Four Viking Capitals & Fjords of Norway 2010
15 days / 14 nights, Stockholm - Baltic Sea Cruises - Helsinki - Stockholm - Copenhagen - DFDS Seaways Cruise - Oslo - Hardangerfjord - Bergen - Aurlandsfjord - Naeroyfjord Cruise - Sognefjord - Balestrand - Briksdal Glacier - Geirangerfjord - Lillehammer - Oslo | This comprehensive tour features highlights of four Nordic Capitals. Begin your journey in Stockholm, often called "the Venice of the North" because of the beautiful archipelago, its many canals and waterways. Highlights in Stockholm include the Royal Palace, City Hall and the Old Town. Time to visit to the Vasa Museum. Scenic round trip cruise from Stockholm across the Baltic Sea to Helsinki, the "Daughter of the Baltic" and return to Stockholm. By motor coach through the idyllic Swedish countryside, the provinces of Småland and Skäne to Malmö. Cross over the new Oresund Bridge into Denmark's capital Copenhagen, followed by a cruise to Oslo. Visit three magnificent fjords, the idyllic Hardangerfjord. Cruise from Bergen on the Aurlandsfjord, Naeroyfjord, and Sognefjord to Balestrand. Stay at the historic Kvikne's Hotel, dating back to 1877. Continue to the magnificent Geiranger Fjord, on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites, with powerful waterfalls "Seven Sister" and "Bridal Veil". Enjoy legends of fjords, mountains and glaciers, along with the colorful life of the Viking capital of Oslo, and the colorful Hanseatic city of Bergen.
| Departure | Guaranteed July 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th August 3rd, 10th |
| Price | $5,018 per person in double room $6,331 single room |
| Included | 11 nights in first class hotels with private facilities 2 nights onboard Silja Line STO - HEL - STO 2-berth Seaside cabins with shower/WC 2 dinners and 2 buffet breakfasts on board 1 night on board DFDS Seaways CPH - OSL 2-berth outside cabins with shower/WC Buffet dinner and buffet breakfast Scandinavian breakfast buffet daily 4 x lunches on days 2, 5, 6, 7 Daily 3-course dinner (except on second night in Stockholm) Transportation by modern deluxe coach with reclining seats etc. Guided sightseeing in the capitals, 3-4 hours as per itinerary Entrance to Tivoli Gardens for special dinner (also included) on day 6 2-hour cruise of Aurland, Nærøy & Sogne Fjords Excursion in open car to the Briksdal Glacier 1-hour cruise on the Geiranger Fjord All ferry crossings Luggage assistance at hotels (1 piece per person) Tour escort throughout Transfers airport/hotel on first and last day. Transfers to/from a different airport than the one mentioned in the tour program may incur a supplement |
| Not Included | International airfare & taxes Airport taxes and customs fees Gratuities Personal items / alcoholic beverages $25 Service fee |
| Please Note | Transfers to/from a different airport than the one mentioned in the tour program may incur a supplement. These tours are organized by our Associate Partners in Copenhagen. In order to offer a greater variety of tours options, the programs allow for participants to join or depart from the tour in various transit locations. We do hope that the possible change of group participants does not cause any inconvenience. Please inquire about our favorable airfares on SAS or Icelandair. |
Day 1 ARRIVE STOCKHOLM (D) Arrive Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Transfer to hotel in connection with your flight arrival. Dinner and accommodation at the Clarion Hotel Sign, a new first class hotel centrally located. Your tour escort will meet you at 19.50 hrs in the hotel lobby.
Day 2 STOCKHOLM (B) After your first Scandinavian buffet breakfast, start of 4-hour guided tour of Stockholm. Famous sights include the Royal Palace, the Parliament Buildings, the island of Djurgården and 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 Wasa 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 - BALTIC SEA CRUISE - HELSINKI (B, D) 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 on Silja Line. 17.00 hrs: Start of your cruise to Helsinki, sailing slowly through the Stockholm archipelago and to the Baltic Sea. 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 - BALTIC SEA CRUISE - STOCKHOLM (B, D) Enjoy your buffet breakfast, as you sail into Helsinki. Retain your cabin on the ship. Morning 3- hour 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 overnight in your comfortable seaside cabin on board Silja Line.
Day 5 STOCKHOLM - MALMO - COPENHAGEN (B, L, D) 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 Klaralven near Lake Vättern. Stop for lunch. 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 overnight at Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel.
Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel
Day 6 COPENHAGEN (B, D) Breakfast at the hotel. The day starts with a 3-hour guided city tour of the Danish capital city. Visit the Amalienborg Palace, Christiansborg Palace, seat of the Danish Parliament, Hans Christian Andersen's statue, the old colorful harbor of Nyhavn and the famous Little Mermaid. Afternoon at leisure. Time for shopping along Stroget, the famous pedestrian street, stretching from the City Hall to Nyhavn. Here you will find famous shops like the Royal Copenhagen, famous silversmith George Jensen, and several fabulous department stores. This evening your tour escort will take you for dinner in the world famous and bustling Tivoli Gardens.
Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel
Day 7 COPENHAGEN - CRUISE - OSLO (B, D) 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. Dancing and entertainment on board, or you may prefer to sit out on deck and watch a Scandinavian 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 (B, D) 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. On this morning's 3-hour guided tour of Oslo you visit the world-famous Viking Ships, the Polar Exploration ship Fram, 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 overnight at Thon Hotel Opera, located facing the new Opera House and within walking distance of the Oslo Fjord and Harbor.
Day 9 OSLO - ULVIK (B, L, D) After breakfast departure from Oslo, driving past the beautiful Tyri Fjord and along the picturesque Hallingdal Valley to the tourist resort town of Geilo. Buffet lunch at Bardøla Mountain Hotel. After lunch cross the scenic Hardanger Mountain Plateau to Fossli, stopping to view the mighty Vøringsfoss Waterfall with a vertical drop of 180 m., the highest in Norway. Descend the amazing Måbødalen Canyon to the idyllic Hardanger Fjord. Short ferry crossing, followed by drive around the Ulvik Fjord, a branch of the Hardanger Fjord, to the picturesque village of Ulvik. Dinner and overnight a the Rica Brakanes Hotel.
Day 10 ULVIK - BERGEN (B, D) After buffet breakfast, start of scenic tour along the beautiful Hardanger Fjord, famous for its fruit orchards. Drive via the towns of Øystese and Norheimsund, arriving in Bergen around midday. Afternoon 2- hour tour of Bergen, including a visit to the popular Fish and Flower Market, the famous Bryggen Harbor with its gabled pack houses, and the old Hanseatic Quarter. Ride the funicular to Mt. Fløyen, for best views of the city, harbor and fjord below. Dinner and overnight at Radisson SAS Hotel Norge, centrally located on Ole Bull's Square, close to the pedestrian shopping streets and the old Bryggen harbor.
Day 11 BERGEN - FLåM - BALESTRAND (B, D) After a delicious breakfast buffet, we depart Bergen and drive via Dale to Voss. Descend the Nærøy Valley, passing the amazing Stalheim Canyon, to Flåm. Board the Flåm Railway for an exhilarating ride to Myrdal. The descent from Myrdal to Flåm offers opportunities for photo shots of thundering waterfalls and mountain scenery. After short rest in Flåm, 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. Disembark 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 overnight at the historic Kvikne's Hotel, nestled on the shores of the Sognefjord.
Day 12 BALESTRAND - DAY IN THE FJORDS (B, D) Start the day with a traditional Norwegian buffet breakfast hotel's elegant dining room overlooking the fjord. Spend the day at your leisure in Balestrand. Relax on the hotel terrace or visit the local aquarium and art gallery or perhaps rent a bike or rowing boat from the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Kvikne's Hotel.
Day 13 BALESTRAND - GEIRANGER (B, L, D) After breakfast departure by ferry from Dragsvik to Hella, followed by a scenic tour along the northern side of the Sogne Fjord to Sogndal. Continue by road to Fjærland, passing under the Jostedal Glacier, the largest in Europe, to the village of Skei at the north end of beautiful Lake Jølster. Descend to the Nord Fjord, visit Olden and the world-famous Briksdal Glacier; ride in open cars to give you the best possible views. Lunch in a nearby mountain restaurant. After lunch the tour continues around the Nord Fjord via Loen and Stryn, to the picturesque village of Hellesylt. Board the ferry for a one hour's cruise along the spectacular Geiranger Fjord, now on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. Dinner and overnight at the excellent Union Hotel, overlooking the Geiranger Fjord.
Day 14 GEIRANGER - LILLEHAMMER - OSLO (B, L, D) Leaving the fjord village of Geiranger, we ascend the famous Serpentine Road with amazing views of the fjord below. Cross the exciting Grotli Mountains to Lom, renowned for its well preserved 14th century stave church. Continue via Lake Vågå, before descending into the picturesque Gudbrandsdalen Valley to the Olympic town of Lillehammer. Stop for lunch in Lillehammer. After lunch the journey continues alongside Lake Mjøsa, Norway's largest lake, back to Oslo and Holmenkollen, home of the world-famous ski jump, offering unforgettable views of the city and Oslo fjord way below. Dinner and accommodation at the Thon Hotel Opera.
Day 15 OSLO DEPARTURE (B) Buffet breakfast at hotel, followed by transfer to Oslo Gardermoen Airport for your flight home.