Visit Scandinavia

A walk through the Royal Palace

A walk through majestic halls, where kings and queens once lived and worked, evokes a grand and solemn feeling. With its 608 rooms, the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan, Stockholm is one of Europe’s biggest. Part of the Palace is built on the remains of the first one, Tre Kronor, which was almost completely destroyed in a fire in 1697.

Website: www.stockholmtown.com

Explore the secrets of Odense

Follow the footsteps of Hans Christian Andersen and visit Odense, one of Denmark’s oldest cities. Visit the fairytale writer’s home, his commemorated museum or simply stroll through town in the spirit of H.C Andersen. Catch a train from Copenhagen to Odense

For a guided tour, contact Odense Tourist Bureau

Tel: +45 66 12 75 20

Email: otb@odenseturist.dk

Website: www.visitodense.com

Tivoli Christmas Market

The Tivoli Christmas market in Copenhagen is a must during the winter season. The atmosphere is much like that of a small carnival, filled with the pungent smells of ginger cookies and glögg, Christmas carols and Danish arts & crafts. Linger over a traditional meal or indulge in a quick pick-me-up at one of its restaurants -try Michelin starred The Paul, Café Ketchup, Fregatten or Ultimo

Website: www.tivoligardens.com

Christmas the old fashioned way

Get into the Christmas spirit at Bærums Verk in Oslo. Take a short ride with horse and sleigh during the weekends or just enjoy the beautiful surroundings and small shops in old houses from the 17th Century. Experience an old-fashioned Christmas market with lots of handicrafts & designer-goods. Make Christmas tree decorations from sheep's wool or make your very own soap. Meet Norwegian fairytale characters, the Hulder and the Trolls!

Website: www.visitoslo.com

Århus

Århus is Denmark’s second largest city and has great atmosphere and vibrancy. Also dubbed the “Canon of Danish art & culture”, it has been at the forefront of defining Danish art and culture. Århus is also internationally known as a city of living music. Some of the biggest names on the Danish music scene started there and it is still the "kindergarten" for a rich musical environment in Denmark. There is plenty for a visitor to see and do in Arhus.

Website: www.visitarhus.com

Sandefjord

Sandefjord is small town in the south of Norway, located 120km from Oslo and 20km from Larvik. It was an important trading zone during the Viking period that supported entire generations with whale hunting. Today Sandefjord is home to Europe's only whale hunting museum where you can learn about the whale hunting around the world. The museum displays a life size model of the world’s largest whale, the blue whale. During summer, Norwegians from all parts of the country come to Sandefjord to live the good life by the sea. The coastline offers a wide variety of sandy beaches and islets. The Sandefjord Torp Airport is one of Oslo's international airports, and there is a bus that goes to Sandefjord Airport from Oslo City which takes approximately 2 hours.

Roskilde

Roskilde is known as the ancient city, with a history of over 1000 years and was Denmark’s capital from around 960 to 1536. Even now, it is an hub for commerce and industry. Each summer Roskilde hosts one of Europe’s largest music event, called the Roskilde Festival. It is a 30 min train ride form Copenhagen to Roskilde.

Website: www.visitroskilde.com

Aalborg

Aalborg is the fourth-largest city in Denmark - after Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense. The earliest settlements date back to around 700 AD. Its location by the Limfjord made it an important harbour during the Middle Ages and an industrial centre later. Today the city is in a transition from a working-class, industrial city to a knowledge-based one. One of the driving forces in the transition is the University of Aalborg, founded in 1974.

Website: www.visitaalborg.dk

Vejle

Veile is a small town surrounded with fjords, forests, and rich nature. It is located in an easily accessible area, approximately one hour from Århus and Odense. Veile is a convenient base for visitors going to attractions such as Legoland and the Viking ruins of Jelling.

Website: www.visitvejle.com

Kolding

Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Jutland. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre. Kolding is well known for its dramatic history, its beautiful countryside, its rich and varied cultural life as well as its thriving business sector. Visit the Kolding Castle, which gives a panoramic view of the city overlooking the Kolding Fjord. The Trapholt museum is also worth a visit!

Website: www.visitkolding.dk

Stavanger

Stavanger is Norway’s third largest metropolitan area and it is located on the south west coast of Norway. Stavanger has a great number of colourful wooden architectural structures and it is said to have the largest number of wooden houses in Europe. Its economy is driven by the North Sea oil fields. The principal sightseeing spots of this town include the Norwegian Oil Field Museum, Canned Goods Museum, and the cathedral. Two of the best day hikes in Norway are located a couple of hours out of town on the beautiful Lysefjorden. Not too far from Stavanger, alpine centres are ready for skiers and snowboarders throughout the winter season. You can travel with a high-speed boat from Bergen to Stavanger or to Lysefjord by bus or boat from Stavanger.

Access: Stavanger is accessible form Bergen by public bus or high-speed boat. It will take 6 hours by bus and 4 hours by boat.

Website: www.destinasjon-stavanger.no/

Kalmar

The ancient capital of the Baltic sea where the Kalmar alliance was forged.

A small port town facing the Baltic sea where, in 1397, the Kalmar alliance was signed. The Kalmar Castle (Kalmar Slott) still stands. There is a bridge to the adjacent Öland Island, making Kalmar a hub for travelling.

Website: www.kalmar.se

Kiruna

A town contributing to Sweden's steel industry. Kiruna is close to the arctic Lapland area. The city thrives off of the steel industry, mining the finest iron ore. The "Midnight Sun", where the sun doesn't go down all day, is visible from the end of May until mid July, and the mystical Aurora can be seen between September and early April. Sweden's Royal Space Physics Laboratory, famous for its study of the Aurora is located here.

Access: One or two flights per day from Stockholm. 1 hour 35 minutes flight. It takes 16 hours 10 minutes by rail from Stockholm.

Website: www.lkab.com

Narsarsuaq

Narsaruaq is a small community with approximately 200 people mainly employed at the airport or the associated hotel. It is an independent facility with its own power station, harbor and workshops. Narsarsuaq is located at the deepest end of the Erik fjord, which is located south of the island. Most people fly into Narsarsuaq when travelling to Greenland.

Harstad

Harstad is located approximately 1 1/2 h from Oslo by plane. Harstad is a small beautiful town that has a harmonious combination of radiant seas, rows of colourful houses, mountains, forests, and rivers. Harstad was an important base during the Viking era, and in the late 19th century it served as a sardine fishery. The Sami people, the natives of Lapland, have handed down their culture and tradition to their descendants. Tourists from around the world visit this area as it is the gateway to the Lofoten Islands, which is a popular anchorage site of the coastal steamer.

Access: Harstad can be easily accessed by plane from Oslo, Tromsø and Bødo. You can also travel to Harstad by sea, which takes approximately 3h from Tromsø.