nankar

We just returned from a 3-week independent tour of Scandinavia including Copenhagen, Sweden, Helsinki via the Silja ferry, Oslo and Bergen via Norway in a Nutshell. Unfortunately, I am swamped at work and don't have enough time to do a long report. I cannot rave enough about the Continental Hotel in Oslo and would be happy to try and answer any specific questions.

Maira

nankar--- your route is the the trip my husband and I are planning for a banner two weeks aniversary trip in July 2005! We are actually brainstorming flying into Oslo from Northeast USA, and then do a clockwise/counterclockwise (need help deciding) driving trip that would capture Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki. What do you think. You mind posting, even if little bits at a time details about your trip. This is a route I haven't read a lot on this forum and I am very curious how you went about this trip. I already entered the Intercontinental in Oslo on my Scandinavia's 2005 Trip File. Looking forward to your reply.

Maira

ttt

Ozarksbill

Hi...you will find some descriptions about travel in Scandinavia looking under one of the countries. Some others are planning a future trip. Several of "us" were there last summer with my wife and I also celebrating an anniversary. Our tour: Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm, and home to JFK (just in time for the 8/14 blackout).

This included some flights betw. cities, also night ferry Copenhagen-Oslo, and the Norway in a Nutshell.
Two weeks isn't quite enough time!

Glad to answer specific questions.

Bill in Missouri
[email protected]

Maira

Thanks for the kind offer, Bill. I have tons of q's!!

What city did you fly into?

Route?

Mode of transport between cities?

Weather that time of the year?

Length stay/city? Recommended lodging?

Any info you post will be helpful, so truly appreciate it! Thanks.

Ozarksbill

Hi back to you, Maira

Answers to questions:
Flew Finnair JFK to Helsinki, before that connected from St. Louis where we parked our car.
Route: by air to Copenhagen, then night ferry to Oslo (Admiral Hotel right on pier), Nutshell trip to Bergen, air to Stockholm, same to Helsinki and home.
Weather: it was absolutely gorgeous, warmer than expected, with only a little rain (so mostly didn't wear warmer clothes we brought). The Scandinavians loved being out in the sun.
Details on lodging and length of stay later.
BTW, each of the cities has good public transportation and are also walkable. And bicycles are popular, in fact, there are public ones in Copenhagen.
Bill in Missouri

elina

There are public bikes also in Helsinki. You find them in front of the main post office.

Ozarksbill

Continuing message to Maira:
Our stays were 2-3 days each in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm. Sometimes this was enough time and sometimes we needed more. We took group excursions or did individual explorations within and outside these centers.

Hotels were arranged by our tour group and were excellent and walking distance from center city (harbor, marketplace, pedestrian way, etc.) But since you are traveling on your own you might make different choices.

Good luck on planning ahead for your 2004 trip! I think that any such travel has three parts...planning in advance, the experience itself, and the aftermath looking at photos and writing up remembrances. We've got great slides which as we've done before we share with groups.

Glad to advise what we liked or did, but too long for this format. There were many special places that we appreciated. Others who live in or have traveled to these places have excellent ideas. Also use search for our previous Fodors report under any of the four countries or my moniker Ozarksbill. And of course you will find travel guides helpful.

Bill in Missouri [email protected]