24 Day Ultimate Scandinavia

Welcome to Finland! After passing through arrivals in Helsinki Airport, please make your own way to the hotel for check in. 

The remainder of the day is at your leisure to discover Helsinki’s charms. Choose to explore this walkable city by foot and admire the Art Nouveau architecture, or maybe take a short ferry to the UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed Suomenlinna Fortress.

Transportation: Train connection between Helsinki city centre and Helsinki Airport is carried out by local commuter trains which run every 10 minutes in peak hours. Travel time from the airport train station to Helsinki Central Station is about 30 minutes. Single ticket fare from Helsinki Airport to city centre is € 4.10 from the ticket machines located at the station.

After breakfast this morning at your hotel, enjoy the Discover Helsinki Panorama Sightseeing excursion, a popular sightseeing tour that provides an excellent take of both Helsinki's past and present. Visit some of the most interesting sites of the city including the historical centre, City Hall, the Parliament buildings, Finlandia Hall and the Opera House. You’ll also stop at the Temppeliaukio Church, known as the Rock Church or the Sibelius Monument (if the Temppeliaukio Church is closed). The tour ends near Esplanade Park, a perfect central position to discover further sites of the city on foot.

The remainder of your day is at your leisure.

Today enjoy a full day train journey to Rovaniemi. In the winter months, this journey is known as the Santa Claus Express, transporting many visitors from around the world to the Capital of Lapland and the ‘official’ home of Santa Claus. Upon arrival in the early evening, make your own way to your centrally located hotel.

Rovaniemi boasts sparkling clear days in spring, near-constant sunlight in summer and blazing colours in autumn.  Why not get into nature and participate in an optional evening excursion where, depending on the month, you can enjoy the midnight sun on an arctic river.

Today is yours at leisure to discover the capital of Finnish Lapland. Rovaniemi was once a powerful salmon and fur exporter, however, was completely destroyed during World War II. The city has since been rebuilt, and now boasts some impressive modern sights like the Arktikum Museum. For those that believe in Santa Claus, then why not make a visit to Santa’s Village, which can be easily accessed from the city centre by public transport or a short taxi journey.

This morning, travel further north into Lapland by coach from Rovaniemi to Levi, a small skiing village in the heart of Finnish Lapland.  Along the way, be sure to keep an eye out for reindeer, which are protected by the Sami people. 

There are 12,000 reindeer in the Kittilä municipality, which is double the number of its population. In summer, you’ll often spot the reindeer wandering freely in the forests, on the fells, along the roads in Levi itself or cooling down in the shades by the petrol stations and hotel yards! 

For those travelling in April, late summer and September, you may be lucky enough to experience the Northern Lights.

Today, your journey goes west, travelling across Finnish Lapland before crossing the border into mighty Norway. Your coach journey will take you  from Levi to the small township of Kilpisjärvi, where you change coaches, and continue on to enjoy a breathtaking drive through the Lyngen Alps. 

Your journey today ends in Tromsø, the gateway to the Arctic. For those travelling between late May and July, you’ll experience the natural phenomenon of the midnight sun. Occurring during the summer months north of the Arctic Circle, this is also known as the polar day when the sun never sets and is visible throughout the night.

After breakfast, enjoy an unforgettable Polar Fjord cruise. Picked up in Tromsø city centre, this six hour cruise explores the incredible nature around Tromsø. This is the perfect opportunity to experience the arctic sea while cruising around in a charming, classic wooden boat, the Fjord Queen or the lovely Polar Queen. Choose to settle inside in the warm main cabin of the ship, or brave the wilderness on deck as you admire the view and incredible local wildlife, including sea eagles and dolphins. While on board, you can also enjoy delicious Arctic fish, snacks, fruit, and hot drinks.

Your journey now heads south, travelling by local bus from Tromsø to Narvik, a popular city for those who enjoy mountaineering and skiing. The city’s flagship ski resort, Narvikfjellet, is famed for its extreme alpine landscapes. Narvik was also a strategically-important city during World War II, due to its nearby location to an abundance of natural resources. 

The rest of the day is at your leisure upon check-in at the hotel. Visit the War Museum, or perhaps take the Narvik Fjellheisen (Cable Car) up to 656 metres above sea level for incredible views.

Today, board a local coach and continue your journey southbound along the coast of Norway. Change coaches in Storfjord before reaching Bodø, a vibrant city on the edge of the Norwegian Sea. Here you may like to visit the Norwegian Aviation Museum, the largest such museum in Scandinavia, or perhaps just enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of this picturesque Arctic city.

This morning is yours to spend at leisure until you embark on your tour to the famous Saltstraumen, the world’s strongest maelstrom (aka whirlpool). Before you arrive at this natural wonder, your guide will take you on a sightseeing tour through the city of Bodø to learn more about the local history and sites. Upon arrival at the maelstrom, you can go to the waterfront and have a close look at this fascinating natural phenomenon and watch the major natural forces at play where every six hours, almost 400 million cubic metres of water passes through a narrow 150 metre wide passage with phenomenal speed. 

You will also experience a typical northern Norwegian activity – the bus driver will beat a dried cod on the rocks for you to taste a local delicacy. Afterwards,  you can walk around on natural paths in silence, and try to spot the majestic sea eagles which live in this area.

After breakfast, enjoy a morning at leisure to continue exploring Bodø before making your own way to the railway station to catch a lunch time train to Trondheim. This journey is also known as The Nordland Railway — Norway’s longest rail journey that passes through fertile farmland, massive forests and alongside arctic rivers.  Upon arrival in Trondheim, make your own way to your hotel.

Today is free time to explore the historical city of Trondehim. Founded in 997, this historic city served as Norway’s capital until 1217. Today, it is the third-largest city in Norway with an excellent collection of museums, heritage sites and outdoor pursuits. An absolute highlight is the gothic Nidaros Cathedral, built in the beginning of 1070 to memorialise the burial place of Olav II of Norway, the king who was killed in battle in 1030. Compact in size, Trondheim is easily explored on foot.

Today, another rail journey awaits as you travel from Trondheim to Oslo, the Norwegian Capital.  On arrival, make your own way to your hotel for check-in and then free evening. With loads of restaurants, bars and nearby activity, a night in Oslo is easily enjoyed.

Today, embark on a morning panoramic sightseeing tour of Oslo. Learn about the city’s history and culture from knowledgeable guides, admire the main attractions in the city centre and spectacular views from Holmenkollen ski jump, and experience a fascinating insight into the art of the most prolific Norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland, as you walk through the unique Sculpture Park comprising more than 200 sculptures in bronze and granite.

Afternoon is yours at leisure to further explore Oslo. Visit one of the many museums including the Viking Museum or the Munch Museum, or just relax in one of the many restaurants or cafés.

From one magnificent capital to another, today you leave beautiful Norway behind to catch a train to the vibrant and colourful Swedish capital of Stockholm. Called ‘Beauty on water’ by the locals, Stockholm has an enormous array of sights, and we highly recommend visiting the City Hall building, the famous Vasa Museum, and if you are interested, the Abba Museum! A walk in the historical old town, Gamla Stan, is also a must alongside experiencing the local cuisine in one of the many restaurants and cafés.

Today you will enjoy the Under the Bridges tour of Stockholm. There is no better way to experience the sights of Stockholm than cruising its stunning waterways that pierce through this vibrant city. You will travel under twelve bridges and even pass through the lock that connects the Baltic Sea to Lake Mälaren. You will also see the inner city, Gamla Stan, Södermalm, Lilla and Stora Essingen, the new area Hammarby Sjöstad, and the green parks of Djurgården.

The remainder of your day at leisure.

After breakfast this morning, make your own way to Stockholm Airport for your flight to Reykjavik. The fastest and most convenient way to Stockholm Arlanda Airport is the Arlanda Express which departs frequently from Stockholm’s Central Station to Arlanda, and takes approximately 18 minutes.

Upon arrival in Reykjavik, you will have an included Flybus shuttle from Keflavik airport to your accommodation in Reykjavik. If time allows, explore downtown Reykajvik this evening before trying one of the many local restaurants and bars.

This morning, meet your tour guide and fellow travellers for your guided tour of Iceland. Enjoy the picturesque views as we travel along the Hvalfjörður fjord and into the town of Borgarnes. This afternoon, we will enjoy one of many spectacular moments in Iceland, with an easy hike on the Grábrók volcano crater, dramatically set in the middle of a greenish lava field. We then continue west past the famous fjords of Iceland to reach Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland, where we will be spending the night.

Magnificently perched on the shores of Eyjafjörður fjord, Akureyri is famous for its whale spotting. Enjoy some time to explore the town this morning after breakfast.

In the early afternoon, we depart Akureyri to visit Goðafoss, one of the most famous waterfalls in the country, which aptly means the waterfalls of Gods. We then journey to the iconic Lake Mývatn, known for being a geological wonderland and for its abundance of birdlife. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon in the natural geothermal baths with a fantastic view of the lake. Tonight, we’ll stay in the Lake Mývatn area.

Today we travel east towards the coast, stopping at some natural wonders across the day. First up is Dimmuborgir, also known as ‘the dark castles’. Formed out of various volcanic caves and rock, the lava field can be easily explored on foot and is said to be home for trolls. Afterwards, we visit Námaskarð, a geothermal area perched on a mountain with bubbling mud pools and steaming solfataras.

The landscape changes as we get closer to the coast, so expect to see uninhabited highlands and moon-like surrounds as we drive towards east Iceland. For departures in June, July and August, we will stop at the powerful waterfall, Dettifoss.

After breakfast, today will be spent exploring the area known as East Fjords, a stunning part of east Iceland encompassing fjord landscapes and tiny fishing villages, connected by twisting roads with incredible views. On the route, we will also stop to visit a stone and mineral collection.

However, the real highlight today is in the afternoon when we visit the mighty Vatnajökull Glacier — Europe’s biggest glacier that is visible from most places across southeast Iceland. Tonight we will stay overnight in Höfn.

Our first stop today is at Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs and a truly dramatic sight. We will have time to explore the area, and you might even get to see some seals swimming in the arctic waters. For departures in Iceland between May and September, included is a boat tour to get up close and personal with the floating icebergs on the lagoon. Across the way from the lagoon is the famous Diamond Beach, where some of the icebergs from the lagoon become stranded.

We then depart Jökulsárlón and travel to the southern part of the Vatnajökull glacier, to get a glimpse at Europe’s second largest national park. Vatnajökull National Park is home to Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment and Europe’s largest glacier.

This afternoon, we continue our beautiful drive past natural wonders such as the Eldhraun lava field, the sandy desert of the south coast and backdrops of mountainous cliffs, glaciers and waterfalls. After a quick break to stroll on the famous black lava beach of Reynisfjara, we’ll stop at Skógar to witness the Skógafoss waterfall, one of the countries most famous. We will also see Seljalandsfoss waterfall, whose waters plunge over a mountain and for those prepared to get wet, there is even a trail to walk behind the fall itself.

After breakfast today, we’ll travel the most famous route of the country; the Golden Circle. Starting at Friðheimar, learn about the Icelandic horse with its unique qualities and visit a geothermal greenhouse. Afterwards, the steam of the Geysir geothermal fields will greet us upon arrival to this hot spring area. While the original geyser of the area is now mostly dormant, the famous and mighty Strokkur, ‘the Churn’, is still active and usually erupts at 5-7 minute intervals.

We’ll then continue to another of Iceland’s famous waterfalls, Gullfoss — ‘the golden falls’. A double waterfall that tumbles 32 metres into the Hvítá river, it attracts travellers in both summer and winter. 

Finally, we travel inland to Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a site of great geological and historical importance. Iceland’s parliament was founded here in 930 and continued to convene in an open-air assembly until 1798. It’s also the only place in the world where the rift between tectonic plates is above sea level. Nowhere else can you see the edges of the North American and European tectonic plate as clearly as in this rift valley. 

Upon arrival back into Reykjavik, we will enjoy a short city tour to show highlights of the world’s northernmost capital.

Your Ultimate Scandinavia Uncovered tour ends after breakfast. We hope you have thoroughly enjoyed your inspiring Scandinavian experience. Included is a Flybus shuttle from your accommodation in Reykjavik to Keflavik Airport to begin your journey home.