The town of Mariefred should ideally be approached from the water to get the best view of the splendid Gripsholms Slott. The fist fortress on this site was built in the 1380s by the Lord High Chancellor, Bo Jonsson Grip, who gave the castle its name. Work on the present building, initiated by Gustav Vasa, started in 1537, but extensive alterations were made by Gustav III in the late eighteenth century. It was during this period that the National Portrait Gallery was set up. It now contains 4,000 portraits, representing the celebrities of the past 500 years.

Gripsholms Slott has a number of well-preserved interiors from various periods, wit highlights including Gustav III’s theatre and the White Salon. The town of Mariefred, which grew up in the shadow of the castle, derives its name from a medieval Carthusian monastery. An inn has stood on the site of the monastery since the early seventeenth century.

The peaceful old streets of Mariefred with their delightful wooden buildings are a pleasure to stroll around. Art enthusiasts should head or Grafikens Hus on a hill leading up to the former royal farm, where stables and haylofts have been converted into attractive galleries.