Best of Norway, Sweden, Denmark & Finland in Winter

On an independent tour of Scandinavia, Nordic Visitor takes care of your local transportation, accommodation and excursions for a relaxed self-guided travel experience. This might include trains, cruises and/or internal flights, as specified in the itinerary.

You will follow an itinerary that’s been pre-planned and booked for you before you arrive in Scandinavia. This means you can take advantage of Nordic Visitor’s insider knowledge while exploring the different countries at your leisure.

Ahead of your arrival, you’ll receive personalised information via email, including an itinerary, map and detailed Scandinavia Travel Guide.

During your tour, you’ll always be able to reach us by calling our 24/7 helpline. This gives you peace of mind that we’re just a phone call away as you enjoy your independent adventure.

The transfers between your hotel and train stations, cruise ports or airports are not included with this package.

Usually your accommodation will be within short walking distance from train stations or cruise ports. When travelling to airports for flights between destinations, we recommend taking the convenient local public transport. But you could also get a taxi from your accommodation if you prefer.

Please wait to book flights to Scandinavia until we can confirm your desired travel dates for this tour. This is due to varying availabilities on services included in this package. 

After making a booking with Nordic Visitor, it might take a few weeks to confirm your travel arrangements. We recommend booking your flights once your personal travel consultant gets in touch to confirm your itinerary.

If you have any questions about your flights and itinerary, please contact us for more details.

To find out which dates you can start your trip on, navigate to the "Find your price" section on the tour's page. Under "Tour start date", you'll see a calendar symbol. Select this and you'll see all the available dates to start your tour.

If you can't select a certain day, this means there are no departures available then. In that situation, please get in touch and one of our travel consultants will look into the options for you.

This tour includes the famous Norway in a Nutshell® tour from Bergen to Oslo. This is one of Norway’s most iconic journeys. You’ll travel by train, bus and ferry, seeing beautiful landscapes of steep mountains, frosty waterfalls, shimmering fjords, charming villages and scenic coastline.

The first leg of the journey is from Bergen to Flåm. Then you’ll travel from Flåm to Oslo. The duration of both days will be around 6 hours. 

The connections will be announced and clearly explained in your travel documents. You will receive a ticket with all the information about transfer points and timings with your final travel documents.

You can book an optional luggage transfer for the journey. If you do this, you’ll want a backpack for your daily essentials and one-night stay. Your luggage will be waiting for you at your destination.

If you do not book a luggage transfer, you will have to carry your bags between the train, boat and bus. All connections will be within easy reach and there will be storage available for your luggage during each leg of the journey.

Yes, you can customise this tour online. During the booking process, you can add extra nights to your itinerary as well as optional day trips, excursions and upgrades. 

If you have something specific in mind, get in touch with your travel consultant and they’ll create your dream trip.

Yes, you can fly to Copenhagen instead of taking the train, if you’d prefer. To do this, select the relevant optional extra during the booking process, or contact your travel consultant.

Your travel consultant will select the flights that make the most sense with your itinerary timings.

Please note that this service will come with an additional charge.

After your stay in Helsinki, you’ll travel to Stockholm on an overnight cruise. You’ll depart in the late afternoon and arrive in Sweden the following morning.

We’ll book you cabin accommodation (Comfort Plus or Superior cabin with windows) with private facilities. Breakfast will be included in the morning before docking.

There are 2 ships operating the route, Cinderella or Gabriella. On board both, you will find restaurants, bars and guest activities.

After your stay in Copenhagen, you’ll travel to Oslo on an overnight cruise. You’ll depart in the mid-afternoon and arrive in Norway the following morning.

We’ll book you a private cabin with ensuite facilities and a small window. In the morning before docking in Oslo, your breakfast is included.

There are 2 ships operating the route, Pearl Seaways and Crown Seaways. On board both, you will find facilities such as lounges, restaurants, bars and a viewing deck. There are also daily activities and entertainment to enjoy. 

On your Scandinavian adventure, you’ll stay in accommodation that’s been hand-picked by our travel experts. We’ve partnered with local businesses and selected hotels and guesthouses based on excellent ratings, comfort and our personal experience.

During the booking process, you can select whether you want Comfort Plus or Superior accommodation. Comfort Plus usually consists of standard rooms in good quality and comfortable 3-star hotels. Superior is standard rooms in 4-star hotels combined with superior rooms in premium 3-star hotels.

You will also be able to choose between single, double or triple rooms. Please note that in the Nordic countries room types are based on European standard sizes, which means they are smaller than in North America.

For example, a double bed often consists of 2 single beds pushed together. Twin rooms are 2 separate single beds. Triple rooms include a double bed along with an extra single bed, rollaway or sofa bed. And single rooms are often smaller than the standard double.

If you have anything specific in mind, please contact us to discuss customising your accommodation options.

By booking with Nordic Visitor, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone there for you throughout your trip.

For support and advice during the day, you can call our office. And if anything unexpected happens outside working hours, you can reach us on our 24/7 helpline. 

During your tour, there will always be a travel expert on call to handle any unforeseen situations, such as unusual weather or events.

If you have a passport from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, you won’t need a visa to visit Scandinavia. This visa-free entry is valid for up to 90 days.

Visiting from another country? You might need to apply for a Schengen visa. You can find out whether you require a visa to enter on the Sweden Government website or the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. You’ll need to apply to the consulate of the country where you will spend the most time, or the first country you will visit.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your departure from the region. It’s good to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it.

Travelling with your kids? No problem! You'll be able to enter your children’s ages during the booking process.

For infants (0 to 2 years old), please let us know in the details if you’d like a baby cot.

For kids 3-11 years old, we’ll automatically book an extra bed for your trip.

Scandinavia is a beautiful destination all year long. But it’s good to be aware of a few things before picking the best time to visit for you.

During the summer months, June to August, you’ll have the warmest temperatures and longest daylight hours of the year. This is ideal for outdoor excursions and taking full advantage of your days for sightseeing.

If you’d like to experience the top attractions with fewer visitors around, then you could book a summer itinerary in May or September. These shoulder season months generally have more tour and attraction availability.

Independent tours of Scandinavia are also available during the rest of the year. But please be advised that if you are travelling in late March, April, late September or October, the weather is much milder, especially in Sweden and Norway. That said, there will still be more sunlight at this time of year than in winter.

Choose to travel in winter, November to February, and you’ll benefit from an itinerary of quieter towns and attractions. You can also expect fewer daylight hours, and the addition of snow-dusted mountains as a backdrop. It’s good to remember that in Scandinavia, northern lights can only really be seen from Northern Norway, Iceland, and Lapland.

Christmastime is another magical time of year to visit Scandinavia, with Christmas markets galore. But please note that there are limited opening hours during the holiday season.

Because of its northerly location, Scandinavia has limited daylight in winter.

In Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen you can expect between 6 and 10 hours of daylight. This will be similar in the southern regions of Norway, such as in Oslo and Bergen.

If you visit the north of Norway, you can expect few daylight hours in late autumn and early spring. Then from late November to mid-January, the sun never rises. This is called the “polar night”, which gives you a better chance of seeing the northern lights.

Find out more about time zones and daylight in this guide to time and daylight in Scandinavia.

The short answer is no, you’re unlikely to see the northern lights on our Scandinavian tours. This is unless you travel to the north of Norway, by cruise or plane.

The region above the Arctic Circle line is where you should head to make sure you spot these dancing lights in the night sky. You can check out our northern lights tours of Norway or see if Lapland travel might interest you.

The winter climate across Scandinavia is generally cold and can sometimes be wet.

Copenhagen will have warmer temperatures, being further south. Expect averages between 1–5°C (34–41°F). Stockholm and Oslo share similar weather conditions, with temperatures falling below zero from December on.

If you travel to Bergen, you’ll find it is often less cold than Oslo as the Gulf Stream warms up the west coast. Up north, in the Arctic Circle, you’ll experience temperatures below freezing, around 0 to -5°C (31–23°F).

This is also the time of year where snow starts falling and you’ll be able to admire snow-capped mountains.

Generally, this means you should come prepared with warm, insulated clothes and outer layers to visit Scandinavia in winter.

For more information on the local climate, read the page Scandinavian weather conditions.

Please note that sightseeing is dependent on weather and road conditions. This means that your itinerary might need to be altered if these conditions are not favourable during your visit.

During the winter season, you can expect temperatures below freezing across the Scandinavian countries. For that reason, you’ll want to pack and dress with plenty of layers to keep yourself warm and dry.

Here is an essential winter packing list for your trip to Scandinavia:

• Insulated and waterproof jacket
• Cosy wool or fleece jumpers
• Waterproof (and potentially lined) trousers
• Warm gloves, hat and scarf
• Insulated boots
• A few pairs of thermal socks
• Sunglasses and sunscreen
• Lip balm and moisturiser
• Electronic gear such as smartphone, external powerpack, and travel adapters
• A backpack for easy access to daily essentials
• and don’t forget your camera!

For more information, check out this Scandinavian packing list.

In most major Scandinavian cities and towns you will be able to find coin-operated launderettes, with self-service facilities, and dry cleaners. Most hotels on your trip will also offer a laundry or dry cleaning service for an additional cost.

When you travel with Nordic Visitor, breakfast at your accommodation is always included. For the rest of your meals, the amount of spending money you need will depend on the country you're in and the standard of restaurants you decide to go to.

In Helsinki and Tallinn, we recommend budgeting between 15–20 euros for lunch per person, each day. Dinner at casual restaurants might cost between €25–€40 for a main course. Meanwhile at upscale restaurants, you might expect to spend €70–€100 per person or more.

In Sweden, we recommend budgeting between 150–250 SEK for lunch per person, each day. Dinner at casual restaurants might cost between 300–500 SEK for a main course. Meanwhile at upscale restaurants, you might expect to spend at least 500–800 SEK per person.

In Copenhagen, these numbers will be closer to 150–250 DKK for lunch, 250–450 DKK for casual dinners and upwards of 600 DKK for upscale dining.

For Norway, you’ll want to budget 200–400 NOK per person per lunch. Dinners will be between 400–700 NOK for a main course, and upscale restaurants might charge upwards of 700–1,500 NOK.

These general budgeting tips do not include the cost of alcoholic beverages.

It’s best to book as soon as you can to secure your preferred travel dates. Once you have picked your tour, check the availability calendar to see which months are open for booking. Then, select the date you want and complete your booking.

We recommend waiting for confirmation from your travel consultant to ensure your travel dates are available. You’ll then be able to purchase your flights with confidence.

If you like to plan well ahead of time, you’ll find that it’s possible to book many tours for the following year. And if you have any questions or need advice, you can always contact us.

After booking your tour package online, you will be contacted within 2 business days by your own dedicated travel consultant. They will be your point of contact for all your travel needs before, during and even after your trip. 

We aim to complete bookings within a few weeks. During this time we take care of booking your accommodation, activities, and transport, confirming all parts of your journey. Once this is done, your travel consultant will provide you with all the details of your trip. 

When we get back to you might depend slightly on how far ahead you’ve booked your travels and other tours running at the time. 

No need! Nordic Visitor is already working on offsetting the estimated carbon footprint of your package. We’ve partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to carbon offset all our tours.

Carbon offsetting your international flights is not included, but we highly recommend you look into possibilities with your airline or directly through a local environment fund. 

If you have any questions before your trip, you can get in touch with our Scandinavian travel experts based in Stockholm. The live chat option is useful for getting a quick reply as someone answers live every day during office hours.

Once you’ve booked, we’ll provide you with a travel guide packed full of local tips and top attractions for your visit. You can also check out our online Scandinavia Travel Guide where we’ve compiled useful information about topics, including:

• Which currency is used in the Scandinavian countries and which credit cards are widely accepted
• What kind of electric adapters or converters you’ll need
• Which languages the locals speak (yes, English is one of them!)
• How to get a refund on tax-free shopping
• As well as tipping, buying snacks, and other useful information

After you have booked your tour, it will take a few weeks to confirm its availability. Then we will start the booking process to create your itinerary.

Once your trip details are finalised, we’ll send you e-copies of your travel documents. This will include your personalised itinerary, our Scandinavia Travel Guide and your service vouchers. We recommend printing your tickets and vouchers to bring with you to Scandinavia.

So when do you check in? And what can you expect when you land in Finland?

After picking up your luggage, you’ll make your way to your accommodation. Public transport is easy to access and convenient in Helsinki. Or you could catch a taxi.

Check-in times vary between hotels and guesthouses, but it normally starts between 2–4 PM.

You are welcome to request an early check-in for an additional fee. Although this isn’t always available, you’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel until check-in. Please contact your travel consultant well in advance of your trip if you’d like an early check-in.

When you depart may depend on the time of your return flight. Check out early if you’re heading to the airport for a morning flight. On the other hand, if you’re flying home later in the day, you might like to enjoy a leisurely day or visit one more attraction.

You will usually need to check out from your room around 10–11 AM. If you’re staying in town longer, you will be able to store your luggage at the hotel reception. Simply return later to collect your bags before making your way to the airport.

All bookings are billed in Euro (EUR). Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. This means conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.