The archipelago by public ferry, and the north in summer

Stockholm's archipelago has thousands of islands, and the Waxholmsbolaget public ferries reach dozens of them from the city center; Vaxholm, Grinda, and Sandhamn are classic day trips, and summer cabins rent cheaply off-season. In the far north, the midnight sun from late May to mid-July means hiking at 11 p.m. in Abisko, and the Kungsleden trail starts there; the night train from Stockholm takes about 17 hours. Winter brings the northern lights to the same places.