Sigtuna

Founded around 980 by Erik Segersäll on the shores of Lake Mälaren, Sigtuna served as Sweden's capital from the 10th to the 13th centuries and is among the country's oldest towns. The first Christian king, Olof Skötkonung, held court here and minted Sweden's earliest coins. Today it is a pocket-sized lakeside town north of Stockholm with a compact centre of cafés and restaurants, and the ruins and medieval churches from its royal past still stand along its main street.

• Population9,074
• Nearest water from center1.3 km
• Nearest mountain from center4.9 km
• UNESCO within 50 km4