A public experiment in organic food- and flora-growing, Rosendals is also a nice place to spend an afternoon—the rose garden holds nearly a hundred varieties, while the boutique sells artisanal jams.
Turn the autumnal darkness to your advantage and stroll along Monteliusvägen, a quarter-mile-long hillside path on Södermalm, the boho-chic southern island.
Stay in Södermalm for an excellent dinner at Pelikan (0046 8 5560 9090; pelikan.se; mains around £20). The wood-panelled former beerhall offers hearty fare so Swedish it’s almost retro.
Start by getting lost in the streets of Gamla Stan, on the small but strategically central island that houses the official home of the Swedish monarchy.
The Östermalms Saluhall (ostermalmshallen.se) is a splendid 19th-century red-brick food hall with speciality stalls.
