Scandinavia Suggested Itinerary
Get a taste of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland with this tour of Scandinavia
Want to avoid the midsummer heat of the Mediterranean? Scandinavia is the place to go. You'll find vibrant cities, stunning landscapes, and you'll get to spend some time cruising the seas if you follow our suggested itinerary.
Our Scandinavia map shows the itinerary route, which offers a peek at Scandinavian capitals, as well as a ride on one of Europe's most scenic railroads, the Flam line. If you want to really get a sense of the "lay of the land" check out our relief map of Scandinavia.
Scandinavia Map - 2 Week Itinerary
Map of Scandinavia © 2007 by James Martin, licensed to About.com
Starting from Copenhagen, Denmark
Chances are, it'll be easier to get to Copenhagen for most folks, so our itinerary will start from here. You can do it in any order you want, of course.
Copenhagen is one of my favorite cities in Europe. It's a great walking town, and it has a theme park called Tivoli that doesn't have people running around trying to look like giant rodents, so adults can enjoy it, too.
You'll want to spend at least three days in Copenhagen. In fact, you'll want to spend at least three days in Each capital, along with on overnight in Flam, if you decide to take that detour.
Copenhagen Resources:
- Copenhagen Travel Guide from Scandinavia for Visitors
- Copenhagen, Denmark, Scandinavian Port of Call from Cruises
- Copenhagen Visitors Guide from Europe for Visitors
- Copenhagen Pictures from Cruises
Stockholm, Sweden
The next stop on our itinerary is Stockholm, Sweden's capital. Stockholm is 324 miles or 521 kilometers from Copenhagen. By train, the journey takes 5 to7 hours.
Stockholm is an extraordinary city built on 14 islands. If you like to be beside water, Stockholm's your place; around the Swedish capital, 24 000 islands are waiting to be explored.
Stockholm Travel Resources
- Stockholm Travel Guide from Scandinavia for Visitors
- Stockholm Profile
- Stockholm Pictures from Cruises
Oslo, Norway
Beautiful Oslo sprawls on both sides of the Olsofjord, and is known for handing out the Nobel Peace Prize in City Hall. You'll want to head out to Bygdø to the west of Oslo, to visit the many Norwegian museums: the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, the Viking Ship Museum, and the Norwegian Maritime Museum.
The distance between Oslo and Stockholm is 259 miles or 417 kilometers. Trains take about six hours to make the trip.
Oslo, Norway Travel Information
- Oslo Travel Guide
- Top Rated Oslo Hotels
- Oslo Pictures from Cruises
- Things to do With a Day in Oslo from Cruises
Oslo to Bergen, Norway with an Overnight stop in Flam
Bergen is a wonderfully scenic coastal town in Norway, and if you go via the Myrdal to Flam railway, you'll get some even more spectacular scenery. Going straight from Oslo to Bergen without the detour takes 6.5 to 7 hours by train. There are 4 trains a day.
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway after Oslo, but it has a small-town feel about it and everything is in walking distance. Bergen is a World Heritage City as well as having been a European City of Culture in 2000.
The trains that take you way down to Flåm station tucked into the Aurlandfjord are special in themselves. The steepness requires 5 different braking systems; the altitude goes from 866 meters at Myrdal to 2 meters at Flåm.
Bergen and Flam Travel Resources
- Bergen Guide
- Bergen Pictures
- The Flåm Railway - Flåmsbana
Stockholm to Helsinki
If you have time, take the ferry to Helsinki, Finland. The ship takes 14 hours to reach the city. Time it right and you can save hotel cost by sleeping on the ferry.
Helsinki is a modern city which attracts many cruise ships and ever more tourists. 2006 was a record year for tourism in Helsinki. Since Helsinki was settled late, it doesn't have a medieval core, but its skyline is dominated by church spires and it has a beautiful harbor, a favorite of cruisers.
Helsinki Travel Resources
Helsinki Guide - Resources for visiting Helsinki
Scandinavia Travel Notes - Transportation
Ferries in Scandinavia
Since most of Scandinavia's larger cities are on the water, you can take ferries between them. Here are some Scandinavia ferry lines to check out:
Bergen Ferries (to Iceland and England)
Scandinavia Rail Passes
Scandinavia is expensive. You can usually save considerable money with a rail pass, if you decide to travel by train. Rail Europe (buy direct or get information) supplies a variety of Scandinavia rail passes, accessible from the link above. The Scanrail Pass of 5 or 8 day duration is about right for this itinerary. Check out the bonuses; you can take advantage of savings on some ferries and you'll get a discount on private rail lines like the Flam line referenced above.
How much money does a Scanrail pass save?
See Rail Passes - Are They Worth It? You can also get more information from the first page of the article: Which Eurail Pass is Right for You?
Where to go for more
Enjoy planning your trip to Scandinavia. For more information, see Scandinavia for Visitors, or the Europe for Visitors Scandinavia Travel Resources.
