Stockholm is the capital and largest city of Sweden

It is built across 14 islands and is often called the Venice of the North. Lots of foreign visitors than any other city in Scandinavia it is also considered to be the Capital of Scandinavia.

As water covers one third of the city area, the maritime life is an important aspect of the city. There are plenty of bridges, marinas and locks. The water is so clean that you can drink it and catch salmon in the middle of the city.

Due to its unique location surrounded by water and countryside, with parks and gardens everywhere and a delightfully pure atmosphere.

Everything is in easy walking distance, everybody speaks perfect English, and the summers midnight sun makes Stockholm a great destination for short break.

Stockholm, like many other big cities, is best experienced on foot. In the city centre through Gamla Stan all the way to Slussen a walk that will take you through a wealth of history, culture and shopping opportunities. Visit the Royal Palace for the changing of the guard at midday in summer or see the imposing City Hall. Stockholm boasts an impressive collection of museums, including the National Museum of Art and the new Design Museum. The extraordinary Vasa Museum is a must, housing a superbly restored 1628 warship.

In the winter visit the Christmas markets in and enjoys a warm glass of alcohol or ginger biscuits.

For shopping, the best local buys are crystal, leather goods and ceramics. There are numerous contemporary design outlets selling cutting edge Scandinavian design furniture and accessories, while the many antique and curiosity shops are well worth a browse.

Theres no shortage of entertainment from theatre to live music and more at clubs and cafes. Stockholm This Week tells you whats on when listings.

Despite being an expensive country, Sweden has a good youth hostel and campsite network and there are plenty of budget travel hotels, but booking ahead is essential in summer, particularly at two of the best hostels, Al Chapman and Langholmen which is a former prison cells. Regular hotels, packages are the best way to get a room for a reasonable rate, or try to stay weekends when most places offer half price rates.

A good selection of traditional eateries and a wealth of international restaurants are found in the city centre. Try fresh fish, meatballs or a traditional smorgasbord. For lively bars and jazz clubs, the most popular are to be found in the Sodermalm and Stureplan areas.

The climate is very much conditioned by the sea winds, so even the warmest summer day will be contingent upon the sea breeze finding its way into the city streets.

Traveling around Europe can be a truly unique experience. In fact, I don’t think there are many people who would pass out on the opportunity to travel all over Europe and see all the beautiful countries and cities that they hear so much about. I’m sure that even those who have had such an experience would like to relive it. The only problem is that seeing all of Europe at once can be quite expensive. Transportation, meals, accommodation, fares, etc. – they all add up to an overall amount that most of us cannot come up with.

What do you do if you dream of going on a tour of the European capitals, but you realize you are a little short of cash? If you want to stay at a hotel in cities such as Amsterdam, London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Berlin, etc., you will be taking quite a lot of money out of your pocket. Therefore, if you travel on a budget, pretty much like everybody else, your best option is represented by hostels.

The history of hostels goes back almost a century, when, as a result of a rather unfortunate situation, a German teacher realized that safe and affordable lodgings needed to be built in order to accommodate students traveling for various purposes. As a result, the first youth hostel was built in Germany in 1912. Many other countries quickly embraced the concept, and hostels began to be built in countries such as the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, etc. Nowadays, hostels can be found in every country, but the one with the richest tradition is the Netherlands. To be more precise, it was Amsterdam that played the most important part in the development of these inexpensive and comfortable accommodations. In 1932, the International Youth Hostel Foundation was created in Amsterdam, foundation that has about sixty-five members now.

You can imagine that such a wealth of experience has lead to the continuous improvement of services provided in such hostels. As a result, most hostels Amsterdam are a lot more than just safe and affordable. They are very clean, comfortable and welcoming places where everyone feels at home. It’s safe to say that some hostels Amsterdam set the quality standards for youth accommodations. Therefore, when in Amsterdam, for whatever reason, don’t give any second thought to staying at a hotel, because hostels are an excellent choice.

Some of the hostels Amsterdam offer excellent conditions and facilities. If you are lucky enough to find a vacancy in one of the well-located hostels Amsterdam, you will need little else. In order to make your stay as pleasant as possible, you should try to find a hostel whose staff are friendly and welcoming, whose prices are moderate, and whose location is close to the city center or the main attraction points of the city. The good news is that there are such youth hostels in Amsterdam. Moreover, some hostels in Amsterdam also offer all sorts of facilities, such as free quality breakfast, free city map and walking tour, free luggage storage, free movies to watch, and so on.

In conclusion, when you get to Amsterdam, make hostels your number one choice. You won’t be sorry!

For more information about Hostels or even about hostels Amsterdam please follow this link http://www.hostelcosmos.com