SPLENDID STOCKHOLM

Close the guidebooks and let a local lead the way.

DESPITE LIVING IN STOCKHOLM FOR 12 YEARS, I still can’t get enough of the long days of summer. Since the sun is fully up by 3 a.m., there’s plenty of daylight for exploring the mix of old-world charm, top-notch cuisine, and cutting-edge technology, fashion, and design.

Stockholm’s center is made up of 14 islands and its archipelago has 24,000 more. Sailboats and wooden motorboats seemingly lifted from the 1950s French Riviera cruise around the islands and serve as a reminder that one of the best ways to see the city is from the water — try the classic Stromma steamboats or chart your own course on a GoBoat.

Stockholm’s neighborhoods have different personalities and Södermalm, for instance, is where writers like me and other creatives live. Incidentally, it’s also where the good guys in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo live.

If you’re spending time in Stockholm during your summer cruise, here’s how to make the most of your time.