WOODEN ferries bob in the surf, their Swedish pennants snapping in the breeze. Though Stockholm’s harbor is cold, the gusts off the Baltic are briny and sweet, lacking the salt and corrosive violence of Atlantic winds. Every window on the waterfront seems lit up to welcome travelers. I’d argue that this city, known for long summer nights that draw thousands of tourists, is most satisfying come winter. I have come outside to the water in the middle of the night hoping the cold can help solve my jet lag.

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