Questions on 11-day Scandinavia itinerary for teenager
 

My daughter has the chance to go on a school-sponsored trip next summer. Appreciate comments on itinerary. Fly from US to Stockholm - 2 1/2 days and then overnight train to Copenhagen. 2 days and then overnight ferry to Oslo. 4 days, including some hiking and then back to US. Total would be about $3000 US.

Well, as a Norwegian I can't help but be flattered that she would want to spend the most days over here. <BR><BR>But really, it depends on what you want from the trip. I should perhaps warn you that the overnight ferry between Norway and Denmark can be crowded with partying high-schoolers and college kids during weekends. During weekdays, the passengers tend to be elderly people who travel for the shopping.

If it was me I would limit myself to 2 of the 3 cities since I would feel like rushing things... Especially if she hasn't been to Scandinavia before. And also if she likes hiking in the forest I know Oslo is a great start for hiking (I live here after all), and possibly Stockholm might too... And if she likes the mountains Rondane national park is really nice in summer, though if I'm not mistaken she should be together with more people or have experience with mountains before hiking alone... But if you ask the tourist organization in Norway they have nice solutions were you walk from cottage to cottage in the mountains, and it's basicly free to. But I'm mostly brainstorming here, let's hope Bj&oslash;rn joins, he is a lot more knowledgeable than me :)<BR><BR>Sindre

Thanks for responses so far. She has no control over itinerary - it is a group thing. But if the itinerary has many serious flaws, I would not send her and we would just add it to the list of places we will go in the future.<BR><BR>Trip includes city bike tour Sweden, kayak tour in Norway, and some sort of glacier hike. Do not know hotels yet. We have a small deposit down on trip, but first payment of significant money is not due until August.

I think this is a fine itinereary if your daughter has never been to these destinations before but I must admit to having a weakness for Scandinavia.<BR>Some five years ago we took our daughters on a tour of a lot of Scandinavia which included about 4 days in Oslo.I really wanted to show them the city because I'd not been there since 1967 when I was 11 years of age but remembered it as being a beautiful place with lots of things to do which I had enjoyed.We did the Kon-Tiki,The Viking Museum which is as thrilling the 2nd time, the Fram Museum, the outdoor Museum-can't remember the name.We travelled by tram, boat, bus. We shopped, went up the ski jump and had good food.We went to the Frogner park where I was surprised at how impressed I was by the sculptures(because I'm really fairly uncultured!)We stayed in a youth hostel apart from one night when we stayed in a hotel to establish our eligibility for the Oslo card. We went to the Munch Museum only to find that "the Scream" was on loan to the Atlanta Olympics!<BR>The same trip we spent a morning in Skansen outdoor museum in Stockholm.This has a Nordic zoo with all sorts of animals you never see further South in the World-really interesting.The museum itself had a lot of the houses closed for refurbishment which according to a friend of mine who lives in Sweden ,is quite common even in high season.<BR>Stokholm like Oslo is a beautiful city to be and walk-principally I think because of the water frontage.<BR>As for Copenhagen-also lovely.I was last there in 1989 but also spent some time there on Interrail in 1975 when I was 19.<BR>Yes- tell her to go, and have a wonderful time!

By all means, what I meant was that it sounded a bit too stressful for my kind of vacation, but that sure doesn't mean she shouldn't go. I'm sure she'll have a wonderful time... But out of curiousity why 3000USD ? I can't seem to see what should make it that expensive ? <BR><BR>Sindre

As far as expense - I checked airfare - that will be about $1,100 - they are flying into Stockholm and out of Oslo, so it gets more expensive. Then the tour is another $1,400 - that includes breakfast and dinner plus 10 nights in hotels. Also includes all admissions, overnight train and ferry. They then recommend about $30-35 per day for lunch, spending money, etc. They try to estimate that amount rather high so they don't have kids running out of money. My son did an Italy tour with the same type of group 2 years ago and the cost was about $500 less - largely because airfare to Scandinavia is so much higher (why - I do not know?)

Hm. <BR>I suppose what Sindre is refering to is the fact that when he and I travelled to the US last year, it "only" cost us about $1000 for air-fare and accomodation for two weeks (on in New York and one in Philadelphia). This is not including expenses of course, but still. <BR><BR>- Katrine (Sindre´s cohabitant :) )