scandinavian trip
Feb 11th, 2013, 05:45 AM
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scandinavian trip
hi guys, this is my first post so please be kind. I'm planning to travel to scandinavian countries in 9 days. it would be: 2 days copenhagen -> 2 days gothenburg -> 1 day oslo -> 2 days stockholm -> 2 days helsinki. What is your opinion and do you have any recommendation whether I should travel by train or plane and on which route would it be? I'm also thinking of cutting my travel to gothenburg to 1 day. The extra day will be used to travel from oslo to bergen by train then take a flight to stockholm from bergen instead. Is this a good idea? The biggest problem is that I'm both tight on time and budget (poor me). Thanks a lot, hope to hear from you guys soon.
Feb 11th, 2013, 06:28 AM
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Secha welcome to Fodors, a pretty fast tour (probably too many sites and too rushed) of these Oslo has a couple of fine museums (they have 4 viking ships!) and down town is worth a good look around but it will be your most expensive part of the visit.
Helsinki is probably the best value so I might make that my longest visit. I could leave or take gothenburg so I might drop it.
Prices depend on when, the longer out you book the cheaper trains or planes will be.
Helsinki is probably the best value so I might make that my longest visit. I could leave or take gothenburg so I might drop it.
Prices depend on when, the longer out you book the cheaper trains or planes will be.
Feb 11th, 2013, 06:34 AM
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Does your itinerary include the time it takes to get to each place? If so, you'll really only have a day in each location. I suggest cutting back to 2-3 destinations. You could do Copenhagen, Oslo and Bergen. Alternatively, you could do Stockholm and Gotenburg or Stockholm and Copenhagen. You don't have time to go to Helsinki. I'd also skip Oslo unless you go to Bergen from there. Oslo is the least interesting and most expensive city on your list.
By going to fewer destinations, you'll save money on travel costs.
By going to fewer destinations, you'll save money on travel costs.
Feb 11th, 2013, 06:35 AM
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I don't see any travel time in your planning. You need to look into that and decide whether you really can visit so many places in such a short time. Oslo imho deserves more than one day, which could be only a half day if you are travelling that day. It is expensive and if the other cities are higher up your wish list I would drop it, and go again giving you more time there and a chance to see more of the beauty of Norway.
Feb 11th, 2013, 06:53 AM
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Unless you have a reason, skip Gothenburg. Assuming your 9 days do count travel time to and between, do 3 days in Copenhagen, Stockholm and either Oslo or Helsinki. Too many places, you won't see much of anything but train stations etc.
Feb 11th, 2013, 07:18 AM
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The flight may be only one hour, but you have to be at the airport at least 1 hour prior to departure and you have to get from the city to the airport. From door to door, I figure that 4 hours is a minimum.
Feb 11th, 2013, 07:35 AM
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You will lose about a half of a day for every flight because of time to get to and from the airport and preboarding time at the airports.
To see 5 or 6 places in 9 days gives you maybe a day in each place. Do you want to spend your 9 days traveling or actually visiting somewhere? If you are merely trying to see how many places you can get to in 9 days, then your itinerary works great.
Btw, you can take the overnight ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo to cut out some day travel. Helsinki also has overnight ferries.
To see 5 or 6 places in 9 days gives you maybe a day in each place. Do you want to spend your 9 days traveling or actually visiting somewhere? If you are merely trying to see how many places you can get to in 9 days, then your itinerary works great.
Btw, you can take the overnight ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo to cut out some day travel. Helsinki also has overnight ferries.
Feb 11th, 2013, 07:46 AM
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I would and have taken trains over your exaact same routes several times - the Oslo to Bergen train ride is ubiquitously deemed to be one of the world's most scenic.
With that many train trips by all means look into the ScanRailpass that covers not only trains in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland but is valid on many boats as well - sometimes 50% off sometimes like those between Stockholm and Turku/Helsinki full coverage I think (could be 50%) - anyway that one boat ride is phenomenally scenic as it skirts a rocky coastline most of the way and in summer you can the sun sets very late - it is an overnight boat so you also save on a hotel room cost.
For oodles of great info on Scandinavian trains, boats, passes, etc I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.
The ScanRailpass comes only in 2nd class and in this area of social equality many trains may not have first class or the difference is not as great as it is in most of Europe.
With that many train trips by all means look into the ScanRailpass that covers not only trains in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland but is valid on many boats as well - sometimes 50% off sometimes like those between Stockholm and Turku/Helsinki full coverage I think (could be 50%) - anyway that one boat ride is phenomenally scenic as it skirts a rocky coastline most of the way and in summer you can the sun sets very late - it is an overnight boat so you also save on a hotel room cost.
For oodles of great info on Scandinavian trains, boats, passes, etc I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.
The ScanRailpass comes only in 2nd class and in this area of social equality many trains may not have first class or the difference is not as great as it is in most of Europe.
Feb 13th, 2013, 04:11 AM
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Secha,
It would help to make suggestions if we knew more of your interests. Do you want to visit cities to see museums, visit restaurants/clubs, see historic sites, visit local neighborhoods to see how people live? Are you interested in specific history such as the Viking ships? Are you more of an outdoors/nature lover?
Copenhagen can easily fill two days of architecture, history, clubs/cafes, etc. There are also interesting day trips. I have never been to Gothenburg. Oslo is easily another two days of ships, architecture, and local life but EXTREMELY expensive. The fjords are the major draw of most people going to Norway, not the cities of Oslo or Bergen. You can ride through on train and ferry in a day (Norway in a Nutshell) or stop for a night or two and do some hiking and boating. Stockholm is another good two days of ship museum, architecture, canals. Helsinki highlights can be seen in a day and most tourists find the other capitals more interesting.
As mentioned, a ferry between some cities eliminates a hotel room + airfare and in this way can be comparable in price plus you see the area from the water, an important part of the culture.
Train between Oslo and Bergen is great (with the ferry side trip). Train Oslo to Stockholm uninteresting.
It would help to make suggestions if we knew more of your interests. Do you want to visit cities to see museums, visit restaurants/clubs, see historic sites, visit local neighborhoods to see how people live? Are you interested in specific history such as the Viking ships? Are you more of an outdoors/nature lover?
Copenhagen can easily fill two days of architecture, history, clubs/cafes, etc. There are also interesting day trips. I have never been to Gothenburg. Oslo is easily another two days of ships, architecture, and local life but EXTREMELY expensive. The fjords are the major draw of most people going to Norway, not the cities of Oslo or Bergen. You can ride through on train and ferry in a day (Norway in a Nutshell) or stop for a night or two and do some hiking and boating. Stockholm is another good two days of ship museum, architecture, canals. Helsinki highlights can be seen in a day and most tourists find the other capitals more interesting.
As mentioned, a ferry between some cities eliminates a hotel room + airfare and in this way can be comparable in price plus you see the area from the water, an important part of the culture.
Train between Oslo and Bergen is great (with the ferry side trip). Train Oslo to Stockholm uninteresting.
Feb 13th, 2013, 05:14 AM
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Secha,
It would help to make suggestions if we knew more of your interests. Do you want to visit cities to see museums, visit restaurants/clubs, see historic sites, visit local neighborhoods to see how people live? Are you interested in specific history such as the Viking ships? Are you more of an outdoors/nature lover?
Copenhagen can easily fill two days of architecture, history, clubs/cafes, etc. There are also interesting day trips. I have never been to Gothenburg. Oslo is easily another two days of ships, architecture, and local life but EXTREMELY expensive. The fjords are the major draw of most people going to Norway, not the cities of Oslo or Bergen (EXPENSIVE). You can ride through on train and ferry in a day (Norway in a Nutshell) or stop for a night or two and do some hiking and boating. Stockholm is another good two days of ship museum, architecture, canals. Helsinki highlights can be seen in a day and most tourists find the other capitals more interesting.
As mentioned, a ferry between some cities eliminates a hotel room + airfare and in this way can be comparable in price plus you see the area from the water, an important part of the culture.
Train between Oslo and Bergen is great (with the ferry side trip). Train Oslo to Stockholm uninteresting.
So if budget is most important, Norway is a problem. If time is a problem (and I think it is), I would drop Helsinki.
It would help to make suggestions if we knew more of your interests. Do you want to visit cities to see museums, visit restaurants/clubs, see historic sites, visit local neighborhoods to see how people live? Are you interested in specific history such as the Viking ships? Are you more of an outdoors/nature lover?
Copenhagen can easily fill two days of architecture, history, clubs/cafes, etc. There are also interesting day trips. I have never been to Gothenburg. Oslo is easily another two days of ships, architecture, and local life but EXTREMELY expensive. The fjords are the major draw of most people going to Norway, not the cities of Oslo or Bergen (EXPENSIVE). You can ride through on train and ferry in a day (Norway in a Nutshell) or stop for a night or two and do some hiking and boating. Stockholm is another good two days of ship museum, architecture, canals. Helsinki highlights can be seen in a day and most tourists find the other capitals more interesting.
As mentioned, a ferry between some cities eliminates a hotel room + airfare and in this way can be comparable in price plus you see the area from the water, an important part of the culture.
Train between Oslo and Bergen is great (with the ferry side trip). Train Oslo to Stockholm uninteresting.
So if budget is most important, Norway is a problem. If time is a problem (and I think it is), I would drop Helsinki.
Feb 13th, 2013, 12:29 PM
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Not linguistically. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finno-Ugric_peoples
Feb 13th, 2013, 12:53 PM
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It depends where you're coming from to best determine your starting point. I would do Stockholm (worth 2 full days), Copenhagen (worth 2 full days), Oslo (worth 2 full days) and end in Bergen (worth 1 full day minus fjords). I love Gothenburg but it would probably help if you broke your trip in two and did Bergen-Copenhagen and Gothenburg-Malmo-Stockholm and ferry to Helsinki. I have never been to Helsinki but loved Oslo. In Copenhagen visit Christiania.
Feb 13th, 2013, 01:39 PM
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Flying between these places will take an hour only if you have a heli pick you up off the roof of your hotel and you than parachute into the next city. Getting from one to another will take at least 5 hours - when you count time packing, checking out of hotel, getting to the airport, checking in, waiting on the security line, waiting at the gate, taking the flight and then doing the reverse at the other end.
I don;t know how many days you really have on the ground - but suggest that you can see 3 places in a very rushed way - and they should be - in order of importance and number of things to see/do: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo.
I have been to all at last 3 times and you could easily spend 3/4 days in Oslo and at least a week in the others.
And bring lot of $ - all of scandinavia is very expensive.
I don;t know how many days you really have on the ground - but suggest that you can see 3 places in a very rushed way - and they should be - in order of importance and number of things to see/do: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo.
I have been to all at last 3 times and you could easily spend 3/4 days in Oslo and at least a week in the others.
And bring lot of $ - all of scandinavia is very expensive.
