Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is built on 14 islands. The entire Stockholm Archipelago includes more than 30,000 islands. It’s one of the most spectacular landscapes imaginable and is best appreciated from the water. Swedes see the sea as an important part of everyday life. There’s a boat for every six of them.
Boat building is a passionately respected tradition. Oak wood is commonly used and treasured. Centuries ago, you were sentenced to death for cutting one down without permission.
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This island nation, like its Scandinavian neighbors, is increasingly recognized as an interesting place to base and operate a business. Technology is a main industry. Spotify, for example, comes to the world courtesy of Swedish techies. Stockholm is where the Nobel laureates meet each December and where Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman got their starts.
Going further back, this city’s history is less genteel. This was a headquarters for Viking hooligans who harassed the 9th- and 10th-century worlds. By most accounts, Stockholm was founded in the 13th century by Birger Jarl. Then, in the 16th century, came the Stockholm Bloodbath, when 80 Swedish royals were executed on the orders of Danish King Kristian II.
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Today Sweden gets along with its neighbors, even the Danes. Many of the monarchs of these small nations are related. This helps with relations. These folks, like the Brits, have royal families, and the public follows the lifestyles of their princes and princesses.
Many of Stockholm’s old town buildings have their foundations in medieval garbage. Passing them by sea, you notice how they lean in ways that concern modern-day engineers. Alongside the structures dating to the Middle Ages are pastel-colored baroque buildings showcasing the city’s historic wealth. Alongside these are the largest hemispherical building on earth, the world’s first twisting skyscraper and other uber-modern structures of twisted steel and reflective glass. Plus, there’s an amusement park with a seaside roller coaster and the tallest ride in Europe, a free-fall tower. Eclectic doesn’t quite do this skyline justice.
You might not think of Sweden as a tax haven, but in 2004 the country eliminated a number of taxes, including its inheritance and gift taxes, and introduced insurance bonds called Kapitalförsäkring that allow residents, including foreign residents, to avoid capital gains taxes. Still, this is hardly a low-tax sanctuary.
Stockholm is filled with museums, which gives retirees plenty of opportunities to volunteer. In addition to world class art and science museums, there are institutions that preserve the area’s maritime heritage, cultural history and even the pop group ABBA.
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No one’s ever going to mistake Stockholm for affordable, but the quality of life is high. Ferrying from one island to another on a sun-drenched afternoon in August, there are picturesque scenes all around. This is one of the sunniest cities in northern Europe. Mid-winter in this part of the world might have less to recommend it, with as few as six hours of daylight each day.
Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group.
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Retire in Stockholm: A Peaceful Island Archipelago Turned Tech Hotspot originally appeared on usnews.com
