Itinerary

Wednesday, July 11 - Arrive Stockholm; Welcome Dinner (D)
Arrive Stockholm at your convenience, but no later than 4:00pm. Three transfers based on arrival time will be provided to the hotel. Welcome Dinner and overnight at First Hotel Amaranten (4 Stars).
 
Thursday, July 12 - Stockholm City Tour, Drottningsholm Castle  (B,D)
After breakfast, we have a morning tour in Sweden’s capital which is situated on 14 islands.  A visit to the Wasa Museum takes us back in time to an era when Sweden was the dominant maritime power of  Northern Europe. Later, we will visit the stunning City Hall where the Nobel Prize Banquet was held after the ceremony. Stroll through the Old Town with cobblestone streets and medieval buildings, and the 13th Century Cathedral and walk past the Royal Palace and the Stock Exchange.
This afternoon enjoy free time in Stockholm or an excursion to visit Drottningsholm Castle. The castle was built in the 17th century and once upon a time was the royal residence. The castle and the surrounding park is on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Dinner and overnight at First Hotel Amaranten (4 Stars).
 
Friday, July 13 - Linkoping and a look at Sweden 100 years ago and more  (B,D)
Breakfast at the hotel and morning free in Stockholm. Late departure to Linköping. The town of Linköping is the fifth largest town in Sweden and capital of Östersund  county, situated near the Lake Roxen. The town is a commercial, industrial and transportation center. Linköping flourished in the Middle Ages as an intellectual and religious center. Linköping has a splendid Romanesque cathedral from the 12th century, a castle from the 13th century, a large library and a university. In the Old Town you can get an idea how a Swedish town looked 100 years ago. Here you also find the woodcrafts shops with beautiful artworks. Dinner and overnight First Hotel Linkoping (4 Stars).
 
Saturday, July 14 - Gota Canal, Vadstena Abbey, Toftaholm (B,D)
This morning we will see the famous Göta Canal with its sluices and aqueducts. The Göta Canal was constructed in the early 19th century. It formed the backbone of a waterway stretching some 382 miles, linking a number of lakes and rivers to provide a route from Gothenburg on the west coast to Söderköping on the Baltic Sea via river Göta älv and the Trollhätta canal, through the lakes Vänern and Vättern.
Our tour goes further on to the Vadstena Abbey which was founded in 1346 by Saint Birgitta, Sweden’s first female saint. She was married at the age of 13 and gave birth to eight children, so she’s hardly a nun. Inside you can see a red velvet box that holds her bones, and the abbey still has the coffin in which she was returned from Rome. You can also admire the 15th century statue of her. The Gothic church is rich in medieval art. After this visit we drive to the town of Toftaholm with time to relax and enjoy our special stay with dinner and overnight accommodations at Toftaholm Herrgard (5 Stars).
 
Sunday, July 15 - Toftaholm to Copenhagen, Denmark; Tivoli Gardens (B)
We are driving further on to the south, crossing the Öresund Bridge which is the world’s longest single bridge carrying both road and railway traffic. Building the Öresund Bridge included construction of a bridge, a tunnel (2,5 miles long) and a new island where travelers go from tunnel-level  to the level of the bridge. We will arrive Copenhagen around noon and have time for  lunch.
In the afternoon we will tour Copenhagen with a local guide. Copenhagen was the premier capital of northern Europe. The city is also one of Europe’s oldest capitals with a royal touch – the monarchy in Denmark is the oldest in the world! We will visit the Little Mermaid which is the symbol of the city, crossing the City Hall Square, which is the heart of Copenhagen, admire the Town Hall. Further on we will see the Stock Exchange, photo stop at Amalienborg Palace where Queen Margarethe and her family live. Enjoy looking at the 4 identical buildings that make up Amalienborg. The guide will provide all the information about Danish history and the monarchy.
In the evening we will visit the famous Tivoli Gardens, which is Copenhagen’s most popular tourist destination. Millions of people fill the garden, dine in the 40 restaurants, enjoy the entertainment, play the games, or just sit and people-watch from mid-April to late September each year. Tivoli was opened in 1843. Tivoli is at its best at night, when over 100.000 colored lanterns light up the garden. Dinner not included this enening so you and your fellow travelers can make the most of your time in Tivoli. Overnight First Hotel Skt Petri (4 Stars).
 
Monday, July 16 - Excursion to North Sealand and Kronborg Castle; Overnight cruise Copenhagen to Oslo, Norway. (B,D)
Breakfast at the hotel. With a local guide we drive northwards on Sealand to visit one of northern Europe’s most important Renaissance castles. Kronborg Castle is a star fortress situated near the town of Helsingør, immortalized as Elsinore in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is well known all over the world. The castle was built in 1420s by the Danish king, Eric of Pomerania, but was rebuilt in 1585 into a magnificent Renaissance castle unique in its appearance and size throughout Europe. In 1629, a moment’s carelessness by two workmen caused much of the castle to go up in flame, but 10 years later the castle was restored – once again magnificent. The castle was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List on November 30, 2000.
In the afternoon enjoy some time to explore. We suggest a visit to Strøget, a huge pedestrian shopping area in the center of the town. We will depart at 5:00 pm on our very modern and deluxe ferry boat from Copenhagen to Oslo. On board there are numerous restaurants, entertainment and shopping. The real show however is the passing scenery and fjords. Enjoy your outside cabin along with dinner and overnight on board ship.
 
Tuesday, July 17 - Oslo City Tour and Afternoon free (B,D)
Enjoy breakfast on board before arriving Oslo at 9:00am. The local guide in Oslo will meet the group at the harbor. The morning is spent touring Oslo, the Viking Capital, situated at the end of the Oslofjord. The twin-towered City Hall looks out on the fjord and shrimp boats on the waterfront, with 16th century Akershus fortress on one end and the new Aker Brygge shopping and entertainment center on the other. The Royal Palace stands at the end of the park-like promenade, Karl Johan street, and the Parliament on the other. To the west rises the Holmenkollen with its ski jumps and extensive forest on the Nordmarka. The arts are honoured by the massive Vigeland Sculptures in the Frogner Park with more than 200 sculptures made of granite and bronze. The National Theatre and the Concert Hall pay tribune to such dramatist and musician as Henrik Ibsen and Edvard Grieg.
The afternoon is free to explore Oslo further. We suggest a visit to the Aker Brygge, or visit the National Museum – among others paintings of  Edvard Munch, one of Norway’s most well-known painters.  Dinner and overnight at Thor Hotel Opera (4 Stars).
 
Wednesday, July 18 - Hardangervidda Mountain and Hardangerfjord (B,D)
Breakfast and departure for the western part of Norway. We leave Oslo in the morning for the destination Geilo, a very popular winter sport village, situated half way between Oslo and Bergen. On our ride we pass fantastic green fairy-tale scenery, charming valleys, lakes and small villages. From Geilo we continue over the Hardangervidda, the largest mountain plateau in North Europe. We will also experience the fantastic Vøringsfossen. From Vøringsfossen we drive down to sea level to Eidfjord, continue along the shores of Hardangerfjord (the second largest fjord in Norway) to our hotel, Hotel Ullensvang in Lofthus. Dinner and overnight at Ullensvang Hotel (4 Stars).
 
Thursday, July 19 - Hardanger Fjord,  Steindalsfossen Waterfall and Arrive Bergen (B,D)
After breakfast enjoy a stunning drive along the famous Hardanger Fjord. The Hardanger and Lofthus area are “The apple garden of Norway” famous for its apple blossoms in the springtime. We will see the small apple farms along the road as we travel pass the small village of Kinsarvik before reaching the ferry point Brimnes, and taking a short ferry crossing to Bruravik.
From Bruravik we continue along the shores of the Hardanger Fjord via Kvanndal and Øystese to the small historic town of Nordheimsund and then to Steindalsfossen. Here we will stop to take pictures and take a walk behind the waterfalls. From Steindalsfossen we drive via Tysse and Kvamskogen, the winter sports area for Bergen. Then it's on to Bergen, the second largest town in Norway. We will enjoy a short orientation sightseeing of Bergen, concluding at the hotel.  The remainder of the day is free. Dinner and overnight Clarion Hotel Admiral (4 Stars).
 
Friday, July 20 - Morning walking tour of Bergen; Afternoon Free; Farewell Dinner (B,D)
On our final full day in Norway we will be joined by a local guide for a walking tour of Bergen. We will visit the center of Bergen, the famous Fish Market, the UNESCO protected Bryggen harbor area, and more. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy before wel get together one final time for dinner at a local restaurant to share our favorite memories of the Scandinavian counties we have visited and to say our goodbyes. Overnight Clarion Hotel Admiral (4 Stars).
 
Saturday, July 21 - Return Home from Bergen (B)
Make your return flight from Bergen at your convenience.  Group transfers to the airport will be provided based on departure times.

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