Stockholm's Royal Palace

The largest of the Scandinavian countries, Sweden appears to be little more than a massive forest encompassed by a craggy, fjord-slashed coastline and scattered with 100,000 crystalline lakes, a vast natural force interrupted rarely by the hand of man.

However this clean, green country has scattered gems of sophisticated civilisation, lively, elegant cities full of action and cultural interest - even if they do have a medieval core - and attractive, friendly local people when you get past the initial reserve.

Swedish life is well-organised, highly efficient, very safe and a lot cheaper than it used to be.

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