Grand Tour of Scandinavia 20 Day tour from $3806

an Insight Vacations luxury tour

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Tour Highlights

Hotels

A selection of modern well appointed hotels in the cities, like the Radisson Scandinavia in Copenhagen & the Radisson Plaza in Oslo, and traditional smaller  scale hotels in the more remote areas of the north like the Rica Hotel Honnogsvag in the North Cape.

Fellow Passengers

This tour particularly attracts the seasoned traveller who wants to journey to Lappland and see the Land of the Midnight Sun, combined with visiting all the Scandinavian  capital cities. It also appeals to those with a Scandinavian ancestry.

Highlights

The remote and magnificent scenery of the North Cape and that chance to see the  Midnight Sun. The cruise on the Geiranger Fjord in Norway and the visits to see  the Wasa Galleon & the Viking Long Ships Museum.

Excursions & Sights

• Evening visit to Tivoli Gardens & see Copenhagen's Little  Mermaid
• Visit Copenhagen's Christiansborg and see the Rosenborg & Amalienborg  Palaces
• Visit the Gold Room in Stockholm's City Hall and see the Royal Palace and Cathedral
• Visit Helsinki's 'Church in the Rock' & Sibelius Monument and see  the Finlandia Hall
• Ascend the Kuopio Viewing Tower for spectacular views
• Visit the  Cathedral & architect Alvar Aalto's Lapponia House in Rovaniemi
• Receive an Arctic  Circle certificate & visit Lappland's oldest church and a folk museum
• See the  Midnight Sun (deps 09 May-11 Jul) from Europe's most northerly point
• Visit Laksfoss Falls and the village of Hell
• See Lom's Stave Church
• See Trondheim's Cathedral  - coronation place of Norway's Kings
• See the 1994 Winter Olympic sites in Lillehammer
• See Akershus Castle, Royal Palace & visit the Vigeland sculptures in Oslo's  Frogner Park
• See Hamlet's Kronborg Castle
• Visit Kekkonen National Park

Scenic Drives - Peer Gynt Valley, Rago National Park  & Norwegian Fjordland

Guided City Tours

In depth sightseeing tours with expert local guides in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Rovaniemi & Oslo.

Orientation tour in Trondheim

Insight's First Class Services

• Escorted by a professional Tour Director
• Luxury air-conditioned coach with onboard toilet
• First Class hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Complimentary arrival transfer on Day 1 and departure transfer on Day 20

Quality Dining

Highlight Dinner on our overnight cruise to Helsinki

19 buffet breakfasts and 11 three course table d'hote  dinners, or buffets, plus tea or coffee.

Tour Itinerary

Tour Pace

This tour is well paced with two night stays in Copenhagen, Rovaniemi, Narvik, Geiranger & Oslo. There are one night stays in the more northern regions with magnificent driving days with frequent stops both for refreshment & for wonderful  photo opportunities.

DAY 1 SUN - COPENHAGEN AT LEISURE

There are complimentary transfers from Copenhagen Airport to your tour hotel.  Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Drink and dinner at your hotel, followed by a visit to the Tivoli Gardens. Hotel: Radisson SAS Scandinavia. (D)

DAY 2 MON - COPENHAGEN SIGHTSEEING

This morning we go down to the harbour to greet Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid. Then a highlight visit takes us inside Christiansborg (Danish Parliament).  We also see the Rosenborg and Amalienborg Palaces and the Renaissance Stock Exchange. Later, perhaps join a tour through the Danish countryside? (BB)

DAY 3 TUE - COPENHAGEN - STOCKHOLM

We drive to Elsinore to see Hamlet's Kronborg Castle, then our ferry crossing  takes us to Sweden. We drive along Lake Vattern before arriving in Stockholm, set  on 14 beautiful islands. Hotel: Scandic Alvik. (BB)

DAY 4 WED - STOCKHOLM - OVERNIGHT CRUISE

With our local guide we visit the City Hall's 'Gold Room', then into the medieval  Old Town to see the cathedral. Now we visit the 17th century Wasa Galleon, one of  the greatest attractions of Northern Europe. We then embark on our Baltic cruise  to Finland. Tonight, on board, we enjoy a highlight dinner! (BB,HD)

DAY 5 THU - HELSINKI SIGHTSEEING

We disembark in the heart of Helsinki, to visit the 'Church in the Rock' and Sibelius Monument. We also see Finlandia Hall, the Russian Orthodox church and the  lively market. Hotel: Radisson SAS Plaza. (BB)

DAY 6 FRI - HELSINKI - KUOPIO

Today we travel through a land of beautiful lakes and forests. This afternoon  we enjoy an ascent of Kuopio Viewing Tower to find out why Finland is called the land of a thousand lakes! Hotel: Scandic Kuopio. (BB,D)

DAY 7 SAT - KUOPIO - ROVANIEMI

On towards the Arctic today – into Lappland, the home of the Sami people. We stay in Rovaniemi tonight, modern capital of the region. Hotel: Scandic Rovaniemi. (BB,D)

DAY 8 SUN - ROVANIEMI SIGHTSEEING

We visit Aalvar Aalto's Lapponia House and Cathedral. Later, maybe view  the open air museum, and then this evening, perhaps try a traditional Lapp dinner? (BB)

DAY 9 MON - ROVANIEMI - IVALO

We look out for Santa Claus as we cross the Arctic Circle today, and receive a certificate to prove it! On we go to the oldest church in Lappland, and may see  herds of reindeer roaming freely. Then through Europe's last great wilderness on  our visit to the National Park, near the gold centre of Tankavaara. Hotel: Ivalo. (BB,D)

DAY 10 TUE - IVALO - NORTH CAPE

We cross the rolling tundra into Norway where we visit a Lapp folk museum and  stop at Karasjok, a centre of Lapp culture. Then on to the North Cape. Our hotel  is in Honningsvag on Mager Island, from where tonight we journey to the northern  most point of Europe in search of the Midnight Sun. Hotel: Rica Hotel Honnigsvag. (BB,D)

DAY 11 WED - NORTH CAPE - ALTA

We return to the mainland, travelling through the stony, near-deserted Finnmark  to Alta, situated on one of the world's richest salmon rivers. Hotel: Rica Alta. (BB,D)

DAY 12 THU - ALTA - NARVIK

We pass the fjord where the battleship Tirpitz hid out in World War II, before travelling through some stunning northern scenery. Past mountains, fjords and fishing  villages to Narvik. Hotel: Grand Hotel Royal. (BB,D)

DAY 13 FRI - NARVIK AT LEISURE

A day at leisure to perhaps visit the War Museum, go fishing or maybe take a superb mountain train into Sweden for the afternoon? (BB)

DAY 14 SAT - NARVIK - MO-I-RANA

We take a ferry across Tyssfjord and pass Rago National Park, its fjords cutting deep into the landscape. We bid farewell to the Arctic before reaching Mo-I-Rana,  at the head of Ranafjord. Hotel: Rainbow Holmen Hotel. (BB,D)

DAY 15 SUN - MO-I-RANA - TRONDHEIM

Leaving Mo-I-Rana, we drive through Namdal. Then on to the Laksfoss Falls to look out for leaping salmon. Now to the village of Hell, and then to Trondheim to  see the cathedral. Hotel: Radisson SAS Royal Garden. (BB)

DAY 16 MON - TRONDHEIM - GEIRANGER

Our route takes us across the Dovre Mountains which form Norway's oldest National Park. We arrive at Geirangerfjord to embark on a spectacular highlight  cruise beneath towering cliffs and waterfalls. Our hotel is in a superb setting overlooking the spectacular beauty of the Norwegian Fjord landscape. Hotel: Union. (BB,D)

DAY 17 TUE - GEIRANGER AT LEISURE

A day of relaxation amid the fjords and mountains; scenery so lovely that words  cannot do it justice. Perhaps take an excursion along the Trolls' Road? (BB,D)

DAY 18 WED - GEIRANGER - OSLO

Now we travel to Lom where we see the Stave church. We continue through the Peer Gynt Valley to Oyer where we see the world's largest Troll, before stopping in Lillehammer, to see the 1994 Winter Olympic sites. Now on to Oslo. Hotel: Radisson SAS Plaza. (BB)

DAY 19 THU - OSLO SIGHTSEEING

Our sightseeing tour today includes the Akershus Castle, the Royal Palace and  the Viking Long Ship Museum. We also visit Frogner Park to see the controversial  Vigeland Sculptures. This afternoon we are at leisure to explore the city at our  own pace. (BB)

DAY 20 FRI - OSLO

Our tour ends with a transfer to Oslo Airport. (BB)