Scandinavia Itinerary Ideas?
Dec 25th, 2012, 08:04 AM
#1
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Scandinavia Itinerary Ideas?
Hello!
My 65 year old father lives in Russia, and I live in the U.S. I am meeting him in Copenhagen this April (2013) and we have a week (7days) to see Denmark and surrounding countries. My father is very active and does not mind intense sight seeing. What are some of the itinerary ideas we can come up with? Perhaps by train to Stockholm? Or somewhere in Norway? I have never been to that part of the world so any ideas will be welcome! Some of the things we like are: nature, marine life, nautical museums, hiking, cafes, and photography.
Thank you!!
My 65 year old father lives in Russia, and I live in the U.S. I am meeting him in Copenhagen this April (2013) and we have a week (7days) to see Denmark and surrounding countries. My father is very active and does not mind intense sight seeing. What are some of the itinerary ideas we can come up with? Perhaps by train to Stockholm? Or somewhere in Norway? I have never been to that part of the world so any ideas will be welcome! Some of the things we like are: nature, marine life, nautical museums, hiking, cafes, and photography.
Thank you!!
Dec 25th, 2012, 09:34 AM
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A couple of otes:
Have you looked at the costs of travel in these countries? They are far more expensive than western europe- and prices for meals and hotels are typically at least twice what they are in the US - even NYC prices
A week isn't much time to see Scandinavia
I would base the trip on Copenhagen and Stockholm - IMHO the places with the most to see - and take a day trip from each one. These cities both have a large number of things to see/do and Stockholm is located on a series of beautiful islands - making for great boat trips
For hiking you can go into the country from either one or make a stop between the two on train and explore the countryside
As for Norway - Oslo is beautifully situated and the fjords are beautiful - but IMHO most of the countryside is flat, boring, scrub oak and a whole lot of ot much
caveat: I'm not a hiker. I will walk to see something gorgeous - like the Swiss Alps - but the country parts of Norway I've seen are boring,
Have you looked at the costs of travel in these countries? They are far more expensive than western europe- and prices for meals and hotels are typically at least twice what they are in the US - even NYC prices
A week isn't much time to see Scandinavia
I would base the trip on Copenhagen and Stockholm - IMHO the places with the most to see - and take a day trip from each one. These cities both have a large number of things to see/do and Stockholm is located on a series of beautiful islands - making for great boat trips
For hiking you can go into the country from either one or make a stop between the two on train and explore the countryside
As for Norway - Oslo is beautifully situated and the fjords are beautiful - but IMHO most of the countryside is flat, boring, scrub oak and a whole lot of ot much
caveat: I'm not a hiker. I will walk to see something gorgeous - like the Swiss Alps - but the country parts of Norway I've seen are boring,
Dec 25th, 2012, 01:56 PM
#5
With your father's interest in nautical museums he'd probably be fascinated by the Vasa Museum in
Stockholm.
www.vasamuseet.se/en/
Stockholm.
www.vasamuseet.se/en/
Dec 25th, 2012, 04:24 PM
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Most places in europe are going to be more expensive than the US - but Scandinavia is about twice western europe - and Switz is also very expensive.
Austria is charming but doesn't feature naval museums (being landlocked) - while Stockholm does. Scandinavia is fascinating - just e prepared for the cost.
Military history is not my major interest but I know there is quite a bit to see/do in the UK (Greenwich museums and ships) and a bunch of other military stuff.
Scandinavia is much more naval - from historic Viking ships in Roskilde to the wonderful Vasa museum in Stockholm. Also a lot of tours by boat and travel from one country to another by ferry.
Austria is charming but doesn't feature naval museums (being landlocked) - while Stockholm does. Scandinavia is fascinating - just e prepared for the cost.
Military history is not my major interest but I know there is quite a bit to see/do in the UK (Greenwich museums and ships) and a bunch of other military stuff.
Scandinavia is much more naval - from historic Viking ships in Roskilde to the wonderful Vasa museum in Stockholm. Also a lot of tours by boat and travel from one country to another by ferry.
Dec 30th, 2012, 12:46 PM
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Y0u will find an interesting naval museum in Karlskrona in southeastern Sweden. The archipelago around Karlskrona is quite suitable for hiking as well.
I have to disagree with an earlier poster stating that Norway is flat and dull. You can't have been visiting the middle part of Norway around Bergen then.
I have to disagree with an earlier poster stating that Norway is flat and dull. You can't have been visiting the middle part of Norway around Bergen then.
Sep 28th, 2015, 07:47 AM
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I may have missed this but a huge question is when?
We have visited Stockholm and the archipelago islands in summer and for anyone who is nautical minded it is simply beautiful. There is a developed and frequent ferry system around the islands which allows you to easily plan a route to take a ferry, hike over an island and then take another ferry onwards.
I have sailed all my life and wasn't overly impressed with the Vasa, just seemed to be a huge monument to idiotic and childish design. just seemed odd.
The islands are all very low lying and make for easy hiking.
Many of the towns on the islands have great marina scenes with cafes and nautical shops.
We have visited coastal Norway twice recently and it is a very different experience, it has a far more frontier feel to it. Like being the edge of the abyss before the Artic Pole. The hiking is very demanding and in winter quite simply isn't safe for those without considerable experience.
The Lofoten islands have some of the greatest coastal scenery in Europe but it is a very different experience to Sweden.
We have visited Stockholm and the archipelago islands in summer and for anyone who is nautical minded it is simply beautiful. There is a developed and frequent ferry system around the islands which allows you to easily plan a route to take a ferry, hike over an island and then take another ferry onwards.
I have sailed all my life and wasn't overly impressed with the Vasa, just seemed to be a huge monument to idiotic and childish design. just seemed odd.
The islands are all very low lying and make for easy hiking.
Many of the towns on the islands have great marina scenes with cafes and nautical shops.
We have visited coastal Norway twice recently and it is a very different experience, it has a far more frontier feel to it. Like being the edge of the abyss before the Artic Pole. The hiking is very demanding and in winter quite simply isn't safe for those without considerable experience.
The Lofoten islands have some of the greatest coastal scenery in Europe but it is a very different experience to Sweden.
Sep 28th, 2015, 06:36 PM
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The good news is that you will be visiting a beautiful part of the world.
The bad news is that you don't have enough time, so you will need to think through your priorities carefully and make some hard decisions. I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (always a worthy investment, IME but you can also spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, and note their opening/closing times. 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.
The bad news is that you don't have enough time, so you will need to think through your priorities carefully and make some hard decisions. I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (always a worthy investment, IME but you can also spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, and note their opening/closing times. 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.
Sep 28th, 2015, 06:51 PM
#12
>>I may have missed this but a huge question is when?<<
>>The good news is that you will be visiting a beautiful part of the world.<<
. . . The Thread is three years old and OP's trip was in <B>2013
>>The good news is that you will be visiting a beautiful part of the world.<<
. . . The Thread is three years old and OP's trip was in <B>2013
