City Hall Canal Boat Tour (1 hour)

The tour departs from in front of Stockholm’s City Hall, so you’ll have plenty of time to admire the titan of Kungsholmen island as you cruise out into the bay. This huge and initially austere-looking brick edifice reveals playful elements as you circle around it. Look out for gothic balconies, wooden masts and statues among the turrets and have your camera at the ready for snaps of the soaring tower topped with the Three Crowns, the Swedish national symbol.

You’ll cruise past Långholmen island, known for its verdant wooded trails, excellent picnic spots and popular sandy beach, and see the Military Academy Karlberg. Its location as part of the sprawling Karlberg Palace complex has remained unchanged since its inauguration in 1792, a world record among military training facilities.

Birger Jarl’s Tower in the old town is named for the 13th-century statesman said to have founded Stockholm, though the tower itself was constructed much later, in 1530. This cylindrical monument remains one of the city’s most photographed attractions.