Scandinavia Suggested Itinerary

See the Countries of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland with this Tour



Want to avoid the midsummer heat of the Mediterranean? Scandinavia is the place to go. You'll find vibrant cities, stunning landscapes, and you'll get to spend some time cruising the fjords if you follow our suggested itinerary.

Our Scandinavia map shows the itinerary route, which offers a peek at Scandinavian capitals, as well as a ride on one of Europe's most scenic railroads, the Flam line. Speaking of trains, this itinerary is made to take advantage of them so you can gaze longingly at the Scandinavian landscapes.

Scandinavia Map: 2 Week Itinerary

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Starting from Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is one of my favorite cities in Europe. It's a great walking town, and it has a theme park called Tivoli that doesn't have people running around trying to look like giant rodents, so adults can enjoy it, too.

Chances are, it'll be easier to get to Copenhagen for most folks, so our itinerary will start from here. You can do it in any order you want, of course.

You'll want to spend at least three days in Copenhagen. In fact, you'll want to spend at least three days in Each capital, along with on overnight in Flam, if you decide to take that detour.

Top Attractions in Copenhagen

Tivoli Gardens - A garden park dating from 1843, located in the center of Copenhagen and featuring over 40 restaurants, Jazz venues and classical music events and festivals, as well as amusement rides, games and arcades, and midnight fireworks on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. 

Carlsberg Brewery - Take a self-guided tour with beer tasting afterwords.

Nyhavn district - A seafarer's canalside haunt best experienced on a summer's night. Formerly hosting seedy bars, tatoo parlors, and brothels, now a tourist favorite for people-watching in outdoor cafes.

Stroget - The pedestrian strolling area of Copenhagen features shops, restaurants, bars and cafes.

Christiansborg Palace (Christiansborg Slot), the seat of the Danish Parliament. Guided tours through the royal reception rooms and Parliament areas are offered.

Christiania - a "social experiment" with self-government and a democracy based on dialogue replacing majority voting. Christiania was started in an abandoned army baracks in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1971. The current government is not particularly sympathetic with the aims and achievements of Christiania, since soft drugs have been part of the experience.

Top Copenhagen Museums
  • Frihedsmuseet - The Museum of Danish Resistance
  • Glyptotek - Collection of Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman collections. Also Danish and French fine arts from the 19th and 20th century.
  • National Museet (The National Museum) Denmark's cultural history.
  • Royal Copenhagen Factory and Museum. Selection of priceless porcelain.
  • Museum Erotica - Illustrates erotic history from ancient times to our time.
  • Tøjhusmuseet (The Royal Arsenal Museum)
  • Copenhagen Amber Museum - Exhibition of amber jewelry in one of Copenhagen's best preserved houses from 1606.
  • Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Day Trip: Kronborg (Hamlet's Castle) in Helsingør, accessible by train from Copenhagen.

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Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is part of a group of around 30,000 islands, an eye catching city that also features nearly 24 hours of sunshine in summer. 

Bergen Airport, Flesland is 19 km from the center of Bergen. The airport serves some international routes, notably Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London and Riga, as well as local plane and helicopter routes.

Visit the pristinely preserved 13th-century-old Gamla Stan, or Old Town, take a ferry to nearby island Djurgården and be amazed at the pristeen green that doesen't remind you of a city at all, then head over to Stockholm's most visited museum, the Vasa Museet, or Vasa Museum, where you can take a gander at the 17th-century 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. Then, if you've got time left, visit some of the 20 other museums on the island. If you can't decide, here is a list of the 12 Best Museums in Stockholm.

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Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki is reached by ferry, and can be eliminated from the itinerary to shorten it. Finland's capital city is 400 kilometers (250 mi) east of Stockholm, and only 300 km from Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Helsinki is a favorite port for cruise lines, it offers a spectacularly situated harbor and a skyline of pastel houses and church spires.

To get an idea of the unique architecture, take in two free museums, the Helsinki City Museum which connects five buildings and three courtyards, and the Burgher's House Museum, Helinki's oldest wooden buiding, having been constructed in 1818.

Helsinki City Museum is an experience in which the milieu, exhibitions and interiors tell about everyday life in Helsinki in years gone by. The museum comprises five historic buildings, a modern section that connects them, and three courtyards. The result is a wide variety of spaces and atmospheres, heart-warming details and new perspectives on the oldest quarters in the city. Helsinki City Museum reopened in 2016 after a major renovation and has been praised for its visual appearance, child-friendly exhibitions and innovative approach. ~ My Helsinki

To whet your Helsinki travel appetite, My Helsinki also features a beautiful page of the Top 12 sights in Helsinki on Instagram.

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Oslo, Norway

Surrounded by mountains, tightly attached to the Oslofjord, Oslo is set in a stunning landscape in a Scandinavian dream.

Top Things to Do in Oslo

Oslo was named capital of Norway in 1299. The king of the time, King Håkon V, ordered the construction of Akershus, a connected to the fjord through a drawbridge. The complex includes Akershus Slott, the castle, and other buildings still used today, including the temporary office of the prime minister of Norway. It's a very popular tourst attraction where you can learn of the history of Oslo, and it also hosts events such as concerts and public celebrations.

If you like small and somewhat odd museums, and wish to learn more of Oslo's history in the late 1800s, step down into the world of Henrik Johan Ibsen, playwright and theatre director at the Ibsen Museet, the Ibsen Museum.

Vigelandmuseet is both an indoor museum and outdoor exhibition of Gustav Vigeland's 40 years of work in sculpture during the period from 1940 to 1949, comprising over 200 sculptures in granite, bronze and wrought iron. 

Oslo's pale yellow Royal Palace (Kongelige Slott) is also worth a look. Construction of the 172-room palace originally began in 1825 and was completed in 1849. You can get tickets at the palace, but in summer months it's best to get them online.

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Bergen and Flåm

At this point you have a decision to make. After you get to the town of Myrdal you can take the amazing Flåm Railway for an hour from the high mountain plateau at Myrdal down a steep valley to the Aurlandsfjord alongside the destination village of Flåm.

Or you can choose to go on to Bergen, Norway.

We have in depth information on Flåm and a destination article on Bergen on Mapping Europe.


View of Bergen

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View of Bergen, Norway

Things to Do in Flåm

Take time to explore the landscape around the fjord in various ways.

Flam Tours
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Oslo Tours & Things to Do

From fjords to the northern lights in lapland, extend your knowledge of Norway.

Check out Oslo

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Page modified: January 24 2025.