LIKE any appropriate setting for a tense thriller, Stockholm, Sweden is a bustling metropolis with a dark underbelly says JESSICA MELLOR

We were there to follow in the footsteps of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, the best-selling novel by Stieg Larsson that is now a major film.

And on our journey we discovered one of the most vibrant cities in Europe - Stockholm, Sweden .

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A taut thriller, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo grossed more than £1.5million at the UK box office. And it looks set to break more records on DVD.

The film is the first of three based on the Millennium trilogy by Larsson, whose books have sold more than 50m copies worldwide.

Stockholm inspired him to create unforgettable characters, which is no surprise as the city bursts with personality.

Made up of 14 islands, everything about Stockholm takes full advantage of the water that surrounds it. The ports are dominated by businesses related to fishing, tourism and travel. And during the summer swimmers young and old splash about in the clear rivers that surround the islands.

The whole city has a clean and green feel to it. People take recycling seriously and eat healthily, which partly explains their beauty. They have a glacial gorgeousness that mirrors the landscape.

But then there's that dark element, the underbelly? You won't read about it in the travel guides but this is what makes Stockholm so fascinating.

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And this is the side of the city that is captured in Larsson's books and now the films.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo focuses on radical Millennium magazine journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist). Mikael is approached by wealthy Henrik Vanger, who wants to find out why his beloved niece disappeared more than 20 years earlier.

Mikael then teams up with researcher Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) and they find themselves getting drawn ever deeper into a story with seriously disturbing consequences.

Most of the action in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was filmed in Stockholm and surrounding areas. We joined the Millennium Tour, which takes in the key locations of the film.

Our guide was the knowledgeable Eva Palmqvist, who is an expert on Larsson and the film.

She began by taking us to the island of Sodermalm, where we looked at the exterior used as the entrance to Mikael's apartment and the busy street where we found the entrance to the Millennium magazine office.

We then tiptoed down the creepy alley where Lisbeth is attacked and the even more troubling location in the district of Vasata, the scene of one of the film's most intense moments.

On the island of Kungsholmen, we stopped at the Stockholm District Courthouse, which provides the opening to the movie.

It was just a short walk from here to our hotel, The Sheraton Stockholm, which is also mentioned in the Millennium trilogy.

Dinner that night was at the elegant Pontus By The Sea (pontusfrithiof.com) where we feasted on tomato and mozzarella salad followed by fresh cod on a bed of cauliflower mash.

Dinner at Pontus will set you back about £50 excluding drinks but it's worth it.

We learned from our friendly hosts for the night that useful Swedish phrases include "hei hei" for "hello", "hei da" for "goodbye" and "tack" for "thanks".

We also discovered that rather than clinking glasses they will often simply look in each other's eyes when making a toast.

The next morning we decided to check out what else the city has to offer. City Hall is a must-see and the 45-minute tour around this ornate building touches on Sweden's rich political history. Interestingly, women outnumber men in parliament by 52 to 49.

You can rest your feet from pounding the cobbled streets in the Old Town at one of the many outdoor cafes, which jostle for space with the tourist shops selling Viking helmets. But if they aren't for you, one of the best shopping districts is at Sodermalm and SoFo, where you can find hot new designers and high-street brands like H&M.

One of the best ways to see Stockholm is, of course, by boat. We took one around the island of Kugnsholmen to see a few more locations from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

But to get a true taste of the city, you have to experience the nightlife. Our evening kicked off at the burlesque themed Le Rouge restaurant (lerouge.se), a gorgeous eaterie with highclass cuisine served by friendly waiters in lush surroundings.

We polished off steak and chips and a three-course meal costs about £75 excluding drinks.

We then checked out the young and trendy of Stockholm (the sort loner Lisbeth from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo wouldn't be seen dead with) at Orangerietbar (orangerietbar.se) before dancing the night away at the Spy Bar (thespybar.com) where all musical tastes are catered for.

Larsson died in 2004, aged 50, and sadly never got to see his books become bestsellers or The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo made into a film. But I think the author would be proud of his legacy and what it means to Stockholm, the Venice of the North.

FACT FILE
SAS Airlines run direct flights from Heathrow and Manchester, and also Edinburgh during the summer. Heathrow to Stockholm fares start from £68 one-way including taxes and £133 return including taxes. See flysas.com/en/uk for more information.

Rates at the Sheraton start from £118 per person per night, excluding breakfast, including tax for a standard double room. The hotel's Millennium Package includes a Millennium Trilogy Guide Book and a free coffee break at Mellqvist Kaffebar, so you can follow in the footsteps of Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander. See sheratonstockholm.com for more information.

See stadsmuseum.stockholm.se for more on the Millennium Tour. See stromma.se for more information about the boat tours.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is out now on DVD and blu ray. The Girl Who Played with Fire is on general cinema release from August 27.