Built on 14 islands around one of Europe's largest and best-preserved medieval city centers, the Swedish capital is superbly positioned, with stunning and extremely varied scenery in every direction. To the west, Lake Mälaren branches out among lush, idyllic landscapes. To the east the magnificent Stockholm archipelago stretches seaward, an enchanting maritime world of more than 24,000 islands and islets. The Old Town is particularly spectacular, and walking around the city's waterways and parks is a glorious way to spend a weeklong stretch of European summer.

Dating back from the 13th century, Sweden's third-largest city, Malmo is a historic city with a rich cultural heritage. Its oldest building, dating from the early 14th century, St Peter's Church peeks out from behind the City Hall. The church was built in "Baltic Brick Gothic" style. Malmohus Castle is the oldest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia dating from 1436. The most charming square and one of the most popular meeting places in the city, Lilla Torg was built in 1592 as a market square featuring several interesting buildings. In the heart of the city, west of the Lilla Torg square, is the picturesque Gamla Vaster area hosting colourful street buildings and grand stone and brick establishments. Don't miss architect Santiago Calatrava's spectacular apartment building in the Western Harbour. At 190 metres, Turning Torso is the tallest building in Sweden.

The "gateway to northern Europe," Gothenburg is the country's chief port and second-largest city with everything a modern city can offer. The Gothenburg Botanical Garden has been named The Most Beautiful Garden in Sweden and the third most beautiful in the World. Here you can enjoy 13,000 different species of plants, stroll around in the Wood Anemone Valley gully. Next to the botanical garden is Gothenburg's largest park, Slottsskogen, where the Natural History Museum is located. The park is also home to the city's oldest observatory. One of Gothenburg's most popular tourist attractions is the archipelago (Southern Gothenburg Archipelago), which can be reached by boat. Alvsborg Fortress, Vinga and Styrso islands are popular places to visit. The amusement park Liseberg, the largest of its kind in Scandinavia, is situated in the centre of the city.

Considered "the town of all towns in Norway" by locals and not only, Bergen is a great city with tradition and one of the most important economic centers in Norway. The famous hanseatic wharf of Bryggen will meet the tourists coming here by sea; tradition is the key-word in Bryggen, rebuilt in its initial form after many fire destructions; that's why it was named by UNESCO a World Heritage City. Bergen's natural scenery is amazing: the surroundings seven mountains offer scenic views and are accessible either by cable car of funicular railway; the unique fjords: Hardangerfjorden, Sognefjorden, Geirangerfjorden - invite you to a breathtaking boat trip. Bergen is also a cultural city and the splendid houses - today museums - of the famous composer Edvard Grieg and violinist Ole Bull are living proofs.

Wonderful Copenhagen is one of the world's great walking cities. A cozy European capital, it's filled with stunning architecture ? classic and modern, historic sites, world-class museums, and some of the best shopping and dining in Europe. No matter what your interests, Copenhagen has a whole lot of sightseeing and entertainment on offer: the graceful statue of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid, Tivoli Gardens, a charming all ages "Pleasure Park" in the heart of the city, the Danish crown jewels at Rosenborg Palace, shops on Strøget, eclectic art and antiquities collections at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Botanic Gardens, and other many beautiful parks.

Surrounded by water on three sides and fringed by islands, Helsinki grew up around a natural harbor overlooking the Gulf of Finland. A city of wide streets, squares, and parks, adorned with sculpture, Helsinki was one of the world's first planned municipalities and is noted for its 19th-century neoclassical architecture. It is a city of bustling, colorful market squares and halls, of outdoor summer concerts and sports events, of seaside parks, of excellent cafes and restaurants and cutting-edge art in fine museums. It is also a pleasantly compact city, with many of the attractions in the central districts, within easy reach of one another.

The small town of Lillehammer is one of the best resorts in Europe, located near the northern end of the Lake Mjosa and beautifully surrounded by mountains. Lillehammer is inevitably related to the best ever Winter Olympics hosted here in 1994. The Norwegians are taking full advantage of that big investment and therefore most of the infrastructure is in use nowadays. In the winter, feel the unique spirit of the Olympic Park and Museum and enjoy cross-country skiing on hundreds of adjacent tracks. If you're looking for adrenaline, take the chance to become a "5G Club" member by riding on a genuine Olympic Bobsleigh track. Lillehammer offers many leisure opportunities, like the greatest Norwegian outdoor museum of Maihaugen and the nice town centre with 19th century wooden hoses and warm local people.

Oslo abounds with sights of interest, such as museums, parks, urban districts with listed buildings and a well-developed array of shops. As most sights are within walking distance of each other, you can leave your car behind. Oslo City Hall is located in the city center only a few hundred meters from the city's main street and overlooks Oslo Fjord filled with moored pleasure craft, shrimp trawlers, cruise ships, charter boats and ferries to all the islands. Oslo has a wide variety of restaurants, bistros and bars. Most are located within such a limited area that they are within walking distance of each other. In addition, each quarter of the city has an unusual atmosphere all worth visiting.

Founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703 as a "window to Europe," Saint Petersburg served as the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years. Nowadays it became a major European cultural center, and the most important Russian port on the Baltic. The city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main tourist attractions are: the Hermitage, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the Russian Museum. The most famous inhabitants of this city were Dostoyevski, Pushkin, Tschajkovski, and Tcherniavski.