Spread across 24,000 islets and laced with numerous waterways on the southeastern coast of Sweden, Stockholm enjoys one of the most stunning locales of any capital city in the world. Over 30% of the city area is made up of waterways and another 30% is made up of parks and green spaces, giving Stockholm perhaps the freshest air and widest lungs of any European capital.

This natural oasis is complemented by the stunning Old Town, which has been very well preserved over the centuries. This Old Town (or Gamla Stan) is the epicentre of the city, with countless hotels, bars, restaurants and shops all prospering - as people in these historical streets have done for centuries.

Away from the charms of the Old Town, the modern city showcases the neat and innovative design standards for which Sweden has become globally renowned. Much of Stockholm's present-day wealth comes from the new light industries, such as information technology and computing, with world leading companies often occupying prime real estate in the city centre or filling up the new business parks on the city fringes.

All this is a far cry from the city's humble beginnings, which stretch back to the 13th century and Birger Jarl - generally accepted as the founder of the city, although various settlements previously existed on the site. The city grew up around the Old Town, as Stockholm emerged as a key trading centre with influence all over the Baltic Sea region and further afield.

Today, Stockholm is a thriving modern European city that exudes confidence in its strengths and abilities at all levels, be they financial, cultural, social or gastronomic.

During the seemingly endless days and bright sunshine of the summer months, the city's chic boutiques and stylish pavement cafes overflow with affluent, fashion-conscious people who enjoy the culture and lifestyle that has earned the Swedish capital rave reviews from Europe's style magazines.

Stockholm's ethnic make-up is, perhaps surprisingly, very eclectic, with over 15% first-generation immigrants and over 100 languages spoken in the city. This increasing diversity has infused the city with a renewed vigour and energy, as the various incoming cultures interact with the indigenous one.

A quintessential Stockholm summer night is spent bathed in warm sunshine, sitting at a restaurant by the water's edge, savouring fresh seafood plucked straight from the waters around Stockholm, before taking advantage of the midnight light and heading out for a night around the Stureplan, in some of Europe's trendiest bars.

When the long winter does come, it is not all Nordic gloom - the locals head for the sanctuary of the cosy pubs that line the city. Stockholm has almost as many restaurants per capita as Paris does, as well as 150 or so museums and galleries, so there is always plenty to do when the winter chill sets in. Then there are the severe winters when many of the waterways around the city freeze up, making ice skating around one of the world's most stunning capital cities a unique experience.