My inner child is seeking something...

Hi Bill, looking through your prior threads, it looks like you went to Norway in 2023. It would be helpful to know where you went so that others can avoid giving you the same destinations.

Also, given your requirements, I would suggest looking through guidebooks to find what really appeals to you. We all want to find those Thomas Kinkade-like villages, but anything that matches that description is probably going to be heavily touristed.

I'm also curious why you said this would be your last big trip based on the fact that you're 69. I am 70 and plan on taking as many big trips as I can until I collapse in my morning coffee at the breakfast buffet. 😊

Thank you for your suggestions. To clarify, I stayed in Bergen for a couple days, then in Flam for a few days, then headed to Stavenger for the remainder of my trip. I enjoyed ziplining and trail biking in Flam and the photography ops of the fjords was excellent. I didn't see much of Stavenger because my main reason for going was to hike Pulpit Rock but the guide to our excursion cancelled the night before, so I made the decision to leave based on frustration and disappointment. I've been chasing the Northern Lights for years going to Alaska, Iceland, and Norway. I just completed a lengthy cancer treatment process so my reality is my tomorrows are never guaranteed. One trip at a time. I am partial to cooler weather and I enjoy capturing scenes photographically for the album. I enjoyed Scotland immensely. Many day trips from Edinburgh & Glascow filled with history and culture. And to be honest, I don't know what I am searching for except to say "something different". I always travel off season to avoid crowds as much as possible. The waterfalls of Iceland, glass blowers of Italy (Murano), the Octoberfest craziness, the Bat Cave in New Mexico, and the history of the Underground in London are all memorable for their unique qualities. 10 days to 2 weeks is what I am looking at due to my job (social services-The Salvation Army). Maybe a small tour group or someone interested in doing similar activities. I'm just not interested in being the American tourist that gets smiles and greeting until the credit card is processed. Anyway, any ideas would be welcome. Thank you for taking the time. Enjoy your future travels.

Bill

Bill, what about the Baltics? Based on your criteria of "something different", lower crowds, cooler weather, etc. I haven't been (yet), but Tallinn, Vilnius, and maybe Riga seem like a good fit. And maybe even Gdansk.

General guidelines: Knowing what i know about Scandinavia the recommendation for a month of travel would be to start in Denmark, then go north from Malmö to the capital, day tripping two times while there. Take an over-night train north to Umeå, and then an international rail service to Trondheim in Norway OR an international ferry service to Vasa in Finland, then travel south by train to Finlands old former capital Åbo and on to Helsinki, from where day trips to Estonias medieval capital Tallinn are possible. Or take a train to Gothenburg. Fly home from Helsinki or Tallinn or Gothenburg. I was sure "big trip" meant at least a month, and that being 69 meant not being constrained by work schedules. If it is at all possible consider extending the trip by at least a week.

You want quaint, cozy and old-fashioned, villages, culture and people. Denmark is one big collection of cozy villages, not to be missed, along wonderful sandy coastlines. There are many suggestions that can be made. How do you, and the camera, feel about forests, lakes and archipelagos? Scandinavia, excluding Denmark, has those in abundance and they are part of the cultural magic. Is there any appeal? Christmas, which can only be experienced in December, and daylight are mutually exclusive, as there are just a few short hours of daylight this time of year. Consider going in Sep-Oct instead if at all possible. Medieval Visby, in the magical island province of Gotland, with its old wall and church ruins, is an absolute must. The camera will thank you profusely for taking it there and claim to be very much indebted to you. You will most likely agree, as it is one of the most spellbinding places in Scandinavia.