Best of Scandinavia Visit 4 Countries: Finland, Sweden, Denmark & Norway Sightseeing: Finland Helsinki: Temppeliaukio Church, Dipoli Building, Silja Line Ferry Sweden Stockholm: Gamla Stan (Old Town), City Hall, Vasa Museum & Stortorget Denmark Copenhagen: City tour, Tivoli Gardens, Carlsberg Glyptotheque, National Museum, Old Stock Exchange, Naval Church, Kings New Square, the home of the Royal Danish Theatre, Royal residence & Amalienborg Palace Norway Oslo: Hønefoss, Nesbyen, Hallingdal Valley, Vøringsfoss waterfall, Royal Palave, Vigeland’s Park & Viking ship Museum Bergen: Santa Maria, Hanseatic Museum, Troldhaugen Flam: Scenic Rail Journey Lillehammer: Borgund Stave Church
Day 1: Delhi - Arrival in Helsinki (Finland)
Upon arrival at Helsinki, after baggage claim, meet our Tour Manager/Local Representative & transfer to your hotel. Once check into the hotel, time to freshen up. Dinner at Night. (D)
Day 2: Helsinki - Overnight Cruise to Stockholm
Scandinavian Breakfast at the hotel. Meet with English speaking Local Guide for panoramic tour of Helsinki a unique city, only half of the metropolitan area is urbanized and the rest are parks, forests, coastlines and lakes. We will make a tour of the city where we can contemplate the Temppeliaukio church carved into the rock, the home of the composer Sibelius, Dipoli building of Helsinki University of Technology in Otamieni, considered a masterpiece of the 20th century, the diplomatic district etc. The tour ends at port to board Departure with Silja Line overnight ferry to Stockholm. Buffet Dinner on board. (B,OBD)
Day 3: Arrival in Stockholm (Sweden)
Scandinavian Breakfast on board. Upon arrival meet with English speaking local guide and private bus for city tour of Stockholm. Enjoy a full day (8 hours) city sightseeing tour including visit to Gamla Stan (Old town) and entrance to the City Hall. The city of Stockholm, built on 14 islands, connected by 57 bridges, embraces the unique character of the 13th century Old Town and modern high-tech architecture. Stockholm is proudly called Beauty on Water and a sightseeing tour including a walk in the Old Town and inside visits to the City Hall, and the Vasa Museum makes a memorable tour. The seven hundred year old cathedral of Stockholm. You will also get a chance to see Stortorget; where the Stockholm Blood Bath took place. An inside visit is also paid to the city's symbols, the City Hall, where the Nobel Banquet takes place in the Blue and Golden Halls. Next stop is the Vasa Museum, located on the island of Djursgaarden where entrance is included. The Vasa Museum houses the restored warship Vasa from 1628 and one of Stockholm’s most popular attractions. End of tour at the hotel. (B, D)
Day 4: Stockholm - Jonkoping - Copenhagen (Denmark) (KM655)
Scandinavian Breakfast at the hotel & check out. Today we depart from Stockholm towards Copenhagen passing by Gränna and Jönköping. Gränna with 4,000 inhabitants is located on Sweden's second largest lake, Vättern. Gränna offers several attractions and scenic surroundings. Gränna was founded in 1652 by the influential Count Per Brahe the Younger. It is the only village in Sweden, which was founded by a Count and not by a King. We then continue towards Jönköping home to the only Match Museum in the world (outside)! The museum is located in the beautiful building that once was the first match factory in Jönköping. Lunch will be served at Indian restaurant in Jönköping. After lunch we continue our journey towards Copenhagen. We reach Helsingborg where we will have a technical stop before embarking a ferry to cross to Denmark. Ferry crossing Helsingborg -Helsingør. Arrival in Helsingør and continue to Copenhagen, and transfer to the hotel for check in. Dinner at Indian restaurant (vegetarian menu). Overnight at hotel. (B, D)
Day 5: Copenhagen - Overnight Cruise to Oslo (Norway)
Scandinavian Breakfast at the hotel & check out. Today we meet with local English speaking guide for city tour of the Danish capital: This tour will be the perfect introduction to "Wonderful Copenhagen". We start with a drive towards the City Hall Square where the famous pedestrian street "Stroget" begins. We pass the Tivoli Gardens, dating back to 1843 and onwards past the New Carlsberg Glyptotheque and the National Museum. Next it is the Old Stock Exchange and the Naval Church. We drive past the Kings New Square, the home of the Royal Danish Theatre with the world famous ballet, then through the old canal area, Nyhavn, with its picturesque houses and vessels. We continue on to see the impressive Gefion Fountain and then make a photo stop at the Royal residence, Amalienborg Palace. Finally we stop by the landmark of Copenhagen, the statue of the Little Mermaid, known from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale. Late afternoon, transfer to port to board DFDS cruise for Oslo. (B, OBD)
Day 6: Arrival in Oslo - Continue To Bergen (KM499) (Norway)
Scandinavian breakfast on board. Arrival in Oslo and disembarkation. We board our private coach and drive across Hønefoss Nesbyen, surrounded by a landscape which alternates with forests of pines and lakes, we arrive in the beautiful Hallingdal Valley. Just a few kilometres away, we will visit Gol followed by Geilo, a small town surrounded by mountains and famous for its Ski resorts. We proceed to Eidfjord after encountering the power of the Vøringsfoss waterfall. Short ferry crossing, Brimnes-Bruravik. On towards Bergen, a beautiful city, considered the capital of the fjords. Dinner at Indian restaurant. Overnight at hotel. (B, D)
Day 7: Bergen (Norway)
Scandinavian breakfast at the hotel. Meet with English speaking local guide for the tour of the day. Visit the capital of the fjords. Between 7 hills Bergen is Norway's second city and one of 5 campuses in the country. We pass through the port area with its ancient architecture Sixteenth-century wooden, church Santa Maria and the fish market, selling all specialty of northern Scandinavia as salmon and whale meat. We pass by the Hanseatic Museum, one of the oldest and best preserved buildings in Bergen, showing how the Hanseatic merchants lived over 100 years. Rise to the Funicular up the hill Fløien, located on one of the 7 hills of the city and with magnificent views of the fjord of Bergen. After short drive you make a stop at Troldhaugen (entrance included), the home of Norway’s most famous composer, Edvard Grieg (1843-1907). Troldhaugen consists of the Edvard Grieg Museum, Grieg’s villa, the hut where he composed music and his gravesite. It also includes Troldsalen, a concert hall with seating for 200 visitors, which is the centre for Troldhaugen’s extensive concert activity. Troldhaugen’s goal is to provide visitors with opportunities to learn about Edvard Grieg and to engage with his music. Tour ends at the hotel. Time at leisure. Dinner at Indian restaurant. Overnight at hotel. (B, D)
Day 8: Bergen - Flam (170 KM) (Norway)
Today after early morning Scandinavian breakfast depart for the historic town of Voss, where you board a train which will take you across the mountain plateau to Myrdal where you change to the World famous Flam railway. Experience one of the most spectacular rail journeys, descending down from the Mountain station of Myrdal to the quaint fjord village of Flam. Lunch to be served at local restaurant (vegetarian menu). After lunch embark the afternoon ferry, which will carry us on a breathtaking crossing along the lovely Næroyfjord from Flam to Gudvangen. The coast offers very strong contrasts, sometimes you will experience rocks falling dramatically into the fjord and other times the river turns into a wonderful green. Disembark in Gudvangen and board your coach before travelling back to Flåm. Dinner at Indian restaurant, overnight at hotel. (B, D)
Day 9: Flåm - Lillehammer (310KM) (Norway)
Scandinavian breakfast at the hotel . Early departure from our hotel. Our destination today is Lillehammer and in order to reach it we will pass by Borgund where we will have an outside glance of the ancient wooden church of Borgund from the XII century. We then continue to Fagernes where lunch will be served at local restaurant (vegetarian menu/buffet). Arrival to Lillehammer, the site of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Check in at the hotel. Dinner at Indian restaurant. Overnight at hotel. (B, D)
Day 10: Lillehammer - Oslo (186KM) (Norway)
Scandinavian breakfast at the hotel. We leave our hotel and enjoy a short orientation drive of the Olympic sites before a guided tour of Maihaugen Open Air Museum where old farmhouses cottages and workshops from the region have been preserved bristling with antique furniture tools and weapons. Later continue with our journey towards Oslo. Check in at the hotel. Dinner at Indian restaurant. Overnight at hotel. (B, D)
Day 11: Oslo (Norway)
Scandinavian breakfast at the hotel. Meet with local English speaking guide and start your 3 hr city sightseeing tour of Oslo: Oslo is magnificently located by the bottom of the Oslo Fjord and surrounded by wooded hills. The city is an Eldorado for nature lovers. If you are in the city centre, you are never far from a park. A boat trip will take about ten minutes to the beautiful beaches of the islands in the fjord. Oslo has, within its boundaries, hundreds of miles of groomed slopes for skiing and has also eight ski runs.
The tour will start with a visit to The Vigeland’s Park, where you will enjoy a walk through one of the major Scandinavia cultural treasures and be fascinated by the sculptures of Gustav Vigeland, who dedicated his life to his artistic works. Among other highlights, we will visit the Viking Ship Museum (entrance included), with its richly ornamented 19m-long (64-ft.) dragon ship is the burial chamber of a Viking queen and her slave. Look for the Oseberg's animal-head post and four-wheeled cart, and the elegantly carved sleigh used by Viking royalty. We will also pass by the Royal Palace and the Main Street, Karl Johan, before make a stop at the impressive Opera House for a short walk (outside visit only). Dinner at Indian restaurant. Overnight at hotel. (B, D)
Day 12: Oslo - Departure
Scandinavian breakfast at the hotel. Soon after breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight. Departure with flight. (B)
