Majestic Fjords, Scandinavian Highlights with Helsinki & Copenhagen

Welcome! Your Scandinavian fjords and capitals tour starts today. Transfer from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to hotel in connection with your flight arrival. Dinner and accommodation at Radisson Blu Plaza, centrally located close to Karl Johan shopping boulevard and Royal Palace. Your tour escort will meet you at 19.50 hrs in the hotel lobby.

After breakfast you will visit the world-famous Viking Ships. Departure from Oslo, driving via Hønefoss along the charming Halling Valley to the tourist resort town of Gol. Lunch at local restaurant. 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. Cross the Hardanger Bridge and route to Ulvik. Dinner and accommodation in fjord view rooms at Brakanes Hotel, ideally located on the banks of the fjord.

After buffet breakfast, descend the amazing Måbødal Canyon to the idyllic Hardanger Fjord. Cross the Hardanger Bridge. 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. Lunch at local restaurant. 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. 
Accommodation at First Hotel Marin with an excellent location close to the Bryggen Harbour.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will depart from Bergen and drive via Dale to the town of Voss. Upon arrival, you will board the train in Voss for a ride on the beautiful Bergen Railway to the mountain station of Myrdal. From Myrdal, enjoy your ride on the amazing Flåm Railway, a masterpiece of engineering descending 2.838 feet in less than one hour. The descent to the fjord side village of Flåm offers opportunities for photos of exciting waterfalls and mountain scenery. After a short rest in Flåm, you will take a two hour 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 the 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 through the amazing Stalheim Canyon and Nærøy Valley, across the Vika Mountains to Vangsnes for the short ferry crossing to the beautiful resort of Balestrand. Dinner and accommodations are at Kvikne’s Hotel, superbly located on the banks of the fjord and surrounded by mountains.

Your day is 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, or 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. You can 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 accommodations will be at Kvikne’s Hotel.

After breakfast you will depart 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 world famous 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 will board the ferry for the one hour cruise along the spectacular Geiranger Fjord, possibly the most impressive of all the Norwegian fjords. During the cruise you will pass magnificent waterfalls, such as the Bridal Veil and the Seven Sisters. Dinner and accommodations will be at the excellent Union Hotel, overlooking the Geiranger Fjord.

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. You will stop for lunch in Lillehammer. After lunch, the journey continues alongside Lake Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake, back to Oslo. Dinner and accommodations will be at the Thon Hotel Opera, centrally located close to Karl Johan shopping boulevard and Royal Palace.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will continue by coach towards the Swedish border, crossing into the attractive province of Värmland to arrive in the city of Karlstad on Lake Vänern, the largest in Sweden. Enjoy lunch in Karlstad. After lunch, the tour continues through a landscape of forests and sparkling lakes to reach the Swedish capital in the late afternoon. Dinner and accommodations will be at the Clarion Hotel Sign, a new first class hotel centrally located.

The day starts with a four hour guided tour of the city. Famous sights include the Royal Palace, Parliament Buildings, the Cathedral, the Royal Theatre, etc. You will also visit the enchanting Old Town (Gamla Stan) with its narrow cobbled streets and numerous antique shops. The highlight of the tour is a visit to City Hall with its famous Blue and Golden Halls, where the Nobel Prize banquet is held each year. Your afternoon is free in Stockholm, with the possibility to visit the famous Wasa Museum or take one of the popular canal tours. Accommodations will be at the Clarion Hotel Sign. Please note that dinner today is not included because our experience shows that in Stockholm, guests prefer to eat out at a restaurant of their choice. Your tour escort will gladly assist you with table reservations.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will continue on the Baltic Cruise to Helsinki. Your morning is free in Stockholm. In the afternoon, you will transfer from the hotel to the pier for embarkation on a luxurious cruise ferry of the Silja Line. 17.00 hrs: Depart on the cruise from Stockholm, sailing slowly through the lovely archipelago past numerous small islands. Dinner is served on board. Accommodations will be 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.

Enjoy your buffet breakfast as you sail into Helsinki. Spend a whole day in this exciting city on the Baltic, retaining your cabin on the ship. In the morning, you will partake in a three hour guided tour of Helsinki. Famous sights include the Senate Square, Uspenski Cathedral, the Parliament House, Finlandia Hall, Sibelius Park & Monument, the Underground Temple, and much more. In the afternoon you can explore the busy market place or the many souvenir shops close to the harbour. Finnish crystal and leather goods are an excellent buy. 17.00 hrs: Embarkation for your return cruise to Stockholm. Dinner and accommodations will be on board.

After a tasty buffet breakfast, you will be continuing on to Copenhagen and will be driven through Southern Sweden to Lake Vättern. You will stop for lunch at local restaurant. Your tour continues via Jönköping to the city of Malmö. Cross the new Öresund Bridge from Sweden to Denmark and arrive in wonderful Copenhagen during the early evening. Dinner and accommodations will be at the Admiral Hotel.

The day starts with a three hour guided tour of the city. You will see the Amalienborg Palace, residence of the Danish Royal family, Gefion Fountain, Christiansborg Palace (Danish Parliament buildings), the old harbour of Nyhavn, and of course the famous Little Mermaid. Your afternoon is free for exploring this fairytale city. Accommodations will be at the Admiral Hotel.

Your tour of Scandinavia ends here. Enjoy a buffet breakfast followed by transfers to Copenhagen Kastrup Airport for individual flight departures.