Mainly 2–3-night stays in each location. Comfortable travel days with numerous stops. Requires 1-3 miles of walking per day that might involve some uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones and stairs.
Your adventure begins in Norways Capital, Oslo.
In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow guests to enjoy a Welcome Dinner with wine.
Sightseeing with a Local Expert includes views of Akershus Castle and the Royal Palace. Walk around the Opera House and marvel at the stricking contemporary architecture of the new Bjorvika district. Wander through Frogner Park, with its intriguing sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The afternoon is at your leisure to continue exploring as you wish. Perhaps join an Optional Experience to the most modern ski jump in the world? Maybe explore City Hall where the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony is held, or walk upon the famous architecture of Oslo Opera House.
Journey across the Hardanger Plateau, Europe's greatest mountain plateau and the largest national park in the Nordic countries, before arriving at your hotel in Ullensvang.
Travel to the Nærøyfjord for the opportunity to visit Viking Valley and cruise this UNESCO listed fjord on an Optional Experience. After, continue to the coastal city of Bergen by a traditional train of the Flåm railway. Journey from the shores of the Aurlandsfjord on one of the world's steepest railways through tunnels that spiral in and out of the mountainside. And breathe in the fresh mountain air while you drink in the views of the rushing waterfalls, glacial rivers and verdant scenery. This evening join your Travel Director at a Local Restaurant for Dinner.
A Local Expert introduces you to Bergen. The ancient Hanseatic port city still largely looks to the sea for its living, as evidenced by the picturesque and lively Fish Market, set in a charming location in the heart of the city. The market also has stalls selling a colorful variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers, handicrafts and souvenirs. After seeing the 13th century Haakon’s Hall, there will be time to explore all that this exciting town has to offer. Perhaps you might like to visit the home of composer Edvard Grieg, before ascending Mount Fløyen by the only funicular in Scandinavia.
Travel along this incredible coastline and sail across fjords passing an abundance of islands. Arrive in Stavanger, one of Norway’s oldest cities founded almost 900 years ago. The city has continued to evolve with changing times and now is the headquarters of the Norwegian oil industry, Stavanger is a fusion of old world charm and cosmopolitan flair.
Say farewell to Norway as you sail across the Skagerrak to Hirtshals, Denmark. Your journey continues to Aalborg, Denmark's forth largest city. This evening, we will join for dinner in a local restaurant.
A vibrant mix of youthful energy and a blast from the past makes Aarhus a city with an energetic pulse. Join your Travel Director for an orientation of the city center. See the City Hall, ARoS Aarhus Art Museum - topped with an immense and interactive artwork - and Dokk1, the largest public library in Scandinavia. En route to Odense, you will stop for a tour of Jelling, visiting the Home of the Viking Kings Museum. Then cross the Jutland Peninsula to the town of Odense, on the island of Fyn.
Visit Odense with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Hans Christian Andersen House, a museum dedicated to his life and works. Learn all about the famous fairytale writer as you follow his career, travels and love life. Alternatively, visit St Canute's Cathedral and hear tales of Canute, Denmark's first royal saint.
Meet your Local Expert and pay a visit to Hans Christian Andersen's iconic Little Mermaid statue. Later, see Christiansborg Palace, Rosenborg Castle, Amalienborg Palace, the Renaissance Stock Exchange, the unusual Round Tower and Copenhagen Cathedral, where the Crown Prince of Denmark married Princess Mary. The afternoon is at your leisure. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at our hand-picked restaurant and enjoy a delicious Celebration Dinner of sustainable ingredients, as you toast to the end of your Scandinavian adventure.
Your trip comes to an end this morning.
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Arctic Explorers and the Polar Ship Fram (Available on Day 2)Step aboard the polar ship Fram, the strongest wooden ship ever built, to experience the life and work of Norway's famous Arctic explorers. The expeditions of Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen come to life in the interactive exhibitions of this museum, which also houses the Gjøa, the first ship to navigate the entire Northwest Passage.
Adult Price: €43 Norwegians Are Born With Skis On Their Feet (Available on Day 2)Enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Oslo ski jump. At 1,400 feet in the air, our Local Expert will share 4,000 years of skiing history with you in this ultra-modern skiing museum.
Adult Price: €47 Norway's Apple Orchards & Cider Tasting (Available on Day 3)Take a walk through the orchards and discover why this area of Norway is so suited to fruit trees and cider production it even has its own protected status. Learn about the history and practices of cider making from the producer before tasting the cider, or apple juice and savoring the flavors of this popular local drink called 'eplemost'.
Viking Valley & Cruise UNESCO's Nærøyfjord (Available on Day 4)Immerse yourself in Viking life when you meet the inhabitants of Njardarheim who will take you back 1000 years in time. Follow this with a cruise along the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord and experience one of mother nature's most impressive creations. Gaze at the breath-taking fjord landscape and spectacular scenery of waterfalls, snow-capped mountains and tiny villages that have inspired artists for hundreds of years.
Edvard Grieg's Home and Funicular (Available on Day 5)We’ll head out along the fjord to visit the home of famous composer Grieg, where you’ll enjoy a guided tour of the villa - the inspiration for many of his masterworks. You’ll also explore Bergen on a walk through the historical lanes, and see stunning views of the city on a trip up the hillside by funicular railway.
Danish Dinner Experience (Available on Day 9)Tonight we'll enjoy a local dinner incorporating some of the best traditions of Danish cuisine and soak up the vibrant, cosmopolitan atmosphere of Odense town.
Adult Price: €84 North Zealand Castle Tour (Available on Day 11)Drive along the scenic coastal road of the Danish Riviera to the castles of North Zealand. See Fredensborg, the summer residence of the Royal Family, then visit Fredriksborg, the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia. It's now a museum, so the tour through the beautiful rooms is an encounter with the kings and queens who shaped the country's history. En-route, pass through picturesque villages of half-timbered houses and thatched roofs.
Adult Price: €60