Hi all. We are planning a trip for 2017 (sometime during the summer / early fall, but exact time TBD and open to suggestions). We would like to go to Denmark (Copenhagen) and either Norway or Sweden.
Neither of us know anything about these countries - don’t really know how to choose between Norway and Sweden for the second country (Oslo and Stockholm look equidistant from Copenhagen) nor do we know enough to put together a credible itinerary or even what is the best way of getting around (plane, train, automobile).
Assume the trip is 10 days long and that we can fly into one city and out the other. We like cities and museums and cultural sights, but are also physically fit and open to walks, hiking, etc.
I am quite sure you all are a wealth of information so go for it!! Thanks!
I would try to add on a few days and try to explore all 3 countries, especially if you think you may not have another opportunity to get back there. They are all fascinating and wonderful
places to visit., Very scenic , people are friendly, and most speak English, lots of interesting museums, ruins, palaces, gardens, etc.
Agree that exploring all three would be amazing for you, but if you must choose, my personal choice would be Norway. The beauty of this country is beyond words (oh, those fjords!), and the culture & history (Vikings!) is just super interesting. But if you are more of a city mouse, then Sweden (and Stockholm) might be a better choice for its museums, people, and maybe more sophisticated feel. My 2 cents. Enjoy, and say hello to my Danish relatives
P.S. if you are traveling with a son, the Norwegian women are absolute knockouts!!
Staying beyond 10 days is not feasible, unfortunately, and I would rather get a good sense of 2 countries than get a too-rushed sense of 3.
sevmom - I already knew that these were fascinating, wonderful, scenic, and friendly, with lots of interesting museums, ruins and palaces, and I wasn’t worried about the English. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been interested in the first place! What I was really hoping for was more specifics on places to see (and places or sights that might be overrated), pros / cons of Norway vs Sweden so I can make an informed decision, ease of traveling and best travel method from one to the other, is there a “detour” that’s worth taking, other considerations I wouldn’t have thought of. So we’ll see how this unfolds!
I am going back in 2018 so I will follow along. -f I had to choose I would choose Oslo and Bergen over Stockholm. I have family in Denmark and Finland so I may very well have to pick between the two also because of time.
My grandmother was Swedish and I was most interested in visiting there of the three. Stockholm is a vibrant , walkable city. However, if I absolutely had to choose between Norway and Sweden, I’d probably pick Norway. I really enjoyed Bergen, especially Troldhaugen, the Edvard Grieg Museum. Very intimate and poignant. It was a highlight.
I haven’t been to Norway but I’ve been to Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. If choosing between Stockholm and some other city I’d choose Stockholm just for the Vasa Museum alone.
The Vasa is a Swedish warship from the 17th century that capsized and sank, more or less intact, and has been raised and mounted in a museum. It’s the most visited museum in all of Scandinavia. If you like either historical stuff or nautical stuff, the Vasa is not to be missed.
I’ve only been to Sweden of the 3 countries so I’m a bit uneven here. There is a bridge that connects Denmark and Sweden, not sure how cool it might be to travel that way or if that is interesting to you. If you did, you could hit the glassworks which tend to be in the south in Sweden.
I wonder if you could also travel by boat from Copenhagen to Stockholm, with a stop at Visby on the island of Gotland along the way. I think Gotland is 5 hours by ferry from Nynasham, which is just south of Stockholm. Visby hit it’s stride during the reign of the Hanseatic League and the island is known for its stone labyrinths that were built at that time.
Stockholm is a wonderful and easy city. Full of water and islands, free of crime. I didn’t much like the Vasa Museum but I like most things on the Djurgarden, especially Skansen (which is like a cultural park) and Rosendals (an old royal palace and garden that is now an organic garden, farm, sculpture park, and restaurant). Most people don’t get as far as Rosendals, unless they’re locals. You can take a special “coffee trolley” to the Djurgarden if you time it right. The Swedes love their cardamom, which was first brought back by the Vikings, and they put it into coffee as well as pastries.
I also love going up the tower in City Hall and wandering around Gamla Stan (the oldest part of the city). If you go to Stockholm, you want to get out on the water somehow, maybe just taking a ferry around to some royal island.
I enjoyed the Vasa Museum and Skansen in Stocklom., just walking around the old part of the city. In Copenhagen, I really enjoyed Tivoli Gardens. It was cool to walk around a small amusement park with old world charm in the middle of the city. There are lots of places. to eat there as well.
Maybe look into rail and ferry travel for getting around, depending on what countries you end up going to. Fly into one city and back from another.
Yes, that’s part of what I asked upfront – Does anyone have any opinions / suggestions / recommendations / cautions for rail vs ferry (vs private car for that matter) between the various destinations?
Same as @sevmom, liked the Vasa & Skansen, and also some of the museums in the older part of the city. There is a Nobel museum – we did not find that worthwhile – not enough info on what they won the Nobels for. Could have been a great museum, but it wasn’t…
We took an overnight ferry into Stockholm from Helsinki. I can take or leave Helsinki, but loved taking the boat through the archipelago outside Stockholm-- lovely. We also spent a night on Visby near Stockholm. We didn’t have a car for any of this, used public transit and it worked fine.
I am only accustomed to driving in Denmark. It’s a breeze. Another thing you might consider is taking a day trip on rented bike out to the countryside around Copenhagen. Denmark is even more of a bike friendly country than the Netherlands. Zealand is gorgeous in the summer. And, added summertime bonus, it stays light for up to 20 hours.
Even if you concentrated on going to Copenhagen and Oslo, you could end up still going through the western part of Sweden if you were in a car ( or possibly train ?) , going through Gothenburg (Goteborg) Sweden. You would not see Stockholm , in the eastern part of Sweden, but you could at least get a taste of Sweden. In terms of Norway, Oslo to Lillehammer ( Olympic site, cute town ) , to Geiranger (fjords), to Bergen and back to Oslo could be an interesting loop.
Tagged along with my H to Copenhagen (he was at a climate conference); I thought it was a great city and would recommend visiting. There is quite a bit to see and do and it is very easy to travel around the city and beyond. I took buses everywhere. If you go, PM me–happy to share information.
I just looked on Google maps. It looks like it’s only a few hours drive (6 or so) from Copenhagen to Oslo (through Malmo, Sweden and then up through Goteborg and into Oslo). I believe Malmo has had problems with crime . But, Goteborg is interesting, even if just driving through. I still remember a tour guide saying that Goteborg is where most immigrants from Sweden would have left from when coming to America. So, possibly where my maternal grandmother’s family left from The Volvo Museum is there if you’re into cars. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/sweden/gotaland/goteborg
I know that adding on a few days is not an option, but if you’re up for it, I would still suggest you do all 3 in 10 days. Personally, I would also forgo the car. My suggestion would be:
Day 1 - 2: Copenhagen
Day 3: Copenhagen, overnight ferry to Oslo
Day 4 - 5: Oslo
Day 6: Train to Bergen (Norway in a Nutshell), Bergen
Day 7: Bergen, fly to Stockholm
Day 8 - 10: Stockholm
