Karlskrona

Karlskrona is a baroque town that came into being when King Karl XI decreed a naval base be built here. Granted its charter in 1680 it became established as Sweden’s principal naval town, and many of the original buildings, barracks, dockyards and wharfs remain beautifully preserved. It’s for this reason it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998, and today it stands out as a pristine, sedate town of intricate architecture and quirky sights. Almost as if it was airbrushed clean the city centre is everything that Poland isn’t, and is a sublime choice for an off-the-cuff adventure.

Top tips
First off, forget the rumours, you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy Sweden. A premium brew, say a Guinness, weighs in around 65SEK (22zł), while local beers can be fetched in exchange for 50SEK – really not that much more than Warsaw. Secondly, do your eating at lunch – practically all restaurants will offer cut price meal deals during the early afternoon. You will at one stage be needing to draw money from the hole-in-the-vägg – to achieve success you’ll need to be inserting your card with the security stripe facing upwards. If you’re journeying far then don’t hold out hopes of hailing a cab. It’s a dying profession here, and you’re best off ringing a taxi firm in advance.

Finally, don’t expect any communication problems. Everyone speaks English here, probably better than you do.