well as a selection of goods that you will not find in other stores. That’s because Svenskt Tenn has exclusive contracts with designers to offer one-of-a-kind traditional and contemporary Swedish design.

Coincidentally, there are three other recommended hotels within walking of where you are standing as you exit Svenskt Tenn. Two are in Stureplan, which is up Birger Jarlsgatan (to your right as you face the water). Those are Hotel Stureplan and Scandic Anglais. Both are reviewed in our hotel guide.

The other is the Grand Hotel, situated directly behind the Radisson SAS Strand. You’ll be passing it tomorrow.

For now, if you’re still up for shopping before returning to your hotel, make your way toward Stureplan, taking in the shops along the way, then returning on Biblioteksgatan, an upscale shopping street.

When you reach the square just before Nybroplan, turn right if you want to visit Sweden’s largest department store, NK, at Hamngatan 18 – 20. The Orrefors shop, situated on the bottom floor, has more original glassware than anywhere else in the city. Other recommended crystal shops are Nordiska Kristall and Vasa Kristall.

Return to your hotel to refresh yourself. Tonight, you’re on a dinner cruise to the archipelago. Stromma Lines awaits you directly across the water from your hotel. You’ll visit the archipelago on what will seem to be an endless summer night. Exhale. No, you’re not attempting to say the number seven. You’re relaxing.

Life just doesn’t get any better than this. And get some rest tonight. You’ll need it. Tomorrow, we tackle Stockholm’s most popular district, the centuries-old Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town.

Click here for Day Two: Getting To Know Gamla Stan

Begin your day as you did yesterday, but on this gorgeous, sunny Stockholm day, you’ll exit the Radisson SAS Strand’s front door and head to your right instead of to your left.

Follow the water and the walkway that curves around the harbor. Take a moment to breathe in the view when you reach Skeppholmsbron (”bron” means “bridge”). Looking across Norrstrom harbor, you’re admiring the Royal Palace (you’re in a kingdom, remember, with a king, queen and princesses). You’re also looking at your next destination, Gamla Stan.

Stroll along the waterway, passing the Grand Hotel. You’ll want to peek inside to admire the Grand’s regal public spaces. Make note of the Cadierbaren, which offers a high-tea service that you’re not likely to forget. You may want to return to the Grand for lunch at the casual Food Bar, reasonably priced and a palate-pleaser. You eat on a tray, but the setting is elegant. (Note that the Food Bar will not be open for lunch in July and August 2009).

Continuing along Stromkajen, cross the street and Strombron (remember “bron” is “bridge”) to Gamla Stan, the “city between the bridges.” Walk up Palace Hill, nod to the guard at the top, then head down to begin exploring Stockholm’s birthplace.

The House of Parliament is on your right, and it’s not unusual to see fisherman in waders hauling in trout from the lake waters than run beneath the Parliament. The locks at Gamla Stan separate Lake Malaren (60 miles long) from the Baltic Sea.

The medieval old town, with its charming cobblestone streets, museums, shops and restaurants, straddles three of 14 islands that make up Stockholm. The well-preserved Old Town features the original network of streets, and some of its buildings date from the Middle Ages.

You’ll need to know a little about the history, so here goes: Stockholm was first mentioned as a town in 1252 and was largely built by the Swedish ruler Birger Jarl. It grew rapidly as a result of a trade agreement made with the German city of Lübeck.

The agreement ensured Lübeck merchants freedom from customs charges for their trade in Sweden, as well as the right to settle there. Stockholm came to be officially regarded as the Swedish capital in 1436. After conflicts between the Danes and Swedes for many years, Stockholm was liberated from Danish rule by Gustav I Vasa in 1523.

Class dismissed.

Gamla Stan is relatively small, so it’s okay, even preferable, to lose yourself here. After you’ve walked past the Royal Palace, you’ll come to Gamla Stan’s main pedestrian street, Vasterlangatan (”the long western street”).

You can cross all of Gamla Stan on Vasterlangatan. If you were do so without stopping and with no crowds, you could make it from one end to the other in 10 to 15 minutes. But Vasterlangatan can be crowded from mid-morning to mid-afternoon when the weather is nice, so unless you enjoy walking shoulder-to-shoulder, belly-to-back and toe-to-heel with thousands of others, you’ll need to permit yourself to be detoured. I’m going to tell you now, but first it’s time for a hot dog.

What is it about the Scandinavians and hot dogs? I’ve never seen so many hot dog stands as in Scandinavia. Denmark, the nation to the south, is one of the world’s top (per capita) producers of pork. Hot dogs stands are to Scandinavia what Starbucks is to Seattle.

You’ll encounter your first hot dog stand at the beginning of Vasterlangatan. The owner of the small kiosk is from the Middle East and holds a higher degree in something like engineering. One thing that he has surely engineered is a good hot dog. Swedish hot dogs aren’t like American hot dogs in that they’re actually good — and okay for you. You’ll have many varieties to choose from and some unusual toppings, including dried onions and pickles as well as Senap (a mustard that is richer than its American cousin), ketchup and mayonnaise. Yes, you read correctly, mayonnaise.

As you are snacking your way through Stockholm, it’s good to remind yourself that you’re also walking enough to burn off those extra calories.

From the hot dog stand, make your way along Vasterlangatan for only a block before turning left up Storkyrkobrinken, which leads to your first stop, the 15th-century Gothic Storkyrkan (”Stor” means “large;” “kyrkan” means “church”), also, thankfully for the English tongue, called the Stockholm Cathedral, or Church of St. Nicolas. No matter what you call it, the church features Scandinavia’s largest medieval monument, a wooden sculpture made of elk antlers and oak carved in 1489 representing St. George battling a fierce Dragon. Make a mental note of the sculpture. You’ll see another version of it, outside, today.

Check your watch, or look up at the clock tower adorning the cathedral. Don’t look at the clock on the building across the street, however. It’s been stuck at 1:50 for as long as I’ve been coming to Stockholm. If your watch tells you it’s noon, make your way to the 18th-century Royal Palace inner courtyard for the changing of the guard at 12:15 each day except Sundays. During the tourist season, you need to be either tall or early to see the show.

If it’s well before noon, turn left exiting the church to visit Gamla Stan’s largest square, Stortorget (”Stor,” means “large;” and “torget” means “square”), once the venue for public hangings and site of the “Bloodbath of 1520,” the mass execution of Swedish nobles by a Danish king that led to revolt and Sweden’s becoming a sovereign state.

Stortorget today is stunningly beautiful and bordered by tall, narrow, colorful Amsterdam-like buildings, the Nobel Museum and one of my favorite Fika shops, the uber-charming and aforementioned Chokladkoppen. Take a seat inside or out for a hot chocolate or coffee and kanelbolle. Time for another fika.

Afterward, the Nobel Museum is worth a gander. If you can’t do the full tour, step inside the cafe and look under the chairs. It’s okay. They’re light enough to lift, but do so carefully. Nearly all are signed by Nobel Laureates who once sat in the chairs. The ice cream sundae here is delicious, by the way, down to the gold-wrapped chocolate Nobel coin.

For a Nobel-like dinner, you may want to make reservations at Gamla Stan’s Golden Fleece, Stockholm’s oldest restaurant, more than 300 years in operation. The Nobel Laureates do lunch here during the ceremonies week.

For now, however, it’s time to see the changing of the guard. Exit the Nobel Museum, turn left and left again along the small street Kallargrand to get back to the inner courtyard at the Royal Palace. Don’t miss the green pissoir on your left. Snapshots of it have landed in many a photo album.

After the changing of the guard, return to Stortorget, and find your way to Svartmangatan, walk about a block to Kindstugatan, with its shops, then turn right on Sjalagardsgatan. Before doing so, however, walk up to admire the other version of the monument to St. George and Dragon (remember I told you to make a mental note of the one in the church?)

Return to Sjalagardsgatan, making your way back to Svartmangatan. Your only quest on these small streets is to admire, and oh, by the way, you are looking so local.

Turn on Tyska Stallplan, a short alley that leads to Prastgatan, where you’ll look for a very narrow alley to Marten Trotzigs, the restaurant so named for a German copper dealer who lived here in the 16th century. Half of Stockholm’s Middle-Age population was German. At Marten Trotzigs’, you’re back on Vasterlangatan, but at the opposite end, having avoided the bustle and crowds.

The entire walk has taken a leisurely two hours, with visits to cathedral, the changing of the guard, and shopping. For lunch, you have quite a few choices. You’re probably fika’d out by now, but if not Stockholm’s oldest fika cafe is near the square. Or you can stop for lunch al fresco at Martin Trotzig at Vasterlanggatan 79.

My recommendation, if you still have some gas in the legs, is to walk down to the water, across the bridge and take the Katarinahissen lift, built in 1883, up to the best-value and best-view lunch in town at Gondolen. 


After lunch, make your way to back to Gamla Stan for more exploration, or head to City Hall to admire the Blue Hall, where the Nobel Prize banquet is held annually, and the Golden Hall, with its more than 18 million glass and gold mosaic pieces. Nobel prizes are awarded each December, except for the Peace prize, which is awarded in Oslo.

Climb City Hall Tower for a bird’s-eye view of Stockholm. The tower, by the way, is 106 meters tall, a mere meter higher than Copenhagen’s. Think the two cities aren’t competitive? Think again.

Not long ago, Copenhagen was thought of as being the more Continental of the two cities. No longer, Stockholm has proclaimed itself to be the Capital of Scandinavia. While still distinctly Swedish, Stockholm now boasts an international flair. But I am digressing. Back to our quest.

It’s a good thing that Stockholm enjoys 20 hours of sunlight during summers, because now you’re going on a boat tour.

At Stadshusbron by the City Hall, board the steam-powered SS Drottningholm, built in 1909, for a voyage through Lake Malaren to Drottningholm Palace, an hour’s chug away.

A brilliant example of a northern European 18th-century royal residence, Drottningholm has been home to the Swedish Royal Family since 1981. Building began here in 1662. Join a guided tour, and be sure to visit the court theater, built in 1766. Don’t miss the wonderful Chinese Pavilion.

You can spend most of the afternoon on the excursion to Drottningholm. When you return, make your way to the world’s first permanent “Ice Bar,” situated in the Nordic Sea Hotel, near Central Station.

The price of admission, SEK 180 if you book in advance (recommended), includes use of capes, mitts, and slippers to keep you warm inside the below-freezing bar and an Absolut cocktail (or lingonberry juice) served in glasses made from 100% pure, clear ice from the Torne River in Swedish Lapland. In fact, the whole interior of the bar is built from the ice. Hold on to your glass, by the way, as refills are only SEK 95.

Toasting, by the way, is a ritual in Sweden. Bring your ice glass so that it’s level with your sternum. Look your companion in the eyes, nod, say “skål!” and drink. Then lower the glass and look your companion in the eye again. You are so local.

Your tour — or time in the bar — lasts 40 minutes. You can always leave early if you’re too cold. Want a souvenir? Purchase ice glasses, packed in a special box to keep them from melting — guaranteed for 24 hours.

After your cocktail, find a special place for dinner before returning to your hotel. The favorite of Evert Taube, the famous author, artist, composer and singer who lived from 1890 – 1976, was Den Gyldene Freden (the aforementioned Golden Fleece), which has been a restaurant in Gamla Stan since 1722. Taube’s bronze statute stands nearby.

Although the sky isn’t completely dark when you exit the restaurant at midnight, your day is coming to an end, and with it, your two perfect days in Stockholm.

In two full turns of the clock, a mere 48 hours, Stockholm has revealed something of its soul to you, but trust me, there’s much, much more. We’ll save that for another day, another time, another visit.

One More Day: Out Into The Archipelago

If you are in Stockholm for a few days, you surely will want to venture out to the archipelago on ships that depart from the city center. It’s about a two-hour journey to Sandhamn, a small village where you can take lunch at Sandhamns Vardshus before setting out on kayaks for smaller, uninhabited islands just a few miles away. Return to relax in the sauna before boarding the ship back to Stockholm. The experience is quintessentially Swedish and one that should not be missed.