A Destination Whose Time Has Come
One thing I have noticed is that there tends to be a trend in where Americans want to travel in Europe. For years, there was the classic groups of destinations: England, Ireland, France, Italy and Greece. Then, with the popularity of river cruising on the Danube, Hungary and the Czech Republic became more popular. Then it was Croatia, Iceland and Portugal. And now, it is Scandinavia’s turn.
I think Scandinavia has long been underestimated. When you think of this region, the mental image can often be a cold, frigid landscape. But if you think about it, there is a lot that can draw you to this region. You have the spectacular landscapes of the Norwegian Fjords. There are the Northern Lights. The cities of Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen are all very modern, but also retain the classic European feel. They rank as some of the most livable and “friendliest” cities in the world. And these countries are also the ancestral home of a large portion of the United States.
Recently, two of my clients took a two-week escorted tour through this region, starting in Stockholm and ending in Bergen, Norway. This post follows along the itinerary they took. Remember last month, I wrote about the benefits of an escorted tour. In addition to showing you what a trip through Scandinavia can be, I think this post also demonstrates how an escorted tour can be the best option for a complicated trip like this one.
Note: Many thanks to my clients Gil and Leslie, whp provided many of the images in this post.
Sweden: Stockholm and Småland
Stockholm is built across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea. It is both a modern and yet also a medieval city at the same time. For the first few days, my clients stayed in a 5-star hotel along the waterfront. One of the first stops on the tour was at the Vasa Museum, for an after-hours private visit to see the Vasa, a 17th-century royal warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised intact in 1961. Visiting it in an empty museum, after closing, with space to take in the scale of the ship without crowds, is a different experience than the daytime alternative. One note: my clients recommend going back during regular hours to see the rest of the museum.
The next day the itinerary included Stockholm’s City Hall (home of the annual Nobel Prize banquet). After the city tour, there was free time to explore Gamla Stan, the medieval Old Town, or take a canal cruise through the city’s waterways.
The next day, the tour left Stockholm, and went south from Stockholm, passing through Småland. If you are an American with Scandinavian ancestry, this is a place worth noting. It was from this area that many 19th-century Swedish emigrants left for America. The House of Emigrants museum in Vaxjo traces that history. Småland is also home to Sweden’s Kingdom of Crystal, a region known for centuries of glassblowing craftsmanship.
Denmark: Copenhagen and a Palace to Themselves
Next, the tour crossed over from Sweden into Denmark over the Øresund Bridge to Copenhagen. I have personally been on this bridge between Malmö, Sweden and Copenhagen on a business trip. It is about eight miles of bridge and tunnel connecting the two countries. Copenhagen is right up there with the rest of Europe’s classic cities. It is easily walkable and is best known for its Viking history, the Tivoli Gardens, and for being the home of Hans Christian Andersen.
In Copenhagen, my clients had an exclusive early entrance to Frederiksborg Palace. The palace is a 17th-century Dutch Renaissance palace known as the Versailles of Denmark, home to the Museum of National History since 1878.
Norway: Oslo, the Fjords, and Bergen
The next day started with a short flight from Copenhagen to Oslo, Norway’s capital at the head of the Oslofjord. The city offers a choice of world-class museums: the Kon-Tiki Museum, housing Thor Heyerdahl’s original balsa raft from his 1947 South Pacific crossing, and the Fram Museum, dedicated to Norway’s polar expeditions and explorers including Roald Amundsen. Both are exceptional; the choice is a matter of whether your interest runs to the South Pacific or the Arctic.
From Oslo, the tour headed northwest into fjord country. This is without a doubt one of the highlights of the trip and some of the best scenery in Europe, with steep cliffs going straight into the water below. The Briksdal Glacier visit involves a ride on a motorized Troll Car up the mountain path, followed by a hike to the glacier’s face. The Geirangerfjord ferry cruise is a UNESCO World Heritage experience — waterfalls dropping directly from the cliffs into the deep blue water below, with the surrounding mountains visible in every direction.
The tour ended in Bergen — Norway’s second city, set between seven mountains on the west coast. The Bryggen harbor district, a row of colorful timbered Hanseatic warehouses from the 14th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the city’s centerpiece. A visit to Øvre Eide Farm in the surrounding countryside added a look at rural Norwegian life that contrasts with the maritime history of the harbor.
What the Tour Format Made Possible
Fourteen days, three countries, multiple flights, ferry crossings, and coach transfers. A glacier, two UNESCO World Heritage sites, three capital cities, and a royal palace requiring exclusive access arrangements. Doing this independently would be an extremely complicated challenge.
The after-hours Vasa Museum visit and the early-entry Frederiksborg Palace access are arrangements not available to independent travelers. By most accounts, they are also among the most memorable parts of the entire journey. The five-star hotel quality throughout matched what you would book on a premium independent trip, but at a price point that would be very difficult to reproduce, with the guides, transfers, 32 included meals, and admissions factored in separately.
For an itinerary like this, an escorted tour makes the most sense and the least stress.
What This Trip Reinforced for Me as a Travel Advisor
I am glad to see the increased interest in Scandinavia. It contains three very distinct and unique countries, each with their unique styles, scenery, heritage and traditions.
So, if you have already been to the classic destinations and looking for something new, consider Scandinavia. If it has been on your list, now is a good time to start planning.
Key Seasonal Temperatures
Scandinavia
- Summer highs of 20–25°C (68–77°F)
- Autumn 10–15°C (50–59°F)
- Winter
-2–3°C (28–37°F)
A note on Norway: Similar seasonal pattern; fjord regions cooler and wetter. Bergen is one of Europe’s rainiest cities — pack accordingly year-round.
More information on things to do in Scandinavia
Visit Sweden: visitsweden.com
Visit Denmark: visitdenmark.com
Visit Norway: visitnorway.com
Visiting Scandinavia
Scandinavia works well as an escorted tour for exactly the reasons this itinerary illustrates — the geography spans three countries and the logistics of ferries, flights, and coach travel are handled for you. Independent travel works well for those focusing on a single country; infrastructure is excellent and English is widely spoken throughout. Norwegian fjord river cruises are also available for those who want the scenery with a different pace.
If you would like to talk through what approach fits the trip you have in mind, I am happy to have that conversation
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