Monteliusvägen, the balcony over the lake

You have crossed Slussen, the knot of locks and traffic between Gamla stan and Södermalm, under reconstruction for years with work expected to continue until 2027 or 2028. And you have climbed the heights of Mariaberget. The route ends here, on Stockholm's finest balcony.

1A path from 1998

Monteliusvägen is a walkway of just over 400 metres, opened in 1998 along the hillside, high above the shore of Lake Mälaren. It is named after Oscar Montelius, the archaeologist who brought order to Scandinavian prehistory and joined the Swedish Academy in 1917. He was born and died in a house very close by, on Södermalm. Not everyone liked the path: some residents, who had used the slope as a private garden, protested at the loss of privacy.

2Windmills and tobacco

Look at the stone walls. Here the path runs over the foundations of an old windmill, and pieces of millstones are set into some of the walls. The small terraces you cross were once plots where, centuries ago, tobacco was grown.

3The view

In front of you is Riddarfjärden, the bay of the lake. To the left, City Hall with its three crowns, where you started. To the right, the island of Riddarholmen and the rooftops of Gamla stan. At sunset, with the sun going down in the west over the water, it is one of the loveliest moments the city can give you.

If you still have energy, nearby Ivar Lo's park has benches with the same view.

4What to look for

• The City Hall tower across the water.
• The millstones in the walls.
• The house with a glazed veranda where the composer Ture Rangström lived.