Dominating the Swedish capital’s skyline, the dusk-red bricks and green and gold spires of Stadshuset make it one of the city’s most impressive landmarks. Around 200 politicians and officials work here, but the building is more famous globally for its decadent Golden Hall, where acclaimed Nobel Prize Award ceremony guests get to dine each winter surrounded by 18 million gold mosaic tiles. You can only access the room via a guided tour. At 106 metres high, the building’s tower pales into comparison with international landmarks (London’s The Shard racks up 310 metres), however it’s a magnet for altitude-loving visitors willing make the 30-minute narrow staircase climb to the top, to gulp down Stockholm’s waterscape from above. Unfortunately the tower is only open May to September and you can’t pre-book, but if you’re in town during the Summer months, it’s worth a stop.
Time Out tip: Keep an eye out for beaming local wedding parties getting snapped on City Hall’s waterfront lawn, then round off your visit with a stroll along the adjacent Norr Mälarstrand, one of Stockholm’s prettiest tree-lined boulevards, edged with expensive sailing boats.