Country Roads of Scandinavia
From CAD $7,235
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
(10 reviews)
Experience Overview
Treat your senses to a tour of Scandinavia’s towering mountains, crystalline fjords and Viking history on this immersive itinerary. Admire the spires and ramparts of Akershus Castle in Oslo, the humming seaside economy of the Bergen Fish Markets and Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid in Copenhagen. Journey on the Flam railway through the mountain pass to Myrdal and onwards to Bergen. The delights of the Fjords are front and center on the Lysefjord Cruise, with panoramic views and a close encounter with the iconic, 2000-foot tall, Pulpit Rock. In Denmark, pause for a little local dining in Aalborg where a farm-to-table feast of Danish delicacies is whipped up from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Across the Jutland Peninsula on the island of Fyn, the Hans Christian Andersen House tells the story of the famous fairy-tale writer—charting his life, loves and travels.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 6 Dinner (D)
- 11 Breakfast (B)
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Odense: Be enchanted by the tales of Hans Christian Andersen's life when you visit the museum dedicated to his life and works.
- Odense: Visit St Canute's Cathedral and hear tales of Canute, Denmark's last Viking king and royal saint.
Additional Included Highlights
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Authentic Dining
- Oslo: Savor local specialties with your Travel Director and fellow travelers during dinner.
- Aalborg: Savor a delightful dinner prepared with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients at a local restaurant.
Insight Choice
- Odense: Be enchanted by the tales of Hans Christian Andersen's life when you visit the museum dedicated to his life and works.
- Odense: Visit St Canute's Cathedral and hear tales of Canute, Denmark's last Viking king and royal saint.
Insight Experiences
- Lyngdal: Tour the Wild Salmon Center with a biologist guide and learn about protecting salmon populations and the local ecosystem.
Make Travel Matter
- Copenhagen: Dine at Cofoco, a restaurant leading the way in minimising food waste and promoting a sustainable future. This experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 & 12: Affordable and Clean Energy & Responsible Consumption and Production.
Top Rated Highlights
- Oslo: With your Local Expert, see Akershus Castle, Oslo Harbor and the Royal Palace.
- Oslo: Take a moment to contemplate the interesting Vigeland sculptures when you visit Frogner Park.
- Hardangervidda: Pass through the National Park known for its beautiful arctic tundra.
- Flam Railway: Journey on one of the world's steepest railways through tunnels that spiral in and out of the mountainside of the narrow Flåm Valley.
- Bergen: With your Local Expert, see the many colorful stalls of the lively Fish Market and marvel at the 13th-century Haakon's Hall.
- Stavanger: Fjord hop from Bergen to Stavanger.
- Kristiansand: During your orientation with your Travel Director, walk the city center and see the Dom Kirke and Nupen Fountain.
- Kristiansand: Sail across the Skagerrak as you cross from Kristiansand to Hirsthals.
- Odense: Kongernes Jelling - Home of the Viking Kings visit uses lighting, sound and imaginative special effects bringing to life Viking adventure stories from 1000 years ago.
- Copenhagen: Make the most of the long summer nights at the glittering Tivoli Gardens, the world-famous entertainment park, full of fantasy, fun and charm.
- Copenhagen: With your Local Expert, view Christiansborg Palace and the cathedral where the Crown Prince of Denmark married Princess Mary. You'll also see Rosenborg Castle, Amalienborg Palace and the unusual Rundertaarn, which is the oldest functioning Observatory in Europe.
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Trip Details
Product Code: 28117
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 39.103B
Starts: Oslo, Norway
Finishes: Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 12 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $7,235 ($603 /day)
Itinerary
Your adventure begins in Norway's Capital, Oslo. In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Scandinavia, Oslo
Meals: Dinner
Sightseeing with a Local Expert includes views of Akershus Castle and the Royal Palace. Walk around the Opera House and marvel at the striking contemporary architecture of the new Bjørvika district. Wander through Frogner Park, with its intriguing sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The afternoon is at your leisure to continue exploring as you wish. Perhaps join an Optional Experience to the most modern ski jump in the world, Holmenkollen. Maybe explore City Hall where the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony is held, or walk upon the famous architecture of Oslo Opera House.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Scandinavia, Oslo
Meals: Breakfast
Journey across the Hardanger Plateau, Europe's greatest mountain plateau and the largest national park in the Nordic countries, before arriving at your hotel in Ulvik.
Accommodation: Brakanes, Ulvik
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Travel to the Nærøyfjord for the opportunity to visit Viking Valley and cruise this UNESCO-listed fjord on an optional experience. After, continue to the coastal city of Bergen by a traditional train of the Flåm railway. Journey from the shores of the Aurlandsfjord on one of the world's steepest railways through tunnels that spiral in and out of the mountainside. And breathe in the fresh mountain air while you drink in the views of the rushing waterfalls, glacial rivers and verdant scenery. This evening join your Travel Director at a local restaurant for dinner.
Accommodation: Thon Rosenkrantz, Bergen
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
A Local Expert introduces you to Bergen. The ancient Hanseatic port city still largely looks to the sea for its living, as evidenced by the picturesque and lively Fish Market, set in a charming location in the heart of the city. The market also has stalls selling a colorful variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers, handicrafts and souvenirs. After seeing the 13th century Haakon’s Hall, there will be time to explore all that this exciting town has to offer. Perhaps you might like to visit the village of Telavåg, before ascending Mount Fløyen by the only funicular in Scandinavia.
Accommodation: Thon Rosenkrantz, Bergen
Meals: Breakfast
Travel along this incredible coastline and sail across fjords passing an abundance of islands. Arrive in Stavanger, one of Norway’s oldest cities founded almost 900 years ago. The city has continued to evolve with changing times and now is the headquarters of the Norwegian oil industry, Stavanger is a fusion of old world charm and cosmopolitan flair. Cruise the Lysefjord and admire the waterfalls and Pulpit Rock overhanging the fjord.
Accommodation: Thon Partner Stavanger Forum
Meals: Breakfast
In Lyngdal, tour the Wild Salmon Center with a biologist guide, learn about protecting salmon populations and the local ecosystem. Observe the majestic fish in their own environment, via a unique indoor 'staircase' and viewing area. Relax and enjoy the scenic drive around the southern cape of Norway. Upon arrival in Kristiansand, your orientation walk of the city center will show you the Domkirke and the Nupen Fountain. Savor a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Thon Parken, Kristiansand
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Say farewell to Norway as you sail across the Skagerrak to Hirtshals, Denmark. Your journey continues to Aalborg, Denmark's forth largest city. This evening, we will join for dinner in a local restaurant for a farm-to-table experience to remember.
Accommodation: Comwell Hvide Hus Aalborg
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
A vibrant mix of youthful energy and a blast from the past makes Aarhus a city with an energetic pulse. Join your Travel Director for an orientation of the city center. See the City Hall, ARoS Aarhus Art Museum - topped with an immense and interactive artwork - and Dokk1, the largest public library in Scandinavia. En route to Odense, you will stop at Denmark's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the town of Jelling, visiting the Home of the Viking Kings Museum. Then cross the Jutland Peninsula to the town of Odense, on the island of Fyn.
Accommodation: Comwell H C Andersen Odense
Meals: Breakfast
Visit Odense with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Hans Christian Andersen House, a museum dedicated to his life and works. Learn all about the famous fairytale writer as you follow his career, travels and love life. Alternatively, visit St Canute's Cathedral and hear tales of Canute, Denmark's first royal saint. Continue to Denmark's vibrant capital city, Copenhagen and later discover the enchanting Tivoli Gardens.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Scandinavia, Copenhagen
Meals: Breakfast
Meet your Local Expert and pay a visit to Hans Christian Andersen's iconic Little Mermaid statue. Later, see Christiansborg Palace, Rosenborg Castle, Amalienborg Palace, the unusual Round Tower and Copenhagen Cathedral, where the Crown Prince of Denmark married Princess Mary. The afternoon is at your leisure. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the Cofoco restaurant and enjoy a delicious dinner of sustainable ingredients, as you toast to the end of your Scandinavian adventure.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Scandinavia, Copenhagen
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Your trip comes to an end this morning.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
Reviews
Lee B. - Traveled, April 2019
The airport transfer to hotel on arrival never showed and didn't answer my phone calls. After over an hour of frustration and trying to connect with them we took a taxi to the hotel. NOT A GOOD START! I told our tour director and she contacted the company about a refund of $360 that I had prepaid and some compensation for our trouble. It took 10 days for the company to notify me that they would refund my $360 but not give any other compensation. NOT GOOD BUSINESS!! It took you 2 more weeks to get the refund to my credi card! NOT GOOD BUSINESS! I have spent several hours tracking all of this during the tour and last 3 weeks rather than enjoying memories of the trip. When friends ask me how was the trip, I reply "frustrating" and tell them about your poor customer service. The flight from LA to Stockholm was very uncomfortable because the seats you reserved for my wife and I were the last row in the back of the plane and would not recline. CHEAP! I would never have allowed you to book my flight if I knew you would pick the worst seats on the plane. Eleven hours over night in seats that would not recline! UGH! More advice for my friends -- be sure and pick your seats yourself! Itinerary contaminated by poor customer service.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
Amy E. - Traveled, April 2019
The accommodation was central and of a good standard. All arrangements made ran smoothly. The itinerary included a variety of activities. My one comment is that the Tour Director while well prepared, personable and attentive to the needs of the tour participants would be better suited for a younger group. Her knowledge of the culture, geography and history of the various locations visited was limited compared to the tour directors we had on previous tours. A good a variety of activities. There was a mix of own time and organised activities. However, greater guidance of potential activities to do in our own time would have been appreciated.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2019
We did enjoy our Insight Vacation and the Travel Director, Alex, was really good and very knowledgeable. The itinerary and activities were good. We had booked some of our own along the way because we weren't advised of the actual options/times these would be available very long before leaving for our holiday and there seemed to be quite of bit of 'free time' in the sale itinerary. Comparing our experience to our last Insight Vacation, the quality of the food in some hotels was lacking (bacon like leather, food served tepid - not hot) in some hotels and some rooms were simply too small and too hot (no or severely controlled air conditioning). It would have been nice for 4-5 star accommodation to be allocated a room with a view to anything but dirty rooves or courtyards (except the first stay in Warsaw). These things didn't dampen our holiday but we did provide feedback to the Travel Director and feel Insight should know that clients expect 4-5 Star all the way through when paying for that level of service. Some of the local guides showed us inside some places during the walking tours and others only walked past everything, still commenting though. The tour and tour director, Orsi, were fabulous. We really enjoyed our trip through Scandinavia and the optional activities. The only thing that let this extremely expensive trip down was that some accommodations were not air-conditioned and some were VERY small rooms. We realize that is common in Scandinavia, but unfortunately they also now experience heat waves. It didn't seem good value to pay around $10,000 for 12 days (for 2 people). The Scandic we stayed at in Oslo needs to be scrapped from the Insight choices to book at, we believe. The room was the size of a single room, barely had space to unpack our bags; the fridge didn't work; you had to specifically request coffee/tea making - which tasted terrible; the room was hot - no air conditioning; no face washers provided and not even a bottle of room temperature water. The restaurant at the front was great but the hotel breakfast supply ran out of some items on the first morning. This is not 5-star treatment and was not a good introduction to the tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
Paul E. - Traveled, April 2019
The trip was a good combination of traveling, sightseeing, excursions, and free time. Our travel director, Orsi Kollo, gave us a good mix on our coach of learning, videos, maps, treats, and relax time. She was very personable, made friends with us and watched out for my wife who at times needed a little extra help. It was obvious that she did a lot of research for the trip as she told us many fascinating things about the countries, towns, and history. Our bus drive, John McKeown, skillfully guide the coach through difficult traffic conditions. The amount of driving on this trip was perfect and covered the best cities of southern Norway and Denmark. We feel we saw all the highlights of this area.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2022
I responded to the survey that landed in my inbox 2 days before the tour ended and have not heard anything back and given that I was not truly complimentary I am shocked that I have heard nothing back. I don't think Insight did their due diligence in reviewing the optional tours - one was disgusting and to land in Copenhagen the day of Tour de France was on showed lack of planning on your part.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2022
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2019
Tour director and bus driver were excellent. Director kept tour participants informed, offered guidance on finding restaurants, and readily answered questions. She could possibly have offered more guidance for use of free time. Highlights were Vigeland Sculpture Park, Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, drive from Oslo to Bergen (although scenic stops were too few), Flam Railway, Lysfjord. Local guides were good (especially one in Bergen), but one in Aarhus spent far too much time at new harbor development. Food for "Danish Family Dinner" (in Aarhus) was good, but otherwise experience wasn't particularly special. In Odense, there was a bit too much free time after Hans Christian Andersen Museum. Moving on to Copenhagen would have been preferable. Marketing info about tour should note that although some days had "leisurely start," departure time was 8:00 on at least two days and 7:30 on another (with luggage to be ready still earlier). Hotels were fine except that several had only partially enclosed showers, resulting in lots of water outside shower.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
Marjorie P. - Traveled, April 2019
Great hotels, great tour director. I liked the pace of activities.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
Arna - Traveled, April 2019
Most definitely would take another trip from Insight. Fabulous tour director, good hotels, lots of interesting guides, great driver, great bus. The only thing I would add is another day in Kristiansand. There were two days in each city except for that one.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2019
Things started on time and generally allowed enough time for each event Tour guide, Toni Orr, communicated efficiently and made sure everyone knew what was scheduled and all the needed details. Foods were tasty and a good variety between a bit gourmet and more ordinary hearty and flavorful items. Included several quite long rides on the coach. For example the curvy, hilly drive from Stavanger to Kristiansand was long, uncomfortable, and nearly causing motion sickness.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2019
The tour director was excellent! Comfortable coach, hotel locations were very good. I would have enjoyed longer stays at the locations. Great overview of the high points of Norway and the two cities in Denmark.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/09/2019
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