Scandinavian Capitals with Splendor of the Fjords

Stockholm- Helsinki -Copenhagen - Oslo Oslo - Ulvik - Bergen - Flaringam - Balestrand - Geiranger - Oslo - Fjords - Oslo

Day 1: ARRIVE STOCKHOLM
Arrive Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Transfer to hotel in connection with your flight arrival. Dinner and accommodation at the Clarion Hotel Sign, a first class hotel centrally located. Your tour escort will meet you at 19.50 hrs in the hotel lobby.

Day 2: STOCKHOLM
After your first Scandinavian buffet breakfast, start of 4 hours guided tour of Stockholm. Famous sights on the tour include the Royal Palace, the Parliament Buildings, the island of Djurgården and the Old Town (Gamla Stan), with its narrow cobbled streets and numerous antique shops. Highlight of the tour is a visit to City Hall with its famous Blue and Golden Rooms, where the Nobel Prize Banquet is held each year. Afternoon free in Stockholm. We can recommend a visit to the impressive Vasa Museum or one of the popular canal tours. Accommodation at the Clarion Hotel Sign. Please note that dinner is not included today because our experience shows that in Stockholm guests prefer to eat out at a restaurant of their own choice. Your tour escort will gladly assist you with table reservations.

Day 3: STOCKHOLM - HELSINKI
Morning free in Stockholm for exploring this beautiful city, often called the Venice of the North because of its many canals and waterways. We can recommend the 2 hours boat tour “Under the Bridges of Stockholm”. Afternoon coach transfer for embarkation on a luxurious cruise ferry of the Silja Line. 17.00 hrs: Start of your cruise to Helsinki, sailing slowly through the Stockholm archipelago past numerous small islands. Buffet dinner on board. Choice of entertainment, shops, casino, bars. Accommodation is in 2-berth outside cabins (seaside) with shower/WC. We recommend bringing an overnight bag for this cruise, to avoid having to carry suitcases to and from the cabin.

Day 4: HELSINKI - STOCKHOLM
Enjoy your buffet breakfast, as you sail into Helsinki. You retain your cabin on the ship. Morning 3 hours guided tour of the Finnish capital. Famous sights include the Senate Square, Uspenskij Cathedral, Parliament House, Finlandia Hall, New Opera House, Sibelius Park & Monument, Underground Temple, etc. Afternoon free for shopping or exploring this bustling city on the Baltic. 17.00 hrs: Embarkation on Silja Line ferry for return cruise to Stockholm. 3-course dinner and accommodation on board.

Day 5: STOCKHOLM - COPENHAGEN
After a delicious buffet breakfast on board, arrive back in Stockholm at 09.30 hrs. The tour continues by coach through the pleasant countryside of Southern Sweden to Klarälven near Lake Vättern. Stop for lunch at local restaurant. After lunch continue through the provinces of Småland and Skåne to the city of Malmö. Cross over the new Øresund Bridge to arrive in wonderful Copenhagen during the early evening. Dinner and accommodation at Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel.

Day 6: COPENHAGEN
The day starts with a 3 hours guided tour of the city. During the tour you will see the Amalienborg Palace, Christiansborg Palace (seat of the Danish Parliament), Hans Christian Andersen’s statue, Gefion Fountain, the old harbour of Nyhavn, the famous Little Mermaid, and many other popular sights. Afternoon free in Copenhagen. We can recommend a tour down the popular pedestrian shopping street – Strøget, or a visit to Rosenborg Palace. This evening you will be taken by your tour escort for dinner in the famous Tivoli Gardens. Accommodation at Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel.

Day 7: COPENHAGEN - OSLO
After a tasty Danish buffet breakfast, morning free in Copenhagen for shopping and sightseeing. Afternoon transfer by coach to DFDS Seaways terminal for your overnight cruise to Oslo, departing at 17.00 hrs. Enjoy a delicious  Scandinavian buffet dinner as you cruise gently up the Kattegat on your way to Oslo. There is dancing and entertainment on board, or you may prefer to sit out on deck and watch the sunset. Accommodation is in 2-berth outside cabins with shower/WC. We recommend bringing an overnight bag for this cruise, to avoid having to carry suitcases to and from the cabin.

Day 8: OSLO
Scandinavian buffet breakfast is being served on board, as you sail up the exciting Oslo Fjord to reach the Norwegian capital at 09.30 hrs. After disembarkation, this morning’s 3 hours guided tour of Oslo takes you to see the world-famous Viking Ships, the Polar Exploration ship Fram, the amazing Vigeland Sculpture Park and other famous sights. Afternoon free in Oslo. We can recommend a visit to the Munch Museum or a stroll along the Karl Johan shopping boulevard. Dinner and accommodation at Thon Hotel Opera, ideally situated close to the Oslo Harbour and facing the new Opera House.

 Day 9: OSLO - ULVIK
After breakfast departure from Oslo, driving via Hønefoss along the charming Halling Valley to the tourist resort town of Geilo. Buffet lunch at Bardøla Mountain Hotel. After lunch cross the wild Hardanger Mountain Plateau to Fossli, stopping to view the thundering Vøringsfoss Waterfall with a vertical drop of 180 m. Descend the amazing Måbødal Canyon to the idyllic Hardanger Fjord. Short ferry crossing, followed by drive along the Ulvik Fjord, a branch of the Hardanger Fjord, to the picturesque village of Ulvik. Dinner and accommodation at Brakanes Hotel, ideally located on the banks of the fjord.

Day 10: ULVIK - BERGEN
After buffet breakfast, start of scenic tour along the beautiful Hardanger Fjord, famous for its many fruit orchards, via the towns of Øystese and Norheimsund, arriving in Bergen around midday.Afternoon 2 hours tour of Bergen, including a visit to the popular Fish and Flower Market, the famous Bryggen Harbour with its gabled packhouses, and the old Hanseatic Quarter. You will also ride on the funicular to Mt. Fløien, for the best views of the city and fjords way below. Dinner and accommodation at Radisson Blu Hotel Norge, centrally located on Ole Bull’s Square, close to the pedestrian shopping streets and within walking distance of the old Bryggen harbour.

Day 11: BERGEN - FLÅM - BALESTRAND
After breakfast departure from Bergen and drive via Dale to the town of Voss. Descend the Nærøy Valley, passing the amazing Stalheim Canyon, to the fjordside village of Flåm. Board your train for an exhilarating ride on the amazing Flåm Railway to Myrdal, a masterpiece of engineering ascending 2.838 feet in less than one hour. The descent from Myrdal to Flåm offers opportunities for photo shots of exciting waterfalls and mountain scenery. After a short rest in Flåm, start of approx. 2 hours cruise by boat along the narrow Aurlands and Nærøy Fjords, both branches of the Sogn Fjord, the longest and deepest fjord in the world. Enjoy the spectacular scenery of cascading waterfalls, sheer mountain cliffs, snow-clad peaks, and a variety of wildlife. After disembarking in Gudvangen at the head of the Nærøy Fjord, continue by coach across the Vika Mountains to Vangsnes, for the short ferry crossing to the beautiful resort of Balestrand. Dinner and accommodation at Kvikne’s Hotel, superbly located on the banks of the fjord and surrounded by mountains.

Day 12: BALESTRAND – A DAY IN THE FJORDS
Day free in Balestrand, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the outstanding beauty and nature of the fjords. The day starts with a traditional Norwegian buffet breakfast in the hotel’s elegant dining room. You may want to spend the morning relaxing on the hotel terrace, breathing in the fresh mountain air and enjoying the spectacular views. We can also recommend a visit to the local aquarium and art gallery, or you may prefer to rent a bike or rowing boat from the hotel, or even go on foot up to the nearest mountains. A walking tour of the village of Balestrand, with its historic buildings and other noteworthy sites can also be arranged. Dinner and accommodation at Kvikne’s Hotel.

Day 13: BALESTRAND - GEIRANGER
After breakfast departure from your hotel by ferry from Dragsvik to Hella, followed by a scenic tour along the northern side of the Sogn Fjord to Sogndal. The tour continues by road to Fjærland, passing under the Jostedal Glacier, the largest in Europe, to the village of Skei at the northern end of beautiful Lake Jølster. Descend to the Nord Fjord, making a detour at Olden to visit the worldfamous Briksdal Glacier. The journey up to the glacier will be made in open cars to give you the best views. Lunch will be served in a nearby mountain restaurant facing the glacier. After lunch the tour continues around the Nord Fjord via Loen and Stryn, to the picturesque village of Hellesylt. From here you go on board the ferry for the one hour’s cruise along the spectacular Geiranger Fjord, possibly the most impressive of all the Norwegian fjords. During the cruise you will pass close by some magnificent waterfalls, such as the Bridal Veil and the Seven Sisters. Dinner and accommodation at the excellent Union Hotel, overlooking the Geiranger Fjord.

Day 14: GEIRANGER - OSLO
From the top of the famous Serpentine Road, you have the opportunity to digest some amazing views of the fjord, before crossing the rugged Grotli Mountains to Lom, well known for its 14th century stave church. The tour continues via Lake Vågå, before descending the magnificent Gudbrands Valley to the popular tourist town of Lillehammer. Stop for lunch in Lillehammer. After lunch the journey continues alongside Lake Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake, back to Oslo. Dinner and accommodation at Thon Hotel Opera, ideally situated close to the Oslo Harbour and facing the new Opera House.

Day 15: OSLO
The tour ends after breakfast, with transfers to Oslo Gardermoen Airport to connect with individual flight departures.