There’s little doubt that Stockholm is one of the most serene places to drive in all of Europe. Even at peak times and in rush hour the roads are relatively quiet, while drivers are polite. There are a few local laws it’s a good idea to be aware of. Headlights are compulsory at all times – even during the day they need to be dimmed. In the city, pedestrians, cyclists and buses have the right of way. You’ll be driving on the right, overtaking on the left and it’s vital to wear seatbelts.

There is a congestion charge in the heart of Stockholm that runs from 6.30 to 6.30 – speak to our local team for advice on this. There is designated street parking where you’ll have to pay, along with garages and extensive park-and-ride facilities if you want to leave your car outside of the centre.

Sitting on the water, Stockholm boasts a number of islands you can reach by bridge in your hire car. The old town of Gamla Stan, for example, can be reached by the Centralbron, Vasabron and Stronbron (Bron meaning bridge).

The city is well-connected to the rest of Sweden, and you’ll find the country a pleasure to drive through and explore. Just over an hour away, north on the E4, sits Uppsala, a pretty town with a stunning cathedral and 500-year-old university.

Even closer is the popular tourist destination Drottningholm Palace. Head west on Route 275 and 261 and you’ll find it perched on the island of Lovo. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Drottningholm was built in the 17^th century for Queen Eleonora and affords a great insight into Swedish history, only a stone’s throw from Stockholm itself.

Stockholm is built over more than a dozen islands, which means you’re never far away from serene water, fresh air or an elegant escape from city life. It’s a truly gorgeous city: low-rise, peaceful and sophisticated, mixing the old town’s traditions with Scandinavian chic.

Car hire in Stockholm will help you navigate the islands and get out to see more of this stunning part of Sweden.

A glimpse of Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan is Stockholm’s Old Town, the core of the city since 1252. It’s a remarkably well-preserved medieval town, and visitors will find the Nobel Museum, Stockholm Cathedral and Royal Palace here. The latter – the Kungliga Slottet – has over 600 rooms, a daily changing of the guard and guided tours where you’ll see Queen Kristina’s silver throne. The whole of the district is surrounded by water, betraying its past as a fort.

A stroll around this wonderful warren is a fine way to start your visit, with cobbled roads, alleys so narrow you’re not sure you’ll fit down them and buildings that lean into each other so far across the road that you’ll swear they’re about to touch.

From fiction to reality

There’s a great literary heritage in Stockholm, but the recent boom in crime fiction set in the area has led to an increase in visitors.

People come to retrace the steps of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist from Stieg Larsson’s international bestsellers, flocking to the newly-chic Södermalm, in the south of Stockholm, where much of the action is set.

Arne Dahl’s novels have their pilgrims too. But if all of that is too dark, visit the Astrid Lindgren Museum, to delve into the life of the long-time Stockholm resident who gave the world Pippi Longstocking.

The new Nordic

If you’ve watched any TV cookery competitions recently, you may have seen the contestants sent packing to Stockholm to coax food into life with tweezers. That’s the new Nordic cuisine in action.

The movement is all about locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, served in innovative ways that highlight their freshness and providence.

At the top end, that means a visit to Mathias Dahlgren at Grand Hotel and his two Michelin stars. Expensive, painstakingly presented and definitely for those with a taste for the unusual, it’s perfect for pushing the boat out.

However, increasing numbers of Michelin-starred chefs have been making their food more approachable and affordable by opening ‘bakficka’ (back pocket) restaurants.

Dahlgren’s own Matbaren is a perfect example of this. Of course, you also don’t have to look too hard for more traditional fare – moose, reindeer and pickled fish are often on the menu. For a taste of old Stockholm head to Tennstopet, which opened its doors to diners over 100 years ago. People flock here for the ‘S.O.S.’, a simple dish of herring, cheese and butter, but also for steak tartare, mustard breaded flounder herring and chocolate cake with cloudberries.

With the rest of south-east Sweden waiting to be explored, and the city itself an enchanting destination, car hire in Stockholm makes sense for ease and freedom in one of Europe’s best driving cities.