Gamla Stan, or the Old Town: Europe's largest and best-preserved medieval city, Gamla Stan contains a wealth of narrow, curved, cobblestoned streets filled with interesting shops, small cafes, art galleries and more. I could spend hours just walking along, soaking in the area's architecture and ambience. However, Gamla Stan also is home to several Swedish landmarks, including the city's cathedral, Storkyrkan.

The official residence of the king and queen of Sweden, the Royal Palace holds court in Gamla Stan. Here, visitors can catch a glimpse of how the country's earliest monarchs lived life. In the Royal Apartments, you can see some of the palace's oldest remaining interiors, dating back to the 1690s. At the Treasury, you can view a collection of crowns, scepters, swords and more used by the royals for special functions. What is fascinating to me is these are the same areas not only where past monarchs called home, but also where today's royals live and work. It's like a living museum.

Comprised of more than 8 million bricks, the City Hall opened in 1923 after 12 years of construction. Today, it is home to the prestigious Nobel banquet each year. Imagine walking the same floors as the lauded people who receive Nobel prizes year after year. As you stand in the Blue Hall of the building, where the banquet is set up, it's actually a bit daunting to picture the vast room full of dignitaries, scholars and more. Not to be overlooked, the building's Golden Hall also is noteworthy as it is covered with 18 million tiles, arranged to create mosaics that illustrate scenes from Swedish history.

Prepare to be intrigued as you see and learn about the warship Vasa, which sank in Stockholm during its maiden voyage in 1628. When I first heard this story, I was amused that a brand new ship would sink its first time out. However, after seeing the actual vessel, I can certainly see why it was doomed to fail. It's quite fascinating to walk around the Vasa and take in just how massive it is. But what I found more fascinating was located downstairs in the museum: "The People from the Vasa." This exhibition looks at the people onboard the Vasa at the time she sank. It includes the skeletons of some of the people found with the ship along with re-creations of how these people might have looked. It's quite enthralling and a bit eerie at the same time, but totally worth your time.

Sweden's most popular tourist destination, Skansen is the world's original open-air museum. Founded in 1891, this unique attraction showcases life in Sweden from its earliest days. For example, visitors can explore an extensive collection of buildings representing all aspects of Swedish life, such as a local farmer's small home and an 18th-century country manor. In addition, expert guides are available to provide background on the people living and working in centuries past. Furthermore, you can check out a variety of Scandinavian animals, including lynxes, wolverines and more.

Photos by Karon Warren.