Something most tourists don't get to see is one of the most beautiful spots in Stockholm -- Långholmen.
Långholmen is an old prison island located outside of Södermalm. Take the time to walk along the waterline which shouldn't take more than half a day with a couple of stops included. The Långholmsbadet (Långholmen Beach) is a favorite of the natives that I covered in another entry. You'll also find a discrete statue reminding us of the crash of a Swedish fighter jet on the island in the early nineties. With half a million people out to see it circling Stockholm, the pilot miraculously somehow managed to crash the plane without any casualties. Klippbadet is a small rocky beach that is just lovely. Due to its location though it is only direct sunshine before noon. Go into the shrugs and find your own place to sit down, you'll soon find sunbathers, both naked as dressed, wherever you go. On the west side of the island, past Långholmsbadet, there's a restaurant and playground. The playground is unlike anything you've ever seen before, but greatly appreciated by the kids.
But of course, the heart of Långholmen is the old prison. Now converted into a hotel and hostel its a big attraction. Tours of "Sweden's Alcatraz" are available. Långholmen was known as the toughest of prisons and this was also the site of the last execution in Sweden -- who could believe that when walking in this paradise?