Full Scandinavian buffet breakfast daily; 9 three-course dinners, including a dinner at a local restaurant in Helsinki
Itinerary
Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.
Day 1 ARRIVE IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Welcome to Stockholm! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel.
Dinner
Day 2 STOCKHOLM
Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Royal Palace; Riddarholm Church, a walk through the OLD TOWN, and the festive blue and gold chambers in the CITY HALL, where the annual Nobel Prize banquet is held. Choose from our exciting optional excursions to make the most of your stay.
Breakfast
Day 3 STOCKHOLM–COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
Enjoy the Swedish countryside during a comfortable drive south via Lake Mälar and Lake Vättern to Helsingborg. Cross by FERRY to Denmark with views of Hamlet’s Kronborg Castle at Elsinore. Arrive in Copenhagen, proud capital of Denmark.
Breakfast
Day 4 COPENHAGEN. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO OSLO, NORWAY
Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Church of Our Savior and the Stock Exchange on the way to splendid ROSENBORG CASTLE, where some of the crown jewels of Denmark are held. Here, admire the incredible Throne Chair, made from narwhal tusks—the only one of its kind in the world! Drive past the National Museum and the Royal Theater, and stop for pictures of Amalienborg Palace and the LITTLE MERMAID statue. In the late afternoon, board your ship for the overnight KATTEGAT & OSLOFJORD CRUISE to Norway. Dinner will be served on board.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 5 OSLO–BERGEN
After disembarkation, transfer to Oslo train station and board your TRAIN to picturesque Bergen.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 6 BERGEN
Step back in time and explore Bryggen on a guided walking tour along narrow, cobblestone alleyways past colorful wooden houses. Also see the 12th-century St. Mary’s Church, where Hanseatic merchants attended religious services until the 1870s. Balance of the day is at leisure, why not join one of our optional excursions to make the most of your stay?
Breakfast
Day 7 BERGEN–VOSS–FLÅM–NÆRØYFJORD & SOGNEFJORD–STALHEIM
A wonderful day of spectacular scenery: 
ride the FLÅM TRAIN and see the magnificent Kjosfossen waterfall on the way to the village of Flåm. Here, another highlight awaits: a relaxing CRUISE on beautiful Nærøyfjord and Sognefjord. Arrive in Stalheim, overlooking the Nærøydalen Valley.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 8 STALHEIM–BORGUND–OSLO
This morning travel to Borgund and visit the wooden STAVE CHURCH. Dating back to 1180, it is considered the best-preserved and most authentic of Norway’s stave churches. Next is Oslo, capital of Norway and the country’s hub of trade and industry.
Breakfast
Day 9 OSLO
Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the National Theater, considered the home for Ibsen’s plays; the unique Storting building, seat of Parliament; and the Royal Palace, residence of Norwegian monarchs since 1849. Stroll through magnificent FROGNER PARK with Gustav Vigeland’s extraordinary sculptures; and visit the CITY HALL, where the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held each year. Afterwards, an optional excursion is available to see relics of Norway’s glorious seafaring past—including 1,000-year-old Viking ships!
Breakfast
Day 10 OSLO–TROMSØ
Board the plane to Tromsø and arrive in the world’s most northern university city, starting point of many great polar explorers. Here, winters can be hard and summers usually surprisingly warm because of the warm gulf currents and the “Midnight Sun.” During your orientation, visit the ARCTIC CATHEDRAL.
Breakfast
Day 11 TROMSØ–ALTA
Leave the capital of northern Norway and continue your journey northward. Enjoy FERRY CROSSINGS on Ullsfjord and Lyngenfjord, with breathtaking views of the Lyngen Alps and their glaciers. Arrive in Alta, and visit the spectacular ROCK CARVINGS, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 12 ALTA–EXCURSION TO THE NORTH CAPE–HONNINGSVÅG
Drive to Honningsvåg on the island of Magerøya, and continue to the northernmost point of the North Cape, a sheer cliff rising 1,000 feet from the Atlantic Ocean, where the NORTH CAPE HALL with its visitor center is located.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 13 HONNINGSVÅG–KARASJOK–IVALO, FINLAND
Admire crystal-clear streams, sparkling lakes, tundra, and forests as you head south and penetrate deep into beautiful Lapland, as it is called by the natives. Stop in Karasjok, seat of the Sami Parliament, where a highlight visit is included to Sven Engholm’s HUSKY FARM. Sven has led expeditions to Spitsbergen, Siberia, and Greenland, and won the longest sled dog race several times. Enjoy traditional snacks here, then continue to the Sami village of Ivalo for your overnight stay.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 14 IVALO–ARCTIC CIRCLE–ROVANIEMI
Cross the Arctic Circle (66°31’N), and stop at SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE, with a chance to see Father Christmas himself. Receive your Arctic Circle Certificate and continue to nearby Rovaniemi, capital of Lapland, situated at the confluence of the river Kemijoki and its tributary, the Ounasjoki. On an orientation drive see the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto’s Town Hall, the City Library, and the Lappia House.
Breakfast
Day 15 ROVANIEMI–HELSINKI
Spend some time in Rovaniemi before flying to the capital of Finland, Helsinki. This evening, dinner will be served at one of Helsinki’s fine restaurants.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 16 HELSINKI
Guided sightseeing features the City Hall and the Parliament House, the Presidential Palace, the monumental railroad station, the great LUTHERAN CATHEDRAL, the Olympic Stadium, the SIBELIUS MONUMENT, and Helsinki’s local arts and crafts OPEN-AIR MARKET.
Breakfast
Day 17 HELSINKI
A full day at leisure offers the opportunity to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia, known as one of the “Pearls of the Baltic Countries.” Tonight, dinner awaits at the hotel to celebrate your Arctic journey.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 18 HELSINKI–ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
A pleasant drive to St. Petersburg, where you will visit magnificent ST. ISAAC’S CATHEDRALwith a Local Guide. This evening, get a real taste of traditional Russian delicacies, and enjoy a special dinner at your hotel with caviar, blini, pickled cucumber, and vodka.
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 19 ST. PETERSBURG
Guided sightseeing starts with the Winter Palace complex, now home of the world-famous HERMITAGE MUSEUM.
Breakfast
Day 20 ST. PETERSBURG
Travel to Pushkin and visit magnificent CATHERINE PALACE (if closed, visit PAVLOVSK PALACE instead). Balance of the day is at leisure and optional activities are available to further explore this fascinating city.
Breakfast
Day 21 ST. PETERSBURG
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Breakfast