Scandinavia and Russia Cruise - Itinerary
Scandinavia is truly striking, from lively metropolises to charming towns to breathtaking scenery. Stockholm, situated on 14 islands, is Sweden’s sophisticated capital and site of the Nobel Prize Banquet. Tour its delightful 17th century Drottningholm Palace – a miniature Versailles located on an island. Continue to Copenhagen, with its busy shopping district that rivals London’s. Explore the well-known Tivoli Gardens, containing everything from fountains & lakes to flowers & brass bands to rides and amusement arcades.
Sail the Oslo Fjord past charming towns and small islands. Tour the Viking Ships Museum with its impressive collection of ornate sledges, tools and artifacts of the Viking era. Board the world-famous Flaam Railway, one of the most remarkable pieces of railway engineering in the world. Only 12.4 miles long, it ascends 2,845 feet in less than an hour offering astounding sights and sounds of thundering waterfalls as you travel. In Bergen, see the Haakonshallen, the medieval Viking Hall built in 1261 for the crowning of King Magnus, still used today for royal ceremonies and other special events.
The sequence of touring and days may be altered to adjust to religious holidays, special closings of sites, air schedule changes, etc. Hotels listed subject to availability. Meal inclusions may vary by departure.
DAY 1 - USA/STOCKHOLM
Depart on our transatlantic jet bound for Stockholm. (meals aloft)
DAY 2 - STOCKHOLM
After arrival in Stockholm, we set out on our city tour which will introduce us to the sights of Sweden's capital, situated on fourteen islands. Our tour includes an inside visit to the famous City Hall, with its elegant Golden Hall, site of the Nobel Prize Banquet. We stroll through the Old Town with its cobblestone streets and medieval buildings and the 13th-century Cathedral. We take a short walk past the Royal Palace and the Stock Exchange before rejoining the coach to go to the Southern Island where we have a splendid view over the city and the harbor. We transfer to our hotel, located in the city center with its large department stores and modern business buildings. The balance of the day is at leisure to explore on our own. Tonight we will enjoy a welcome dinner at our hotel. (meals aloft, D)
DAY 3 - STOCKHOLM
Stockholm has a charm and sophistication all its own. Some of Scandinavia's finest museums are found here. The restaurants are sure to please the most discriminating gourmets. Swedish crystal and design have earned a universal reputation for high quality. You have the day at leisure for exploring or shopping. Or perhaps you may wish to take an optional excursion to Drottningholm Palace, one of the most delightful of European palaces. Here we find a miniature Versailles dating from the 17th century on an island. The royal family once used it as their summer residence, but, tiring of the immensity of the Royal Palace, they moved permanently to one wing of Drottningholm in the 1970s. (B)
DAY 4 - STOCKHOLM/COPENHAGEN
After breakfast we transfer from our hotel to the airport for our flight to Copenhagen. After arrival we drive down Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard, which runs past Tivoli (the famous amusement park which has everything), the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek with its incredible collection of works of art, and on past the National Museum. We cross the picturesque canal and arrive at Christiansborg Palace, seat of the Danish Parliament. We pass the beautiful old Stock Exchange, which was built in the 17th century, and continue past the Naval Church where many grand Royal events take place. We see Kongens Nytorv with its Royal Theater, the home of the Royal Danish Ballet, and continue to Nyhavn, a street well known everywhere for the variety of its nightlife. We pass Amalienborg Palace, the Queens residence and the famous Little Mermaid. We make a visit to Vor Frues Kirke (the Church of Our Lady) which has been Copenhagen's Cathedral since 1924. Bronze statues of Moses and David flank the entrance and Thorvaldsen's marble sculptures of Christ and the Apostles can be seen inside. From here we proceed to our hotel for check in. This evening we take a short walk from our hotel to the well-known Tivoli Gardens. We enjoy a delicious Danish dinner at one of the many restaurants inside Tivoli and then have time to explore on our own. Started in 1843, this twenty-acre garden, set in the center of Copenhagen, was created for the young at heart. Tivoli has everything - fountains and lakes, the Tivoli Boy Guards, a concert hall, restaurants, brass bands, rides, and amusement arcades. Here you can stroll among the beautiful flowers, listen to the music or have fun on the rides and attractions. Return to our hotel for overnight. (B,D)
DAY 5 - COPENHAGEN/DFDS SEAWAYS/OSLO
Most of this day is free to explore Copenhagen's busy shopping district, which rivals the shops and boutiques of London and Paris. This afternoon we transfer to the pier where we board the overnight ship to Oslo. Our modern ship has everything to make our journey a special one. We enjoy a sumptuous buffet dinner and then relax or enjoy activities on board before retiring to our comfortable cabin. Overnight on board. (B,D)
DAY 6 - OSLO
We enjoy breakfast on board ship as we sail up the Oslo Fjord past charming towns and small islands. This afternoon we make a stop at beautiful Frogner Park with its renowned Vigeland Sculptures and the famous Holmenkollen Ski Jump, from which we have a unique view over Oslo and the surroundings. We also visit the Viking Ships Museum. Here is an impressive collection of ornate sledges and carriages, and a variety of tools and artifacts of the Viking era. We drive past the medieval fortress of Akershus, the Royal Palace and the busy port with the Town Hall. This evening you may take a stroll along the main street, Karl Johan, and enjoy the beauty of the Studenterlunden in the center of town, nestled between the National Theater and the Storting, Norway's Parliament. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. (B,D)
DAY 7 - OSLO/ULVIK
Today we drive across the Sollihoegda Mountain Plateau and along the shores of scenic Tyrifjord. We proceed along Lake Kroederen and the Hallindalselva River and drive further through the farm-dotted Hallindal landscape with lakes, rivers and ancient farms on sloping hillsides past villages like Nesbyen and Gol. We visit Torpo Stave Church, the only original stave church left in Hallingdal Valley that originally had seven stave churches. The church is well-known for its more than 700 year old decorations in the ceiling. We drive past the well-known resort center at Geilo and make a stop at Fossli for a magnificent view of the Voeringfoss Waterfall, where the Bjoreia River plunges vertically 600 feet into a narrow rock basin. This afternoon we make a visit to the Hardanger Nature Center. Afterward we proceed along the shores of the scenic Eids Fjord and then sail by ferry across the Hardanger Fjord Bruaravik and continue to the charming fjord village of Ulvik, one of the most famous of the fjord resorts in Hardanger Fjord area. Here is the heart of Norway's best fruit growing district. We check in to our hotel and enjoy a buffet dinner and overnight. (B,D)
DAY 8 - ULVIK
Today we have time to relax at the hotel and explore the village on our own. You may wish to take an optional tour by seaplane above the Folgefonn. Or perhaps visit the Brakanestunet Center for Art and see paintings by local artists. Dinner will be at our hotel tonight. (B,D)
DAY 9 - ULVIK/BERGEN
We leave Ulvik this morning and drive past the thundering Skjervet Waterfall to the resort town of Voss, the commercial center of the Hardanger region. Voss is also the birthplace of Knute Rockne, the famous football star from Notre Dame. We drive past the Tvindefoss Waterfall, along the shores of Lake Oppheim to Stalheim and continue through the Naeroydal Valley to Gudvangen. From here we sail via ferry on the impressive Naeroy Fjord. We arrive in the small fjord village of Flaam and have time for lunch on our own before departing by train on the world-famous Flaam Railway, which is one of the most remarkable pieces of railway engineering in the world. It is only 12.4 miles long, but it ascends 2,845 feet in less than one hour from Flaam to Myrdal station. We enjoy the breathtaking view over the Flaam Valley and the thundering sound of waterfalls as we pass by. After arrival in Myrdal we travel by express train back to the resort village of Voss and then on to the old Hanseatic town of Bergen, Norway's second largest city. We check in to our hotel for the night. (B)
DAY 10 - BERGEN
This morning we drive past Bergen's colorful Fish and Flower Market and then continue along that world-famous monument to medieval life and trade, the old warehouses of the Hanseatic period today called Bryggen or The Quay. The old wooden warehouses, long and narrow, jammed so closely against each other that air and daylight can enter only through tiny slits, are both the acme of picturesqueness and a working model of life in bygone times. They are still used for storage and offices and we also find a number of stores and art and craft centers. We drive past the Haakonshallen, the medieval Viking Hall built in 1261 as a royal ceremony hall for the crowning of King Magnus. The Hall is still used today for many royal ceremonies and special occasions. We visit Troldhaugen, the home of the composer Edvard Grieg, which has now become a museum. Grieg's studio, his piano and his notes can be seen, as well as the graves where he and his wife are buried. We return to our hotel and have dinner on our own at one of the many restaurants within walking distance of our hotel. (B)
DAY 11 - BERGEN/USA
This morning we transfer to the airport where we board our flight back to the States. (B,meals aloft)
