Stockholm likes to call itself the capital of Scandinavia, a claim with which several of Sweden’s neighbors would likely take contest. But there’s no denying the omnipresent natural and historical beauty of Sweden’s capital, which is spread across 14 islands, surrounded by clean fresh water that just invites you to swim (during the summer months!) at every turn, loaded with green spaces thick with trees and struck through with cozy pedestrian streets like the cobbled ones in Gamla Stan, the old town.

Public transportation is exceedingly efficient, clean, safe and, with the purchase of the Stockholm Card, surprisingly affordable, too. The Stockholm Card, which can be purchased for one to five days, lets you pay one affordable fee for access to more than 80 museums and attractions, and includes all travel on public transportation, including short ferry trips between the islands. Traveling together as a family in Stockholm is as easy and inviting as it gets.