Stockholm

Stretching majestically across the islands of the Stockholm archipelago, the Swedish capital's impeccable tourism credentials are enough to make most European cities green with envy.

Kick off short breaks to Stockholm by crossing one of the footbridges to Gamla Stan (Old Town) and stepping back into 800 years of history, beautifully preserved in a maze of narrow cobbled streets, timbered houses and needle-thin church spires.

At the heart of the city, Gamla Stan is the medieval setting for the city's architectural centrepieces, including its oldest building - the 14th-century Storkyrkan cathedral, and the renaissance Royal Palace of Kungliga Slottet. Nearby, the Stadshuset is a dizzying lesson in romantic architecture, famed as being the venue for the Nobel Prize ceremonies.

The other face of city breaks to Stockholm couldn't be more contemporary. Both the Scandinavian capital of design and something of a European cultural yardstick, Stockholm comes alive at night with an impressive collection of overflowing bars and bistros.

Short breaks to Stockholm should include a taste of the city's cultural smorgasbord. Hop on a ferry to the museum island of Skeppsholmen, where the Moderna Muséet boasts one of the best collections of modern art in Europe. A trip to the National Art Museum fills in the rest of the historical gaps.

No city breaks to Stockholm are truly complete without a visit to the Vasa Muséet. A testament to Sweden's maritime heritage, it is one of the city's biggest draws, displaying a perfectly preserved warship that sank in 1628 along with 12,000 artefacts.

In one of Europe's most laid-back cities, it comes as no surprise that finding somewhere to relax during short breaks to Stockholm isn't difficult. A third of the city is taken up by water and another third given over to parkland - at its most serene in the former royal hunting grounds of Djurgården.