Holidays to Scandinavia & Nordics

Sweden, Norway and Denmark make up Scandinavia (although Finland is sometimes thrown into the mix) and while they have a lot in common, they each have their own distinct cultures. 

Life in Norway is all about the great outdoors, whether it’s enjoying the vast parks and oceanfront in Oslo – including the famed Vigeland sculpture park - or venturing out to the fjords for serene landscapes and colourful seaside towns. One of the biggest draws of Norway is the Flåm Railway, which is often hailed as ‘the world’s best train ride’ as it travels 20 kilometres through the Norwegian countryside.

Meanwhile, in Sweden, Stockholm is a must-visit, with its historic buildings, incredible museums (there are a whopping 22 in this compact city!) and excellent restaurants – we particularly love the old town of Galama Stan with its cobbled streets and cosy nooks for a taste of traditional Swedish recipes, or enjoy Fike – the Swedish practice of taking a coffee and cake break where you’re encouraged to sit and enjoy a moment of peace. 

Hop over to Denmark (we recommend getting the train from Stockholm, like we do on our Stockholm and Copenhagen itinerary, because it gives you a chance to see some really beautiful Scandinavian countryside) and you’ll soon find yourself in Copenhagen, an incredibly pretty city with a long royal history. There’s the iconic colourful buildings of Nyhavn waterfront area, the impressive royal palaces, lush Tivoli Gardens and so many excellent cafes and bars.

While we’re in Northern Europe, it would be remiss not to mention Finland and the other Nordic countries of Iceland, Freeland and the Faroe Islands. Finland is absolutely worth a visit, particularly Helsinki, which we visit on our Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga tour. The Finnish capital Helsinki is a melting pot of Scandinavian and Russian influences, with plenty of interesting architecture and sites to visit.