Premium Sweden and Norway - 9 Days

Valkommen! Welcome to Sweden. When you arrive in Stockholm, you’ll be picked up from the airport and transferred to your accommodation. Often referred to as the 'Venice of the North' and arguably Scandinavia's most beautiful city, Stockholm is packed full of amazing architecture, parks and clear waters. Your adventure will begin with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe stroll by the narrow cobblestone streets and colourful merchant houses and soak up the culture. Maybe grab a cinnamon roll in Stockholm’s oldest café – Sundbergs Konditori, on Jarntorget Aquare – dating back to 1785. Tonight, you’ll have a welcome dinner with your trip leader and group to toast to a new adventure.

This morning after breakfast, you’ll head out on a walking tour of Gamlastan (the Old Town of Stockholm) to get your bearings. Afterwards , make a fika stop (for coffee and pastry) for morning tea and refuel for your free time this afternoon. Then, why not leave the city behind for a few hours and see the waterways of Stockholm on a cruise? Maybe take a self-guided millennium walking tour or visit the ABBA Museum. You can also take a trip to Drottningholm Palace – the residence of the Swedish royal family. Tonight, maybe head to Stockholm's Sodermalm district – the inner-city island with the best nightlife, full of great shops, bars and cafes. Or maybe sit down at one of the restaurants on the cobblestoned islet of Gamla Stan or in Kungsholmen.

Leave Stockholm this morning after breakfast and head for the town of Linkoping. When you arrive, take a leader-led tour of the Old Linkoping Open Air Museum – a reconstructed example of a 19th century Swedish town. Enjoy learning about the area’s history in a fully immersive experience, then have lunch with your group at a local restaurant. Continue to the shores of Lake Vattern – Sweden’s second largest and deepest lake. The next two nights will be spent at the family-owned Starby Hotell, your Feature Stay for this trip, which is located on former 13th century royal estate.

After breakfast this morning, join a local guide for a historical walk around Vadstena to uncover stories from the city’s long history. Learn about the fascinating past of the monastery which was once greatly favoured by the Royal House and nobility, and became the spiritual centre of the country as well as the greatest landowner in Sweden during the 15th century. In the afternoon, accompany your tour leader on a visit to Vadstena Castle, a spectacular building parts of which date back to 1545. The rest of the day is free for you to explore. Perhaps relax on the lake or maybe visit one of Vadstena’s many museums before finding a cosy restaurant for dinner..

Leave Vadstena behind this morning and travel to Oslo, admiring the scenery of endless forests and lakes along the way (grab a window seat if you can!). On the way, you’ll stop in one of the local towns for lunch and say your farewells to Sweden. Arrive in Oslo in the late afternoon, take some time to unwind and check in to the hotel. The evening is free for you to explore on your own. Maybe head to a local rooftop bar for nighttime city views or head to Gamla – Oslo’s oldest performance venue – and catch a jazz or rock gig.

This morning after breakfast, explore the major attractions of the vibrant Norwegian capital including Oslo Opera House, which quickly became the city's icon after it's reconstruction in 2008, and Karl Johan’s Gate, the city's emblematic two-lane central street. Admire the Royal Palace from the distance and look at frescoes depicting Scandinavian history on the walls of red-brick Oslo City Hall. The afternoon is free for you to enjoy as you wish. Maybe visit the Ski Museum, housed inside the famous monumental Holmenkollbakken (ski jump), which looks more like a work of art than a sports venue. Here, you can learn about Norwegian polar expeditions, the history of skiing over the past 4000 years and the Winter Olympics at Oslo and Lillehammer. At the top of the tower, soak in the 360-degree views of the city, with its fjords and forests. Maybe browse the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art on the harbour or taste local flavours at the Vulkan food hall. Perhaps explore the immense Akershus Castle and Fortress or check out some cool shops in the Grunerlokka district. 

Today is a travel day, but it’s one of the most impressive you’ll experience! Start with an incredibly scenic train journey from Oslo to Flam, seeing Norwegian nature at its most magnificent. Stopping in Myrdal, you’ll travel to the head of Aurlandsfjord on one of the world’s steepest stretches of train line, cutting through deep ravines, rivers, waterfalls, mountains and farms. In Flam you’ll have lunch, then set sail through the breathtaking Naeroyfjord onboard an electric boat. Disembark in Gudvangen, then take a bus through the equally striking Naeroydalen on route to Voss. Stop for dinner in Voss before catching a final train to Bergen.

After breakfast, ride the Floibanen funicular on Mount Floyen. Taking you to 1,050 feet above the city in just seven minutes, it offers a bird eye prospective of the town and vistas of the deep blues of the sea. Those who want to get active can also continue following its multiple hiking trails, or you can choose to return to town. You’ll have free time in the afternoon to explore however you like. Perhaps visit World Heritage Bryggen area and wander through the reconstructed medieval homes and warehouses, visit the beautifully preserved wooden Hanseatic Museum (a former trade building) or explore the old Hanseatic port area – the Hanseatic merchant confederation dominated Baltic maritime trade for 400 years from the 15th century. Tonight, perhaps join your group for a final dinner at a local restaurant.

Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you would like to spend some more time in Bergen, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.