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Scandinavian tour

Hi,

I am just starting to think about my next European trip in 2024. We, my wife and I, are thinking of a Scandinavian trip, visiting Copenhagen, Oslo (including Norway in a Nutshell) and Stockholm. My question is this doable in two weeks. I was thinking of flying into Copenhagen, then to Oslo, lastly to Stockholm and then flying back home from there. Not sure best way to travel from each location to the next. I was thinking three nights in Copenhagen, three nights in Oslo, three to four nights touring the Denmark in a Nutshell and then three or four nights in the Stockholm area. Open to any thoughts. Open to other area to explore and what order to see them.

Thanks,

Steve

Posted by
4094 posts

A Scandinavia trip is always a good idea and roughly doable in two weeks.

I recommend to include a little more landscape, e. g. by flying from Copenhagen to Bergen and using Norway in a Nutshell to travel back to Oslo by train. Also Denmark and Sweden offer a lot more experiences than teir capitals only depending on your interests which you did not mention. It would help others to help you if you tell us what you are looking for or fan of, e. g. outdoor, hiking, history, foodie, culture, architecture, ...

Posted by
157 posts

2 weeks would be a good amount of time. I had 10 nights and skipped Sweden. I didn’t feel rushed and also visited friends in Denmark.

If you’re able to begin or end your trip in Bergen: Copenhagen-Stockholm-Oslo-Norway in a Nutshell-Bergen (or in reverse) is an efficient route with no backtracking. You could do it entirely on trains or fly the CPH-Stockholm-Oslo legs depending on your pace and travel style. The train is the best way to get to the fjords for the “nutshell” part of the trip and worthy sightseeing in its own right.

The nutshell route doesn’t need 3 days to complete. 1 overnight is helpful, especially coming from Oslo, to break the journey and simplify the timings of the different transportation legs but extra nights aren’t necessary unless you’re exploring beyond the fjords. You could spend the extra 2 nights in Bergen to give a full day there before returning home.

Really enjoyed this trip - I hope you will too!

Posted by
4094 posts

By the way: all travellers who want to do a car round trip in Scandinavia - what is really recommended for landscape lovers, not for city visitors - shall know that it is a good idea to rent the car in Copenhagen and not in Oslo. The prices for two weeks from/to the airports are very different. In average rental cars in Norway cost 3-4 x the price of Denmark and Germany for example.

Posted by
64 posts

Thanks. All good information to start. While we are both in our 70's we get around fairly well. First of all are preference is to stay in B&B's. We thoroughly enjoy meeting people from all over. We like exploring small and big cities always trying to stay in the old part of town. We have on previous trips taken all kinds of mode of transportation. Best of all when renting a car, I can drive a stick shift. We like to go to museums to learn about the culture of the area. We also will do easy/moderate hiking to get a feel for the beauty of countryside. We had planned on visiting Bergen. I need to check out how convenient flights or ferries are to this area. I would consider driving but past experience tells me that picking up in one country and dropping it off in another is costly. Trains may be better than flying because the time wasted going to the airport and waiting for your flight. Basically, we are up for anything to get a feel for the area we are visiting.

Posted by
7760 posts

Yes, it's doable. But Copenhagen-Oslo-Stockholm is a bit of an odd route. The most common route is Stockholm-Copenhagen-Oslo-Bergen, but you can also start in Copenhagen and then continue to Stockholm. There are many other places to see as well, but with only 14 days you don't have time to see much more than the capitals and Norway in a Nutshell. But if you can add a few days, there are many other opportunities. Sweden and Denmark is a lot more than Copenhagen and Stockholm.

I would consider driving but past experience tells me that picking up
in one country and dropping it off in another is costly.

Not to mention it takes time driving from one place to another. The train takes you from Copenhagen to Stockholm in 5 hours, if you're driving it takes 8+ hours.