Straight out of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, the capital of Denmark is storybook picture perfect and brimming with character. On arrival, transfer to your hotel, then spend the rest of the day discovering the city your way before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers at 16:45 to depart for a light supper. Embrace the hygge ways of the fun-loving locals when you hit the colorful streets of Copenhagen, soak up the atmosphere in Tivoli Gardens or relax with a drink in Nyhavn. It's the perfect introduction to your upcoming journey across Scandinavia.
A Local Specialist reveals all the highlights of Copenhagen and some hidden gems on this morning's sightseeing tour. See the home of the Danish royal family, Amalienborg Palace, the Little Mermaid sitting demurely on a rock overlooking the dark blue harbor water and the 17th-century Stock Exchange. After learning all there is to know about Copenhagen, you’ll have an afternoon to explore the city your way. You could choose instead to join our Optional Experience visit to the idyllic fishing village of Dragør with its maze of alleyways and tiny yellow-walled thatched cottages in the old Danish style.
The rest of Scandinavia beckons and Sweden’s capital is less than a day away. You’ll leave Copenhagen this morning, traveling north to Helsingør. Here you’ll board the ferry to Sweden and begin your journey across lush green spruce-clad landscapes to Stockholm. Keep your camera at hand as the enchanting scenery unfolds around you. Arriving in Stockholm later, you’ll have the evening free for the perfect introduction to ‘Beauty on the Water’ as the city is lovingly referred to by its locals.
Stockholm's imposing City Hall, where the Nobel Prize banquet is held, is the highlight of this morning's sightseeing with a Local Specialist. This afternoon, you'll have some time to explore the elegant city on your own, perhaps seeking out some of the city's great museums, or drinking in the views of the city's 14 islands. Later, we leave Stockholm and board our overnight ferry to Helsinki, Finland's effervescent 'Capital of Cool'.
Arriving in Helsinki, you’ll disembark your ferry after breakfast, just in time to join your Local Specialist for a morning sightseeing tour. See the modern marble façades of Finlandia Hall, the Senate and the colorful stalls in Market Square before some free time for lunch, perhaps sampling some of the local Baltic Herring. The heart of Finnish Lakeland is our next stop and we leave Helsinki behind, driving north through stunning Nordic landscapes. Tonight’s Be My Guest experience in Jyväskylä is one to remember as you Connect With Locals over a traditional dinner and learn about the rural way of life in the old farms of Finland.
Leaving Jyväskylä after breakfast, we head to Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland. Sit back and enjoy the scenery as we journey north towards the Arctic Circle. You’ll want to stretch your legs this evening and you’ll have the time to do it as you explore Rovaniemi your way and sample your first taste of Sámi cuisine. Reindeer anyone? Your Stays With Stories accommodation this evening is the traditional Pohjanhovi Hotel, hugging the banks of the Kemijoki river in the heart of Rovaniemi. Relax and admire the spellbinding Arctic landscape views that unfold before your eyes.
Get your bearings this morning on an orientation with your Travel Director who will show you Lumberjack Bridge, the Library and Lappia Hall, home to the city's theater. Later, perhaps pay a visit to a pioneer farm and the Arctic Center.
Tell Santa how good you've been this year when you visit him at his Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle. Dive Into Culture and see his office and post office, where every year Christmas magic happens. Travel north to the popular winter-sports resort of Saariselkä. Meet Terhi, a biologist guide, for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Walk in theboreal woods of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, taste homemade berry muffins and hear stories about the unique nature, rare species and sustainable practices at the national park. This experience advances UN Global Goal 15: Life on Land. This evening, join your fellow travelers for dinner at your hotel.
It doesn't get much further north in Norway than Honningsvåg, today's final destination and the gateway to the North Cape. During your free time, consider joining an optional Arctic Cruise to explore the rich waters and craggy islands off the coast, and the creatures that find sanctuary in their midst. After dinner at your hotel, head to the North Cape Visitor Center to see the cliffs from the ethereal vantage point known as the 'Edge of the World'.
Continue through Norway's Finnmark region where reindeer roam along a wild coastline dotted with tiny villages to Alta, you'll view the modern Northern Lights Cathedral. You could choose to join an optional visit to a Husky farm to meet the Alaskan Husky dogs and encounter the beauty of the Arctic.
Follow the winding route along the fjords of northern Norway to Tromsø, the 'Gateway to the Arctic'. Here you'll discover a multicultural community thriving in its Arctic environment. The backdrop may be snow-capped, but there's nothing chilly about the warmth of the locals, as you'll come to learn on your free evening in this 'Capital of the North'.
Keep your cameras ready for a day of soul-stirring views. You'll journey south from Tromsø to Svolvær, the perfect base from which to explore Norway's captivating Lofoten Islands. The statue of Fiserkona, the fisherman's wife, stands at the harbor entrance against a backdrop of cod drying racks, giving visitors a taste and smell of the town's seafaring roots. Tonight, you’ll join your fellow travelers for dinner at your hotel, sharing some of the memories of your trip thus far. After dinner, see if you can spot the iconic Svolværgeita (The Goat) - a famous pinnacle of rock that overlooks this fishing town.
Lace up your boots and prepare for a day of adventure. The Lofoten Islands is paradise for outdoor enthusiasts with a variety of activities available to explore the surrounding natural beauty. You could choose to spend your free time hiking, fishing or cruising, or delve into the area's Viking connections with a visit to the Lofotr Viking Museum. As the sun refuses to set on another spectacular Scandinavian day, you'll enjoy an evening at leisure.
Spend the day relaxing as glorious Norwegian landscapes unfold along your journey south. You'll see glaciers and fjords as you wind your way towards Mo I Rana, re-crossing the Arctic Circle and passing Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park, Junkerdal National Park and the 'Blood Road', built by prisoners during World War II. After a day of scenic driving, you'll arrive in Mo I Rana in time for dinner at your hotel.
Today your journey south through Norway continues, featuring a stop in the amusingly named village of Hell. This afternoon, Trondheim's youthful atmosphere and centuries-old Viking heritage are yours to explore. You'll see the 11th-century Nidaros Cathedral, built over the burial site of Norway's patron saint, King Olav II. Make the most of your free evening and admire the ornamental red portals of the Old Town Bridge and the colorful façades on Kongens gate, one of Trondheim's main streets.
Today's journey takes us right to the edge of one of Norway’s most remarkable fjords. With its sheer walls and waterfalls, you'll quickly discover why Geirangerfjord is justifiably inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. A special treat awaits as you spend the night at Hotel Havila Geiranger, which offers authentic Norwegian hospitality. Join your fellow travelers for dinner at your hotel against the backdrop of your enchanting natural surroundings.
Consider an Optional Experience to discover the famous Trollstigen Road and wonder at the feat of engineering it took to carve 11 hairpin turns into the steep mountain slope.
High peaks surround you along your journey to Lom, the gateway to Jotunheimen Mountains. Here we will Dive Into Culture and visit the 12th-century wooden Stave church. Visit Lillehammer, where you'll learn about the hugely successful 1994 Winter Olympic games, then continue to Oslo, Norway's vibrant capital.
Join your knowledgeable Local Specialist this morning for a sightseeing tour of this cultural capital. Enjoy views of the medieval fortress of Akershus, the Opera House and the 19th century Royal Palace. Finish the city tour with a visit to the fascinating Vigeland Sculpture Park, proudly displaying the life’s work of Gustav Vigeland in bronze, granite and wrought iron. Spend the rest of the day people-watching over coffee in the Aker Brygge district or explore the nation's rich seafaring heritage with our Local Specialist. Tonight, come together one last time for a fitting Farewell Dinner to toast to an incredible adventure across Scandinavia.
As your journey draws to a close, bid your new friends a fond farewell and prepare for your return trip home.