lhs624

My husband and I have not been to either. With our work schedules and other family committments, it looks like our annual anniversary trip we usually take early May will have to wait until end of June, early July this year. Is it going to be crazy to go to either destination in the middle of summer? We've been spoiled by taking our vacations in the spring and I am afraid that we will just hate being around tons of other people just like us! ;-) Is one location better for that time of year? or should we just try these parts of Europe next Spring?

Your thoughts would be appreciated!

dibsy

I haven't been to Scandanavia but if I had the option of waiting and making a trip to the Netherlands in the spring I would do it. Between the middle of March and the middle of May the tulip garden, the Keukenhof is open. It's about an hour an half out of Amsterdam. It's spectacular. If you are going to go to the Netherlands be sure to see the Keukenhof.

WallyKringen

That's not the middle of summer yet, in June it can get downright frosty at (rare) times. Either destination sounds great to me. Research them more so you see what's to your liking, including cities and countrysides.

The Swedes really thaw out and become downright cheerful in summer when they retreat to their summer homes by the thousands of lakes. The country becomes downright jolly.

The Dutch also head for the beaches and the parks where they like to bare it all. If the weather holds, you should have a great time.

The main difference will be cost - Scandinavia hits the pocketbook even harder than the rest of the continent (not to mention Ireland...). But you have a bit of time in the next few weeks to get serious with your research - I'm sure you'll enjoy your trip in either region.

WK

SusanEva

We loved Stockholm in July, partly because it was light out almost all night long. Didn't experience tons of people, but rather a good number of fun loving folks that enjoyed staying out late to take advantage of the long summer evenings.

Viajero2

Crowds in the Summer may be more of an issue in The Netherlands, but Scandinavia is more expensive. So, if Spring is a possibility, I would head out to The Netherlands. If it has to be a summer trip, I would fork the extra bucks and head out to Scandinavia-- i.e. Stockholm, a gorgeous city. A tip: if you buy an SAS ticket (US-Scandinavia), they throw in an inter Scandinavia flight for about $70/pp.

lhs624

thank you for your quick replies. I will continue to do research and not give up on my vacation plans yet!

Snoopy

You say "Scandinavia" and all the posts refer to Sweden . . . As for expense, and I am talking about Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, there's not that much difference. But that's really a pointless comparison because if you want to spend for example $150 / night and no more than $40 on a meal per person, you'd be happy with what you got at any of those destinations. I'm guessing that when the posters are saying that Scandinavia is more expensive they are generalizing. I don't mean that in a mean spirited way, that is . . . you can't take a fjord cruise in the Netherlands, you can't stay in a mountain village in the Netherlands, and so on.

I like Amsterdam for the Rembrandts and the Van Goghs. That's about it. Stockholm in my opinion is much prettier. Copenhagen and north Zealand has more to do, and there are better castles there. And unless you've been on a Norwegian fjord cruise you cannot imagine the beauty.

There's more to Scandinavia than Sweden. Check out some web sites. Also, for Denmark, the first two weeks of July are country wide vacation times . . . I think. It may be the last two weeks.

My vote? Go to Copenhagen, tour northern Zealand, take the Oresund bridge across to Southern Sweden, drive around and see some castles. Fly to Stockholm, spend a day or two there, then fly to Oslo or Bergen and take a fjord cruise. (Check out the Norway in a Nutshell tours).

Have fun.

Midnightsun

All of Scandinavia is lovely, but my prejudice is probably revealed in my screen name. If you love cities on water, Stockholm can't be beat. I've been several times, and it never has the crowds you will see in southern Europe. The fjords of Norway are breath-taking, possibly the most beautiful landscapes you will see anywhere in the world. The cruises can get a bit crowded and touristy; I would suggest traveling by car, If you can start somewhere north of the Arctic Circle, like Bodø, you can enjoy the midnight sun in late June/early July. Traveling south along the coast you will encounter many lovely towns and see many fjords. If you have time, drive all the way to Bergen. Otherwise you can turn inland and drive through Peer Gynt country through Lillehammer and on to Oslo.

If you're a bit adventurous, a microcosm of Norway can be found in the Lofoten Islands, with fjords, mountains, and Viking museums, all in a lovely setting north of the Arctic Circle. You can take a ferry ride of about four hours from Bodø and head north on the Lofoten chain or go to Tromsø and drive over a bridge to the northern Lofotens and then head south. This is an isolated area, and you don't find many American tourists, but the Northern Europeans know all about it. The end of the Gulf Stream meets the west coast of the Lofotens, and you'll get a few sandy beaches above the Arctic Circle. That's a bit exotic.

There's a lot to do in Scandinavia. Enjoy your summer travels and save the Netherlands for a May trip.

kfl1111

I have been to both. We went to Amsterdam in April and Sweden and Norway in June. Loved both trips! My vote would be for Sweden and Norway. We (husband, 2 daughters and I) flew into Oslo. Spent a day there then took the train to Bergen......absolutely beautiful trip!! Spent a few days in Bergen then train back to Oslo. In Oslo we got a rental car and drove to Sweden. We were in Sweden for Mid-Summer's celebration and it wasn't crowded. We were in Gavle for that. Then went to Stockholm for several days and then flew home. That trip was one of our all-time favorites!!!