WHAT TO SEE ON A 9-DAY TOUR OF SCANDINAVIA?
The countries that traditionally constitute Scandinavia include Sweden, Norway and Denmark. It’s ideal to visit these countries in one holiday as they all share a similar cultural heritage and are well-connected via modern motorways, railways and waterways. With comfortable travel by train and ferry, you can enjoy a blend of Scandinavian countryside scenery and city sightseeing.
With 9 days in Scandinavia, it’s possible to travel to the core capitals of Scandinavia -- Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen -- at a comfortable pace.
Here’s our top suggestion for a 9-day Scandinavia itinerary, a popular "Golden Triangle" route that covers the capitals of Sweden, Denmark and Norway:
Day 1 - Arrive to Stockholm, Sweden
Fly into Stockholm Arlanda Airport and head to your hotel in the city centre. Spend some time walking through Gamla Stan (The Old Town) and enjoy a real Swedish coffee break, with a nice pastry of course, at one of the local cafes in this medieval neighbourhood. Or, hop on a city sightseeing tour by bus or boat to get a relaxing overview of this sophisticated city.
Day 2 - Full day in Stockholm
Relax and explore Sweden's capital today. Fun fact: Stockholm is a city built over 14 islands! Today is a great opportunity to explore some of them. One we recommend in particular is Djurgården, a tranquil green oasis that’s home to numerous attractions, including the popular Vasa Museum, the ABBA Museum, the Gröna Lund amusement park and the Skansen open-air museum.
Day 3 - Take the train to Copenhagen, Denmark
Head to Stockholm Central Station after breakfast and board the train for Copenhagen. Enjoy views of southern Sweden’s idyllic countryside, with colourful little timber cottages, on the way. Once in Denmark’s capital, take a walk down the city’s popular Strøget shopping street for some good people-watching. Save room for the delicious Danish food, too!
Day 4 - Full day in Copenhagen
Take in the sights of Denmark's capital today. Take a canal tour for a relaxing overview of this historic city, or be like the bicycle-loving Danes and rent a bike to get to the attractions. Make sure to check out the beautiful Amalienborg Palace and Christiansborg Palace, as well as the colourful Nyhavn harbour and the Little Mermaid. Or, spend a few hours -- or the whole day! -- enjoying the rides and games at Tivoli Gardens, one of the world's oldest amusement parks.
Day 5 - Overnight cruise to Oslo, Norway
Enjoy some more Copenhagen sightseeing. For a good workout, walk up the winding spiral ramp of the 17th-century Rundetårn (Round Tower), and reward yourself with a great view at the top. Or, head over to the west side of town to take a tour of the historic Carlsberg Brewery, and reward yourself with a beer tasting at the end. Later you'll head to Oslo on an overnight cruise.
Day 6 - Explore Norway’s capital city
After your ship arrives early in the morning, the whole day is yours to roam Oslo. Stroll along the bustling Aker Brygge waterfront area, where you can find numerous cafes and visit the nearby Akershus Fortress. You can also spend some time walking around the amazing sculptures at Vigeland Park, dedicated to the famous works of Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland.
Day 7 - Full day in Oslo
Into history? Head to Oslo’s Bygdøy peninsula to learn about the country's seafaring history. You could visit the open-air Norwegian Folk Museum, the Kon-Tiki Museum and the Fram Museum, with interesting exhibits about Arctic expeditions. In other areas of Oslo you can visit the Holmenkollen Ski Museum and Ski Jump Tower or, for art fans, the Munch Museum.
Day 8 - Oslo to Stockholm by train
In the morning after breakfast, take the train from Oslo Central Station to Stockholm. Back in Sweden’s charming capital, take some time to check out attractions you missed on day one. Why not stroll over to see the stately City Hall, where the Nobel banquets are held, before finding a nice place for dinner.
Day 9 - Depart from Stockholm
Fly back from from Stockholm Arlanda Airport and make your friends jealous with all your great vacation photos!
WHAT ARE OTHER IDEAS FOR A 9-DAY SCANDINAVIA ITINERARY?
Want to add a Norway in a Nutshell tour to your Scandinavian trip to see the fjords? This journey between Oslo and Bergen in Norway is -- at minimum -- a full day trip, not to mention all the extra time you’ll want for exploring the gorgeous city of Bergen and the nearby natural attractions. So factor in a few extra days to the above itinerary if you want to spend some time on Norway's west coast. With so many natural attractions in Norway, you could easily spend half -- or all -- of your 9-day tour in that country alone.
Want to extend your tour to Finland and Estonia? With 9 days in Scandinavia, you could sail around the Baltic Sea, with overnights in Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn -- giving you a little East-meets-West itinerary. See how Scandinavian influences blend with Finnish, Estonian and Russian cultures. With a few extra days you could also fit St Petersburg, Russia into that Baltic route.
Good to know: Our itineraries aren't set in stone, and there are loads of possibilities for customised routes! We can modify the itinerary if you'd prefer to arrive to a different city, spend more free time in one city than another, or add other towns to your trip. Just ask your Nordic Visitor travel consultant for advice.
Want to take a 9-day Scandinavia road trip?
On a summertime self-drive tour in Scandinavia, you’ll have the freedom to pull the car over at whatever attractions catch your interest. The best part? You won’t have to worry about where you’re going or sleeping, because your Nordic Visitor travel consultant has already sorted those local arrangements for you. You’ll also have access to our 24/7 emergency helpline if you find yourself in a spot of trouble on the road.
A 9-day road trip through Sweden, Denmark and Norway will be similar to the train-cruise itinerary we listed earlier. Of course, in addition to overnights in the capital cities you'll also spend a few nights in smaller towns and rural areas. See an example below:
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Day 1 – Arrive to Stockholm Airport.
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Day 2 – Pick up rental car and drive through southern Sweden. Overnight in Kalmar area of Sweden.
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Day 3 – Overnight in Ystad area of Sweden.
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Day 4 – Overnight in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Day 5 – Overnight on the ferry to Oslo, Norway.
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Day 6 – Overnight in Oslo.
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Day 7 – Drive back towards Stockholm. Overnight in Örebro area of Sweden.
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Day 8 – Drop off rental car and spend the night in Stockholm.
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Day 9 – Depart from Stockholm Airport.
If you want to slow down the pace and take in more Scandinavian attractions, we highly recommend extending your Scandinavia self-drive tour to 10 days or more. All of Nordic Visitor’s Scandinavia self-drive tour packages can be tailored by our local experts with extra nights at select locations or modified driving routes if you have any particular attractions in mind. Just contact us to ask.
Want to join a guided tour of Scandinavia?
To see Scandinavia from a local’s point of view… and make some new friends along the way, a guided small group tour of the Scandinavian cities in summer is a great option! To fully appreciate the top attractions of Denmark, Sweden and Norway, we recommend extending your travel time to at least 10 days. This extra time will allow you to travel at a comfortable pace and enjoy Scandinavia’s number one attraction -- the Norwegian fjords.
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