Getting to Norway/Sweden from....TEXAS!

If I can get there from Arkansas, you can sure get there from Texas!

I've been to Sweden, Norway and Denmark many times. The main thing I can say about Sweden is that it's uncomfortably perfect. No litter, no weeds. Nothing in disrepair. Norway is much the same (only they have more money than the Swedes, thanks to off-shore oil). Denmark is more comfortable for me. A little dirt here and there, the occasional scrap of paper.

Go to Stockholm, walk about the "old town" area (Gamla Stan), go to Skansen (living museum of Swedish heritage) and see the Vasa (warship that sank in 16th century but was found an restored in the 20th century).

Scandinavia is great for hiking. Lots more nature than cities, and they have this great spirit that says you can hike anywhere without need to ask permission of the owners.

HERE is a start.

If you like to hike and are interested in a tour I've always dreamed about doing a trip with Crossing Latitudes (http://www.crossinglatitudes.com/). I went to a presentation by one of their owners (Lena) and both their philosophy and trips seem amazing.

That being said, I'm a fan of just winging it and traveling on my own, and I've done it multiple times. (Although I have hired a guide for trekking in the alps and also did a self-guided bike tour since it was affordable and they provided the bike and a few other useful services).

Sweden and Norway will be friendly and pristine countries to visit. You can try searching directly on airlines websites or and sites like Orbitz, Priceline, Kayak, etc. You do something like fly on Finnair to Helsinki, then take a ferry to Stockholm and continue your explorations of Sweden and then Norway.

Brett,

If this is your first trip to Europe, I'd also highly recommend that you read Europe Through The Back Door. It will provide a lot of information on planning, rail skills, money issues, languages, etc.

Given that your interest is Norway and Sweden, you might also want to pick up a copy of Rick's Scandinavia Guidebook (on sale at the moment for $13.95!!!).

One other thing you might consider would be to combine the Scandinavia 14-day tour with some time on your own, either in that area or some other part of Europe. I've found that ETBD tours are a very efficient way to cover a lot of ground in a limited time frame, and ETBD takes care of all the lodgings, transportation, etc. and has outstanding Guides.

Good luck with your planning and happy travels!

For your first trip I also suggest a group tour to start. Especaill as the Scandinavian countries are VERY expensive. Rick's tours are well liked. If you want to start out on your own, do a lot of research- Rick's books make a good start as does doing extensive exploring of this and other sites. What is your budget? Hostels/camping, or budget hotels, or 3 to 5 star hotels? How do you want to travel once you arrive? Are you comfortable with local public transport? Lots of decisions to make as you look at what is out there. You will have questions- keep posting or contact "the regulars" by private message.

Here is a suggestion you may not have considered:

When planning a similar trip two years ago, I never considered Finland - it was too far away across the Gulf of Bothnia - then I read the RS Scandinavia book and discovered the ferry/cruise ship that connects Stockholm to Helsinki overnight. I looked into the price and it was barely more than a hotel room for the night, which means the transport is almost free. Helsinki was wonderful, with great day trips to Tallinn, Estonia, and the lake district resort town of Savonlinna with it's castle. The best part was being able to tell one of my friends that I couldn't be at my class reunion because I was going to be in Helsinki that weekend.

Priceless...

You can take the ship round trip or fly back from Helsinki, as we did.

I'll second the recommendation for the RS tour plus a few days after to explore on your own [either back in one of the cities you've seen, or perhaps in a new city]. His tours do a great job of orienting you to a place and showing you how to get around - at least that was my experience with the Germany-Austria-Switz tour that we did a few years ago. And your interests [hiking, historical sites, cultural vibes] also fit very well with what RS tours offer. Congratulations on the new job, and have a wonderful trip!