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Classic
Scandinavia
11 Nights / 12 Days
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Day
1
Denmark
Depart Mumbai to Denmark. Arrive and transfer to your hotel.
Balance of the day at leisure. This evening, enjoy a welcome
dinner and orientation (D): COPENHAGEN.
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Day
2
Copenhagen
Today, enjoy a city tour of Copenhagen. View the Tivoli Gardens,
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, the colorful canal district, National
Museum and Christiansborg Palace, seat of the Danish Parliament.
Continue to the Old Stock Exchange with its dragon-tail spire
to see the 19th century Royal Danish Theatre, home to The Royal
Theater Company, Royal Danish Opera and Royal Danish Ballet.
The Royal Theatre houses two main stages: the New Stage and
Old Stage, which dates to the Theatre's inception, and whose
ceiling is adorned with the famous Nine Muses by Constantin
Hansen. View the harbor district of Nyhavn and Amalienborg Palace,
winter residence of the Royal Family, as well as the changing
of the Guard (when held). Visit the Gefion Fountain, designed
and erected in 1908 by Danish artist Anders Bundgård,
as well as The Little Mermaid statue, inspired by Hans Christian
Andersen's fairytale. Take the remainder of the afternoon to
explore the city on your own (B): COPENHAGEN.
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Day
3
Copenhagen Oslo
Morning at leisure in Copenhagen, or choose an optional castle
tour in the Danish countryside. Begin with a visit to Frederiksborg
Castle, the largest Dutch Renaissance palace in Scandinavia,
begun by King Frederick II in 1560. Situated on three small
islands in the Palace Lake, the castle is bordered by a Baroque
formal garden, used today for open cultural events such as art
exhibitions, concerts and plays. While at the castle, view the
Chapel of Orders, the Rose, Knight's Hall and the Museum of
National History, housed in the castle since 1878, and home
to Denmark's most important historical paintings and portraits.
Continue on through Denmark's Northern Zealand region for a
view of the Royal Family's summer residence, Fredensborg Palace.
From here, travel to Elsinore for a chance to see the outer
walls and towers of Kronborg Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, and the setting of Shakespeare's famous tragedy Hamlet,
Prince of Denmark ($63). Afterwards, transfer to the port for
an overnight cruise to Oslo. On board, enjoy a buffet-style
dinner and private cabin. Important note: An overnight bag will
be required for your time on the ferry (B, D): DFDS FERRY.
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Day
4
Oslo
This morning, arrive through the famous Oslo Fjord into Norway's
capital city. Begin your tour of Oslo, passing the National
Theater, and on to visit the main square with its Old Cathedral
and 19th century Royal Palace. Visit the Vigeland Sculpture
Park, designed by Gustav Vigeland in the early 19th century.
The park contains an impressive 192 sculptures with more than
600 figures, the most intricate of them being the Monolith column,
measuring 46 feet high with 121 human figure reliefs. Carved
from a single block of granite, the Monolith took three stone
sculptors and 14 years (1929-43) to complete. Continue to the
modern City Hall. Later, venture out on your own to view the
Ski Jump or the Viking Museum (B): OSLO.
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Day
5
Oslo - Bergen
Begin your morning with a journey to the sides of fjords, lakes,
mountains, waterfalls and glaciers. Traveling through the Norwegian
countryside, pass through ski resorts such as Geilo to the port
of Bergen. Interestingly, this 11th century city was a major
distributor of the wealthy trading guilds of the Hanseatic League,
and still derives its income from the sea (B): BERGEN.
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Day
6
Bergen
Enjoy a full day at leisure to explore Bergen on your own. Saunter
the narrow lanes of wooden houses huddled around the port, and
maybe even visit the 19th century Bergen Museum of Arts and
Sciences. Shop for gifts at the famous Bryggen, a UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage Site; visit Troldhaugen, the villa of composer
Edward Grieg, dating from 1885, or ride the funicular up to
Mount Floyen (B): BERGEN. |
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Day
7
Bergen
This morning, board the Flam Railway for a mountain train ride
into Norway's high glacial region. View pastures, waterfalls
and snow-clad peaks, all nestled beautifully into the surrounding
mountain side. Ascend to 3,000 feet within 12 miles for one
of the most scenic views of Norway. Once in Flam, enjoy a relaxing
cruise across the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest Norwegian
Fjord. Arrive at your hotel in Laerdal for dinner and an overnight
(B, D): LAERDAL.
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Day
8
Laerdal Lillehammer
This morning, continue through the Norwegian countryside to
the quaint village of Borgund, where you will visit one of the
largest and best-preserved stave churches in Norway, built around
1180. Aside from the church's unique facade, which appears to
have been plucked from a medieval fairytale, the church's interior
walls are equally impressive, featuring an authentic baptismal
font made of soapstone. From here, travel through the cheese
producing district to reach Lillehammer, site of the 1994 Winter
Olympic Games. Enjoy time at leisure in Lillehammer to visit
the Olympic Museum or the Maihaugen Museum of Rural Life, the
largest open-air museum in Norway. The Maihaugen features 185
buildings, the most famous of them being the 12th century Garmo
stave church (B, D): LILLEHAMMER. |
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Day
9
Stockholm
Travel to the airport in Oslo for a short flight to Sweden.
Upon arrival in Stockholm, City on the Water, transfer to your
hotel for an evening at leisure (B): STOCKHOLM.
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Day
10
Stockholm
This morning, enjoy an exciting city tour of Stockholm. Visit
the City Hall's "Gold Room," where the Nobel Prize
banquets are held. Continue to the medieval island in the heart
of the city, known as the Gamla Stan (Old Town). View the 13th
century Storkyrkan Cathedral, the oldest church in Stockholm,
most recognized for its extravagant wooden statue of Saint George
and the Dragon ascribed to Bernt Notke, the famous German painter
and sculptor. From the cathedral, walk the cobbled streets of
the Old Town and see the Renaissance Royal Palace, the official
residence of the Swedish monarch. Spend the afternoon exploring
the historic streets of the Gamla Stan, or join an optional
tour to one of Europe's greatest attractions, the Wasa Ship.
Housed in Stockholm's Vasa Museum, the Wasa tragically sank
on her maiden voyage in 1628, only to be recovered more than
three centuries later in 1956, where it was lifted from the
Baltic and preserved ($33) (B): STOCKHOLM. |
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Day
11
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight (B).
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