Strandvägen is Östermalm's grand waterfront boulevard and one of the most handsome streets in Scandinavia. Laid out for the 1897 Stockholm Exhibition, it is lined with ornate stone facades, opulent late-19th-century apartment buildings, and a row of linden trees, with the harbour and its moored boats on the other side. Building it transformed what had been a muddy harbour for unloading firewood into the city's most prestigious address.
It makes a lovely stroll, especially heading east toward the bridge to Djurgården, with old wooden sailing ships tied up along the quay and views across the water to the museums and parkland opposite. Cafés and the odd gallery occupy the ground floors. It is the place to see how grand Stockholm presents itself, and a natural link between the city centre and the green island of Djurgården.