Day 1 : Welcome to Copenhagen
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 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 visit the impressive Christiansborg Palace and the city’s Neoclassical Cathedral. Don’t miss the chance to pay your respects to the Little Mermaid, a symbol of longing and transformation. Later, join your fellow travellers for a memorable Welcome Reception 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!
Accommodation : Marriott
Day 2 : Explore Historic Copenhagen
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.
Accommodation : Marriott
Day 3 : Journey to Stockholm
The rest of Scandinavia beckons and Sweden’s capital is less than a day away. You’ll leave Copenhagen this morning, travelling north to Helsingør. Here you’ll board the ferry to Sweden 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.
Accommodation : Elite Palace
Day 4 : Embark on an Overnight Cruise
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'.
Day 5 : Arrive in Helsinki and on to Jyväskylä Connect with Locals
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.
Accommodation : Verso
Day 6 : Onwards to the Arctic Circle Stays With Stories
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.
Accommodation : Scandic Pohjanhovi
Day 7 : Explore Santa Claus’s Hometown Your Way
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.
Accommodation : Scandic Pohjanhovi
Day 8 : Off to Unique Saariselkä Dive Into Culture
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 theboreal 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.
Accommodation : Santa's Tunturi
Day 9 : Venture to Northernmost Honningsvåg
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'.
Accommodation : Scandic Nordkapp
Day 10 : Continue to Alta
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.
Accommodation : Thon Alta
Day 11 : On to Friendly Tromsø
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'.
Accommodation : Scandic Grand Tromsø
Day 12 : Journey to the Stunning Lofoten Islands
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 Fiserkona, 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.
Accommodation : Thon Lofoten
Day 13 : The Lofoten Islands Your Way
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.
Accommodation : Thon Lofoten
Day 14 : Cross the Arctic Circle to Mo I Rana
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.
Accommodation : Scandic Meyergarden
Day 15 : Onwards to Colourful Trondheim
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.
Accommodation : Scandic Lerkendal
Day 16 : Continue to Scenic Geirangerjord
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.
Accommodation : Havila
Day 17 : A Day at the Breathtaking Geirangerfjord
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.
Accommodation : Havila
Day 18 : Venture to Historic Lom, Lillehammer and Oslo Dive Into Culture
High peaks surround you along your journey to Lom, the gateway to Jotunheimen Mountains. Here we will Dive Into Culture and visit the 12th-century wooden Stave church. Visit Lillehammer, where you'll learn about the hugely successful 1994 Winter Olympic games, then continue to Oslo, Norway's vibrant capital.
Accommodation : Scandic Solli
Day 19 : Vikings and More in Oslo
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 Farewell Dinner to toast to an incredible adventure across Scandinavia.
Accommodation : Scandic Solli
Day 20 : Journey Home
As your journey draws to a close, bid your new friends a fond farewell and prepare for your return trip home.