Special treat: The remodelled Lydmar (0046 8 22 31 60, lydmar.com), in a prime spot on the waterfront near the National Museum, is the perfect blend of old and new.Rooms from £299.
Mid-range: Set in a former 1930s cinema, the ritzy Hotel Rival (0046 8 545 789 00; hotelrival.se) oozes Art Deco charm and contemporary comforts with PlayStations in every room. Rooms from £149.
Budget: In a city not known for its value, the Queen’s Hotel (0046 8 24 94 60; queenshotel.se) offers comfy, no-fuss rooms around a courtyard in the shopping district. From £133.
Turn the autumnal darkness to your advantage and stroll along Monteliusvägen, a quarter-mile-long hillside path on Södermalm, the boho-chic southern island.
Stay in Södermalm for an excellent dinner at Pelikan (0046 8 5560 9090; pelikan.se; mains around £20). The wood-panelled former beerhall offers hearty fare so Swedish it’s almost retro.
Start by getting lost in the streets of Gamla Stan, on the small but strategically central island that houses the official home of the Swedish monarchy.
The Kungliga Slottet (0046 8 402 6130; royalcourt.se, £14) is one of the few European palaces permanently open to the public. Make for the unostentatious Royal Apartments.
The Östermalms Saluhall (ostermalmshallen.se) is a splendid 19th-century red-brick food hall with speciality stalls.
As the light falters, start shopping. Åhléns City (0046 8 676 6000; ahlens.se), the city’s landmark department store, with its gilt clock, occupies an entire block.
DesignTorget (0046 08 21 91 50; designtorget.se), is a wonderland of great Art Deco gifts.
Head over to the National Museum (0046 8 519 543 00; nationalmuseum.se; entry from £11, closed Mondays) for a fika. Sit among trees and chandeliers in the skylit atrium café.
Warm your bones at the Centralbadet (0046 8 545 213 00; centralbadet.se, entry from £21), a historic Art Nouveau public spa with four therapeutic pools and mixed saunas.
Book a late dinner at Ekstedt (0046 8 611 12 10; ekstedt.nu), a “caveman cuisine” experience, where local produce is cooked in a wood-fired oven, cast-iron stove or fire pit. Three-course menu, £62.
