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Helsinki City

Best of Scandinavia & Finland Cruise

Train & Cruise

(12 days / 11 nights)

5.0
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CITY LIFE & NORDIC NATURE

This 12-day tour introduces you to the beautiful capitals of Scandinavia -- Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Helsinki, as well as breathtaking Nordic nature. Explore these modern, yet historical cities by land and sea as you cruise the Baltic Sea from Helsinki to Stockholm, enjoy Copenhagen’s bright harbour, and stroll the bustling streets of Oslo. The tour also includes the popular Norway in a Nutshell® train journey over the mountains to Bergen. Enjoy an exciting ride on the scenic Flåm Railway and catch fantastic fjord views.

Looking for the winter version of this tour?

5.0

12 days / 11 nights

Price p.p. from

The amount will be charged in EUR

Approx 3181 EUR

— Why book with Nordic Visitor

  • Hassle-free & seamless travel experience
  • Tailored tour options
  • Quality & value for your money
  • Trusted local travel experts
  • Great customer reviews
  • Carbon offsetting included

Read more

— Book With Confidence

  • Optional cancellation insurance
  • Affordable deposits from 10%

Terms and conditions apply

Tour Highlights

  • Explore the colourful capitals of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland
  • Board the Norway in a Nutshell® tour for breathtaking landscapes
  • Tour the Finnish capital, Helsinki, and cruise the Baltic sea to Stockholm
  • Taste Scandinavian Cuisine, with local and fresh ingredients
  • Fly from scenic Stockholm to captivating Copenhagen
  • Learn about Scandinavian royalty at castles and palaces
  • Stroll through Norway’s grand capital, Oslo and charming Bergen
  • Enjoy the charms of Swedish Fika in Gamla Stan
  • Relax along Copenhagen’s harbour Nyhavn and visit the Little Mermaid
  • Enjoy the flexibility of a self-guided tour and embark on exciting optional activities

Travel style

Independent Tours i

Interest

Best Seller i, Castles and Royalty i, City Break i, Culture and History i, Fjords i, Honeymoon & Romance i

Season

May - Sep

Departure

Daily

Interest

Best Seller i, Castles and Royalty i, City Break i, Culture and History i, Fjords i, Honeymoon & Romance i

Itinerary

A day-by-day plan to guide your Nordic adventure.

  • Day 1: WELCOME TO FINLAND

    When you arrive at Helsinki Airport, make your way to city centre. Many travellers opt to take public transportation, but we also offer direct private transfers. Take advantage of this first day on your own to discover this Nordic gem at your own pace, and eat at one of the many delicious restaurants. We recommend visiting Senate Square, Uspenski Cathedral, and the Old Market Hall to become acquainted with Finnish history and culture. 

    Spend the night in Helsinki.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 2: EXPLORE HELSINKI & SAIL TO SWEDEN

    Spend the early part of the day continuing to see Helsinki before boarding a cruise to Stockholm. Helsinki is known for its creativity and, in 2012, the city was awarded the UNESCO “City of Design” title, boasting its very own Design District and “design tram route” (Line 6). Some notable city landmarks to visit include Sibelius Park, Finlandia Hall, the Finnish National Opera House, and Parliament House. In the afternoon, you will board the cruise to Stockholm, Sweden’s capital. During your time at sea, take full advantage of the on-board amenities including cafes, restaurants, and shops and spend the night in one of the cruises’ comfortable cabins. 

    Spend the night on the cruise.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 3: SAIL TO SPLENDID STOCKHOLM

    Savour the maritime scenery during breakfast as the ship navigates through Sweden’s Archipelago, a collection of over 30,000 islands and inlets. Upon your arrival in Stockholm, make your way to the hotel and then enjoy some time exploring the city centre. We recommend, enjoying some shopping on the well-known pedestrian street Drottninggatan and taking a stroll in the surrounding area of Östermalm. There you will find numerous shops, cafés, and restaurants for a perfect introduction to Swedish culture.

    Spend the night in Stockholm.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions
  • Day 4: THE CHARMS OF SWEDISH CULTURE

    Today you will explore the heart of scenic Stockholm. We recommend exploring the capital by foot, visiting attractions such as the Old Town (Gamla Stan), where you will find the Royal Palace, the parliament, old churches, beautiful cobble stone streets and medieval houses.

    After some time at Gamla Stan, you can take a short ferry ride to the nearby island Djurgården, a cultural oasis with something for everyone. Here you will find the kitschy Abba Museum, the Nordic Museum, the Gröna Lund amusement park, and the Skansen open-air museum. It is ideal to spend the afternoon here, exploring the grounds and many attractions.

    Spend the night in Stockholm.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 5: TRAVEL FROM STOCKHOLM TO LOVELY COPENHAGEN

    Today you will take a short flight to Copenhagen. After settling in at your hotel, go for a walk along the enchanting old harbour area of Nyhavn, where you will see colourful houses and lively restaurants among the docked boats. Walk the narrow side streets, visit some shops and try out the traditional Danish open-faced sandwich, Smørrebrød. In the evening, visit the amusement park Tivoli Gardens, which has something for everyone. It’s a lovely place to admire the architecture and gardens and to enjoy some carnival rides.  

    Spend the night in Copenhagen.

    *For those interested, we offer the option of travelling by train instead of flight between Stockholm and Denmark. For more details click the optional activities.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 6: A DAY IN CAPTIVATING COPENHAGEN

    You have the whole day to explore Copenhagen. We recommend seeing the city by foot, visiting landmarks like Amalienborg Palace, Christiansborg Palace, and the famous Little Mermaid statue. An optional cruise from the harbour is also highly recommended as you can appreciate the architecture and beauty of the city by water. Next, stroll Ströget street for some shopping and grab something to eat at Torvehallerne food hall.

    Spend the night in Copenhagen.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 7: SET SAIL FOR NORWAY

    Spend the morning touring Copenhagen. Some interesting attractions include the observatory of The Round Tower, the most famous church in Copenhagen, Church of Our Saviour, as well as the impeccable King’s Garden, and the regal Rosenborg Castle. In the early afternoon, it’s time to board your cruise to Oslo, which sails gently up the Kattegat Sund on its way to Norway’s capital city. You can enjoy dinner in one of the restaurants, check out the entertainment on board or just relax and watch the sunset from the deck.

    Spend the night on the cruise.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 8: EXPLORE ENCHANTING OSLO

    After the ship docks, get ready to see the best of Oslo. The city is quite walkable and we recommend exploring by foot and the convenience of public transport. Notable attractions include visiting the Fram Polar Ship Museum and spending some time along the beautiful harbour area. Other highlights include the beautiful Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Royal PalaceAkershus fortress, Oslo City Hall, and Karl Johans street.

    Spend the night in Oslo.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 9: NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL - THE FLÅM RAILWAY

    Get an early start and head to Oslo Central Station, where you’ll begin the Norway in a Nutshell® railway journey towards Bergen, with an overnight stop in Flåm. This train ride takes you over Norway’s “mountainous rooftops”, through charming villages like Gol and Geilo.

    In Myrdal, you’ll switch trains to the famous Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) for an incredible ride to the beautiful village of Flåm. Enjoy a relaxing day in Flåm, where you can follow one of the many hiking trails in the mountains around the village, or participate in an optional activity, such as kayaking, fjord sightseeing or visiting the Stegastein platform.

    Spend the night in Flåm.

    We recommend booking luggage transfer for the travel between Oslo and Bergen.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 10: NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL TO BERGEN

    Today, you’ll board a boat to sail through Aurlandsfjord into 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. The boat docks in Gudvangen, from where you’ll be transported by bus to Voss to board the train for the last stretch of the journey to Bergen.

    Spend the night in Bergen.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions
  • Day 11: THE CAPITAL OF THE FJORDS

    Despite being an international city, Bergen, “The Capital of the Fjords”, has all the charms of a small town. Here you’ll find Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with remarkably preserved old houses, a lively fish and flower market, cable cars offering stunning views, great museums and more.  We recommend riding the Fløibanen Funicular to Mount Fløyen to enjoy the panoramic view of the city or a cable car up Mt. Ulriken. Bergen is also known for its museums dedicated to history within trade and fisheries, architecture, musical art and contemporary art. 

    Spend another night in Bergen.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions
  • Day 12: DEPARTURE FROM BERGEN

    When it’s time for your trip to come to an end, make your way to Bergen-Flesland Airport. You can either take the airport bus from one of the many departure points in the Bergen city centre or you can take a taxi directly from your hotel to Bergen-Flesland Airport. If your flight is in the afternoon, you can choose to enjoy some last-minute shopping, visit one of Bergen‘s many museums or relax at a café, enjoying the last few moments of this amazing journey.

    For those departing from Oslo, we offer direct train transfer back to Oslo. Please keep in mind you might need to book an additional night if your flight is early during the day.

Optional extras

We recommend adding your extra activities to the tour now for the best booking experience and to secure your spot, as activities are likely to sell out.

Map

Here’s a map of your travel route, to help put things in perspective.

Reviews

We don’t like to brag, so we’ll let our happy customers do it for us.

Completely seamless

Very well thought out by Nordic Visitor. Completely seamless for the entire trip with layovers of perfect length. In the two larger cities, the hop on and off bus stop was a block away.

A great experience

Overall, this Best of Scandinavia trip was a great experience, especially Norway in a Nutshell and the full-day fjord trip. Well-planned, with varied modes of travel between countries and good locations for our hotels. Each voucher, ticket and arrangement for every part of our trip was accurate and included in our packet of provided materials. The suggested city touring itineraries were informative; the directions provided for accessing our travels were very helpful.

Loved working with our travel consultant

We love Nordic Visitor and recommend the company all the time to friends and family. This trip, a customised independent tour, was arranged before COVID, and we had to cancel when the borders didn't open in a timely fashion and another planned trip intervened. When we were ready to reschedule, we contacted Ari and he recreated the earlier itinerary. Loved working with him--always responsive and helpful!

Excellent accommodation

We were very happy with all aspects of our trip. The quality of the accommodation was excellent and their locations within the cities was also very good.

Great communication

Easy to book, great "extras", great communication, easy process once we were on the trip to use vouchers and easy to follow directions etc. Already looking to book again.

Everything went according to plan

Everything went according to plan. The variety of transportation was very good. All hotels were clean and in city centres. All breakfasts were excellent and a great start to each day.

Accommodation

Sleep soundly, in the accommodation type of your choice, and wake up ready to enjoy another day of exploration.

Comfort Plus

Standard rooms in good quality and comfortable three-star hotels in combination with charming country hotels.

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Superior

Standard rooms in four-star hotels in combination with Superior rooms in premium three-star hotels.

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Price per person from

The amount will be charged in EUR

Approx 3181 EUR

Tour Information

We recommend that all Nordic Visitor travellers read through the following information about our self-guided tours, travelling with the DFDS ship, boarding flights or trains, and other useful information for your travels.

OUR SELF-GUIDED TOURS
This is an independent, self-guided tour. All accommodation, train, flight, cruise and ferry tickets (as specified in the itinerary) will be pre-booked by Nordic Visitor, but travellers are ultimately responsible for getting to hotels and to any ferry departure points by the specified times.

VIKING LINE CRUISE
The overnight cruise from Helsinki to Stockholm includes cabin accommodation (comfort or quality cabin with windows) with private facilities, and breakfast is included. There are two ships operating the route, Mariella or Gabriella, and each ship can accommodate approx. 2450 passengers. On board you find restaurants, bars and on-board activities.

  • Departure from Helsinki: 17:15
  • Arrival in Stockholm: 10:00

DFDS CRUISE
The overnight cruise from Copenhagen to Oslo includes cabin accommodation (comfort or quality cabin with windows) with private facilities, and breakfast is included. There are two ships operating the route, Pearl Seaways and Crown Seaways, and each ship can accommodate approx. 1800 passengers. On board you find restaurants, bars and activities.

  • Departure from Copenhagen: 14:15
  • Arrival in Oslo: 09:15

WOULD YOU RATHER TAKE THE TRAIN?
If you prefer to travel from Sweden to Denmark by railway instead of flight, then we are happy to arrange that for you. In the summer months the train company is conducting track maintenance work and changes throughout the route might occur and make the journey longer than the standard duration of 5 hours and 10 minutes. The train tickets might not be bookable until 30 days prior departure, in the meantime we will book the rest of the travel arrangements for you. Please select the train option during the booking steps online if preferred.

NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL® TOUR

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

The first leg of the journey is from Oslo to Flåm. Then you'll be travelling from Flåm to Bergen. 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.

There are places to store your luggage whether you are travelling by bus, train or ferry. Be aware that if you do not book in advance optional luggage transfer, you have to carry your luggage yourself from train to bus to boat etc.

WHAT TO PACK

  • If booking the additional luggage transfer - an overnight bag for the stay in Flåm
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Comfortable shoes
  • Umbrella
  • Light gloves, hat and scarf
  • Camera
  • Lip balm and moisturiser
  • Sunglasses and sunscreen

CURRENCY RATE
All bookings are charged in Euros (EUR). Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. Therefore, conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.

AFTER BOOKING WITH NORDIC VISITOR
After booking your package with Nordic Visitor, you will be contacted within two working days by one of our travel consultants, who will serve as your dedicated contact person for all of your travel needs before, during and even after your holiday. Your travel consultant will provide you with details about your booking and your remaining payment (if not paid in full). You will also receive more information about what to expect during your holiday.

CARBON OFFSETTING YOUR TOUR
Nordic Visitor is 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.

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