I like to plan way in advance so I can get the "frequent flyer" dates on Delta and "early reservation discount". Just returned from Ireland, Scotland & London 2 weeks ago and need your assistance in planning Scandinavia for Summer 2004. Will be my wife and myself and we share Karen Brown taste. Would like to hold hotel average to $225 (hopefully less). We like to stay ~ whenever possible ~ in any hotel for at least 2 nights. Do not want to rent a car this trip (will take me couple years to get over Ireland).

This will be our first trip to Scandinavia.

Pls comment with your suggestions on hotels, must sees, itinerary, too agressive, night(s) that could be cut, Orient/Marco Polo comments, etc......

Day 1 Leave Texas Delta to Oslo

Day 2 Arrive and tour Oslo

Day 3 Tour Oslo

Day 4 Oslo to Bergen (Nutshell to Bergen ~ will there be any time to tour Bergen this day?)

Day 5 Tour Bergen

Day 6 12 hour Nutshell

Day 7 Tour Hardanger Fjord or Folgefonn Glacier (is this too long in Bergen area for "survey trip"?)

Day 8 Bergen to Stockholm

Day 9 Tour Stockholm and board Orient Marco Polo @ 4pm (Orient is only cruise line I have found that starts and ends at different port ~ saving additional day at sea)

Days 10 - 14 Tour Helsinki, St. Pete, Tallin, etc.

Day 15 Arrive Copenhagen 7am (your thoughts on booking Copenhagen through Orient vs. on own)

Day 16 Tour Copenhagen

Day 17 Leave Copenhagen for Texas

Would like to thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Hi,

I would add at least another day to Copenhagen.

I would also add another day for Copenhagen. Philip, if you take the nutshell tour from Oslo to Bergen, as you say, you'll leave from Oslo at 8 a.m., and you'll arrive in Bergen at about 8:30 p.m. There will still be plenty of daylight to walk around. Although the bars and restaurants will be open, most of the shops will not. Depending on what part of the summer you arrive, it will get darkish around 11 p.m. (more of a twilight).
Are you flying from Bergen to Stockholm? It's a pretty long trip otherwise. I also don't think you have enough time for Stockholm, because there is so much to see and do there.

THanks ira and Surfergirl ~

Knowing that it is hard for me to be gone from the office for much more than 2 weeks ~

would you add the extra day in Stockholm or Copenhagen?

and

would you suggest dropping that extra day in Bergen and adding it to the Stockholm or Copenhagen selection?

I think flying to Stockholm is good idea. Do you know which airlines fly this route? We used Ryanaire couple times this month and were pleased ~ they that far north?

Thanks Philip

For flights from Oslo to Stockholm, you might look at www.sterlingticket.com or do a search for SAS.
Your itinerary is very busy.

Both Stockholm and Copenhagen have its pluses. In summer, Stockholm is a better bet for good weather, and I like sun. Having said that, I think there's more to explore in Copenhagen.

Also (am I wrong here?) it looks like day 6 is a repeat of the nutshell tour.

Further, the Orient/Marco Polo, isn't that a 7 day excursion? You can take the Silja line overnight from Stockholm to Helsinki, and continue on if you choose to the other ports you mention (and my husband wanted desparately to visit St. Petersburg, but we had to draw the line somewhere!). The Silja line, by the way, is relatively inexpensive, the rooms are great and the ship is fantastic!

Keep in mind, your first and last day are pretty much "dead" days -- jet lag the first, and packing and getting to the airport without losing your sanity on the last.

at $225 a night you might be able to find a deal on the D'Anglerre. It is Copenhagen's finest hotel and a great location, close to the harbor and best restaurants, shopping etc. I didn't stay there but I visited the hotel and everything about it was exceptional and first class.
In Stockholm the Grand is the choice and I think you can find a room for your price range. It is a first class hotel and great location, also by the water. You can walk to most locals from there and the service, rooms, restaurants etc are all fantastic.

Hi

I see that Stavanger (on the south west coast of Norway) is not on your list but I would like to try to tempt you anyway. Check out the pictures and travelogues that I have posted on my homepage: http://www.gardkarlsen.com/kjerag.htm and http://www.gardkarlsen.com/preikestolen.htm

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway

Thanks for replies......I am getting a much better feel for trip now.

Couple of questions (go figure)

1. Is The Bergen Line the train to take from Oslo to Bergen?

2. Looked at Rail Europe and there is an overnight train from Bergen to Stockholm. That would solve small problem of too many things to see in too few days.

3. Just like there is for rail reservations in France, is there is a cheaper website for train reservations between Berten and Stockholm? Rail Europe is much more expensive.

4. Rail Europe talks about 2st and 1st class "Couchette" v. seat. Does anybody know what that is? And if a 1st class Couchette is the same as a 2nd class Couchette ~ why pay the extra. 1st class if much more than 2nd class.

Thanks!

A couchette is a hard "bed" that pulls down from the wall of the compartment. One does not undress; I think a pillow and a blanket are provided. In second class, you will most likely find six, three on each side. You may have male and/or female compartment mates--no choice. In first class, you will most likely find four beds. I would opt for a first-class sleeper where you and your wife will have the compartment to yourselves. The toilet is at the end of the car, but you will have a washstand in your compartment. You can undress. A fairly comfortable bed is provided. I realize it is pricey, but you are saving on the cost of a hotel room. As a student, I sat up all night in second class; after employment, I took a couchette; now that I have a tad more to budget with, I go sleeper. Enjoy my grandparents' home countries and ones that I visit every year! Boots Newstrom

Days 10-14 Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn. That is too much. You would just be traveling and would not have time to do and see anything. Not to mention get the feeling of anything.

I think for example Hermitage is a must in St. Petersburg. To walk through it and stop for 2-3 seconds in front of every work of art ? guess how long it would take? Three months.

Thanks elina!

Actually "those days" are part of the Marco Polo cruise. I have looked at several cruise lines initineraries and they are all about the same. Not much I can do about that. Thanks for input.