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Stockholm’s ubiquitous bakeries offer the traveler much in the way of sweet delights. Head to these spots to sample some of the city’s best baked goods—marzipan pastries and princess cakes, cardamom buns and cinnamon rolls—to go with that all-important cup of coffee.

You’ll find the things you already love about Sweden—meatballs, ABBA, art, palaces—plus a few more (marzipan-filled pastries, outdoor art, and bonfires on a spring evening), all in a beautiful waterfront city.

There’s a strong coffee culture in Stockholm coupled with a tradition called “fika,” where one shares multiple daily coffee-and-pastry breaks with family, friends, and colleagues. Head over to award-winning Vete-Katten on Kungsgatan to dig into Swedish pastries such as kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), appelkaka (light apple pie) served with vaniljsås (vanilla sauce), and kladdkaka (rich chocolate brownie-like cake). During the winter months of December through March, bakeries offer semlor, oval buns filled with marzipan and whipped cream.

Thelins is an iconic Stockholm bakery that has been around since the early 1900s. Its first store opened on St. Eriksgatan in Stockholm’s Kungsholmen district, and today Thelins has six storefronts and a bakery where all its cakes are baked from scratch. At any Thelins, you’ll find an array of classic Swedish cakes—from Prinsesstårta (princess cake) with green marzipan coating and sponge cake layered with jam and cream to a variety of fruit and chocolate cakes.

Signe’s is a favorite breakfast and brunch spot on HHI for those with a sweet tooth (the fact that their most popular item is a deep-dish French toast tells you all you need to know) with a killer bakery. Around the holidays, things really get cooking with savory and sweet biscuits and bread, turkey fixings, and desserts galore. In December, Signe also makes stollen, a holiday fruitcake typical in Germany and made extra-Southern here. There are three varieties: traditional German stollen with marzipan and candied orange, the Southern pecan praline with candied cherries, and French chocolate hazelnut with candied cherries.

It’s become tradition for me to go get a pastry at the Balthazaar bakery in SoHo and then sit on one of the benches outside the store to people watch. I find no greater joy than to sit still on a very busy street, in my own little world, while I see all types of interesting looking people pass me by. The best part about the bakery is that they also have the best baguette in town. If I’m ever anywhere near the shop I pick up a baguette and if I ever need a birthday present I can count on their packaged mini marzipan cakes to make a good impression. Balthazar Bakery - 80 Spring Street, NYC

While many know the famous Reber brand Mozart Kugeln outside of Austria, those delicious marzipan and pistachio filled chocolate balls, they are by no means the original. They were created in 1890 by a Salzburg confectioner named Paul Fürst, who received a gold medal for these treats at the Paris Exhibition of 1905. The “Original Salzburger Mozartkugeln” are still created using the same family recipe by his great grandson, Norbert. They can only be purchased, along with truffles and other specialties, at one of his four namesake Cafe-Konditorei Fürst locations in the city.

Every book will tell you to have high tea at the Empress in Victoria, and you should. They welcomed our three-generation group, including 2 kids under 6, and had hot chocolate for those who didn’t want tea. They also had a full gluten-free option, which was a very welcome surprise. I recommend the Empress blend tea with milk and sugar, and the peppermint also got the stamp of approval from our group. The tri-level tray of treats is the fun part: chicken curry finger sandwiches and cake wrapped in marzipan were the faves. It’s actually fun and not stuffy at all, which was my fear.

Originally built as a residence for Prince Philip of Württemberg in 1863, this grand structure was opened as the Hotel Imperial in 1873. It indeed still resembles a palace, with Greek statues, chandeliers, and high, intricately designed stucco ceilings. The rooms bring imperial Vienna back to life, particularly in the suites. Visitors here feel like royalty, and sometimes they are. Guests have included a who’s who of celebrities and dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II, Indira Gandhi, and Michael Jackson.

It’s rumored that an apprentice chef at the hotel invented the well-known Imperial Torte in honor of Emperor Franz Josef I, a must-have for any sweet tooth. For some sweet sounds, be sure to check for Bösendorfer piano concerts in the 1873 HalleNSalon.

Foodies, rejoice. Torvehallerne is a one-stop shop for several meals, snacks, and gourmet groceries or gastronomical gifts. It’s an airy, light-filled building with all kinds of purveyors, from fantastic coffee shops, chefs cooking fresh pasta and serving it hot to you at the counter, a farmers market outside, a tapas bar, you name it. If you’ve ever been to Florence, think of Mercato Centrale, but in a nicer setting and housing more variety. Ride your bike there to grab a bite or to spend the day enjoying its bounty.

At Maiasmokk (or “Sweet Tooth”), there’s an air of nostalgia and tradition. The café has been been delighting Tallinn residents with its fresh pastries, cakes and candies since 1864. Order the chocolate pavlova or the cherry truffles at the cozy café, which has remained unchanged for almost a century, and don’t miss the marzipan museum room. Fun fact: Marzipan was once commonly prescribed by doctors and sold in pharmacies.

Niederegger marzipan is famous throughout Germany and one of the best selections in Travemünde can be found at this popular café. It also offers a decent menu of drinks—the hot chocolate is to die for—a range of breakfasts (including an English one) and some excellent cakes, all in a suitably traditional interior. Try to get a table by the window to watch the ferries (and the people) sail by.

Leafy green chard stars in Monégasque cuisine, stuffed in everything from savory Barbajuan turnovers to sugar-dusted tarts, and is present in many of the creations at Maison Mullot. On the sweeter side, Le Pavé du Rocher, a confection of honeyed orange marzipan coated in chocolate, was created here to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the reign of Prince Rainier III in 1974.