Experience the narrow, ancient streets of Stockholm’s Gamla Stan quarter, then tour inside the lavish and very large Royal Palace. Concentrated on one of the 14 islands that make up the Swedish capital’s urban archipelago, Old Town was the whole town here for hundreds of years – and its medieval atmosphere is unmistakable. Many of the buildings date from the 16th and 17th centuries, complete with baroque doorways and corroded coats of arms. You’ll be immersed in color and character as you tour the district, passing landmarks like Coronation Church, admired for its Brick Gothic architecture, convivial Stortorget square, and the old Stock Exchange – now home to the Swedish Academy and Nobel Museum. But none of that grandeur holds a candle to what you’ll encounter on your inside tour of the Royal Palace, where Sweden’s king and queen manage to somehow make do with just 608 rooms. This sprawling 18th-century showplace took over 60 years to build, with much of that seemingly spent just on moldings that adorn the baroque and rococo interior. Be on the lookout for prodigious tapestries, a mirrored hall inspired by Versailles, and a Silver Throne from 1650 – clearly built for ceremony, not comfort.