Older daughter is studying at Uppsala University for a year. My 18 year old daughter and I are traveling during her only break during that time. We will spend a week in Uppsala visiting older daughter and will have a car. Stockholm for long weekend and then a week to explore. I'm looking for suggestions of not to miss things during the cold, dark winter months.
Posted by
Green Bay
20085 posts
Keep your ears open if you hear that the Aurora Borealis will be visible during you stay. Might require a long drive to the north. Or go to Are for a bit of skiing.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5516 posts
What dates?
Also, do you enjoy outdoor activities or do you prefer things indoors?
It will be dark by 3pm. I spent two years in Stockholm and the darkness can be a challenge.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
If either of you ski, I would second the recommendation for Åre. It's quite different from the resorts in the Alps, but beautiful in it's own way. Many of the pistes are illuminated, so the sun going down by mid-afternoon doesn't cut your day short. Don't bother if you don't ski, however, because it is pretty isolated.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
We are going from February 7 - 22. I'm not every concerned about the darkness - we live in Oregon so I'm used to grey and dreary in the winter. We don't ski. We are considering taking a train to Oslo and then doing the tour as described by Rick as Norway in a Nutshell.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Norway in a Nutshell, if it even runs in February, would be extremely low-yield. The whole point of taking it is to see those beautiful mountain and fjord views. But in February that far north, days will still be relatively short and the atmosphere likely quite damp. Meaning, instead of seeing those glistening fjords, you see a gray haze.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Tom - I had those same thoughts about Norway in a Nutshell. Living in the Pacific Northwest I understand the low yield concept. Thank you for that reminder.
Posted by
California
6 posts
I just got back from two weeks in Scandinavia. We did NIN between Bergen and Oslo, then a few days later went to Stockholm.
In October, the days were getting short, and the weather was cloudy/foggy/misty. But, the NIN was incredible none the less. Hardly any tourists is the plus... You need to check the itinerary carefully for the NIN trips offered. The Bergen to Oslo direction had us on the ferry about noon - so that is gonna be daylight and you'll see things fine. The Flam to Myrdal train is the next most scenic portion - make sure this is during daylight hours and you'll be fine.
The weather may not cooperate, but it can be lousy in summer too from what I've been told.
I recommend you try this - A week in Stockholm sounds too long. We saw most highlight in 1 1/2 days. Now the NIN highlights are about four hours from Oslo, which is about five hours from Stockholm. You'll be on a lot of trains, so bring some reading material.
Good luck.