Cranachin

I will be in Stockholm in late August on business. Based on the flights I can find right now, it is cheaper to stay over the weekend and fly out on Sunday than to leave on Friday (even counting the 2 extra hotel nights).

I could stay in Stockholm, or I could go to Copenhagen or to Helsinki. It is essentially the same price for travel back to the US from the 3 cities, and tickets to CPH and HEL are less than $100. I have never been to any of those three cities.

I am not considering any other cities - I have been to Norway (so not Oslo, Bergen, etc. this trip), and other cities besides Stockholm, Copenhagen, or Helsinki involve higher ticket prices.

As for what I like - history, architecture, natural scenery, walking, local color and flavor.

So - given all that, should I stay in Stockholm an extra couple of days, or should I try to visit one of the other cities for the weekend? I have time for only one of the three, as I have meetings in the US I must return for.

Thanks!

dutyfree

Personally,at the time of year you are going staying in Stockholm would be wonderful.There is so much to see and do in Stockholm that you might appreciate the extra days there to cover it.The wonderful VASA museum takes a half day or more(great restaurant in the actual museum for lunch);sightseeing on the water;the old section of town with wonderful restaurants that you can sit out and people watch;changing of the guard at the palace;Absolut Icebar which is a fun time even though touristy,etc.-I could go on but you get the idea. For the things that you mentioned above, I think that you would find it all in Stockholm.

I haven't been back to Helsinki in awhile and was recently back in Copenhagen two years ago-out of the three I prefer the things in Stockholm for a mini vacation.

kja

Given your stated interests, I think you would find plenty to enjoy with your extra time in Stockholm. Copenhagen and Helsinki are also lovely destinations, but then you would be losing some of your limited time to get there. Hope that helps!

bratsandbeer

I love Helsinki. It is a great city for walking. There is the market at the harbor Also, you can do an easy day trip by fast ferry to Tallin Estonia. The ferry lands within a short walking distance of the Old Town in Tallin.

Signage in Helsinki is in 3 languages, Finnish, Swedish and English. Most people can speak English so it is an easy city to visit. Very good for shopping - love Stockmans Department Store and the boutiques.

Echnaton

IMO, Copenhagen is the most attractive of these three cities. The Old Town is large, you have lots of museums, several castles and enough things to keep you occupied for several days just in town. And there are many opportunities for daytrips.

Stockholm is beautiful too, but simply does not have that many attractions (dutyfree has already mentioned most of them). Same is true for Helsinki, which has a small Old Town, but which is somewhat more exotic (with its Russian church and modern architecture).

But the main point is, if it is worth the extra trip. I personally would take the chance to see an extra destination and I would pick Copenhagen.

But whatever you do: you can't go wrong.

Cranachin

df, kja, b&b, ech --

Thanks for the replies.

In some ways Stockholm makes the most sense, but wondered if either CPH or HEL was stellar enough to merit the weekend there. I hope to see a little of Stockholm during the week and/or the preceding weekend, if I can arrange it.

b&b, ech - No time for day trips to Tallinn or Danish countryside this visit. I will have just 48 hours in CPH or HEL. Maybe next time! Depending on what I see in Stockholm, I might have time for a day trip on Saturday if I stay there for the weekend.

kja

> Stockholm is beautiful too, but simply does not have that many attractions (dutyfree has already mentioned most of them).

Stockholm held more than enough to keep me very happily busy for several days. In addition to the things dutyfree mentioned, there are several good museums and some interesting churches, City Hall, Drottningholm Palace, a relaxing boat ride through the archipelago, a day trip to Uppsala. . . .

dutyfree

Copenhagen is a really junior trip among my flight attendant friends-Stockholm is very senior.There is a reason!

danon

Stockholm is more beautiful and there is more to see ; Copenhagen was full of drunken youth when I visited one summer weekend.

Magster2005

I visted all three of these cities last fall and would have to echo the comments that Stockholm is the most beautiful and the Vasa is a must-see.

However, it you want to add another city to the mix, I would definitely suggest Copenhagen rather than Helsinki. Copenhagen is quite lovely and if you like prehistory, the National Museet offers one of the best collections I have ever seen.

JoyC

Stockholm. I found the city really fascinating and delightful especially in and around Gamla Stan. It was also so easy and wonderful visiting some of the islands in the archipelago...Kungsholmen, Fjaderholmarna, Drottningholm, Moja etc. They were so quaint and artful!!

Copenhagen is OK, it is small, flat and compact. Many people rave about the Stroget but the shopping area of say, Leiden, is just as appealing. However, it has a good transportation system, so you can easily visit most of the tourist attractions outside the city like Hillerod or Helsingor.

nytraveler

Stockholm has by far the most to see and do -
August is the perect tie, since many locals are on vacatin and hotel rates are usually low - plus the weather is pleasant and boat trips esp out to some of the palaces.

KathrynDay

All three have great museums: Copenhagen has a War Resistance Museum that most people miss, and is well worth the experience. Helsinki gives you more options: don't disregard the Tailinn suggestion; its Old Town and museums are excellent (again, a World War II museum with English tags). One half-day trip you can do on your own out of Helsinki is tram to train, to Eero Saarinen's birthplace 30K from the city. It's a museum now, but his father designed it - a fascinating home with multiple levels and built-in beds that double as a theater - a terrific place to raise imaginative children, on a lake with tall pines and wild blueberry bushes. The garage is a small restaurant. You will need a taxi from the little train stop, but the small store there will call one for you.

Cranachin

Kathryn--

If I had more than 48 hours for Helsinki, a trip to Tallinn might be reasonable. However, with that little time, it would make more sense just to go from Stockholm to Tallinn. Airfare (relative to cost of returning to US from ARN, CPH, or HEL) makes that impossible this trip.

All--

Continuing comments indicate that staying in Stockholm seems to make the most sense - which is what I kinda thought might be the case.

Thanks!