Stockholm Archipelago

[GromitTheDog]

Hello All,

We will be in Stockholm for a week and will have a boat just for a day or 2.

Would anyone have any recommentations for places to see, or places to stop for food around the archipelago?

Many thanks,
Cian

[Dockhead]

Just spent several weeks in the Stockholm Archi, one of the loveliest cruising grounds in the world.


There are more places to stop than could be listed here -- probably no one even knows how many feasible anchorages there are. Probably 10's of thousands.


Must see places are Sandhamn, the Kiel or Cowes of Swedish yachting. And probably Vaxholm, the "capital of the archipelago". Sandhamn has different nice restaurants; it's an upscale place and home to the Swedish royal yacht club. Vaxholm is a nice town and best provisioning in the archi. Vaxholm castle was a bit of a disappointment, but we also anchored in the bay South of Vaxholm and North of Karlsudd and dinghied into the nature reserve, and walked to a different castle -- Bogesund, and THAT was spectacular.


I have cruised the Stockholm Archi many times, but this year for the first time went all the way into Stockholm, and regretted not having done that earlier. We stayed in Vasahamn, which is the most central. Bit of a hike to the old town, but you can take a ferry, and in the immediate vicinity are lots of interesting things to see and do. And quite inexpensive for a capital city, cheaper for example than Tallinn.


Note that Stockholm Archi has different zones depending on how close you are to the city. The closer islands have posh country homes and the farther ones are wild, many of them rocky. You can anchor anywhere, and you are allowed under Swedish law to roam most places under certain conditions, but the wild parts of the archi are cool and you roam and have picnics without feeling shy.


At the Southern edge of the archi is the large ferry port Nynäshamn and at the North end, across the strait, is Mariehamn in the Aland Islands. Thousands of islands in between.


Anchoring is tricky because of the rocky bottom -- always go for the deepest part of the smallest cove you can find and be ready to do short scope if necessary.



Have fun!