Scandinavian Adventures!

One day in October we were sitting in the home office talking about a trip up to Virginia and we just weren't feeling it. We started exploring options and used the Kayak Explore feature to see what flight costs were looking like for our dates.

Dublin? Maybe.

London? That could be fun.

Sweden? What? Really? In our price range? Okay. Let's do it.

So we did. We bought round trip tickets and started planning.

Going to Scandinavia was a huge opportunity to get in a few different countries. Obviously, Sweden was on the list, but what about Denmark, Norway, and Finland? Let's see what we can fit in with just 8 days to do it and the holidays right in the middle of that.

The itinerary was set finally after some back and forths.



Stockholm > Copenhagen > Oslo > Bergen > Oslo > Stockholm

We so wanted to fit in Helsinki and Tromso but there just wasn't enough time. I'm already dreaming of going back just to see the Northern Lights and walking on a glacier. I think just exploring the fjords of Norway would be an amazing 2-week trip. One day.

Accommodations are always challenging since they take such a large part of the budget and planning around the transportation and holidays sometimes can be challenging. We slept on a boat one night for a mini-cruise to Oslo and one night in a sleeper compartment on a train. (That's always been a bucket list thing so, yay!!!  Got that one done.) As I've mentioned in previous posts, hostels do have family rooms which have been one of our wins as well. That and every 3rd night or so we try to pick something a little more comfortable for us all. Little splurges work well.

So back to what you really want to know, what to see!!

Here are a few highlights from our trip.

Changing of the Guard: Going to countries that still have ruling royalty means that the changing of the guard happens daily. Check the schedules when you get there, but it's usually between noon and 1pm and is about an hour long process where the crowd gathers to see it all happen. Some countries, like in Sweden, also have a band that plays a concert. It's worth seeing so plan your day around this tradition.

Norway in a Nutshell: Amazing travel through the Norwegian countryside by train, including the Flam Railway. There's also a cruise through the amazing fjords and a bus ride that brings you to Voss for another train ride. I will say we went in the winter and you're only going to get sunlight from about 8:30 - 3:30 during the day so be aware of that. Also, there are fewer train options during this time of year. You can book it separately or book through Norway in a Nutshell. I did lots of research to see what the best options were and saw many posts that said it was cheaper to plan your own travel. That wasn't our own experience so be sure to run it through both ways for you. Also, we nearly didn't realize that we had to pick up the tickets the day before due to opening hours. Yikes. Nice save for us all looking over the info.

Biking around Copenhagen: Copenhagen is a super bike-friendly city and you'd benefit from renting some to get around town. We covered lots of ground this way and were able to see nearly everything we had on our list. Donkey Republic was the way to go. Get the app ahead of time and find locations to pick up a bike. It really was super simple and worth it! We were able to see the barracks and The Little Mermaid Statute, the Nyhaven district, Amalienborg Palace, Christiansborg Palace, Christiana and the canals of Copenhagen. We even made it to the Christmas market in Nyhaven and had some delicious glog.

Subway Art in Stockholm: Many of the subway stations have been turned into art spaces and they're super fun to explore. We spent a few hours riding and exploring and it was an amazing experience. Bring your camera and try to hit it at a non-busy time. During a weekday, between rush hours would be ideal.

Frogner Park / Vigeland Park: One word: Go! Seriously, this is an amazing and beautiful park no matter what time of year you visit. I had no idea that there were over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland and that he designed the park as well. The attention to detail is everywhere. Take your time and enjoy exploring the park and all that it offers.

Bergen: Known as The Gateway to the Fjords, Bergen has lots to offer. If you can spend some time here and take some trips out to the fjords, do it. This is the second largest city in Norway behind Oslo but it has a much smaller, old-world feel. The Bryggen district is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list and is worth a visit. You'll also have the chance to ride the funicular, Floibanen, to see the view from the top of Bergen.

So those are just a few of the things we did while in Scandinavia but there really are many more choices. If you go, let me know what you decide to see!

Helpful Links:
Visit Copenhagen
Visit Denmark
Visit Oslo
Visit Bergen
Visit Norway
Visit Stockholm
Visit Sweden

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