Today we gather in Toronto for our flights to Sweden.

Welcome to Stockholm, the majestic capital of Sweden. Upon arrival, we are greeted and transferred to our hotel. We have time to unwind or explore the city’s harmonious blend of medieval history and modern elegance before our welcome dinner tonight. 

Clarion Hotel Sign - 3 nights
 

Founded in the 13th century across a cluster of islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea, Stockholm is one of Europe’s best-preserved capital cities. At the Vasa Museum, a warship salvaged after sinking on its maiden voyage in 1628 tells a story of ambition and disaster. We continue to the imposing City Hall, celebrated for its architecture and as the venue for the Nobel Prize banquets. We spend the afternoon wandering the cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan, the city’s medieval Old Town.
 

A scenic cruise along Lake Mälaren brings us to the magnificent Drottningholm Palace. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this royal residence serves as a beautifully preserved example of 17th-century European Baroque architecture. Then, we return to the hotel to refresh before a dinner cruise along the archipelago.

Today we take a short flight to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, where a panoramic city tour introduces us to some of its most recognizable landmarks. The Little Mermaid, a bronze tribute to Andersen’s fairytale that has watched over the harbour since 1913, draws us to the waterfront. Along the way we stop at the massive Gefion Fountain, and Amalienborg Palace, home to the Danish Royal Family. 

Imperial Hotel - 2 nights (BD) 

This morning, we experience Denmark’s countryside as we drive to Hillerød, home to Frederiksborg Castle. Commissioned by King Christian IV in the early 17th century, this Renaissance masterpiece rises from the waters of the Castle Lake. Touring the Museum of National History housed within, we encounter 500 years of Danish heritage preserved in tapestries, porcelain, and portraits. Our journey continues to the coast to the UNESCO Kronborg Castle. This fortress is renowned not only for its strategic command over the Sound but also as the legendary setting of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”.

Explore Rosenborg Castle, originally built as a summer residence for King Christian IV. This royal treasury houses cultural artifacts, including Venetian glass, tapestries, and the three life-sized silver lions guarding Denmark’s Crown Jewels. The afternoon is yours to stroll along the waterfront or the nearby pedestrian-only streets. In the evening, we board our overnight ferry to Oslo.  

Go Nordic Cruiseline - 1 night
 

Early risers are rewarded this morning as we sail the Oslofjord on our way to the Norwegian capital. Once docked, an orientation tour introduces us to the city, and the rest of the day is ours to spend at our own pace. Art lovers may head for MUNCH, the waterfront museum that houses thousands of paintings and drawings Edvard Munch left to the city, among them a version of The Scream. 

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel - 2 nights

Today is dedicated to exploring Oslo’s celebrated museums. The Norsk Folkemuseum, Norway’s largest museum of cultural history, showcases how life has evolved here from 1500 to the present. At the Fram Museum we learn about the daring feats of Norwegian polar explorers like Nansen. The Kon-Tiki Museum is home to the original balsawood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl for his legendary 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean.

We enjoy a leisurely start before heading to Vigeland Park, where Gustav Vigeland spent decades of his life installing over 200 sculptures in bronze, wrought iron and granite. Leaving the capital, we travel north into the rugged heart of Norway. Our route takes us across the vast, tundra-like expanses of Hardangervidda National Park, known as Europe’s largest mountain plateau, before we arrive in the charming ski town of Geilo. 

Ustedalen Hotel - 1 night 

Some of the most dramatic scenery in Scandinavia unfolds today as we traverse the country by rail and sea. We board the renowned Flåm Railway, descending from the mountain station of Myrdal to the village of Flåm nestled deep in the valley. From there, a ferry carries us along the majestic Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord Known as the “King of the Fjords”, to the coastal city of Bergen. 

Clarion Hotel Admiral - 3 nights

Bergen’s maritime heritage comes alive for us at the bustling open-air fish market on the harbourfront, where Hanseatic merchants ran their Norwegian trading operations from around 1350 until 1754. We then ascend Mount Fløyen aboard the Fløibanen funicular for sweeping views over the harbour and the mountains that ring the city. After lunch we visit the Fantoft Stave Church, a faithful reconstruction of a 12th- century church brought here from Sognefjord in 1883 and lost to fire in 1992. The evening is free to wander the cobblestone lanes or find dinner at a local restaurant.

The day is yours to enjoy Norway’s medieval capital at your leisure. Tonight we gather for a special farewell dinner. 

All too soon, our Scandinavian journey comes to an end as we transfer to the airport for our flights home.