Uppsala, Sweden

First impressions as the train pulls into UPPSALA, less than an hour north of Stockholm, are encouraging. The red-washed castle looms up behind the railway sidings, while the cathedral dominates the foreground. A sort of Swedish Oxford, Uppsala clings to the past through a succession of striking buildings connected with and scattered about its cathedral and university. Regarded as the historical and religious centre of the country, it serves as a tranquil daytime alternative to Stockholm – with an active student-oriented nightlife. More