Capitals of Scandinavia

Hans Christian Andersen would have been right at home in 21st-century Copenhagen. The Danish capital hasn't lost any of its fairy-tale charm over the centuries, as you'll come to discover on your first day exploring this colorful city. Start your Scandinavian adventure with your Travel Director and fellow travelers, and enjoy dinner together to kick things off.

Connect with the heartfelt hygge of your Danish hosts when you join a Local Specialist this morning for a sightseeing tour that will reveal all the highlights of Copenhagen’s Old Town. See Christiansborg Palace and the Little Mermaid, demurely seated on a rock overlooking Langelinie Promenade. See the home of Denmark’s beloved royal family, Amalienborg Palace, then spend the rest of the day exploring Copenhagen your way. Enjoy a cold øl overlooking the colorful façades of Nyhavn.

For now, it’s a fond farvel to Copenhagen and a bright and cheery hej to Sweden, as you cross the Øresund by ferry and wind your way north, through the Swedish countryside past Gothenburg to Norway. You’ll want to keep your camera at the ready to capture the scenic landscapes that line your route to Oslo, Norway’s modern buzzing capital, where the Norwegian philosophy of friluftsliv can be felt along the flower-lined boulevards and bustling waterfront promenades.

Tread in the footsteps of the Vikings this morning as you join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour that will reveal Oslo’s long-standing seafaring heritage. See the medieval fortress of Akershus, the elegant Royal Palace and Oslo Opera House, which seems to rise up from the water in all its marble, granite and glass glory. Visit a wonderland of Norwegian sculptures left behind by Gustav Vigeland in his sculpture park, then enjoy a free afternoon to explore the city on your terms. You could choose instead to embark on an optional experience to learn about Norwegian explorers.

Enjoy a scenic drive south through Norway’s lush forest landscapes to Sweden, bound for its enchanting capital. Journey past Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Sweden, before stopping in the countryside to Connect With Locals at a special Be My Guest experience with lunch. Brother and sister Niklas and Anna will welcome you to their renovated 19th-century venue and share their philosophy of using local produce to delight all your senses. Later, arrive in Stockholm and enjoy a free evening to explore ‘Beauty on Water’. Consider joining an optional experience at the first Ice Bar in the world.

Style and substance are qualities Stockholm has in abundance, as you’ll discover when you join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour this morning. See Stockholm’s historic mother church, Storkyrkan, the Royal Palace and the Swedish Parliament, then Dive Into Culture on a visit to the City Hall, home to the annual Nobel Prize banquet. This afternoon perhaps join an Optional Experience to explore the maritime heritage of the city, or simply do as the locals do and indulge in fika (coffee and cake), embracing the Swedish philosophy of lagom. Tonight consider an optional experience to cobbled Gamla Stan to admire its medieval history on a walking tour, followed by a traditional Swedish meal in a local restaurant.

A leisurely start to your day could see you embark on some last-minute souvenir shopping or savoring steaming sweet Swedish cinnamon rolls in Stortoget. Consider an optional experience to Drottningholm Palace. The cool capital of Finland beckons as you board your overnight cruise to Helsinki, passing through Stockholm’s archipelago across the Baltic Sea.

Continue your cruise across the Baltic, arriving in Helsinki in time to join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of all the city’s highlights, its Swedish and Russian heritage and some hidden gems. See the modern marble façades of Finlandia Hall, the Senate and the colorful stalls in Market Square. This evening, join your fellow travelers for dinner to raise a glass and toast your epic adventure across the capitals of Scandinavia. Kippis!

Today is yours to explore Helsinki at leisure or perhaps consider joining a full-day optional experience to cruise to the beautiful capital of Estonia, Tallinn. With its walled, cobblestoned Old Town, you will feel like you've stepped into the pages of a fairytale.

After a memorable journey exploring the history and culture of four Scandinavian nations, all that’s left is to say a fond farewell to your new friends and prepare for your return journey home.