Dive into one of Europe's coolest capitals on city breaks to Stockholm, where sweet-smelling bakeries and sexy Scandinavian design boutiques line the medieval streets.

Stockholm is a city of islands, each with its own story. On Södermalm, juicy lingonberries are drizzled over meatballs at the antique-cluttered restaurants. Gamla Stan's old ochre-coloured houses have been converted into drop-dead-gorgeous bars. Head in for a glass of schnapps, or bob across the water to Djurgården, where Swedish royals once hunted.

Best of Stockholm city breaks for...

• Families: Pippi Longstocking comes to life at Junibacken, a colourful children's museum on the island of Djurgården. Young ones can ride a train through tales of mischief, or spend time learning how to draw their favourite storybook heroes.
• Active types: Up for getting wet on your short break to Stockholm? Check out the Stockholm Archipelago, where you can swim or try your hand at sailing under warm summer skies.
• Shopping: The Swedes are known for their style, and there's no better place to find out what's hot than in super-classy Norrmalm. Start at the flagship store of Tiger of Sweden, one of the brands with the biggest buzz.