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Arrive in Copenhagen
Arrive in Copenhagen. Transfer to our hotel.
Overnight in Copenhagen. Dinner if required.
Copenhagen
Today we take a walking tour the historical Copenhagen. We start with a one hour canal boat tour that provides an excellent introduction to our day. The trip includes a visit to the statue of the Little Mermaid on the Angelina promenade. The 1913 statue commemorates Hans Christian Andersonís lovelorn creation, and is the subject of hundreds of travel posters. Donated to the city by Carl Jacobsen, the son of the founder of Carlsberg Breweries, the innocent waif has also been the subject of some cruel practical jokes, including decapitation and the loss of an arm, but she is currently in one piece.
We return to land and continue our walking tour to the National Museum. Our guide will provide a brief orientation after which you are free to explore this excellent museum, with its permanent collections pertaining to Danish history as well as several very good ethnological rooms.
After lunch we continue to Christianborg Castle. Surrounded by canals on three sides, the massive granite castle is where the queen officially received guests. Even though the first two castles on the site were burned, Christiansborg remains an impressive Baroque compound, even by European standards. We will book our visit in advance in order to visit the Royal Reception Rooms where youíll be asked to don slippers to protect the floors.
NOTE: The order of Copenhagen sightseeing may depending on weather and other logistical considerations.
Overnight in Copenhagen. Breakfast and dinner.
Copenhagen
This morning we walk a short distance to the City Cathedral, also called the Ladyís Church, with its impressive collection of statues of the apostles in classical style. The building in the square that faces the side of the cathedral is part of the university.
We continue our walk to Rosenborg Castle, the home of the builder-king Christian the Fourth. We pass through some beautiful gardens en route and see a statue of Hans Christian Anderson. At Rosenborg Castle there are three floors to visit, as well as a basement vault where the Danish Crown Jewels are kept. After a 90 minute +/- visit and a break for lunch, we walk to
the Carlsberg Glyptotek Art Museum.
This is one of Copenhagenís most important museums, thanks to its exquisite antiquities, Gauguins and Rodins. Surrounding its lush indoor garden, a series of nooks and chambers houses works by Degas and other Impressionists, plus an extensive assemblage of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and French sculpture, not to mention the best collection of Etruscan art outside Italy and Europeís finest collection of Roman portraits.
After a brief orientation (floorplans on the wall in the entrance atrium), you are free to explore.
This evening we visit the famous Tivoli Gardens. This is much more than a mere fair; among its attractions are a pantomime theatre, open-air stage, elegant restaurants (24 in all), and frequent classical, jazz, and rock concerts. Fantastic flower exhibits colour the lush gardens and float on the swan-filled ponds. At night 100,000 coloured lanterns illuminate the Chinese pagoda and the main fountain. The park was established in the 1840s, when Danish architect George Carstensen persuaded a worried King Christian VIII to let him build an amusement park on the edge of the cityís limits.
Overnight in Copenhagen. Breakfast and dinner.
Copenhagen - Humlebaek - Elsinore - Hilleroed
This morning we depart Copenhagen, driving first along the coastal road that goes north along the ¦resund, the body of water that separates Denmarkís island of Zealand from Sweden.
At about 10:00 we arrive at Humlebaek and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, famed for its stunning location and architecture as much as for its collection. Even if you canít tell a Monet from a Duchamp, youíll enjoy this elegant rambling structure, surrounded by a large park, housed in a pearly 19th-century villa surrounded by dramatic views of the ÿresund waters.The galleries are spread out around a garden that faces the water--a spectacular location.
After our visit we depart for Helsingor and a break for lunch. At about 13:30 our bus meets us for our quick drive over to the northernmost tip of the island to Helsingoer (Elsinore) to visit the Kronborg Castle. William Shakespeare based Hamlet on a Danish mythologyís Amleth, and used this castle as the setting, even though he had never seen it. Built in the late 16th century, itís 600 years younger than the Elsinore we imagine from the tragedy. It was built as a Renaissance tollbooth, from its cannon-studded bastion, a tariff charged to all ships crossing the sliver of sea between Denmark and Sweden.
At about 16:00 we depart for the Hilleroed area.
Overnight Hilleroed area. Breakfast and dinner.
Hilleroed - Fredensborg - Roskilde
Today we visit Fredensborg. Commanding this town is the Fredensborg Slot (Castle of Peace), built by Frederik IV to commemorate the 1720 peace treaty with Sweden. The castle, with a towering domed hall in the centre, was originally inspired by French and Italian castles, but 18th-century reconstructions, concealing the original design, instead serve as a review of domestic architecture. The castle became a favourite of Frederik V, who lined the gardens with marble sculptures of ordinary people. It is now the summer residence of the royal family. The lovely Baroque Gardens include a series of wide, horizontal waterfalls, called Cascades.
We continue our bus journey to Roskilde, Sjaellandís second-largest town and one of its oldest, celebrating its 1,000-year anniversary in 1998. Roskilde was the royal residence in the 10th-century and became the spiritual capital of Denmark and northern Europe in 1170, when Bishop Absalon built the Roskilde Domkirke (Roskilde Cathedral) on the side of a church erected 100 years earlier by Harald Bluetooth. Overwhelming the centre of town, the current structure took more than 300 years to complete and thus provides a one-stop crash course in Danish architecture.
Less than a kilometre (‡ mile) north of the cathedral, on the fjord, is the modern Vikingeskibshallen (Viking Shop Museum), containing five Viking ships sunk in the fjord 1,000 years ago. Submerged to block the passage of enemy ships, they were discovered in 1957. The painstaking recovery involved building a watertight dam and then draining the water from that section of the fjord. The splinters of wreckage were then preserved and reassembled. A deep-sea trader, warship, ferry, merchant ship, and fierce 28 m (92‡ ft) man-of-war attest to the Vikingsí sophisticated and aesthetic boat-making skills.
Overnight in Roskilde. Breakfast and dinner.
Roskilde - Copenhagen, Denmark - Overnight ferry - Oslo, Norway
We drive back to Copenhagen and have the afternoon free to browse before boarding our evening ferry for the overnight journey to Oslo.
Our route takes us along the coast of Denmark and the body of water that separates the North Sea from the Baltic and into Norwegian waters. Our cabins are small but comfortable with en suite facilities. These vessels are large and well-appointed with amenities that include restaurants, shops, maybe even a cinema and swimming pool.
Overnight ferry. Breakfast and dinner.
Oslo
In the early morning we will enter the Oslo fjord and the last 1.5 hours before arrival should be enjoyed on deck with cameras ready to go. The scenery is enchanting, with the old fortress at Droebak and the scattered islands full of summer homes enjoyed by the Norwegians. The ship will dock right down town and a short transfer will bring us to our hotel.
This morning we visit the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, the Vigelands Park and Edward Munchís Museum. Our tour will take us up in to the hills of Oslo, and past the lovely homes to Osloís most famous landmark - Holmenkollen Ski jump arena. The fantastic view of the Oslo fjord and the harbour of Oslo is at its best from here. The ski jump has been a landmark since 1892, rebuilt for the 1952 Olympics and the arena for an annual International Ski Festival every February. We are at the gateway to Oslo ës backyard - the expanse of hiking and cross-country ski trails, greatly loved by the locals at all seasons of the year. We will return down the hill to the green expanse of Frognerparken (Frogner Park) incorporating one of Osloís most celebrated and popular cultural targets, the Vigelandsparken, an open-air sculpture park which, along with the Vigeland Museum, commemorates a modern Norwegian sculptor of world renown, Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943).
This afternoon is yours to spend at leisure, strolling down the main street of Carl Johan, enjoying the activities in a city that comes alive during the summer months.
Overnight in Oslo. Rainbow Hotel Europa or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Oslo
On todayís tour we will walk through the center of Oslo, visit Akershus Castle/Fortress still today protecting the harbour of Oslo. King Haakon V Magnusson built one of the oldest historical monuments in Oslo, Akershus Castle in 1300. It was a fortress and a royal residence for several centuries. A fire in 1527 devastated the northern wing, and the castle was rebuilt and transformed into a royal Renaissance palace under the Danish-Norwegian king, Christian IV. It is open to the public for a stroll around the grounds, and we will also find the Resistance Museum located within its grounds.
We continue past the impressive City Hall with its twin red brick towers, and down the harbour to travel by local boat to Bygdoey Peninsula, the home of several museums and estate homes. We will visit the Viking Museum, housing the 3 ships found buried along the Oslo fjord, all of them nearly 1200 years old. A short stroll next door takes us to the Norwegian Folk Museum, where a collection of city homes, farm buildings, one of the famous Stave Churches gives you a birds eye view of Norway and its history. Further along the Peninsula passing the Canadian Ambassador's home we come to the Kon-Tike and Fram Museum that houses the balsa raft used by Thor Heyerdal and his international crew in 1962. They sailed from Peru to Polynesia to confirm his theory that the first Polynesians originally came from Peru.
We return to the city by boat.
Overnight in Oslo. Breakfast and dinner.
Oslo - FlÂm - Gudvangen - Stalheim
An early departure takes us to Oslo's train station where we will catch an +/- 08:00 departure to FlÂm via Myrdal where we connect to the Famous FlÂmsbana, The FlÂm Railway, one of the world's most spectacular rail journeys.
In 1923, work was started on the separate railway line from Myrdal down sheer cliffs to FlÂm. Since the tunnels were done by hand, the first of the track wasn't put down until autumn 1936. By 1940, the line was opened and run by first by steam engines. Electric engines took over in 1944. It takes about an hour to cover 20 km (12 miles) of track on the FlÂmsbana train. Eighteen of the 20 tunnels were chiseled out by hand which took one month of hard labour for each meter excavated. To avoid risk from avalanches, the railway criss-crosses the river and the bottom of the valley three times. Then, instead of building bridges, the river was routed through a tunnel under the railway line. Nowhere else in the world do adhesion rail cars on normal tracks have a steeper journey. Almost 80% of the railway line has a gradient of 5.5% (1:18).
At the bottom, you can enjoy the scenic landscape of the FlÂm valley and admire the lovely Aurlandfjord, an offshoot of the Sognefjord, the longest in the world. or a leisurely 2-hour cruise along the narrowest arm of the Sognefjord and Aurland Fjord, surrounded by the dramatic West Coast fjord landscape of steep snow-capped mountains (up to 6000 m) and tumbling waterfalls, sheltered hamlets and high mountain farms.
After a lunch break in FlÂm, we a board a leisurely 2-hour cruise along the narrowest arm of the Sognefjord and Aurland Fjord, surrounded by the dramatic West Coast fjord landscape of steep snow-capped mountains (up to 6000 m) and tumbling waterfalls, sheltered hamlets and high mountain farms. We catch a bus at Gudvangen and continue on to Stalheim, located at the very heart of Western Norway's beautiful fjord region.
Overnight in Stalheim. Breakfast and dinner.
Stalheim - Bergen
This morning we will visit the Stalheim Folk Museum for a glimpse of everyday life on a Norwegian farm and manor house, from the Middle Ages to today. Departing Stalheim, we travel by windy mountain road to the train station at Voss. From Voss we journey by rail once again via the famous Bergen/Oslo railway line arriving in Bergen with a bus transfer to our hotel in the late morning or early afternoon.
Bergen is an ancient city that looms large in Viking sagas. Until the 14th century, it was the seat of the medieval kingdom of Norway. Later the Hanseatic merchants established a major trading post here, holding sway until the 18th century, when the locals reclaimed their trading rights. Bergen has survived many disasters, including several fires and the explosion of a Nazi ship during World War II. It is a town with important traditions in shipping, banking, and insurance, and its modern industries are expanding rapidly.
The oldest part of town overlooks the busy harbour; along the harbour's edge are a myriad of shops, boutiques and the famous open-air fish market. We enjoy two nights in this lovely Norwegian city by the sea; your afternoon is at leisure.
Overnight in Bergen. Rainbow Hotel Rosenkrantz or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Bergen
Our tour starts in the center of town at Torget, also called Fisketorget or the fish Market, where fishermen and farmers deal their goods. Next we walk over to Bryggen, the wharf on the northeast side of Bergenís harbour. The gabled wood warehouses lining the docks mark the site of the cityís original settlement. We take time to walk the narrow passageways between buildings; shops and galleries are hidden among the wooden facades.
Our walk continues down the wharf, past the historic buildings to the end of the Holmen promontory and to Bergenhus festning (Bergenhus Fort), which dates from the 13th century; the nearby RosenkrantztÂrnet is a 16th century tower residence. Bergenís oldest cathedral is located behind the fort, the 12th century church called Mariakirken. Walking around the back of the church down four blocks to Fl¯ybanen, the funicular that runs up and down Fl¯yen, one of the cityís most popular hiking mountains--the view is like no other. At the base of the funicular is an area of crooked streets and hodgepodge architecture where youíll find most of Bergenís antiques shops.
A midday stop at the Fish Market where you can enjoy fresh caught prawns right of the fishing boats, sit down on the quay and enjoy them like the locals do -- peel and load them onto fresh bread, add a bit of lemon and locally made mayonnaise.
In the afternoon we travel to the suburbs of Bergen by coach to Troldhaugen, beloved local composer Edward Griegís home, before returning to town.
Overnight in Bergen. Rainbow Hotel Rosenkrantz or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Bergen - Balestrand
Today we have +/- 08:00 departure by express boat from Bergen to Balestrand on the Sognefjord, appealing tourist destination since the mid-19th century discovered by European travelers in search of cool, clear air and picturesque mountain scenery. Kaiser Wilhelm II was a frequent visitor, as were the British, and these days, as the battery of small hotels and restaurants above the quay testifies, the village is used as a touring base for the immediate area. It is very small in scale, with farming rather than tourism still the principal occupation round here.
We will visit Balestrandís two attractions, beginning with the English chapel of St Olav, a charming brown and beige wooden structure built in the general style of a stave church in 1897 at the wish of a British ÈmigrÈ, Margaret Kvikne. She came to visit Balestrand with her father during a summer, fell in love with the local hotel owner (Kvikne Hotel) and married him. Homesick for her Church of England the charming chapel was constructed; the church remains part of the Diocese of Gibraltar, which arranges English-language services during the summer.
The Germans have left their mark, too. About 700 m (2,300 feet) south of the church along the fjord are two marked Viking burial mounts, supposedly the tombs of King Bele and his wife, next to which the Kaiser Wilhelm II donated a statue of the king in a heroic pose -- and thereís also a statue of his son across the fjord in Vangsnes to match. The afternoon is spent at leisure at the old Victorian resort of Kvikne on the fjord.
Overnight in Balestrand. Kvikne's Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Balestrand - Olden or Loen
We travel by coach over the magnificent Gaular Mountains with narrow hairpin turn roads, past spectacular Joelster Lake where we make a stop at Skei before continuing across the mountain to Olden at the bottom of Nordfjord. We visit Briksdalsbreen Glacier, an arm of the Jostedalens Glacier (Norwayís largest), with a spectacular 45-minute walk from the chalet to the foot of the glacier. We can walk right up to the glacier, but keep away as it is constantly "calving" -- large pieces of ice fall of with a thunderous sound. One can charter a horse carriage from the chalet up 80% of the way, a breathtaking excursion with unsurpassable scenery. All the glaciers in Norway have increased in size during the 1990ís and the Briksdalen is slowly filling up the upper valley, creating an every more magnificent view.
Overnight in Olden or nearby Loen. Olden Fjord Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Olden - Geiranger
Geiranger is the ultimate fjord, with the finest sightseeing in the wildest natural setting compressed into a relatively small area. The mountains lining the Geiranger Fjord tower 1980 m (6,600 ft) above sea level. The 16 km (10 mile) long, 288 m (960 ft) deep Geirangerfjordís best-known attractions are its waterfalls: the Seven Sisters, the Bridal Veil, and the Suito; and the abandoned farms at Skagefl and KnivsflÂ, which are visible (and accessible) only by boat. Perhaps the inhabitants left because provisions had to be carried from the boats straight up to SkageflÂ, a backbreaking 240 m (800 ft).
Early to mid-afternoon, we will travel by car-ferry between Hellesylt and Geiranger, turning into the Geirangerfjord itself about fifteen minutes after leaving Hellesylt. The 70 minute trip is one of the most celebrated trips in the entire fjord region, with waters about 300 m (985 ft) deep and fed by a series of plunging waterfalls that drop from heights of up to 250 m (820 ft.) The falls are all named, and the multilingual commentary aboard the ferry does its best to familiarize you with every stream and rivulet. More interesting are the scattered ruins of abandoned farms, built along the fjordís 16 km (10 mile) length by fanatically optimistic settlers over the last couple of centuries. The cliffs backing the fjord are almost uniformly sheer, making farming of any description a short-lived, and back-breaking, occupation -- and not much fun for the children either: when they went out to play, they had to be roped to the nearest boulder to stop them dropping into the fjord!
Overnight Geiranger. Geiranger Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Geiranger - Aandalsnes
The most scenic route out of Geiranger the ÿrneveien (Eaglesí Road) up from Geiranger, completed in 1952 with 11 hairpin turns, leads directly to the mountains. We take the car-ferry from Eidsdal to Valldal and a two hour drive along Route 63 over Trollstigveien to Aandalsnes, via one of the many hairpin turn roads in Norway engineered in a time where modern equipment was not available. Look out for the old trail from the past, where the locals would cross the mountains on foot or horseback. ‰ndalsnes, a summer resort at the foot of the mountains and at the head of the Romsdalsfjord, Andalsnes attracts rock climbers and fishing enthusiasts (there are trout and salmon in the Rauma River). We will make a detour to the Rondane Mountains and visit the Troll Wall, popular among basejumpers who parachute of the mountain top because of its vertical drop.
Overnight Aandalsnes. Grand Hotel Bellevue or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Aandalsnes - Trondheim
We take the car-ferry from Leirvag to Slovag and continue by rail to Trondheim.
Trondheimís original name, Nidaros (still the name of the cathedral), is a composite word referring to the cityís location at the mouth of the Nid River. After a savage fire in 1681, the wooden town was rebuilt according to the plan of General Cicignon, a military man from Luxembourg, who also designed Trondheimís fort. The wide streets of the city center are still lined with brightly painted wooden houses and picturesque warehouses.
The Tiffany windows are magnificent at the Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum (Decorative Arts Museum), which houses one of the finest are collections in Scandinavia. It has superb period rooms from the Renaissance to 1950s Scandinavian modern.
Overnight in Trondheim. Rainbow Gildevangen Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Trondheim - Oslo
A near full day of travel back to Oslo via a scenic train journey across the Dovre Mountains, arriving mid afternoon. Balance of day at leisure.
Overnight in Oslo. Breakfast and dinner.
Departure
Depart from Oslo.
Breakfast.
