Splendours of Scandinavia

When Scandinavia is on your travel list, there’s no better place to start your “Sailani’s – Splendours of Scandinavia Tour” then Helsinki, Finland. One of the world’s northernmost capitals, Helsinki is a hotbed for Scandinavian design, museums, and cute cafés. … Mixed in with Art Noveau architecture, Russian-built neoclassical churches remind visitors that Helsinki was once ruled by Czar Alexander I.

We arrive at the Helsinki airport and after clearing the immigration and customs procedures, we head out to the exit where our Sailani’s representative is waiting to give us a warm welcome and transfer us to our hotel (Check in at 16:00 Hours). Overnight at Helsinki.
(D)

After the history-rich sights of Russia, we are about to meander through Europe’s youngest capital, Helsinki. There are no antique ruins or remains, no medieval squares and not even a palace here, all you have is a vibrant metropolis with a multi-faceted architecture that boasts as much of Neoclassicism as it does of Romanticism and Modernism.

We begin our guided city tour of Helsinki discovering some of the world’s most distinct architectural merits such as Finlandia Hall – the leading congress, event and entertainment venue in Finland, the Helsinki Cathedral, the Market Square – bustling with activities with vendors selling fresh food and souvenirs, Senate Square, Uspenski Cathedral and many other landmarks. The highlights of the city tour, however, happen to be our visits to the Lutheran Temppeliaukio Church, a unique Rock Church known for its thrilling work of modern architecture, built entirely underground with a ceiling made of copper wire) and the Sibelius Monument, dedicated to the Finnish Composer, Jean Sibelius, consisting of a series of more than 600 hollow steel pipes welded together in a wave-like pattern.

Board our ship at Silja Line in Helsinki that will take us on to Stockholm, Sweden. As we see Finland disappearing before us, we gear up to embrace ourselves for a night spent marvelling at the eternity of the blue water beneath us, pausing only to enjoy a lavish dinner buffet served aboard. Overnight Ferry to Stockholm.

Note: From the moment we step on the ship, we follow Swedish time which is one hour behind Finland.

(B, L, D)

Today enjoy your breakfast while cruising on the Baltic Sea, we disembark the ship in Stockholm. We start our guided city tour of the Swedish capital sprawled over 14 islands. Incidentally, one-third of this coastal capital consists of water while another one-third is occupied by parks and woodlands. It’s safe to say then that there is certainly no dearth of scenic beauty in Stockholm. But scenic stretches aren’t all there is to the town; there is also an interesting amalgamation of historic architectural treasures and that of modern structures. We get a hint of this beautiful blend of historic and modern as our tour takes us past popular landmarks like The Royal Palace and Gamla Stan, the colour-rioted old town among others.

We then visit the Vasa Ship Museum which, as the name suggests is a maritime museum. One of the most visited attractions in town as it is, this is the only museum in the world to have an almost fully intact 17th-century ship, the warship Vasa that was salvaged three centuries after it sank.

The final destination on our itinerary today is the Stadshuset, the iconic Stockholm City Hall which is often spotted on pictures and postcards of Sweden. Apart from assembly rooms and offices the building also houses grand ceremonial halls. Overnight at Stockholm.

(B, L, D)

Today, we proceed to Oslo. Enroute we halt at Karlstad, we take some time to look around this beautiful riverside town, which is sprawled all the way down to the shore of the Vanern Lake. Incidentally, Vanern Lake marks our next halt. We make a photo stop here for beautiful picture additions to our social media folders.

Next, we drive towards Oslo, surrounded by mountains and sea, this compact, cultured and fun city has a palpable sense of reinvention. Overnight at Oslo.

(B, L, D)
(B, L, D)

You know a city is truly a culture-rich destination when its theatres, museums and galleries happen to be one of the most distinctive features of the town. And given that we are in one such capital, we dedicate today to exploring as much of this magnificent town as we can.

We begin our Oslo guided city tour today that’ll take us past the most popular attractions of the town. The Akershus Fortress, the Royal Palace, the Oslo Cathedral, the City Hall and the National Opera Theatre to name a few.

One of the biggest highlights of the tour happens to be our visit to the world’s largest sculpture park by a single artist, Vigeland Sculpture Park, one of Norway’s most visited tourist attractions. The park features more than 200 sculptures crafted out of bronze, granite and wrought iron by artist, Gustav Vigeland; the Wheel of Life and the 16-metre long Monolith, depicting 121 intertwined human bodies) being the most popular among these sculptures.

We then move on to get a glimpse into Norway’s Viking past as we head to the Viking Ship Museum next. Apart from housing three well-preserved 9th-century vessels, the Oseberg Ship, the Gokstad Ship and the Tune Ship, the museum also houses other artefacts and exhibits that are indicative of the Viking life at sea.

Next on our list of must-visit attractions in the Norweigan capital is the Holmenkollen Ski Jump & Museum. Perched atop a hill, the journey to the Ski Jump Area alone is quite an interesting one and once there, the sheer height of the construction is likely to blow your mind away, irrespective of whether you are a ski enthusiast or not. Plus, there is the matter of the best possible panoramic views of the town below. There is also the Ski Museum that boasts of 4000 years of ski history.

Visit Magic Ice Bar Oslo, a stylish haven of art and unique icy fun. The bar is literally made out of ice with ice walls. Overnight at Oslo.

(B, L, D)

Irrespective of how impressed we are by the architectural and cultural heritage of Oslo, it is an undeniable fact that you haven’t really seen Norway if you haven’t spent some time submerging yourself in the splendour of its natural beauty that comprises scenic landscapes, fascinating fjords and majestic mountains. And the best way to experience this heavenly beauty is to take the ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ tour, which is on our agenda for today. The tour, literally, is a long journey from Oslo to Bergen via trains, ferries and buses that take us past some of Europe’s most scenic stretches.

We drive to the Geilo train station where begins the actual tour as we board the train to Myrdal that offers spectacular views of mountainous terrains. We then board our next train to Flam which gives us a glimpse of the Norwegian Fjords. From Flam starts our water voyage with a fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and the Naeroyfjord, which is the narrowest fjord in Europe surrounded by huge mountains. Our cruise ends at Gudvangen, a small village cradled in the deepest reaches of Naeroyfjord. Our last leg of the tour finishes with a bus ride from Gudvangen to Bergen. Overnight at Bergen.

NOTE: We will carry packed lunch for the ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ tour while dinner will be served at an Indian restaurant in Bergen.

(B, PL, D)

Onto Copenhagen • Guided City Tour of Bergen • Visit Hanseatic Wharf Bryggen • Ride Floibanen (Funicular Train)

When you have seven hills standing guard for a coastal city with an entire coastal belt of the city listed as UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, one thing you can expect from the town is ample beauty all around, both, in terms of landscape and cityscape. It is safe to say then that Bergen is nothing if not absolutely and entirely awe-inspiring.

We begin our guided city tour which takes us through its upward meandering roads past popular landmarks like the Fantoft Stave Church, though reconstructed in 1992, is still a classic expression of early Norwegian.

The most beautiful sight, however, in all of Bergen is the Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf, a coastal belt of colourful timbre structures, that has often found its way not just on postcards but on several desktops across the world as a screen saver. One of the most visited attractions of the town, the Hanseatic Wharf now comprises a small museum and several shops, cafes and restaurants.

And because nothing would make our Bergen tour more worthwhile than a trip up one of its much-talked-about seven mountains, next on our itinerary is a ride on the Floibanen, a funicular train that takes us up Mount Floyen. This mountaintop is where you get the most splendid panoramic views of the city below. We then head to Bergen airport to board our flight to Copenhagen. Overnight at Copenhagen.

(B, L, D)

We begin our day to explore the beautiful Denmark capital, Copenhagen, a town that’s youthful and historic, at the same time. We begin our guided city tour at the Rosenborg Castle which comprises the oldest royal garden of the country. The tour then takes us past the Renaissance Stock Exchange, Danish Parliament, the famous statue of the Little Mermaid and the Christiansborg Palace that comprises the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister’s Office and the Danish Supreme Court.

Next way to the city’s most visited attraction, the Tivoli Gardens, part of its dreamy charm is the architectural romanticism that takes the whole experience to new levels of fun. (Rides not included). Overnight at Copenhagen.

(B, L, D)

Too soon for our liking as it might be, the “Sailani’s – Splendours of Scandinavia Tour” has finally come to an end. With beautiful memories in our minds and beautiful souvenirs in our luggage, we board our flight back home. (B)

Note : Please note that this tour may run with an altered flow due to operational constraints.

(B)