cbreloff

We are planning a 2 week trip to Scandinavia in July/August. The plan is to spend 3 nights in Copenhagen, 3 in Stockholm, 2 in Helsinki and 2-3 days in Oslo. We plan to go Bergen and take the train from Oslo to Bergen. We have 4 days to use and I'm not sure whether to rent a car in Bergen to see the fijords and the surrounding area, or to spend 2 days in Bergen and more time elsewhere. We will be traveling by train, ferry and plan between the major cities. Any suggestions would be helpful on how to spend 4 extra days.

PalenQ

do the fantastic Norway in a Nutshell slef-tour from Bergen to experience Norway's largest fjord - take a train to Voss - mountain bus down to Gudvagen and the fjord - few-hour boat to Flam - we saw whales en route - then steep train up to Myrdhal and train back to Bergen or onto Oslo - buy combo tickets for all forms of transit involved at Bergen station - no reservations needed IME.

If doing lots of trains and ferries check out the ScanRail Pass which is valid in the three Scandinavian countries plus Finland on all trains and key ferries - for lots of info on Scan trains and passes - www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com.

again no need to take a tour: http://www.norwaynutshell.com/

tower

Some of these Scandinavian pix may help you get a feel for where you'll be:
visitinghttps://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/NorwayScenes?authkey=Gv1sRgCJuHk6iIgbSEgAE#

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/Stockholm#

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/Denmark#

tower

Here's Finland also:

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/Finland#

Your time will be very tight. Think about paring it down.
Maybe cut out Finland. Effectively, you'll be breezing in and out of cities with no breathing space and no hiccups.

kja

"The plan is to spend 3 nights in Copenhagen, 3 in Stockholm, 2 in Helsinki and 2-3 days in Oslo. We plan to go Bergen and take the train from Oslo to Bergen. We have 4 days to use "

You might want to add at least a night or two to both Copenhagen and Stockholm. Three nights really means 2 days, and each of those cities easily merits more than that IMO. I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, note their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together.

kimhe

Would make it at least three days in my home town Oslo. I could give you loads of tips according to your interests. http://www.visitoslo.com/en/

Here are a couple of sites that give you an idea, but there are lots of other secrets around here;-)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...d-of-town.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...n...-Oslo.html

For example, take the 20 mins ferry to Nesodden and have a seaside beer at Signalen Bar as you watch the sun set at abot 10 pm. Stays open long into the night in the week-ends: http://www.signalen-tangenbrygga.no/

Perhaps go for a swim at Paradisbukta beach, just outside the city center: http://www.visitoslo.com/en/activiti...disbukta-beach

On your way back to the center, stop for a traditional and affordable smørbrød/open sandwich at seaside Rodeløkken Cafe: http://www.rodelokken.no/
http://www.visitoslo.com/en/product/?tlp=184180

Out here on Bygdøy, you also find brilliant Lille Herbern: http://www.yelp.com/biz/lille-herbern-oslo
Photos: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lille...ZHesi9M-5syu6Q

PalenQ

copenhagen is by far my favorite city in Scandinavia - lots of easy neat day trips plus a wealth of stuff to do in the city. Oslo left me rather cold - Bergen was neat - Stockholm cool - but this is all subjective.

In Copenhagen be sure to take some day trip like to Roskilde for the Viking Ship Museum or Helsingor for Hamlet's Castle - Kronborg Castle sweetly perched overlooking the sea or to Louisana and its fabulous al fresco statue park in a lush setting overlooking the Sound - easily twinned with a day trip to Helsingor.

kimhe

Some typical Oslo restaurants with lots of history in the walls:

Olympen: http://www.olympen.no/
Frognerseteren (fabulous views of the city and the fjord from the west): http://www.frognerseteren.no/
Ekebergrestauranten (fabulous views of the city and the fjord from the east): http://www.ekebergrestauranten.com/
Theatercaféen: http://www.theatercafeen.no/restaura...tercafeen.aspx
Herregårdskroen: http://www.herregaardskroen.no/
Lorry: http://lorry.no/

The three best restaurants in town:
Maeemo: https://vimeo.com/27856616
Ylajali: http://www.ylajali.no/
Statholdergaarden: http://www.statholdergaarden.no/

I recommend the Grünerløkka and Majorstua districts to get a feel for the city.
Grünerløkka: http://www.visitoslo.com/en/activiti...s/grunerlokka/
Majorstua: http://www.visitoslo.com/en/activiti...s/grunerlokka/

Lots of great parks in town, from huge Vigelandsparken to bustling St. Hanshaugen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks_a...spaces_in_Oslo
The Vigeland park: http://www.vigeland.museum.no/en/vigeland-park
St. Hanshaugen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Hanshaugen_Park

PalenQ

Norway and Sweden, especially Norway IME is outrageously expensive for things across the board, especially booze and restaurants - budget more money than you dream of and bring whatever you can from home that you will need - like anything, especially booze or do the cuty-free in the airport on the way in. Norway I believe still has state stores with a monopoly on alcohol sales except for light beer (may have changed?) with banker's hours. Drinks in cafes are really expensive.

Copenhagen is relatively cheaper but still expensive - Sweden IME in between.

kimhe

It's expensive here in Scandinavia, yes, and Norway tops the list. We manage to get our fair share of alcohol though through the very high quality monopoly which is everywhere and open some 8 hours/day (Vinmonopolet). Tons of beer in any grocery store/supermarket. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinmonopolet

More or less the same system in Sweden, but there you also have to buy normal beer in the monopoly stores (Systembolaget). Only light beer in Swedish grocery stores. https://www.systembolaget.se/English/

PalenQ

If in Kronborg, Denmark (Hamlet's Castle) the main street there is full of tobacco and booze shops with Swedes coming over like lemmings to snatch cig and booze at much lower prices - least last time I was there.

kimhe

That's what Norwegians do in Strømstad in Sweden as well, and the Danes go to Germany with the same purpose, a fine little chain there ;-)

PalenQ

kimhe - do duty-frees in say Norway sell booze at decent prices? Just curious.

kimhe

PalenQ,

Wine is usually some 20-40% lower than at the Vinmonopolet, and booze is often as much as 60-75% cheaper. You get for example one liter of Vikingfjord Vodka for 149,- NOK (20 USD). But it varies a lot, and some products are now almost the same price at the duty-frees. But, in general, not many people miss the opprtunity to do the duty-free alcohol shopping here.

PalenQ

But, in general, not many people miss the opprtunity to do the duty-free alcohol shopping here.>

Yes I suppose even tee-totalers would leap at the opportunity to buy for friends at those savings - thanks for the response.