Nordic Adventure - 20 Days

Arrival Transfer: Depart the airport at 09:00, 12:00, 15:30

Spend your day exploring the captivating streets of Copenhagen at your own pace, soaking in the laid-back charm and hygge atmosphere that defines this Danish capital. In the afternoon, meet your Travel Director and join your fellow travellers for a memorable dinner at a local restaurant renowned for its sustainability efforts. Using locally sourced ingredients and a focus on reducing food waste, the restaurant champions a responsible dining experience that is as mindful of the planet as it is of delivering delicious flavours in a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience to remember!

Embark on a guided tour led by a Local Specialist, where you’ll uncover Copenhagen’s most iconic landmarks. Marvel at the grandeur of the Amalienborg Palace Quarter and the stately equestrian statue of King Frederik V, then see the impressive Christiansborg Palace. Don’t miss the chance to pay your respects to the Little Mermaid, a symbol of longing and transformation. After learning all there is to know about Copenhagen, you’ll have an opportunity to explore the city your way. Embrace the hygge ways of the fun-loving locals when you hit the colourful streets of Copenhagen, soak up the atmosphere in Tivoli Gardens or relax with a drink in Nyhavn. It's the perfect introduction to your upcoming journey across Scandinavia. You could choose instead to join our Optional Experience visit to the idyllic fishing village of Dragør with its maze of alleyways and tiny yellow-walled thatched cottages in the old Danish style.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).      

Green Hills and Hygge - EUR 84 pp

First, a visit to the top of Copenhagen’s modern mountain, with the best views over the Baltic city. As Danes enjoy their summer skiing, we will learn about the vision behind this amazing project: the building, architecture and sustainability of the hill and its power plant inside. Then, to one of Denmark's best preserved places, the fairy-tale village of Dragør, with its thatched cottages, cobbled streets and pretty working harbour. You’ll wander passed colourful houses, learn a little of the history, feel the Danish hygge and enjoy a taste of traditional Danish specialities during dinner.

North Zealand Riviera and Castle Tour - EUR 69 pp

Join your Local Specialist and travel north from Copenhagen along the scenic Danish Riviera to North Zealand for a visit to Frederiksborg Castle, the largest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia. Now a museum, its grand rooms reveal the stories of the kings and queens who shaped Denmark’s history. Return to Copenhagen passing charming villages of half-timbered houses and thatched roofs.

The rest of Scandinavia beckons and Sweden’s capital is less than a day away. You’ll leave Copenhagen this morning, travelling to Sweden by crossing the incredible Øresund Bridge and begin your journey across lush green spruce-clad landscapes to Stockholm. Keep your camera at hand as the enchanting scenery unfolds around you. Arriving in Stockholm later, you’ll have the evening free for the perfect introduction to ‘Beauty on the Water’ as the city is lovingly referred to by its locals.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).        

Old Town and Dinner - EUR 83 pp

Discover beauty and history combined during a walk in the fairy tale Gamla Stan, where little has changed since the 16th and 17th centuries. Then enjoy delicious Swedish cuisine in a popular local restaurant, with a drink included.

Stockholm's imposing City Hall, where the Nobel Prize banquet is held, is the highlight of this morning's sightseeing with a Local Specialist. This afternoon, you'll have some time to explore the elegant city on your own, perhaps seeking out some of the city's great museums, or drinking in the views of the city's 14 islands. Later, we leave Stockholm and board our overnight ferry to Helsinki, Finland's effervescent 'Capital of Cool'.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).         

Maritime Stockholm - EUR 72 pp

Dive into the fascinating story of Stockholm’s relationship with the sea. Our Local Specialist will explain the age of Viking exploration and the fish and fur trade before a real life encounter with the past on a visit to the 17th century Swedish royal warship Vasa. Magnificently restored after spending three centuries on the sea floor, she now occupies a state of the art, purpose-built home designed to preserve her well into the future. A unique and unmissable experience.

Arriving in Helsinki, you’ll disembark your ferry after breakfast, just in time to join your Local Specialist for a morning sightseeing tour. See the modern marble façades of Finlandia Hall, the Senate and the colourful stalls in Market Square before some free time for lunch, perhaps sampling some of the local Baltic Herring. The heart of Finnish Lakeland is our next stop and we leave Helsinki behind, driving north through stunning Nordic landscapes. Tonight’s Be My Guest experience in Jyväskylä is one to remember as you Connect With Locals over a traditional dinner and learn about the rural way of life in the old farms of Finland.

Leaving Jyväskylä after breakfast, we head to Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland. Sit back and enjoy the scenery as we journey north towards the Arctic Circle. You’ll want to stretch your legs this evening and you’ll have the time to do it as you explore Rovaniemi your way and sample your first taste of Sámi cuisine. Reindeer anyone? Your Stays With Stories accommodation this evening is the traditional Pohjanhovi Hotel, hugging the banks of the Kemijoki river in the heart of Rovaniemi. Relax and admire the spellbinding Arctic landscape views that unfold before your eyes.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).           

Traditional Lapland Dinner at a Family Reindeer Farm - EUR 99 pp

Leave the 20th century behind and join a family from Lapland at their farm situated on the Arctic Circle. Meet Rudolf and his brothers and learn all about reindeer husbandry. During the evening you are initiated into the local culture with a traditional dinner.

Get your bearings this morning on an orientation with your Travel Director who will show you Lumberjack Bridge, the Library and Lappia Hall, home to the city's theatre. Later, perhaps pay a visit to a pioneer farm and the Arctic Centre.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour). 

The Arctic Centre & Pioneer Farm - EUR 66 pp

With our Local Specialist, visit a pioneer farm, now converted into a museum, for a fascinating glimpse into rural life and traditions from the 19th Century, where you'll also enjoy light refreshments. Continue to the tubular glass frame of the Arktikum, a one-stop cultural centre for all things Arctic. This is the world's first museum dedicated to the demanding conditions and challenge of coping with life in the dark, cold and barren Arctic.

Ranua Wildlife Park - EUR 75 pp

Join us on a visit to the Arctic Wildlife Park, where more than fifty species of Nordic animals live in their natural habitat. Our Local Specialist will introduce us to the unique wildlife of Northern Scandinavia. 

Tell Santa how good you've been this year when you visit him at his Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle. Dive Into Culture and see his office and post office, where every year Christmas magic happens. Travel north to the popular winter-sports resort of Saariselkä. Meet Terhi, a biologist guide, for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Walk in the boreal woods of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, taste homemade berry muffins and hear stories about the unique nature, rare species and sustainable practices at the national park. This experience advances UN Global Goal 15: Life on Land. This evening, join your fellow travellers for dinner at your hotel.

It doesn't get much further north in Norway than Honningsvåg, today's final destination and the gateway to the North Cape. During your free time, consider joining an optional Arctic Cruise to explore the rich waters and craggy islands off the coast, and the creatures that find sanctuary in their midst. After dinner at your hotel, head to the North Cape Visitor Centre to see the cliffs from the ethereal vantage point known as the 'Edge of the World'.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).   

The Ultimate Arctic Experience – Sea Birds and Arctic Cruise - EUR 149 pp

Embark upon a journey across an almost 'lunar' landscape to reach one of the most northerly fishing villages in the world. From here we'll set sail upon a 90-minute Arctic Adventure around the Gjesværstappen, a necklace of islands that's a protected nesting area for Puffins, Kittiwakes, Gannets, Guillemots and White Tailed Eagles! Other potential fauna sightings include Grey Seal and Porpoise. Transportation and wind suits are provided.

Continue through Norway's Finnmark region where reindeer roam along a wild coastline dotted with tiny villages to Alta, you'll view the modern Northern Lights Cathedral. You could choose to join an optional visit to a Husky farm to meet the Alaskan Husky dogs and encounter the beauty of the Arctic.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).   

Nordic Husky Visit - EUR 52 pp

Today we’ll experience a close encounter with the Alaskan Husky. Come with us as we meet the eager Husky pack and their friendly puppies who love attention. This is a special chance to interact with the animals, learn about Husky training, and form relationships with the puppies in this spectacular Norwegian landscape. We'll also enjoy homemade chocolate cake with tea and coffee in the camp served around the fire (weather dependant).

Arctic King Crab Experience - EUR 129 pp

In the remote fishing village of Sarnes we visit a local king crab fishing centre to taste the Arctic king crab of the Barents Sea and learn all about this very important catch for the local fishermen. Arctic king crab claws are treasured as a unique and very expensive delicacy all over the world.

Follow the winding route along the fjords of northern Norway to Tromsø, the 'Gateway to the Arctic'. Here you'll discover a multicultural community thriving in its Arctic environment. The backdrop may be snow-capped, but there's nothing chilly about the warmth of the locals, as you'll come to learn on your free evening in this 'Capital of the North'.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).     

Cable Car and Arctic Cathedral - EUR 83 pp

The Fjelheisen cable car will give you spectacular views of the Arctic city overlooking mountains and fjords. We'll also enjoy a visit to the landmark Arctic Cathedral, a masterpiece of glass mosaic and daring architecture.

Keep your cameras ready for a day of soul-stirring views. You'll journey south from Tromsø to Svolvær, the perfect base from which to explore Norway's captivating Lofoten Islands. The statue of Fiskerkona, the fisherman's wife, stands at the harbour entrance against a backdrop of cod drying racks, giving visitors a taste and smell of the town's seafaring roots. Tonight, you’ll join your fellow travellers for dinner at your hotel, sharing some of the memories of your trip thus far. After dinner, see if you can spot the iconic Svolværgeita (The Goat) - a famous pinnacle of rock that overlooks this fishing town.

Lace up your boots and prepare for a day of adventure. The Lofoten Islands is paradise for outdoor enthusiasts with a variety of activities available to explore the surrounding natural beauty. You could choose to spend your free time hiking, fishing or cruising, or delve into the area's Viking connections with a visit to the Lofotr Viking Museum. As the sun refuses to set on another spectacular Scandinavian day, you'll enjoy an evening at leisure.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).      

Vikings and Local Life - EUR 73 pp

Travel along this stunning mountain route to visit one of Europe’s last blacksmiths to watch him forge beauty from iron. After exploring the nearby boat museum, we'll go back 1000 years in time to the Viking Museum Lofotr. Experience the smell of smoke and tar at this living museum, where we'll meet our guide to learn about the Viking age the way it really was. We'll also visit the world’s biggest Viking longhouse.

Spend the day relaxing as glorious Norwegian landscapes unfold along your journey south. You'll see glaciers and fjords as you wind your way towards Mo I Rana, re-crossing the Arctic Circle and passing Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park, Junkerdal National Park and the 'Blood Road', built by prisoners during World War II. After a day of scenic driving, you'll arrive in Mo I Rana in time for dinner at your hotel.

Today your journey south through Norway continues, featuring a stop in the amusingly named village of Hell. This afternoon, Trondheim's youthful atmosphere and centuries-old Viking heritage are yours to explore. You'll see the 11th-century Nidaros Cathedral, built over the burial site of Norway's patron saint, King Olav II. Make the most of your free evening and admire the ornamental red portals of the Old Town Bridge and the colourful façades on Kongens gate, one of Trondheim's main streets.

Today's journey takes us right to the edge of one of Norway’s most remarkable fjords. With its sheer walls and waterfalls, you'll quickly discover why Geirangerfjord is justifiably inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. A special treat awaits as you spend the night at Hotel Havila Geiranger, which offers authentic Norwegian hospitality. Join your fellow travellers for dinner at your hotel against the backdrop of your enchanting natural surroundings.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).      

Dalsnibba and the Majestic Geirangerfjord - EUR 84 pp

You’ll enjoy views of the fjord from the famous hairpin bends along the Dalsnibba Pass, before we sail down Norway's most famous fjord. UNESCO listed, the Geirangerfjord is home to tiny farms, the Bridal Veil and Seven Sisters waterfalls, which you’ll discover as we explore.

Consider an Optional Experience to discover the famous Trollstigen Road and wonder at the feat of engineering it took to carve 11 hairpin turns into the steep mountain slope. 

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).      

Trollstigen Explored - EUR 64 pp

Join us on one of Norway's most spectacuilar drives - the path of the Trolls. A masterpiece of Norwegian engineering, Trollstigen is rugged mountain scenery at its finest.

Travel through soaring mountain landscapes on your way to Lom, gateway to the Jotunheimen Mountains. Stop to view the 12th-century stave church, known for its wooden structure and medieval detail. In Lillehammer, learn about the legacy of the 1994 Winter Olympics before continuing to Oslo, Norway’s lively capital. 

Join your knowledgeable Local Specialist this morning for a sightseeing tour of this cultural capital. Enjoy views of the medieval fortress of Akershus, the Opera House and the 19th century Royal Palace. Finish the city tour with a visit to the fascinating Vigeland Sculpture Park, proudly displaying the life’s work of Gustav Vigeland in bronze, granite and wrought iron. Spend the rest of the day people-watching over coffee in the Aker Brygge district or explore the nation's rich seafaring heritage with our Local Specialist. Tonight, come together one last time for a fitting dinner to toast to an incredible adventure across Scandinavia.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).  

Norwegian Maritime Explorers - EUR 57 pp

Norwegians have been exploring the world's oceans for generations. The 19th-century polar exploration ship Fram sailed to the Antarctic and then to the Arctic more than a hundred years ago. At the pole, Amundsen raised the new Norwegian flag. Join us at the Fram ship as we learn about its icy journeys. This spirit of adventure is followed by another, as we visit the world renowned Kon-Tiki raft that crossed the Pacific with Thor Heyerdahl.

Inspiration and Innovation - EUR 56 pp

We start at the Nobel Peace Center where the world's most influential peacemakers come to life, followed by a step in to the future as we walk the roof of the 21st century architectural marvel of the Oslo Opera house. Experience the power of ideas and the beauty of design with two unforgettable Oslo landmarks.

As your journey draws to a close, bid your new friends a fond farewell and prepare for your return trip home.  You can, of course, extend your stay! 

Departure Transfer: Arrive at the airport at 07:15, 10:15