Not just Lego and Ikea
Take a coach tour of Scandinavia and enter a land of fjords, forest and famous folklore. Tales of Norse gods and trolls still abound, as well as many other mythical creatures living on land and in water. Scandinavia consists of Denmark, Norway, Sweden. We can also use the term ‘Nordic Countries’ which then includes Finland and Iceland. Whilst Finland uses the Euro currency, all the others have different currencies all called ‘krona’ and some variation of that spelling. You can use credit cards everywhere, but you will need local currency for small purchases. Visit Copenhangen in Denmark, the home of legendary story teller Hans Christian Anderson. Learn more about the Little Mermaid Statue. The city favours cyclists and pedestrians, so it’s easy to get around and view the harbour, Tivoli Gardens and Royal Palace.
Nom Nom
Innovative Danish restaurants have emerged such as Noma - a two-Michelin-star restaurant run by chef René Redzepi. The top attraction in our view is the Nyhavn Canal quayside flanked by colourful wooden houses (not made of lego) and waterside cafés. Denmark is the smallest of the Nordic countries and prompts thoughts of Danish pastries, Danish bacon and the Carlsberg brewery. Besides these tasty indulgences, take a look in a toy shop and be reminded of the billions of multi coloured lego bricks that have come from this small country. Your Nordic coach holiday will usually begin in Denmark. From there you may head north to Frederikshavn for an overnight stay. Next day cross the Kattegat via a leisurely ferry crossing to Gothenburg, Sweden's second biggest city. After a view of the city, you head north through the west side of Sweden and cross another international border into Norway and the capital city of Oslo.
Volcanoes and Hot Springs
Head far north of Scandinavia to Iceland. Encounter a place of nature’s wonders - spouting waterfalls, volcanoes and dazzling scenes every step of the way. The staggering landscape of this nation will guarantee you will need to return over and over. Start your trip in the capital Reykjavík Places you visit on most tours include the hot-springs at Geysir and the stunning Gullfoss Waterfalls, a sort of Iceland Niagara. No tour to Iceland is complete without a visit to Reykjavik's Blue Lagoon.
Whilst we are in this general region of Europe, let’s mention Finland again, but this time add the Baltic states and a small portion of Russia, namely Moscow and St Petersburg. Finland is covered with just an overnight stay on most tours. You arrive at the capital Helsinki, your Local Specialist shows you the city's sights including Finlandia Hall, Senate and Market Squares.
For 2022 it will be Scandinavia, other Nordic Countries and The Baltic States
We will not be able to travel to St Petersburg in the near future in light of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It is very impressive and demands a longer stay with it’s canals and colourful buildings. The city's sights include the Tsar's Winter Palace, Nevsky Prospekt, St. Isaac's Cathedral and the statue of Peter the Great. The Hermitage Museum contains one of the world's largest and most valuable art collections, so prepare to be wowed. When we may in future be able to visit Moscow again you will see the main sites of Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Kremlin. Sadly Moscow and St Petersburg are off all itineraries at least for 2022. The Baltic gems of Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia have compact and charming old town centres in their respective capitals of Vilnius, Tallinn and Riga. We are sure you will enjoy your tours of all these fascinating places.