Fabulous Scandinavia: The Perfect Destination for “Something Different”
From Copenhagen to Helsinki and many places in between—Bergen, Oslo, and Stockholm among others—Scandinavia is a fabulous destination to consider when speaking with your guests.
In Copenhagen, guests will find themselves surrounded by well-kept promenades and fascinating cultural highlights. Driving towards City Hall Square, where the famous pedestrian street Stroeget begins, guests pass by Tivoli Gardens and onwards, reach the New Carlsberg Glyptotheque and the National Museum. Next is the Old Stock Exchange and the Naval Church, followed by the King’s New Square, the home of the Royal Danish Theatre and its world-famous ballet. Fabulous vistas come up on the stretch through the old canal area, Nyhavn, with its picturesque houses and boats. The impressive Gefion Fountain, the royal residence, Amalienborg Palace, Christiansborg Palace, and Rosenborg Castle, which houses the Crown Jewels, are all easily accessible when touring through the city’s highlights. A final stop, highly recommended, is by the landmark of Copenhagen, the statue of the Little Mermaid.
Guests spending time in Oslo can easily tour the spectacular Norwegian countryside on a day-trip from the capital. From Oslo, a drive across Hønefoss and Nesbyen through a delightful landscape changes between pine forests and lakes until guests arrive in the beautiful Hallingdal Valley. From here, it is easy to proceed through the small towns of Gol and Geilo, the latter being one of Norway’s first alpine resorts. A little over an hour later guests can arrive at Hardangervidda to visit the impressive Voringfossen waterfall. On the west side of the country, Bergen, known as the capital of the fjords and Norway’s second city, presents itself as fabulously quaint town with colourful traditional houses surrounded by water on one side and mountains on the other.
Stockholm, capital of Sweden, is another treasure your guests will come to appreciate in short order. Even a standard sight-seeing tour is an awakening; a 3-hour sightseeing tour reveals that much of Stockholm is situated on the water, stretching across fourteen islands, connected by 57 bridges and continuing along the banks to the archipelago where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. Not surprisingly, the locals call it “Beauty on Water.” The city also embraces the unique character of an old 13th-century town with modern high-tech architecture. Encourage guests to travel past highlights such as the historically significant City Hall, best known as the place where the Nobel Prize festivities are held each year, and Gamla Stan, the Old Town, which will surprise and delight with its medieval atmosphere. The drive to Fjällgatan on Södermalm is a great finale to any day-trip, offering incredible views over the Old Town, the museum island of Skeppsholmen, and the island of Djurgården, the most-visited tourist destination in Stockholm.
Finally, Helsinki, the capital of Finland known as “The Daughter of the Baltic Sea,” is host to significant highlights such as the Senate Square, the University and the Lutheran Cathedral, the Parliament Building, and Finlandia Hall. The Orthodox Russian Church Uspenski, as well as the colourful Market Square and the Rock Church—carved into solid rock—are also excellent sites to visit. Away from the city centre is Kaivopuisto Park, one of the oldest and most loved parks in Helsinki. Situated on the southern tip of the peninsula, its terrain is quite varied, including long winding paths, lined by ancient trees and splendid views to the sea.
With a host of outstanding attractions, gorgeous landscapes, warm and welcoming locals, and exceptional hotels, travel to Scandinavia should never be far from top of mind for worldly travellers looking for “something different.”
To begin planning a trip to Scandinavia for your guests, please check out our current offerings, or better yet, give us a call at 1-800-557-2841 to speak with a Destination Specialist.
