Norway, Sweden and Denmark for 32 days!
UPDATE! We’re home after an exhilarating time! Lots of stories, reviews and photos to share soon. We highly recommend adding these places to your travel plans!
Scandinavia, land of the midnight sun.
As you might expect, we’re flying into Bergen, Norway and out of Copenhagen, Denmark (with a brief side trip to Finland!)
…even though the purpose of our trip is a conference in Stockholm, Sweden. Doesn’t everyone do that?
Norway, Sweden, Denmark – Map by FreeWorldMaps.net
We’re SO excited! Here’s how it came about. As soon as we decided to attend the TBEX Europe conference for travel bloggers in Stockholm, Sweden in July, we received a home exchange invitation from a family near Stockholm! Amazing timing – they wanted to visit Colorado for the same dates. After a Skype call and some emails it was all arranged. Their home is on an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago, so for the days of the conference we’ll stay at the host hotel (Radisson Blu Waterfront, but before and after we’ll enjoy exploring their island and the Stockholm area.
UPDATE! The Stockholm family had a minor house fire (no injuries) and they’ve canceled our exchange, SO we’ll explore more of Norway after the conference. Beautiful road trip planned, then we still fly out of Copenhagen. Ideas, please!
So, our 32 day itinerary looks something like this:
Norway: Bergen and Haugesund
Finland: Cruise to Turku, Finland from Stockholm, Sweden
Sweden: Stockholm, including Värmdö
Norway: Oslo, Tonsberg, Gloppen, Molde, and Kristiansund
Denmark: Copenhagen
Your Scandinavia advice, please!
We have a tendency to try to see too much at the expense of slowly enjoying a destination. We could easily make that mistake in Scandinavia. You’ll see how many areas caught our eye just by looking at our Pinterest board. It’s SO beautiful. We would love your advice to be at peace with choosing just a few highlights and savoring the experience in each location.
Norway: What would you do with a week in the Bergen / Haugesund area?
Choosing to fly into Bergen, Norway first was a no-brainer. Neither of us have been there, the photos are stunning and a sweet friend from Colorado now lives south of there (with her Viking husband!) and loves it. She shares stories and photos on her blog: Takkfortipset.com. We have 6 days to explore! Looking for a one-day fjord cruise.
Lodging? 2 nights in Bergen, 3 with friends and 1 more in Bergen-maybe near the airport. Suggestions?
We fly from Bergen to Stockholm.
Stockholm, Sweden: Where to begin? In Finland, of course!
We now have extra days before the conference that would have been at the home exchange, so we found a perfect 35 hour cruise from Stockholm to Turku, Findand! Any advice for our short visit in Turku?
Thanks to the TBEX sponsors and organizers, we’ll then spend a day of relaxing at Djurönäset on the island of Värmdö! Looks lovely. Then back to Stockholm to explore the city, meet interesting travel bloggers and learn more tips to grow on our travel blogging journey. After the conference we enjoy another few days of conference related touring in Skåne (details coming), then back to Norway!
This clever video is deserving of 3 1/2 minutes of your time, I promise.
Yep, back to Norway!
When our home exchange cancelled we considered our options and realized we were sure we’d regret such a short stay in Norway, so we sent a few notes to home exchangers in Norway (and Stockholm, too) and the responses were incredible. Soon, the cancellation was a distant memory and we happily rearranged our trip.
Now, we’ll visit Oslo, Tonsberg, Gloppen, Molde, and Kristiansund (by way of the Atlantic Road!) as a 12 day road trip with Tonsberg as our lovely home exchange base. We’re wide open to your suggestions!
Copenhagen, Denmark: Your advice, please!
From Tonsberg, we’ll take a ferry to Copenhagen, Denmark. We only have about 3 days to explore. Your suggestions?
Lodging: 3-4 nights at a home exchange in Copenhagen.
Here are our Pinterest boards for each area. Aren’t they gorgeous places?
Follow Romancing the Globe Norway board Norway Planning 2016 on Pinterest.
Follow Romancing the Globe Stockholm board Stockholm, Sweden Planning 2016 on Pinterest.
Follow Romancing the Globe Copenhagen board Copenhagen, Denmark Planning 2016 on Pinterest.
10 Comments
Even if you don’t feel like shopping (or have limited time to shop), you have to at least walk into the lobby of the NK department store on Hamngatan … it’s an awesome place! Unless they changed things, go down the escalator to get to the floor where they sell lots of Swedish items (e.g., don’t you need to get Christmas ornaments for your “travel tree”?) 🙂
http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/See–do/Shopping/nk—nordiska-kompaniet/
Östermalm is an affluent borough of Stockholm, consisting of palatial city-blocks combined with vibrant tree-lined boulevards, upmarket shopping and restaurants.
http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/regions–cities/stockholm/shopping-in-stockholm/ostermalm/
I would definitely take a quick stroll through Kungsträdgården on Norrmalm as well … perhaps grab an ice cream from a vendor during the day or have an evening cocktail at the Café Opera. You’ll have great waterfront views from that area as well.
http://www.cafeopera.se/en/
I would definitely make time to take a stroll through the cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan (Old Town), specifically Västerlånggatan.
http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/See–do/Attractions/gamla-stan/
If you would like to have an awesome Swedish culinary experience, I highly recommend going to Ulla Windbladh on Djurgården! I always took my family and friends there whenever they came to visit (and they always loved it)! The link to their website is:
http://www.ullawinbladh.se/en
Wow my hometown is amazing! I didn´t know it was that good compared other cities. I only knew that it is sooo beautiful:) See you on Tbex this summer, gonna be fun to get to know you!
Jeanette, we’re so excited to spend time in Stockholm! Please, let’s make sure to spend time together! It will be a busy, fun time 🙂
If you feel adventurous and enjoy hiking I’d suggest Trolltunga though it’s a bit of a drive (3 hours or so) east out from Bergen. I haven’t gotten around to doing it yet myself but it’s definitely on my to-do list.
Thanks Sandra! I always thought Trolltunga would be a must, but you’re right the distance might not make sense this trip. As much as I’d like to see it ALL, I expect I’ll be mesmerized by the first area we visit and not want to leave. 🙂 Love your new pics of the snow!
Glad you liked the pics and I’m glad I got the few pics of the snow that I did. The temperature is back up and the snow is gone now, likely for the rest of the winter.