Stockholm's Waterways: No Single River, but a City Built on Islands Between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea

Stockholm, Sweden's capital, is famously built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges. No major river runs through the city center. Instead, the city sits at the junction of Lake Mälaren (freshwater) and the Baltic Sea (saltwater). The waterways—Riddarfjärden, Saltsjön, and numerous canals—serve as streets. This unique lacustrine-marine setting defines Stockholm's geography, history, and beauty.