MOST NORTHERN EUROPEAN cities struggle through long winters, but Stockholm’s is so endless and light-starved that it makes “The Seventh Seal” look like a Judd Apatow movie.  When the sunshine does return, the contrast is extraordinary: At the first hint of spring, little street-sweeper vehicles zip up and down the sidewalks clearing away the winter grit, cherry trees burst into bloom on Kungsträdgården, the grand allée by the Royal Opera House, and people sit outdoors at restaurants and cafes, wrapped in blankets and soaking up the sun.  The surest sign that spring has arrived, though, is the return of ferry service to the archipelago of some 24,000 islands off the city’s eastern edge.  One of my favorites is Utö—whose name rhymes with “pewter” (at least when said with an English accent). At roughly 18 square miles, it’s big enough to have good restaurants and a shop that sells trendy clothes and housewares but small enough that its uncrowded swimming beaches are within easy walking distance of the ferry dock. There’s even a bit of history, with a windmill from 1791 that affords great views over the island.  To get there, buy a combined train-and-bus ticket at Stockholm’s Central Station ($7) for the train ride to Årsta Brygga, a town 20 miles south. From there it’s a 50-minute ferry ride ($8) to the island. The ferry stops at several harbors on Utö. Get off at Gruvbryggan, where you’ll find an assortment of wooden buildings painted a cheerful red. Everything is close by and easy to spot. There are only a handful of streets, and few clearly visible street signs, so addresses don’t count for much.  Start your visit at Utö Bakgård (utobakgard.se), a small bakery that opened in 2011 but feels like it’s been here forever. It’s run by Tobias Bergstrand, one of Sweden’s top bakers, and sells traditional breads, sandwiches and pastries including the beloved bulle—a bun spiced with cinnamon and cardamom or filled with vanilla cream. Enjoy one at an outside table as you plan your day.  If you’re feeling energetic and want to explore the rest of the island or search out a particularly isolated place to swim, Cykleboden rents bikes for around $15 a day. But it’s an easy stroll from the harbor to Rävstavik, a bathing spot on a natural bay with smooth granite rocks that slope right down into the gin-clear waters of the Baltic. To get there, follow the steady stream of people taking the footpath through the pine forest with beach towels tucked under their arms.  The walk to and from Rävstavik takes you past the grandest place to eat or stay on the island, the Utö Värdshus, a classic, 19th-century Swedish country inn that counts Greta Garbo among its former guests. The restaurant has plenty of outdoor seating and is the perfect place to stop for a meal of Gotland lamb or buttered trout on your way back from a bracing dip. If you decide to stay the night, the Värdshus offers a dinner-bed-and-breakfast package (from about $185 per person per night, utovardshus.se).  Before you leave the island, allow time to pop into Hamnmagasinet, a clothing and housewares shop with surprisingly fashionable finds. A polo shirt or hoodie from the Utö Collection, a line of Swedish sports clothes bearing the island’s name, makes a perfect souvenir. It’s also a worthy spot to pick up an extra change of clothes if, like a lot of people, you decide to stay another day.  Finnhamn, about two hours from Stockholm, is a year-round destination with an authentic krog (country inn) that serves traditional Swedish country food.  Getting There: The quaintly named Cinderella (stromma.se) and Waxholmsbolaget (waxholmsbolaget.com) ferry companies have service to Finnhamn.  Staying There: Cabins on the island can be rented by the night. Be warned, though, that these are authentically rustic: They have electricity but no running water; showers are communal (two-bed cabins from about $75 a night, finnhamn.se).  Eating There: Finnhamn Krog serves hearty fare and has a surprisingly good wine list (46-8-542-46404).  Sandhamn, a favorite island of serious yachtsmen, is a delightful spot year-round. It has a lively party scene in high summer, popular with the offspring of the more affluent residents of the capital.  Getting There: The scenic ride from central Stockholm on the Cinderella ferry line (stromma.se) takes just a little more than two hours.  Staying There: The 79-room Sandhamn Yacht Hotel is one of the more opulent places to stay (from about $275, sandhamn.com). For something more boutique, try the 19-room Sands Hotell (from $220 including breakfast, sandshotell.se/en).  Eating There: Sandhamns Värdshus is open year-round and is the best spot on the island for a glass of Swedish beer and a plate of fresh seafood in a setting that has heaps of charm(sandhamns-vardshus.se; 46-8-571-53051).
As spring returns to Sweden’s capital, locals ferry off to favorite idylls like Utö and Finnhamn in the city’s sprawling archipelago.