Situated on the northern shore of Lake Vanern, Karlstad has convenient access to the major urban centers of Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Oslo and is also a good starting point for many of the tourist routes of Varmland. Here you can see Sweden's longest stone bridge, East Bridge, built in the 18th century. The beautiful scenery of the river Klaralven and the deep forests and the Vaner archipelago offer breathtaking views. Karlstad is often associated with sunshine and the symbol for Karlstad is a smiling sun. It's reputed to be one of the sunniest towns in Sweden, and a local waitress, known as 'Sola i Karlstad' (the Sun in Karlstad) for her sunny disposition, is also commemorated with a stylish statue.