STOCKHOLM , Sweden ( CNN ) -- I am sitting in a Stockholm hotel over a breakfast of meatballs , eggs , crisp bread covered with salty caviar paste , toast with a dollop of lingonberry jam and a cup of strong Swedish coffee . Life is good . Boats line up along the waterfront outside the five-star Grand Hotel in Stockholm , Sweden . But there is little time to linger . I have one day to explore Stockholm before catching a flight back to the United States , a bonus excursion squeezed in after a trip to another country in Europe . My plane landed at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport the day before under gray skies , a steady drizzle and a temperature hovering around 50 degrees Fahrenheit . Not a promising start . It 's late May , but the first walk around the city requires three layers of clothing and an umbrella . Thankfully , the sun reappears for my full day of sightseeing , and I get a taste of the long Scandinavian summer days , with sunrises bathing Stockholm in light before 4 a.m. and soft twilight hanging around until 11 p.m. this time of year . From my guidebook , I know that Stockholm is built on 14 islands that separate the Baltic Sea from Lake Mälaren , earning it the nickname `` Venice of the North . '' Still , strolling around the pedestrian-friendly city is a surprise : You 're never far away from a beautiful waterfront walkway or a bridge or the cries of seagulls , but walk along any busy street , and you feel the hustle and bustle of a thriving European capital . See photos of the Old Town , the Royal Palace and other Stockholm sites » . The crowds include lots of blond and blue-eyed Swedes but also feature plenty of Middle Eastern , black and Asian faces . I start exploring Stockholm by heading to where it all began in the 13th century : Gamla Stan , the Old Town , `` one of the best preserved medieval city centers in the world , '' according to the Stockholm Visitors Board . Gamla Stan offers winding , cobblestoned streets full of cafes , restaurants and shops that sell everything from amber jewelry to mock Viking hats . The buildings are painted in striking yellows and oranges , while impossibly narrow side alleys tempt visitors with hidden galleries and private eateries . Always crowded with tourists and locals , it 's a great place to people watch . The Old Town is also home to Kungliga Slottet , the 600-room Royal Palace and official residence of Sweden 's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia . Crowds gather at noon to watch the elaborate changing of the guard ceremony , which features the Royal Guards in pointy helmets marching to the palace 's courtyard accompanied by a military band on horseback trumpeting their arrival . Surprise excursion . To give my feet a break , I plan to take in the sights from the water by boarding one of Stockholm 's many sightseeing boats , which ferry tourists to the most visited spots around the city . There are several operators to choose from , and most give you the option to either stay on board for an hour round-trip or `` hop on , hop off '' all day . Because I want to stop and visit the Vasamuseet , one of Stockholm 's most popular museums , on the island of Djurgården , I choose the latter option , paying 100 kronor -- about $ 13 -- for my ticket . Suddenly , I 'm in for an unintended adventure . A boat arrives at the appointed time , and everyone lines up at the dock , so I join them and hop on board . It 's not until we 're well on our way that someone starts to check tickets and points out that I 'm on the wrong boat . Oops . Instead of heading toward the museum , we are en route to Stora Fjäderholmen , a charming little island in Stockholm 's archipelago . Thankfully , it 's only 25 minutes away , and the ferry turns right around for a return trip to the city . Lesson learned : Many boats dock at tourist spots in Stockholm , so be careful which one you board . From shipwreck to art . Once back from the surprise excursion , I am finally on my way to the Vasa Museum , home to the majestic warship Vasa , which capsized just after it sailed for the first time in 1628 and spent more than 300 years at the bottom of Stockholm 's harbor . Salvaged in 1961 , it prompted a restoration that 's been called the largest jigsaw puzzle in the world . Magnificently ornate and seemingly ready to fire its cannons as it sits on display , the ship looks like something straight out of `` Pirates of the Caribbean . '' Outside the museum , an arts and crafts fair tempts visitors with fried herring sandwiches . The fish , prepared in a variety of ways , plays a big role in the Swedish diet . Marinated herring was a tasty part of the breakfast buffet at my hotel , offered in mustard or sour cream sauce . Grocery stores also stock a wide selection of pickled herring sold mostly under the label Abba , which might make you think the former Swedish pop group is branching out in a new direction but is actually made by a company founded in 1838 . For a final stroll , I hop back on the boat , head to the city center and walk along Drottninggatan , a busy pedestrian-only street full of restaurants , shops and fashionable Stockholmers . It 's finally time to linger .
Sweden is built on one islands that separate the Baltic Sea from Lake Mälaren . The Old Town is one of the best preserved medieval city centers in the world . Boats are a great way to sightsee , but make sure you get on the right one . Fahrenheit displays ship that spent 1961 at the bottom of the city 's harbor .