We are a party of two, age 27, and spending 13 full days in Scandinavia in June (arrive/depart from Stockholm). Recent student grads so budget is a little thin. Very early phases of planning look like this:

Day 1-3 Stockholm
Day 3-7 Norway (Bergen and Flam? to see fjords) incl travel time
Day 8-11 Copenhagen incl travel time
Day 12-13 Stockholm incl travel time

Wanted to do Helsinki as well but timing makes that unlikely. Our main priorities are Stockholm and visiting the fjords – we enjoy the city sites but would love day hikes around the fjords if possible as well? My main questions are:

• Do these timelines seem reasonable or should more/less time be spent in certain locations? Very flexible at this point in time and always open to new destinations
• Any recommendations on best/cheapest way to travel between destinations? Train vs fly vs bus?

Thanks for any and all advice!!

I would drop Copenhagen and split the time between Norway and Sweden. I would put all the Stockholm time at the beginning or end and fly into Stockholm and out of Oslo. If you want to see fjords consider using Hurtigruten.

If you have not bought your flights, then fly into one and out of another. If you want to see Copenhagen, then fly home from there. The flight plan may cost $100-150 more than round trip (or not - could be the same) but that cost is offset by the travel cost of returning to your arrival city to go home.

If you've bought your tix, so be it.

Midsummer is celebrated on the 23/24th June and most of that week. It is a big celebration in Scandinavia. For those on a thin budget, it is an expensive time of year for travel and accommodation. Best to book trains/flights asap.

Drop rather Stockholm - you have very little time there - Day 1 arrival day, Day 2 Stockholm, Day 3 travel to Oslo. And just one night on the way back. Poor logistics here.
Day 4 Oslo, Day 5 Norway in a Nutshell tour to Bergen, Day 6 Bergen, Day 7 travelling again?
You are just giving yourself one whole day in each city!

If you read the OP, you will see that Stockholm is a priority. Therefore if it is a choice of Stockholm or Copenhagen, Stockholm wins. I have been to both, for me, Stockholm wins. The OP can fix this itinerary with a multi-city flight plan.

If you haven’t already booked your flights, I would encourage you to fly “open jaw” – into one city and out of another. The cost of backtracking rarely matches any difference in price, and your time is, as they say, priceless.

If you MUST fly into and out of the same city, explore options for moving on to your “next” destination ASAP after arrival – you might be tired, but if so, you’ll be tired under any scenario. Moving on, if it works, will let you cut out one change of hotels. (As a rule, you want to be in your departure city at least one night before your departure flight, which is why I’m suggesting pushing on at the start.) This issue isn’t a big deal; just something to consider.

If I understand your itinerary – and I’m not sure I do!, you have very little time in Stockholm. While it depends on your interests, I don’t think 4 full days unreasonable for a first visit to Stockholm.

In contrast, I would think 2 or 3 days a more reasonable time for most people visiting Copenhagen for a first visit. JMO.

Hope that helps!

I couldn't get past this bit: >> Recent student grads so budget is a little thin<<

Just how 'thin'? Scandinavia at that time of year can be eye watering expensive.

Also -- the extra travel going back to Stockholm will add even more $$ to your costs so definitely book open jaw if you haven't already booked your flights.

Sweden + Norway would easily fill your time.

Having visited southern Scandinavia a few years ago, I.m in full agreement with the above entries. In the end we opted for a Cosmos tour ( 13 days)- Copenhagen, Sweden, Norw2012ay -Oslo, one fjord, Bergen with stops along the way & Stockholm. We flew into Copenhagen & had 2 days prior to tour and 5 days at end in Stockholm ( incl 2 days in Uppsala). we were lucky enough to visit Skansen during Mid summer celebration - fantastic!!
In 2012 2 beers & bowl of french fries cost us 40 AUD in a pub!!

In Scandinavia even locals tend to avoid buying alcohol in pubs and restaurants, or to some extent eating in them. If you want this to be halfway affordable you need to stay in hostels and fix your own meals, and buy alcohol in cans/bottles for consumption off the premises.

No, locals do not avoid buying alcohol in pubs and restaurants and they definitely do not try to avoid eating in them. It is not necessary to fix your own meals either, some supermarkets have food counters (hot and cold) or there are food trucks (Thai, hotdog, pizzas etc), some bakeries offer reasonably priced goods.

Thanks for all your input! Flights have been booked already bit of a mental lapse flying in/out of same place.

Luckily we do have a friend in Stockholm to stay with so that will reduce cost a bit. I recognize my itinerary may seem a bit unorthodox... bit of a last minute trip and wanting to optimize a few other destinations outside Stockholm while we are visiting... really open to dumping/adding any spots through Norway or Denmark given our timeframe.

I think you should do as you originally planned; you say you have 13 full days so assume you have deducted the arrival/departure travel days and assume you don't have to see every nook and cranny of each city you visit.

I'd add more days to Stockholm at the start and no days in Stockholm at the end or go to Denmark at the start and end your trip in Stockholm, as it is expensive to keep getting from Arlanda back to the city and back again, twice over.

I am planning a Norway/Sweden trip just want to say that while hotels and eating out are quite expensive, renting apts or cabins is not that bad, also groceries and rental cars not that expensive.

Outside of very central tourist Copenhagen the costs are very affordable. Cutting Norway and expanding affordable Denmark will save money, but you'll miss the fjords.

Can assure you that locals do eat out much less than typically in UK/US - expense means it is an occasional luxury - you couldn't afford to eat out regularly. Same with drinking - check alcohol statistics - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ion_per_capita much less consumption than in UK/US. Usual to have a glass of wine with a meal rather than a bottle and to have a pre-drinks gathering before going out to a pub, where you make a drink last a long time.

Odin, I would agree a better plan will be to do all time in Stockholm at beginning or end of trip. We are prepared for some higher costs for pub beers, food etc but good to know you can be smart about it as well.

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