Itinerary
- Day 1
Copenhagen
You'll land in Copenhagen and get settled into your accommodations. Later in the evening, your Travel Director takes you to dinner followed by a walk through Tivoli Gardens, where you can see the lights twinkling across the park.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner with Travel Director and fellow travellers at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Dinner with Travel Director
- Visit Tivoli Gardens
Optional Activities
- Traditional Danish Dinner (EUR 69.00)
Landmarks/POIs Tivoli Gardens - Day 2
Copenhagen
A local guide walks you through Copenhagen's highlights, starting with the Little Mermaid statue and moving on to Rosenborg Castle, Amalienborg Palace, Nyhavn's colorful facades, and Christianborg Palace. You'll also see Copenhagen Cathedral before the afternoon opens up. You can climb the Round Tower, wander the city on your own, or take a trip out to see some of the castles on the Danish Riviera.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Local expert guided tour of Copenhagen
- View Little Mermaid statue
- Visit Rosenborg Castle
- Visit Amalienborg Palace
- See Nyhavn
- Visit Christianborg Palace
- Visit Copenhagen Cathedral
Optional Activities
- Climb Round Tower (17th-century tower and oldest functioning observatory in Europe)
- North Zealand Castle Tour (EUR 51.00)
Landmarks/POIs Little Mermaid Statue Rosenborg Castle Amalienborg Palace Nyhavn Christianborg Palace Copenhagen Cathedral Round Tower - Day 3
Copenhagen to Stockholm
You cross into Sweden by driving the Oresund Bridge, a 16-kilometer stretch connecting Denmark and Sweden that passes through the artificial island of Peberholm. Along the way, you'll see farmland and views of Lake Vattern. By evening you'll arrive in Stockholm, which sits across 14 islands. You might grab dinner somewhere with traditional Swedish food.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cross Øresund Bridge
Optional Activities
- Swedish Summer Dinner (EUR 64.00)
Landmarks/POIs Øresund Bridge Peberholm Lake Vättern - Day 4
Stockholm
With a local expert, you visit Stockholm City Hall to see the Golden Hall and Blue Hall where the Nobel Prize banquets happen. Next you head to Gamla Stan, the medieval part of the city, to see the cathedral and Royal Palace. The afternoon is yours to spend however you'd like, perhaps checking out the Vasa Galleon museum. That evening you board a Baltic cruise toward Finland, and dinner happens on the ship while you watch the northern sun hang low on the horizon over thousands of islands.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner onboard cruise with views of thousands of islands and the northern sun)
Included Activities
- Visit Stockholm City Hall - Golden Hall
- Visit Stockholm City Hall - Blue Hall
- Visit Gamla Stan (Old Town)
- View cathedral in Old Town
- See Royal Palace
- Board Baltic cruise to Finland
- Dinner onboard cruise
Optional Activities
- Visit Vasa Galleon (EUR 38.00)
Landmarks/POIs Stockholm City Hall Gamla Stan Royal Palace Vasa Galleon - Day 5
Helsinki
The ship arrives in Helsinki, a city known for its design and architecture scene. You meet your local expert and walk through a traditional food market, sampling things like liquorice or smoked reindeer. Later you have free time to explore on your own, and lunch at the colorful harbour market is a good option if you want local food and souvenirs.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit traditional food market with Local Expert
- Sample local produce at food market
Optional Activities
- Lunch at colourful harbour market
- Russian Dinner in Helsinki (EUR 65.00)
- Fly Over Helsinki (EUR 49.00)
Landmarks/POIs Helsinki Traditional Food Market Helsinki Harbour Market - Day 6
Kuopio
You travel through Finland's lakes and forests, watching the scenery change around you. After arriving in Kuopio, you climb Puijo Tower to get views out across the landscape and understand why Finland's called the land of a thousand lakes.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Ascend Puijo Tower for panoramic views
Landmarks/POIs Puijo Tower - Day 7
Oulu to Rovaniemi
The journey heads north toward Lapland and the Arctic. You stop in Oulu, Finland's oldest city in the north, which sits on several islands connected by pedestrian bridges. From there you continue on to Rovaniemi, the modern capital of Lapland.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Oulu, northern Finland's oldest city
Landmarks/POIs Oulu Rovaniemi - Day 8
Rovaniemi
You cross the Arctic Circle today, which is a major moment for most travelers. With your local expert you visit the Town Hall designed by Alvar Aalto and the Rovaniemi Church. After that you get a choice: meet Santa at his village and get into the Christmas spirit, or take a nature walk in the forest with your guide. The afternoon is free, so you can visit the open-air museum or Arktikum if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cross Arctic Circle
- Visit Rovaniemi Town Hall (Alvar Aalto design)
- Visit Rovaniemi Church
- Receive Arctic Circle Crossing certificate
Optional Activities
- Meet Santa Claus at Santa Claus Village (Insight Choice)
- Nature walk in the forest (Insight Choice)
- Visit open-air museum
- Visit Arktikum
Landmarks/POIs Arctic Circle Rovaniemi Town Hall Rovaniemi Church Santa Claus Village - Day 9
Lapland
You can start the day relaxed or join an optional trip to Ranua Wildlife Park to see polar bears, lynxes, and wolverines. From there you head north on the Four Winds Road where you might spot reindeer herds. You'll visit one of Lapland's oldest churches and then travel through remote wilderness to Urho Kekkonen National Park near the gold center of Tankavaara.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit one of Lapland's oldest churches (Sodankyla)
Optional Activities
- Ranua Wildlife Park (EUR 59.00) - see polar bears, lynxes, wolverines
- The Arctic Centre & Pioneer Farm (EUR 43.00)
- Traditional Lapland Dinner at a Family Reindeer Farm (EUR 67.00)
Landmarks/POIs Ranua Wildlife Park Four Winds Road Sodankyla Church Urho Kekkonen National Park Tankavaara Gold Centre - Day 10
Karasjok to Nordkapp
You cross the tundra into Norway and stop at Karasjok for a make travel matter experience. There you see the Sami National Museum and the Sami Parliament. Continuing along Porsanger Fjord to Honningsvag, you have free time at the harbor or can join an optional boat tour to see sea birds around Gjesvarstappen. That night you head to Nordkapp, mainland Europe's most northern point, where you can have a drink and caviar while watching the landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Sámi National Museum in Karasjok
- See Sámi Parliament
- Journey to Nordkapp (northernmost point of mainland Europe)
- Glass of bubbles and caviar at Nordkapp
Optional Activities
- Sea bird and Arctic cruise around Gjesværstappen - Puffins, Kittiwakes, Gannets, Guillemots, White Tailed Eagles, Grey Seal or Porpoise (EUR 110.00)
Landmarks/POIs Sámi National Museum Sámi Parliament Porsanger Fjord Honningsvag Gjesværstappen Nordkapp (North Cape) - Day 11
Alta
You start the day at a relaxed pace before moving through Finnmark, Norway's northernmost county, with its rolling tundra and scattered houses. By afternoon you reach Alta, a town known for its fishing and mining history. You have free time to explore, and you can optionally visit the Northern Lights Cathedral or take a wilderness trip on the Alta River if that interests you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Northern Lights Cathedral
- Wilderness River Adventure on Alta River (EUR 57.00)
Landmarks/POIs Northern Lights Cathedral Alta Alta River - Day 12
Alta
After a relaxed start you explore Alta's ancient history. A local expert takes you to see the UNESCO-listed Rock Art of Alta, which has thousands of prehistoric carvings from early Arctic people. Later you visit a working husky farm to meet the Lyrek family, who race sled dogs competitively. Lunch is seasonal oven-baked food with Arctic fish or reindeer and fresh salads. You'll also meet the young Alaskan huskies being trained for racing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Seasonal oven-baked lunch at a working husky farm featuring fresh Arctic fish or tender reindeer, served with crisp salads, local accompaniments, and a glass of wine)
Included Activities
- Explore UNESCO-listed Rock Art of Alta with Local Expert
- Visit working husky farm
- Meet Lyrek family
- Seasonal oven-baked lunch with fresh Arctic fish or reindeer, salads and wine
Landmarks/POIs Rock Art of Alta - Day 13
Narvik
You pass Kaafjord, where the German battleship Tirpitz once sat during World War II, and hear stories about one of the war's major early battles. You can see the Lyngen Alps in the distance, 90 kilometers of mountains and glaciers. Continuing to Narvik, which is surrounded by tall peaks with their own history, the afternoon gives you a chance to optionally visit the Narvik War Museum.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Narvik War Museum (EUR 55.00) - Battles of Narvik in 1940 and impact of occupation
Landmarks/POIs Kåfjord Lyngen Alps Narvik Narvik War Museum - Day 14
Mo i Rana
A ferry takes you across Tysfjord, where the water stretches inland between steep granite walls. You pass Rago National Park, a huge wilderness area shared with Sweden that has glacial lakes and pine forests. Near Storforshei you cross the Arctic Circle again, marked by a monument, and then arrive at Mo i Rana on the Ranfjorden.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cross Tysfjord by ferry
- Cross Arctic Circle
Landmarks/POIs Tysfjord Rago National Park Arctic Circle Storforshei Mo i Rana Ranfjorden - Day 15
Trondheim
You drive through Namdalen watching for salmon jumping upstream at Laksfoss Falls. Passing through the village of Hell, you continue to Trondheim, Norway's third-largest city and once home to Viking kings. You'll see the Market Square with its Olav Tryggvason statue and the Nidaros Cathedral, Norway's national shrine. Before leaving you visit Tyholt Tower and the Old Town Bridge, called the Portal of Happiness locally.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- View Laksfoss Falls
- See Trondheim Market Square and statue of Olav Tryggvason
- Visit Nidaros Cathedral
- See Tyholt Tower
- See Old Town Bridge (Lykkens Portal)
Landmarks/POIs Namdalen Laksfoss Falls Hell Trondheim Market Square Nidaros Cathedral Tyholt Tower Old Town Bridge - Day 16
Geiranger
This might be one of the most scenic days of your trip. You cross the Dovre Mountains through Dovrefjell National Park, past lakes and snowy peaks to Lom, where there's one of Norway's most beautiful stave churches. From there you head to Geirangerfjord for a boat cruise under towering cliffs with waterfalls cascading down. Your hotel has views out over the fjord and mountains.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cross Dovre Mountains
- Cross Dovrefjell National Park
- Visit Lom stave church
- Cruise on Geirangerfjord
Landmarks/POIs Dovre Mountains Dovrefjell National Park Lom Stave Church Geirangerfjord - Day 17
Geiranger
You have the whole day to yourself in this UNESCO World Heritage area. Relax at the hotel, take a hike in the surrounding hills, or join an optional drive along Trollstigen, a famous winding mountain road with great views.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Trollstigen scenic drive (EUR 49.00) - Troll's Road, masterpiece of engineering with spectacular views
Landmarks/POIs Trollstigen - Day 18
Lillehammer to Oslo
You travel through countryside that inspired writers like Ibsen and composer Edvard Grieg. You stop in Lillehammer, host city of the 1994 Winter Olympics, for a short orientation. Then you head to Oslo, Norway's capital. That evening there's a final dinner where you can toast to your trip with the people you've met along the way.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at a local restaurant with Scandinavian hospitality, fine food and a glass of wine)
Included Activities
- Lillehammer orientation with Travel Director
- Welcome dinner in Oslo with toast
Landmarks/POIs Lillehammer - Day 19
Oslo
Your local expert shows you Akershus Castle with its medieval towers and walls overlooking the harbor. You see the Royal Palace and walk through Frogner Park, which has sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The afternoon is free, so you can relax by the harbor or continue exploring Oslo however you'd like.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit medieval Akershus Castle
- See Royal Palace
- Explore Frogner Park
- View Gustav Vigeland sculptures
Landmarks/POIs Akershus Castle Royal Palace Frogner Park - Day 20
Departure
Your time in Scandinavia comes to an end.
