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Scandinavia Tours in December

Tour Scandinavia in December for the chance to enjoy winter activities, catch a glimpse of the northern lights, and even meet Santa. You can spend your winter vacation visiting Sweden, Norway and Denmark with an itinerary designed by the experts at Nordic Visitor.

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ITINERARY IDEAS FOR VISITING SCANDINAVIA IN DECEMBER

Would you like to spend a dreamy winter holiday visiting Scandinavia in December?

Our Scandinavia experts – based in Stockholm – are there for you. They can tailor an itinerary to your interests so you can enjoy the best of Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

December is an ideal time to visit due to the great winter and outdoor activities available. With a Scandinavia December itinerary, you could catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis and see snow-capped mountains on an independent experience of the region. You could also explore Finnish or Swedish Lapland.

What’s more, when you book a Scandinavia trip with Nordic Visitor, you get tried-and-tested accommodations, private or public transportation reservations, and many other benefits as part of the package. You also enjoy the personal service of your own dedicated travel consultant.

Keep browsing below to explore trip ideas for your tour of Scandinavia in December.

 

— WHY US?

Why book with Nordic Visitor

  • Experts in tailor-made Scandinavia tours
  • Based in Sweden, Iceland & Scotland
  • Local staff with first-hand Nordic travel experience
  • Dedicated to providing personalised, quality service

DISCOVER THE CAPITALS OF SCANDINAVIA

Hop from one city to the next on the Scandinavian Triangle route, encompassing Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo. Travel around Scandinavia independently by train, plane or ferry.

Norway & Sweden
Best seller
Independent Tours
7 days / 6 nights
Oct - Apr

Capitals of Scandinavia in Winter

Train & Cruise

1466EUR

Eur

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Best seller
7 days / 6 nights
Oct - Apr

1466EUR

EUR

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Norway, Sweden & Denmark
Best seller
Independent Tours
10 days / 9 nights
Oct - Apr

Best of Scandinavia Classic - Winter

Train & Cruise

2555EUR

Eur

View map
Best seller
10 days / 9 nights
Oct - Apr

2555EUR

EUR

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Norway, Sweden, 2 more ...
Best seller
Independent Tours
12 days / 11 nights
Oct - Apr

Best of Scandinavia & Finland Cruise - Winter

Train & Cruise

2919EUR

Eur

View map
Best seller
12 days / 11 nights
Oct - Apr

2919EUR

EUR

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Iceland, Norway, 2 more ...
Best seller
Independent Tours
14 days / 13 nights
Oct - Apr

Best of Scandinavia & Iceland - Winter

Train, Cruise & Minibus

4592EUR

Eur

View map
Best seller
14 days / 13 nights
Oct - Apr

4592EUR

EUR

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SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS THIS WINTER

Experience the wintry landscapes and fun outdoor activities of Scandinavia and the Nordic countries. Get your chance to visit the Arctic Circle, spot the northern lights and go dog sledding.

Sweden
Best seller
Partially Guided
5 days / 4 nights
4.9
Dec - Mar

Classic Lapland Adventure & ICEHOTEL

2341EUR

Eur

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Best seller
5 days / 4 nights
Dec - Mar

2341EUR

EUR

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Norway
Best seller
Cruise
10 days / 9 nights
4.8
Oct - Mar

Northern Lights by Train and Cruise

Tromsø, Flåm & the Fjords

3957EUR

Eur

View map
Best seller
10 days / 9 nights
Oct - Mar

3957EUR

EUR

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Sweden
Partially Guided
6 days / 5 nights
4.9
Dec - Mar

Lapland Adventure - Aurora Sky Station & ICEHOTEL

2991EUR

Eur

View map
6 days / 5 nights
Dec - Mar

2991EUR

EUR

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Sweden
Best seller
Partially Guided
5 days / 4 nights
Dec - Mar

Lapland Adventure - Aurora Sky Station

2096EUR

Eur

View map
Best seller
5 days / 4 nights
Dec - Mar

2096EUR

EUR

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EXPLORE ELSEWHERE IN NORTHERN EUROPE

Looking for another destination in Europe You could journey through Celtic lands in Scotland, explore the stunning scenery of Iceland, or meet Santa in Lapland. You could also see a combination of countries in one go!

Iceland
Best seller
Self-drive
7 days / 6 nights
4.9
Oct - Apr

South Iceland at Leisure - Winter

192292ISK

Eur

View map
Best seller
7 days / 6 nights
Oct - Apr

192292ISK

ISK

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Iceland
Best seller
Self-drive
10 days / 9 nights
4.8
Oct - Apr

Iceland Full Circle Classic - Winter

322972ISK

Eur

View map
Best seller
10 days / 9 nights
Oct - Apr

322972ISK

ISK

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Iceland
Save up to 70000 ISK
Best seller
Guided Groups
8 days / 7 nights
4.9
Sep - Mar

Northern Lights Circle Tour

Iceland's Famous Ring Road

Pace Level Level 2 (Classic)
Activity Level Level 1 (Easy)

514454ISK

479454ISK

Eur

View map
Save up to 70000 ISK
Best seller
8 days / 7 nights
Sep - Mar

514454ISK

479454ISK

ISK

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Scotland
Self-drive
8 days / 7 nights
Nov - Mar

Scottish Highlands & Isle of Skye - Winter

1372GBP

Eur

View map
8 days / 7 nights
Nov - Mar

1372GBP

GBP

Close map view

Scandinavian travel experts

As a travel agency based in the Nordic region, Nordic Visitor knows how to make the most of your time in Scandinavia. We offer a variety of tours — both independent and guided — that include the must-see attractions as well as lesser-known highlights that are hand-picked by our own Scandinavian travel experts. To ensure a stress-free trip, we handle all the local details for you — accommodations, activities, rental car (for self-drive tours), cruise/train tickets and other services.

Oh, and we can customise your itinerary! If you decide you want to add extra nights at a certain location, for example, your personal Nordic Visitor travel consultant will be happy to make suggestions and modify your itinerary.

What do our customers say?

The reviews speak for themselves. See what Nordic Visitor travellers said about their experience with us.

Greg, Australia
Best of Scandinavia - Norway Cruise & Iceland - Winter, November 2023

Highly recommend Nordic Visitor

We loved most aspects of the tour. Liza from Nordic Visitor was fantastic to deal with and everything was brilliantly organised. The detailed itinerary was very useful as were the suggested tips for the visitor. We'd highly recommend Nordic Visitor to anyone thinking of visiting Scandinavia.

William, Australia
Best of Scandinavia Classic - Winter, March 2023

First class

Communication was first class. Selection of accommodation was perfect. Great hotels in good locations.

Karen, United States
Best of Scandinavia Classic - Winter, October 2023

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip

Quite the Scandinavian adventure, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Our enjoyment included the weather, the food, meeting all the people, their accommodation to Americans who only speak English, the cleanliness and ease of paying for things despite 3 currencies.

Maria, Mexico
Best of Scandinavia & Finland Cruise - Winter, January 2023

I would definitely recommend Nordic Visitor!

I was so happy during this entire trip. I wanted to travel to Norway before but I didn't understand how Norway in a Nutshell worked so the itinerary prepared by Irja was just perfect. She was always available to answer all my questions and the hotels and activities planned were perfect and easy for me as a solo traveller. I just had to enjoy each city. I would definitely recommend Nordic Visitor!

Douglas, United States
Best of Scandinavia & Finland Cruise - Winter, October 2023

Relaxing and fun journey

The Scandanavian winter tour package and it's connections made it very easy to see the 4 capital cities and Bergen. There were plenty of suggestions for things to see and do. There was a great mix of cruise and rail segments between cities giving us a chance to see other parts of each country. Staff reserved an extra rail and overnight for us as soon as we asked about it. All in all a very relaxing and fun journey.

Renee, Australia
Best of Scandinavia & Iceland - Winter, January 2023

Terrific

Fantastic tour that included the highlights for each country we visited. I really feel like we have seen the best of the countries with the time we had. The activities were terrific. I felt supported by my tour planner, Irja, as we travelled.

Diana, Mexico
Best of Scandinavia & Finland Cruise - Winter, April 2023

Very good service

Service was very good and the overall itinerary worked really well. Accommodation in the cities was also excellent.

Katya, Australia
Best of Scandinavia - Norway Cruise & Iceland - Winter, December 2022

Very well planned!

Our tour was very well planned! We felt like royalty with all our transfer cars booked! The hotels were well chosen and having breakfast included was such a bonus.

Getting to Scandinavia

Many of Nordic Visitor’s tours of Scandinavia begin in Stockholm, Sweden’s capital and largest city. Stockholm Arlanda Airport is the main gateway for international air travel in Sweden and is served by dozens of airlines. Furthermore, it serves as a major hub for SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) and Norwegian Air.

Here are examples of other airlines that fly to Stockholm Arlanda: United Airlines, British Airways, Air France, EasyJet, Lufthansa, KLM, Icelandair, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways

We recommend checking airline websites directly for flight availability and timetables. You can also use an airfare search engine, such as Skyscanner, Dohop or Kayak, for example.

Flights are not included in Nordic Visitor packages, but all of our itineraries can be customised with extra nights in Stockholm, or another arrival city in Scandinavia, if you’d like to rest up after your air journey.

Different ways you can experience Scandinavia

We have tours for all varieties of travel styles and interests. See our options for exploring Scandinavia below.

WHAT TO DO IN SCANDINAVIA IN DECEMBER?

In December, the Scandinavian countries are well into winter. In the southern cities, such as the capitals, you can expect mild to cold weather and shorter daylight hours.

There are still plenty of things to do in Scandinavia in December. Many museums are open during this time. Cruises between the countries and along the western Norway fjords are available too.

One of our top recommendations for experiencing these Nordic countries in winter is to hop between the capital cities, soaking up the best of Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen in one incredible trip. You could also add on Helsinki in Finland and Reykjavík in Iceland, depending on how much time you have.

In December, you can experience the winter charm of these cities adorned with Christmas lights. Make sure not to miss the must-see Christmas markets for some festive fun. During this time, you’ll also enjoy less crowds at popular attractions such as the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.

If you would rather immerse yourself in nature, there are many outdoor activities available in the countryside. In northern Norway, you could go dog sledding. You could also visit a ski resort or even go ice skating.

If you fancy meeting Santa Claus or staying in the legendary Ice Hotel, you could also head north into Swedish or Finnish Lapland.

Visiting Scandinavia in December is a great idea if you’re looking to experience wintry beauty at a relaxed pace.



Here’s one of our suggestions for a Scandinavia itinerary in December:

Day 1 - Arrive in Helsinki, Finland
After you fly into Helsinki Airport, make your way to the city centre. This first day will give you a taste of Finland. We recommend visiting Senate Square, Uspenski Cathedral and the Old Market Hall to become acquainted with Finnish history and culture.

Day 2 - Visit Helsinki and sail to Sweden
Spend the early part of the day seeing more of Helsinki. The Finnish capital is known for its creativity and was even awarded the UNESCO “City of Design” title in 2012. Some other notable city landmarks to visit include the Finnish National Opera House, and Parliament House.

In the afternoon, you will board an overnight cruise to Stockholm, Sweden’s capital. This is an ideal addition to anyone wanting to experience Scandinavia cruises in December.

Day 3 - Arrival in Stockholm, Sweden
Your cruise arrives in Sweden this morning. You then have the rest of the day to explore Stockholm as you wish. Enjoy some shopping on the well-known pedestrian street Drottninggatan and walk along the cobbled streets of Gamla Stan (the Old Town).

Day 4 - Highlights of Stockholm
You have the whole day to see more of the Swedish capital. We recommend taking a short ferry ride to the nearby island Djurgården, a cultural oasis near the city centre.

Here you’ll find one of Scandinavia’s most popular attractions, the Vasa Museum. You could also visit the Abba Museum and the Skansen open-air museum.

Day 5 - Travel to Copenhagen, Denmark
Today you’ll board a train or a short flight to Copenhagen, the beautiful capital of Denmark. As a taster, you should walk along the colourful Nyhavn harbour. We also recommend strolling along the popular shopping street, Strøget, and grabbing something to eat at Torvehallerne food hall.

Day 6 - Highlights of Copenhagen
Soak up the charms of Copenhagen today. We recommend a walk around the compact city centre. You could visit the stately Amalienborg Palace or Christiansborg Palace, and take a walk to see the famous Little Mermaid statue.

Day 7 - Sail to Oslo, Norway
Spend the morning exploring more of Copenhagen. Why not take in the view of the city from the top of the Round Tower? Later, board an overnight ferry to Oslo. You’ll cruise gently up the Kattegat Sund all the way to Norway.

Day 8 - Explore Norway’s capital city
This morning your ship arrives in Oslo, giving you the day to explore the Norwegian capital. You could learn about the Vikings’ seafaring history at the Norwegian Maritime Museum. You could also visit the Royal Palace or stroll through the beautiful Vigeland Sculpture Park.

Day 9 - Train journey to Flåm
This morning, you’ll board a train from Oslo Central Station to begin the legendary Norway in a Nutshell® experience. This train ride takes you over Norway’s “mountainous rooftop”, through charming villages like Gol and Geilo.

From Myrdal, you’ll embark on the famous Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) for a scenic ride to the beautiful village of Flåm. Enjoy the rest of your day in Flåm.

Day 10 - Sail and bus to Bergen
This morning, you’ll board a cruise along Aurlandsfjord, one of Norway’s western fjords.

You’ll then sail along the World Heritage-listed Nærøyfjord, the narrowest fjord in all of Europe. This is perhaps the most beautiful arm of Sognefjord, with its mighty waterfalls and small farms clinging to the steep mountainsides. It’s especially beautiful in the winter months.

You’ll dock at Gudvangen before continuing your journey by bus through Nærøydalen, with its charming villages and scenic winter landscape. The bus will arrive in Voss, where you’ll continue the tour by train to Bergen.

Day 11 - Discover Bergen
Today you can explore the city often called the “Gateway to the fjords”. Bergen is Norway’s charming second city. Here you can visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bryggen, with its preserved old houses and markets. You could also take the funicular up Mount Fløyen or the cable car up Mount Ulriken for panoramic views.

Day 12 - Depart from Bergen, Norway
Fly back home from Bergen-Flesland Airport, having enjoyed 12 days in beautiful Scandinavia.



What other ideas are there for a Scandinavia tour in December?

If you wish to travel to Scandinavia in December, we recommend an independent or partially guided journey. The perfect place to start your cultural tour is by visiting the capitals of Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. You could even add Reykjavík if you fancy discovering Iceland too.

Prefer a winter wonderland holiday in nature? One of the best places to visit in Scandinavia in December is the Arctic Circle region. Including Northern Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland, these destinations offer you a true Nordic experience in winter.

Step right into the Arctic Circle to see the gems of the north. Visit a Sami village, see the rugged Lofoten Islands, and try dog sledding through the snowy landscapes. You could also see the northern lights, or discover the North Cape, mainland Europe’s northernmost point.

Good to know: Most of our itineraries aren't set in stone, and there are many possibilities to tailor one especially for you. We can modify your tour if you'd prefer to arrive in a different city, spend more free time in one destination than another, or add other stops to your trip.

Just ask your Nordic Visitor travel consultant for advice.



Interested in a Scandinavia road trip?

On a self-drive tour in Scandinavia, you’ll have the freedom to pull the car over at any attractions that 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 should you need to call us at any point.

If you want to take a road trip through Scandinavia, we recommend visiting between May and September. Enjoy the incredible scenery right outside your window, watching how the landscapes shift between Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

You could opt for a circular road trip between Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo, flying in and out of the Swedish capital, for example.



Prefer a guided tour of Scandinavia?

To see the region from a local’s point of view and make some new friends along the way, a guided small group tour of the Scandinavian capitals is an excellent option! These take place between May and August, so book your trip for the summer season to join a group.

A small group tour of Scandinavia offers an enriching experience, allowing you to get the most out of your trip thanks to the expertise of a local tour guide. What’s more, you’ll be travelling alongside 16 people at most, so the trip is still personal for you.

Scroll down to learn more about Nordic Visitor’s services.

 

— OTHER DESTINATIONS

See more of Northern Europe

  • Like rugged nature? Discover Iceland’s jaw-dropping landscapes
  • Would you love a scenic road trip? Venture to Scotland and Ireland
  • Want to experience a winter like no other? Make for snowy Lapland
  • Keen to go off the beaten track? Explore wild Greenland

Our services

Whether you travel by train, cruise ship or car in your Nordic Visitor package, you can expect personal service from your own designated travel consultant and a tailor-made itinerary with quality travel documents. Our self-drive clients also receive a hand-marked map outlining the route, overnight stays and highlights along the way. Furthermore, we have long-standing professional relationships with trusted local tour operators, which are carefully selected by our staff for their high standards of service.

Book with Confidence

  • Protect your money & plans with our flexible booking terms  .
  • 97% of customers say they’d recommend us to friends.
  • We work closely with trusted, high-quality suppliers.
  • Enjoy personal service from Scandinavian travel experts.
  • Get peace of mind with a 24/7 helpline during your stay.
  • We’re here for you in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Contact us

We’re here to help, so get in touch with our friendly team to book your package or add extra nights and activities to an existing booking.

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